This strawberry banana smoothie with yogurt is refreshing and creamy with no added sugar required since it’s naturally sweetened with fruit! The Greek yogurt pumps up the protein content, making for the perfect satisfying breakfast or snack! Quick, healthy and easy to make and packed with refreshing flavour! {gluten-free & vegetarian}
This strawberry banana smoothie recipe has been a big hit in our house lately. We’re constantly striving to switch up the breakfast and snack routine to keep things interesting, and with the warmer temperatures arriving, this smoothie is exactly what we needed in our lives. It totally hit the spot!
It’s smooth, creamy and super refreshing and is the perfect way to use up those fresh strawberries or frozen bananas you might have kicking around.
This 5-ingredient healthy strawberry banana yogurt smoothie is made with nutritious ingredients, contains no refined sugar and is sure to be a hit with both kids and adults!
If you’re looking for other delicious smoothie recipes, be sure to also check out this Pina Colada Smoothie and Raspberry Banana Protein Smoothie.
Why We Love this Smoothie
- Balanced: The smoothie contains all four food groups, which makes it a great balanced and nutrient-rich breakfast or snack option. It’s very filling so it can serve as a meal all in itself.
- Quick and easy: If you’re looking for a quick breakfast on the go, this smoothie will do the trick! It only consists of five simple ingredients (or six if you count the oats), so you can blend it all up in just a few minutes and drink it before you head out the door or on the go.
- Kid-friendly: The vibrant pink colour makes this smoothie really fun, especially for kids! It’s a tasty way to incorporate more fibre, protein, calcium and omega-3s into your family’s day!
Ingredients Notes for Strawberry Banana Greek Yogurt Smoothie
- Banana: The banana contributes natural sweetness to the smoothie, so no added sugar is required. Use an overripe banana (the brown spotty kind) for the best flavour.
- Strawberries: Gives this smoothie a vibrant pink hue and refreshing flavour. Use frozen strawberries for a thicker and more refreshing smoothie.
- Milk: The milk adds some additional calcium, magnesium and vitamin D and also helps to thin out the smoothie slightly, making the fruit easier to blend. I typically use unsweetened almond milk, but you can use regular cow’s milk or your preferred milk alternative.
- Greek yogurt: Provides a creamy texture and adds some extra protein. I tend to use 2% plain Greek yogurt, but you can use a lower or higher fat percentage if preferred.
- Hemp hearts or chia seeds: Adds some additional fibre, protein and omega-s. You can use one or the other, or both to switch it up.
- Oats: This is optional, but the oats help to thicken up the smoothie and make it even more filling due to their soluble fibre content. I tend to use quick oats, but you can also use rolled oats if desired.
What kind of Greek yogurt is best for smoothies?
It’s a personal preference which type of Greek yogurt that you use in your smoothies.
I tend to use plain 2% fat Greek yogurt for a creamier texture and to keep the added sugar content down, but you can sub in a flavoured or lower/ higher fat Greek yogurt if preferred.
How to Make a Smoothie with Yogurt
- Step 1 – Toss all of the ingredients into a high power blender and press start.
- Step 2 – Blend until smooth and chunks are no longer present.
- Step 3 – Taste. If you find it’s not sweet enough, you can add a bit of honey or maple syrup, although I found it was definitely sweet enough without it! The key is using an overripe banana to get that optimal sweetness.
It’s that simple!
Recipe Tips
- This smoothie is naturally sweetened with fruit. I recommend using an overripe banana to maximize the sweetness of the smoothie and minimize that strong banana taste that you tend to get with a less ripe banana.
- I personally found the smoothie to be sweet enough with just the fruit. If you want to further enhance the flavour and sweetness, you may wish to add a bit of honey or maple syrup. Blend up the ingredients, taste and adjust sweetness accordingly.
- If you don’t have a powerful blender, I recommend blending up the frozen strawberries in batches. If you try to add the whole 2 cups all at once, the blender’s engine may burn out. If freezing fresh strawberries, cut them into slices before freezing to make them even easier to blend.
- Adjust the amount of milk used according to personal taste preferences. If you prefer a thinner smoothie, add more milk. If you like your smoothie on the thicker side, add less.
- This smoothie tastes best when you drink it fresh. It tends to thin out a bit if left in the fridge for a few hours since the fruit thaws out and doesn’t have that same refreshing taste and consistency. If you choose to make it ahead of time, you may wish to add a couple of ice cubes or some additional frozen fruit to the mixture and blend it up again to thicken up the texture.
Recipe FAQs
Should I use fresh or frozen fruit in a yogurt smoothie?
I’ve tried it both ways and I prefer to use a frozen strawberries since the mixture may be too thin if using fresh. Keep in mind that you will need a fairly powerful blender to break it all down and you may need to add extra milk to help it blend together if the mixture is too thick.
What should you not mix in a smoothie?
If you’re looking to avoid excess added sugar, generally it’s best to avoid add-ins such as fruit juice; flavoured yogurts; sweeteners such as sugar, honey or maple syrup; ice cream, frozen yogurt or sherbet; or canned fruit packed in syrup. All of these ingredients can cause the sugar content of your smoothie to add up quickly.
Do you need ice for a smoothie?
I find that adding the frozen strawberries is sufficient to provide that thickened, cool and creamy consistency that we tend to love with smoothies.
I generally don’t add ice since it can make it more like a slushy and has a tendency to water down the mixture. But once again, smoothies are pretty flexible so feel free to add some ice if that’s what floats your boat.
Why are my smoothies so thin?
If you add too much liquid or don’t use frozen fruit, your smoothie might be on the thinner side. For a nice thick smoothie, use frozen banana and strawberries instead of fresh.
Can this strawberry banana smoothie with yogurt be made in advance?
It can be, however, I generally find that it tastes best when you drink it fresh. It tends to thin out a bit if left in the fridge for a few hours since the fruit thaws out and doesn’t have that same refreshing taste and consistency.
If you choose to make it ahead of time, you may wish to add a couple of ice cubes to the mixture and blend it up again to thicken up the texture.
Do I have to add oats to this greek yogurt smoothie?
If you prefer to leave them out, you can certainly do so. If using this smoothie as a meal replacement, the oats help to add some extra fibre and bulk to the smoothie, but it won’t significantly affect the taste if you choose to leave them out.
Variations and substitutions for strawberry smoothie with yogurt and banana
- Don’t have Greek yogurt? Feel free to sub in regular plain yogurt or kefir, just keep in mind that the protein content will be reduced.
- Want to make it dairy-free? Sub in a dairy-free yogurt like coconut or almond yogurt and be sure to use a dairy-free milk alternative like almond milk, rice or soy milk.
- Want to make it gluten-free? Use certified gluten-free oats or leave them out altogether.
- Want to make it sweeter? Add a bit of honey or maple syrup.
- Want some extra protein? Add some additional Greek yogurt or a scoop of vanilla protein powder.
More Strawberry recipes:
- Strawberry Basil Lime Spritzer
- Mini Strawberry Muffins
- Strawberry Spinach Salad with Grilled Chicken
- Healthy Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble
- No-Bake Vegan Strawberry Cream Cheesecake Cups
- Strawberry Mango Avocado Salsa
Did you make this recipe? Scroll down to leave a rating and review!
Strawberry and Banana Yogurt Smoothie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk of choice (I used unsweetened almond milk)
- 1 large ripe banana cut into chunks
- 2 cups frozen strawberries
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp hemp hearts (or sub in chia seeds)
- 1/4 cup quick oats optional
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a high power blender and blend until smooth. Serve immediately.
Notes
- This smoothie is naturally sweetened with fruit. I recommend using an overripe banana to maximize the sweetness of the smoothie and minimize that strong banana taste that you tend to get with a less ripe banana.
- I personally found the smoothie to be sweet enough with just the fruit. If you want to further enhance the flavour and sweetness, you may wish to add a bit of honey or maple syrup. Blend up the ingredients, taste and adjust sweetness accordingly.
- If you don't have a powerful blender, I recommend blending up the frozen strawberries in batches. If you try to add the whole 2 cups all at once, the blender's engine may burn out. If freezing fresh strawberries, cut them into slices before freezing to make them even easier to blend.
- Adjust the amount of milk used according to personal taste preferences. If you prefer a thinner smoothie, add more milk. If you like your smoothie on the thicker side, add less.
- This smoothie tastes best when you drink it fresh. It tends to thin out a bit if left in the fridge for a few hours since the fruit thaws out and doesn't have that same refreshing taste and consistency. If you choose to make it ahead of time, you may wish to add a couple of ice cubes or some additional frozen fruit to the mixture and blend it up again to thicken up the texture.
Nutrition
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Do smoothies require some kind of milk, whether dairy or nondairy, as long as you have yogurt?
Not necessarily, it depends on what type of consistency you’re going for and how thick you like your smoothie. If you don’t add the milk, you might find that the smoothie is pretty thick. I also found that the milk helped make it easier to blend the frozen fruit, but it’s totally a personal preference and largely depends on how powerful of a blender you have. I don’t have a super powerful blender so I needed that additional liquid to break it down and make it smooth. Hope that helps! :)