These delicious plant-based superfood smoothies are bursting with flavor, color and nutrients! Made with mostly everyday ingredients, they taste like dessert while being rich in veggies and fiber. Try these 25 smoothie recipes!
One of the easiest, most delicious and fun ways to eat more fruits and vegetables is to make plant-based smoothies featuring a couple of superfoods.
Weโre not necessarily talking about ashwagandha or other strange and hard-to-find superfoods here that can have questionable side effects.
There are already superfoods all around you! They might not be as hip or Instagram-friendly as some of the more obscure selections, but you can totally boost the nutritional value of your plant-based smoothie by adding some flax seeds or greens.
Especially if youโre swapping bacon and eggs, breakfast muffins or sugary cereal for a quick and easy liquid vegan breakfast smoothie โ this powerful blast of antioxidants, fiber and other essential nutrients helps you start your day on a totally different note.
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Not only can you enjoy your daily dose of โhiddenโ veggies and plant-based goodness for breakfast, superfood smoothies also work for pre- or post-workout shakes, healthy snacks or a quick grab-and-go lunch add-on.
Including more whole plant-based foods is a great way to boost your daily nutrition as well as your immune system โ and what better way to do so than blending up a delicious and customizable superfood smoothie?
In this article, we want to take a look at whatโs behind โsuperfoodsโ and how to create foolproof plant-based smoothies, then share over 20 delicious recipes with you to get you started off right!
Find 30+ more plant-based breakfast ideas here and check out these 30+ high-protein vegan snacks!
Benefits of Plant-Based Smoothies
Letโs start with some reasons why we absolutely love plant-based smoothies to get you excited about trying some of the recipes.
- Budget-friendly and accessible
- Can easily hide veggies
- Heavenly creamy
- Very convenient & customizable
- Great on-the-go option
- Kid-friendly and weight loss-friendly
- Nutrient-dense and creamy
- Scalable and meal prep-friendly
- Foolproof beginner recipes
- Pretty much always taste great
- Less food waste by using leftover produce
If one of your goals is to load up on more nutrient-dense foods to improve your overall health, decrease cravings, boost your beautiful glow and have fun doing so โ keep on reading.
Basic Plant-Based Smoothie Formula
The great news is that you donโt have to follow strict recipes to create a delicious plant-based smoothie! If youโre looking for a balanced liquid meal that includes a few highly nutritious superfoods, hereโs how to go about it.
- Veggies: spinach, kale, zucchini, carrot, cauliflower, broccoli, beets, cucumber
- Fruit: banana, mango, pineapple, berries, apple, orange
- Nuts & Seeds: whole or as butter
- Liquid: water, coconut water, plant-based milk, vegan yogurt, tea, juice
Foods often work synergistically, meaning they are more than their individual components. Vitamin C, for example, helps with the absorption of iron, which is why itโs a good idea to add some lemon juice to your green vegetables.
The beta-carotene in carrots and mangoes can be better absorbed when eaten with a source of fat โ there are many examples like these. But that doesnโt mean you have to make fancy superfood smoothies with 10+ components!
You can keep your plant-based smoothies really simple and use only a few ingredients at a time โ like bananas, flax and spinach.
In any case, we highly recommend that you use at least some frozen fruits or vegetables to greatly improve your plant-based smoothieโs texture!
One great tip we want to share is that once your produce is getting very ripe and a little soggy, just chop it up and freeze it for an upcoming smoothie.
Best Healthy Plant-Based Smoothies
Ready for the most delicious and creative way to get your โ5 a dayโ on a regular basis? Even your kids will love most of these plant-based superfood smoothies, especially when they can help make them. Letโs check out these quick beginner recipes!
Mango Spinach Smoothie
Starting with a simple go-to green smoothie, this 5-minute recipe calls for fresh spinach, frozen mango and some soy milk for plant-based protein. This combination of healthy ingredients is rich in minerals, very accessible and great for green smoothie beginners!
Tropical Sweet Potato Smoothie Bowl
Fluffy, caramelly roasted sweet potato and frozen bananas create the basis for this beta carotene-rich breakfast smoothie bowl! Itโs wonderfully textured, satisfying and can be topped with seasonal fruit, nuts and seeds to your heartโs content.
Blueberry Latte Breakfast Smoothie Jars
These gorgeous glass jars feature cold brew-infused chia pudding topped with a two-ingredient swirled smoothie and fresh antioxidant-rich blueberries. They are secretly high in plant-based protein and certainly make any morning a lot brighter!
Avocado Mint Green Smoothie
Naturally, a recipe collection of plant-based superfood smoothies has to feature a bunch of green goodness, right? This creamy green smoothie is made with fresh spinach, one ripe banana as well as some avocado for extra healthy fats, creaminess and vitamin E! The lime juice helps with iron absorption from the spinach, too.
Cranberry Orange Smoothie Bowl
Tart frozen cranberries combined with frozen bananas, fresh blood orange and a splash of almond milk are needed to create this vibrant and nutritious plant-based smoothie bowl! Both the blood oranges and cranberries are really high in vitamin C, which gives your immune system a nice boost.
Turmeric Mango Smoothie
Donโt give that upcoming cold any chance of clinging onto you! This vibrant orange, turmeric and mango smoothie packs some ginger and carrots for a refreshing, spicy and super nutritious plant-based breakfast or snack.
Super Green Broccoli Smoothie
This super green spirulina broccoli smoothie is creamy, packed with nutrients and tropical flavor! Easy to make and customizable, itโs a meal prep-friendly vegan breakfast or snack idea that even kids enjoy. Itโs a true superfood smoothie thanks to ingredients like avocado, kale, spirulina, ginger and coconut water.
Mango Chocolate Smoothie
Combining deliciously sweet and refreshing layers in one single glass while not skipping on that chocolate flavor has never been so easy! Our sugar-free and undetectably healthy mango chocolate smoothie is made with sweet potato, yogurt, turmeric and ginger while still tasting like dessert.
Maca Mocha Cold Brew Smoothie
What better way to start your day than a date-sweetened creamy cold brew smoothie? Featuring cocoa, almond butter and even frozen cauliflower for an extra boost in nutrition, this shake can also be made with a tablespoon of maca powder โ a cruciferous vegetable which has a root that is of the โadaptogenicโ nature.
Pink Pitaya Smoothie Bowl
This stunning pink smoothie bowl is sweet, tart and super thick! Its base is made mainly from raspberries, dates and plant-based milk, all very nutrient-dense, and can be topped with anything you like! In the picture, you can see some dragonfruit or pitaya, almond butter, coconut, chia jam and frozen berries.
Mint Chocolate Green Protein Smoothie
Indulgent, healthy and high in plant-based protein! This gorgeous concoction is made with some baby spinach, almond milk, peppermint extract and chopped dark chocolate โ you can be sure that nobody will be able to taste the hint of spinach in this flavorful superfood smoothie. We are in love with the chocolate swirl!
Ginger Snap Smoothie
This filling and flavorful plant-based smoothie calls for all of the delicious fall spices like ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg, which are then blended into a delicious baked pumpkin and avocado base! Naturally sweetened with Medjool dates, this delicious treat is like a healthy drinkable dessert that loves you back.
Pumpkin Chia Smoothie Bowl
Letโs keep this fall-theme going for a bit โ because you donโt want to miss out on this pumpkin chia smoothie! Almost like a liquid cake, this smoothie is a creamy, starchy, naturally sweetened plant-based breakfast idea thatโs infused with all the cozy spices you could want. Top with nutrient-dense nuts, dried fruit or some granola!
Carrot Cake Smoothie
One more dessert in a cup! But this one is totally banana-free, which isnโt common for plant-based smoothies. Instead, it gets its sweet flavor from pineapple and raisins as well as beta-carotene-rich carrots! Plus, it secretly hides a whole head of romaine lettuce (say what?).
Beet Orange Smoothie
Looking for some extra immunity-boosting benefits during the fall and winter months? This pink superfood smoothie is high in vitamin C and other antioxidants, vitamins and minerals and calls for spinach, zucchini, orange, beets and a handful of other simple ingredients.
Summer Superfood Smoothie Bowls
These three loaded superfood smoothie bowls are truly bursting with color, flavor and nutrition! Made with an array of frozen berries, beet powder, hemp seeds, spirulina and turmeric powder, youโll be sure to pack a lot of goodness into these plant-based breakfast bowls.
Layered Mango Blueberry Smoothie
Would you believe that these stunning breakfast smoothie jars are made with just 4 ingredients? Thanks to the frozen fruit and plant-based yogurt, they are super thick and rich โ top with your favorite add-ons (find some ideas below) and enjoy in just 5 minutes.
Chlorella Green Smoothie
This chlorella smoothie is bursting with delicious tropical flavors and is packed with superfoods, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. It gets its vibrant green color mainly from the algae (which you wonโt be able to taste!) as well as some calcium-rich greens.
Strawberry + Blueberry Bean Smoothie
Remember how we established that legumes are among the healthiest and most nutritious foods? Well then letโs add them to our creamy plant-based smoothies! Undetectably protein-stuffed, this fruity breakfast or post-workout shake is made with berries, cauliflower, hemp seeds and a few more healthy ingredients.
Chocolate Almond Butter Smoothie Bowl
Who would have thought this decadent looking (and tasting!) chocolate smoothie bowl is a secretly healthy, blissful treat? Despite its very simple composition, itโs fully whole food plant-based, made with a handful of vegan staple foods and can be topped to your delight.
Blueberry Broccoli Smoothie
This blueberry broccoli smoothie is loaded with good-for-your-health fruits and vegetables that will give you the needed boost to make any day brighter! It is delicious, even to those who are not fond of broccoli, and is incredibly nourishing and simple to make!
Mango Matcha Green Tea Smoothie
Looking for a gentle boost in the morning or mid-day? This matcha smoothie could be perfect for you. Made with banana, frozen broccoli, mango and plant-based milk, this green superfood goodness is rich in flavor and antioxidants and it offers a slight zing from the lime.
Luscious Lemon Cheesecake Smoothie
This banana-free smoothie is like dessert in a glass because it tastes just like lemon cheesecake! Thick, satisfying and amazingly delicious, itโs made with coconut milk, cooked chickpeas and gets its sweetness from mango and dates. We love this genius recipe!
Coconut Spirulina Superfood Smoothie
Gorgeously green and heavenly creamy, this superfood smoothie calls for coconut milk, spirulina, avocado, ginger and a few more antioxidant-rich spices! You can swap the spirulina for another superfood powder like barley or wheatgrass and top this thick base with chia and rolled oats.
Blueberry Acai Bowls
One of the latest trends in the foodie scene is acai, a type of berry that is used to create stunning superfood smoothie bowls like the one in this photo. Luckily, this homemade version doesnโt cost you an arm and a leg and is made with 6 simple ingredients that will take your breakfast to another level!
Creamy Minty Wheatgrass Smoothie
Finally, one more green smoothie thatโs both delicious and stuffed to the brim with nutritious superfoods! Both fresh zucchini and a pinch of wheatgrass are hidden in this naturally sweetened, minty and ice-cold plant-based smoothie. A summer must!
Plant-Based Smoothie FAQ
Now that youโve seen over 20 delicious and healthy plant-based smoothies, we want to answer a couple of common questions.
How often should you have smoothies, and are they great for weight loss? Can you store them, and what are good toppings? Letโs quickly go over some of these questions and answers.
What Are Superfoods?
There are many misconceptions out there about superfoods and what they are. Generally speaking, there is no such thing as a true โsuperfood,โย according to Ansley Hill, RD.
Itโs mostly an industry-coined term for nutrient-rich foods with a capacity to positively affect health.
But itโs important to understand that no single food holds the key to longevity or disease prevention โ itโs the overall diet pattern thatโs important.
Chugging down a glass of wheatgrass juice every day doesnโt set off the greasy bacon burger you had for lunch. It can be easy to justify choosing unhealthy foods by trying to balance out their negative side-effects, but donโt fall into that trap.
Letโs take a look at which foods offer a good nutrient bang for your buck so you can try to incorporate them more often โ instead of the bacon, not alongside it, if possible.
Best Superfoods to Boost Nutrition
- Dark Leafy Greens โ kale, spinach and collard greens offer a good amount of folate, calcium, iron, vitamin C and zinc.
- Berries โ not just goji or acai, but also common varieties like raspberries, strawberries and blueberries contain lots of antioxidants, essential vitamins & minerals.
- Legumes โ this underappreciated food group plays a role in preventing various diseases and contains rich sources of B vitamins, minerals, protein and fiber; you can even add white beans, black beans, tofu or soy milk to your smoothies!
- Flax, Hemp & Chia Seeds โ these three are packed with fiber and essential omega-3 fatty acids while also helping with satiety and the absorption of some nutrients.
- Green Tea & Matcha โ rich in antioxidants and polyphenolic compounds that have strong anti-inflammatory effects, these lightly caffeinated beverages can be enjoyed on their own or added to a superfood smoothie!
- Cacao โ this tasty brown powder can boost blood flow, is high in flavonoids and so tasty! Pair it with some maca or coffee to get even more antioxidants and energy!
- Ginger & Turmeric โ best enjoyed together, these spicy yellow-orangey roots have multiple medicinal effects and may reduce the risk of many chronic illnesses. Make sure to pair turmeric with some black pepper and fat!
- Sweet Potatoes โ this delicious root vegetable is loaded with potassium, fiber and vitamin A, helps to keep you satiated and makes for super creamy plant-based smoothies!
- Avocado โ if you want to bump up the fat content or make a banana-free smoothie, avocado is your friend! This green fruit contains nearly 20 vitamins and minerals and can help protect from chronic disease.
- Probiotic Foods โ plant-based yogurt and kefir are fermented foods that are associated with lowering blood pressure and cholesterol levels, improving digestion and having anti-inflammatory effects.
- Algae โ this might not sound very appetizing, but the two most common powdered superfoods you can put in your smoothies are spirulina and chlorella, two different types of algae that are highly nutritious and can be easily overpowered by sweet fruit.
Youโve probably noticed that some of these are easier to get a hold of at your regular store than others โ but overall, we love that there are such highly nutritious and healthy superfoods at our fingertips! In fact, some can even be grown in your own garden.
So, if youโre not up for buying a bunch of expensive powders and dried berries, no problem!
We kept the following nutritious plant-based smoothies really accessible and didnโt go overboard on fancy superfoods. Most ingredients are actually easy to find, and you can just leave out add-ins like spirulina or hemp seeds.
How to Store Plant-Based Smoothies
Yes, it happens to all of us โ we get into freestyling-mode and end up with a huge jug of blended goodness. Now what? Will your plant-based smoothie get bad within a day?
The good news is that you can use smoothies for meal prep and make them in advance, keeping the creamy goodness in airtight containers in the fridge. They can absorb smells rather quickly and oxidize when they get in contact with air.
What can happen is that your smoothie separates after a couple of hours. Just give your mason jar (or whatever you use to store it) a good shake and enjoy your homogeneous drink!
A great idea is to freeze your superfood smoothie into little cubes using an ice cube tray where they will stay nice and fresh for up to 2-3 months โ a convenient way to make a quick and refreshing shake!
Delicious Superfood Smoothie Toppings
While itโs definitely important what you put inside of your plant-based smoothies, you can boost nutrition, color and texture by choosing some fun superfood smoothie toppings! Some work best for drinkable smoothies in glasses while others are better put on a pretty smoothie bowl.
- Peanut butter or almond butter
- Blueberries, goji berries, raspberries
- Sliced almonds or crushed walnuts
- Chia seeds or hemp seeds
- Cocoa nibs or chopped dark chocolate
- Sliced banana or mango
- Puffed rice or quinoa
- Oats or granola
- Pomegranate seeds
Superfood Smoothies and Weight Gain
Liquids donโt always make us feel as full as solid foods โ by blending your fruits and vegetables, they are somewhat โpredigested,โ which means our bodies donโt have to do much of the work anymore.
They pass through our systems much quicker as opposed to having to chew all of the ingredients. The total size of smoothies is also smaller compared to the original fruits and vegetables.
Especially for those who have a hard time meeting calorie requirements on a plant-based diet or want to build some muscle, adding more superfood smoothies can help you get more energy!
You can easily transform your plant-based smoothie into a satiating meal by packing in some rolled oats, silken tofu, nut butter or cooked quinoa โ if youโre looking to lose weight, be aware that liquid calories can add up easily.
How to Adjust the Flavor & Nutrient Content
Looking for a higher protein plant-based smoothie? We love adding a couple of white beans, silken tofu or soy milk to our fruity shakes.
While we personally donโt use any plant-based protein powders, you can totally put a scoop of it into your superfood smoothie. Especially if you currently cannot digest beans or legumes super well, this can help bump your overall protein intake.
Increase the amount of fiber in your plant-based smoothie by adding some oats, nuts or seeds โ beans are great for this, too.
If vegetable smoothies take a bit of getting used to for you, why not add some more sweetness? Choose between bananas, dates, maple syrup, calorie-free stevia or all of the other vegan sweeteners.
Which Blender Is Best For Smoothies?
Over the years, weโve tried several blenders all the way from cheap to expensive โ and they all made for delicious plant-based smoothies.
If you donโt have a powerful high-speed blender like a Vitamix, make sure to blend your greens with some liquid first before adding any fruit. You also need a bit more liquid in general and should blend your superfood smoothies a bit longer to make them really smooth.
Save Money & The Environment
Did you buy too many bananas or too much kale and now your produce is starting to go bad?
Just peel, wash and chop everything, then place in individual freezer bags or combine them into little mixed smoothie bags โ even soggy and almost overripe fruits and vegetables donโt mind being frozen and blended.
They are still nutritious and delicious; you donโt need to throw them away and waste your money! Plus, frozen plant-based smoothie add-ins make for such a nice texture.
More Easy Vegan Recipes
Did you like our hand-selected list of recipes? Check out the following collections next for more vegan snack and meal inspiration.
- 40+ Delicious Vegan Wraps
- 22+ Vegan Summer Salads
- 30+ Portable Cold Lunch Ideas
- 30+ No-Bake Vegan Desserts
Over to you โ do you enjoy plant-based smoothies? Have you tried any of these, and how did you like them? Share with us in the comments below and donโt forget to Pin these gorgeous creations!
Awesome Post. I made Quinoa Raspberry Coconut last night at my home and my kids also loved it! I am excited to try your other recipes! many many thanks to you
There used to be a green apple ginger smoothie recipe at this URL (that was DELICIOUS), but I don’t see it now…any chance you can point me at the right direction?
Hi Vera, this article was just recently overhauled โ is this the recipe you’re talking about?
1.5 cups kale
1 medium apple
1 cup orange juice
1 banana
1 tsp minced ginger root
ยฝ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp chia or flax seeds
Happy you’ve been enjoying the green smoothie :)
Looking for the quinoa raspberry coconut smoothie recipe. Is it here and I missed it?
we recently republished this article with new recipes and this one was probably left out! I got it from my files for you:
1 cup almond coconut milk
1 cup raspberries
1 medjool date
ยฝ cup cooked quinoa
2 tbsp dried goji berries
2 tbsp shredded coconut
Blend & enjoy :)
Terrific article with terrific recipes… Please make it shareable or send article.to me?