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Directions
This banana smoothie recipe requires just five simple ingredients, all of which you probably already have in your kitchen. It’s so fast and easy, and a great way to use up ripe bananas before they’re too far gone.
While you can add all sorts of flavors (peanut butter! cocoa powder!) and other fruits (berries are especially good!), this basic smoothie is also a satisfying breakfast all on its own.
The Ingredients for the Best Banana Smoothie
- Bananas: While this recipe calls for fresh bananas, you can also use frozen bananas. Whenever you have bananas that are getting a little too ripe, toss them in a bag or container in the freezer, and you’ll always be smoothie-ready. Slightly overripe bananas are perfect for smoothies since they are sweet and blend well.
- Vanilla: A little bit of pure vanilla extract gives this smoothie a dessert-like flavor. Feel free to adjust the quantity for your perfect level of vanilla goodness.
- Yogurt: Yogurt gives any smoothie a wonderful creamy texture. This recipe calls for vanilla yogurt to double down on the vanilla vibes, but you could also use plain yogurt if you prefer. Any fat percentage is fine, and you can use Greek-style or regular yogurt, or even nondairy yogurt. If you use a very thick yogurt, you might need to add a little liquid, such as milk, to the smoothie.
- Honey or other sweetener: You don’t have to add any sweetener to your smoothie, but if you choose to, honey is a great choice both for its flavor and for its ability to blend well. See below the recipe for alternative sweetener suggestions.
- Ice: Ice makes a smoothie deliciously frosty and refreshing, but if you use frozen bananas, feel free to cut down on the ice or skip it completely.
