How to Make Smoothies without Bananas

How to make easy smoothies without bananas using fruit or vegetables for weight loss, meal replacement, or for an energizing breakfast. In this guide, I show you how to replace bananas in your smoothies, and provide you with banana-free, dairy free smoothie recipes with strawberries, protein, peanut butter and more.

Making smoothies without bananas and without yogurt is a common request. That is because so many recipes use bananas or yogurt as the thickening ingredient. You can replace bananas with many fruits and vegetables which I list below. Using my choices, you can easily make strawberry smoothies without bananas, protein smoothies without bananas, and peanut butter smoothies without bananas.

Ingredients to Use Instead

If you want to make smoothies without bananas, here are some alternate ingredients or banana-replacement ingredients to use instead to create sweet and creamy smoothies:

• Mixed berries: Strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries add flavor and vitamins.
• Mango: Add a fresh flavor and a creamy texture.
• Avocado: Makes the smoothie smooth and creamy without needing dairy.
• Chia seeds: Help thicken the smoothie and add fiber.
• Rolled oats: Adds a thick texture and makes the smoothie more filling.
• Frozen riced cauliflower: Makes smoothies thick without changing the flavor.
• Sweet potato: Adds creaminess and a little sweetness.
• Canned pumpkin puree: Makes the smoothie thicker and adds fiber.
• Frozen zucchini: Adds a creamy texture, like bananas.
• Yogurt (dairy or non-dairy): Adds creaminess and protein, making your smoothie richer.
• Tofu. Adds creamy texture and protein.
• Frozen Milk Ice Cubes: Freezing canned coconut, almond milk or cashew will add more of a creamy texture than using a low fat milk such as oat milk.

To replace the sweetness of bananas, use:

• Pears
• Apples
• Dates

These fruits are naturally sweet and can replace bananas in your smoothies.

Why Some People Avoid Bananas

Some people avoid bananas because they have a lot of natural sugar, which can raise blood sugar levels. Others might be allergic to bananas or just don’t like their taste. Some people follow low-carb diets, like keto, and want smoothies without too many carbs.

Bananas can also add too many calories for people looking to lose weight, so they may look for lower-calorie options. And new research in shows bananas might slow absorption of some essential nutrients.

Benefits of Alternate Ingredients

Let’s look at how these ingredients are good for you when you use them to make banana-free smoothies:

• Mixed berries & Mangos: Berries are high in fiber and low in sugar. Mangos are about equal to bananas in sugar and net carbs.
• Avocado: Avocados are full of healthy fats and fiber. They aren’t sweet but make smoothies creamy. The fat in avocados also keeps you feeling full for longer.
• Chia seeds: These tiny seeds are packed with omega-3 fats, protein, and fiber. They swell up when you soak them in liquid, making the smoothie thicker. They’re great for adding nutrition without changing the flavor.
• Cauliflower: Frozen riced cauliflower is low in calories and rich in vitamin C. It has almost no taste, so it’s a great way to make a smoothie thick without changing the flavor.
• Sweet potato: This vegetable is full of vitamins A and C. It adds some sweetness, similar to bananas, but with fewer natural sugars.
• Pumpkin puree: High in fiber and low in calories, pumpkin puree helps thicken smoothies and adds a mild flavor. It’s great for fall-themed smoothies too!
• Zucchini: Zucchini may sound strange in a smoothie, but when frozen, it adds a creamy texture without any strong flavor. It’s another low-calorie way to make your smoothie thick.
• Yogurt, Frozen Milk & Tofu: Each adds protein, although some people think yogurt is also too commonly added to most smoothie recipes.

Banana Shortage: October 2024

In October 2024, a strike at U.S. ports was expected to make bananas immediately hard to find in stores. That's because bananas have a short life off the tree so they are speed-shipped to stores and only last a week before going bad so they can't be stored in the event of a shortage. Although this strike was averted, it is always a good idea to have substitutes for bananas in case you can't obtain them. Plus, these alternate ingredients are easy to find and often available year-round, so you don’t have to worry about shortages.

Why Bananas in Smoothies

Bananas are often used in smoothies because:

• They add sweetness. Bananas have natural sugar that makes smoothies taste sweet.
• They make the smoothie creamy. Bananas give smoothies a thick, smooth texture that people like.
• They are nutritious. Bananas are full of potassium and give you a quick boost of energy.

But the alternate ingredients I wrote about above can do the same things:

• For sweetness: Use apples, pears, or dates.
• For creaminess: Use avocado, frozen cauliflower, yogurt, tofu, frozen milk ice cubes.
• For nutrients: Try chia seeds, sweet potatoes, or pumpkin puree. These ingredients have their own health benefits and can make your smoothies just as satisfying as ones made with bananas.

Tips for Preparing Ingredients

Here are some tips for getting these ingredients ready for your smoothie:

• Mixed berries: You can use fresh or frozen. Frozen berries make smoothies thicker, which is great for a rich texture.
• Mango: You can use fresh or frozen.
• Avocado: Make sure it’s ripe and peeled. Ripe avocados blend easily and give a smooth texture.
• Chia seeds: Put them straight into the blender. No need to soak them first, but you can if you want your smoothie even thicker.
• Rolled oats: Add them dry to the blender. They help thicken the smoothie and make it more filling.
• Frozen riced cauliflower: You can find it in the freezer section at the store. Just scoop out what you need and add it to the blender.
• Sweet potato: Use canned or bake it fresh, then peel it before adding to the blender.
• Pumpkin puree: Use 100% pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling, which has added sugar.
• Frozen zucchini: Slice raw zucchini and freeze it. Then add it straight to the blender for a creamy texture.
• Yogurt: You can use regular or dairy-free yogurt for extra creaminess and protein.
• Tofu: Use any level of thickness all the way up to extra firm. Rinse, and add uncooked.
• Frozen Milk Ice Cubes: Freeze your choice of milk in ice cube trays.

Replacement Ingredient Measurements

You can make your own smoothies by replacing ½ banana used in any banana smoothie recipe you want to convert to banana-free.

• Mixed berries: Use 1 cup frozen or fresh.
• Mango: Use 1 cup frozen or fresh.
• Avocado: Use ½ an avocado, peeled.
• Chia seeds: Use 2 tbsp.
• Rolled oats: Use ½ cup.
• Frozen riced cauliflower: Use 1 cup.
• Sweet potato: Use 1 small or ½ medium, cooked, peeled or not.
• Pumpkin puree: ½ cup from a can.
• Frozen zucchini: 1 cup sliced and frozen zucchini.
• Yogurt: ½ - 1 cup - more makes your smoothie thicker.
• Tofu: ¼ cup.
• Frozen Milk Ice Cubes: Use 4-5 cubes.

FAQS

8 Banana-Free Smoothies

If you are in need of a banana free smoothie recipe, here are eight tried and true smoothie recipes on my blog that are beloved by my readers. They have one or more of the alternative ingredients I recommend above to use instead of banana, and they are all thick, sweet and creamy.

If you try these recipes or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 star rating, even a one-word review, and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!