Carrot Smoothie
A great carrot smoothie recipe starts with grated carrot, not chunks, because grated carrot blends fully smooth in under two minutes while chunks leave gritty flecks even in a high-speed blender.
Equipment
- High-speed blender - The single biggest factor in how smooth the carrot ends up.
- Box grater - or food processor with shredding disc
- Vegetable peeler
- Cutting board
- Paring knife
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Citrus juicer - (optional, if squeezing fresh oranges)
- Rubber spatula
- Glass mason jars or smoothie cups - for serving
- Silicone ice cube trays - (optional, for freezing extra fruit in portioned amounts)
Ingredients
- 1 large carrot - about 1 cup or 130g, peeled and finely grated
- 1 frozen banana - about 120g, sliced and frozen at least 2 hours ahead
- 1 cup 100% orange juice - 240ml, not from concentrate
- 1/2 cup frozen pineapple chunks - 75g
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt - 120g, whole milk or 2%
- 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk - 120ml, plus more to thin as needed
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger - or 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon raw honey - optional, to taste
Instructions
- Peel and finely grate 1 large carrot using a box grater or food processor. Grate 1/2 teaspoon of fresh ginger (or measure 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger). Set both aside.
- Pour 1 cup orange juice and 1/2 cup almond milk into the blender jar. Adding liquids first helps the blades catch everything evenly.
- Spoon in 1/2 cup Greek yogurt. Add the grated carrot, 1 sliced frozen banana, and 1/2 cup frozen pineapple chunks. Sprinkle in the grated ginger and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.
- Secure the lid and blend on low for 15 seconds to break up the frozen fruit. Increase to high and blend for 45 to 60 seconds, until no carrot flecks remain. Scrape down sides with a spatula if needed, then blend for 10 more seconds.
- Taste the smoothie. If needed, add 1 tablespoon honey and blend 10 seconds more. If too thick, add extra almond milk 2 tablespoons at a time and blend briefly after each addition.
- Pour the smoothie into two glasses or mason jars. Serve immediately for the best texture and coldest temperature.
Notes
- Always grate the carrot, don't chop it. Grated carrot blends much more smoothly than chunks.
- Freeze the banana and pineapple ahead of time for a thick, milkshake-like consistency without adding ice.
- Use a high-speed blender for the silkiest texture. Lower-powered blenders may need 30-45 seconds longer.
- Taste before adding honey - ripe bananas and pineapple vary in sweetness and may make added sweetener unnecessary.
- Add liquid gradually. It's easier to thin a smoothie than to thicken one.
- Don't over-blend. Stop as soon as it looks smooth, since extended blending can warm and thin the smoothie.
- For a thicker smoothie, use 1/4 cup less orange juice or add an extra half banana.
- To make this dairy-free, substitute coconut yogurt or omit the yogurt and add an extra splash of almond milk.
- Store leftovers in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Shake or stir well before drinking.
- Prep ahead by freezing portioned bags of grated carrot, banana, and pineapple to blend fresh each morning.
Nutrition
Serving: 1smoothieCalories: 215kcalCarbohydrates: 42gProtein: 8gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 0.8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.6gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.9gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 75mgPotassium: 620mgFiber: 4gSugar: 29gVitamin A: 180IUVitamin C: 90mgCalcium: 15mgIron: 4mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!