Strawberry Peach Smoothie
This strawberry peach smoothie recipe leans on frozen fruit instead of ice cubes. That one swap is what keeps the texture thick instead of watery.
Equipment
- Mason jars or smoothie cups with lids
- Airtight freezer bags - For pre-portioning frozen fruit
- Silicone ice cube trays - (optional) Useful if you plan to freeze extra banana or peach puree in small portions
- Rubber spatula - For scraping down the sides of the blender jar
- Small kitchen knife - For slicing the banana before freezing
- Cutting board - Ideally one set aside just for fruit to avoid picking up flavors from savory prep
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh strawberries - 150g, hulled and halved
- 1 cup frozen peach slices - 170g
- 1 medium banana - sliced and frozen at least 2 hours ahead
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt - 240g
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk - 240ml, or milk of choice
- 1 tablespoon raw honey - 15ml, optional, plus more to taste
- 0.5 teaspoon pure vanilla extract - 2.5ml
- 0.5 cup ice cubes - 120ml, only if using fresh peaches in place of frozen
Instructions
- Pour the almond milk and Greek yogurt into the blender jar. Adding the liquid before the fruit helps the blades catch the frozen pieces faster instead of spinning against dry fruit.
- Add the fresh strawberries, frozen peach slices, and the pre-sliced, frozen banana straight from the freezer.
- Add the vanilla extract and honey if you want extra sweetness. Taste the fruit before deciding, very ripe fruit often needs no added sweetener at all.
- Secure the lid and blend on low speed for 10 seconds to break up the largest chunks. Increase to high speed and blend for 30 to 45 seconds until smooth, scraping down the sides if needed.
- If the smoothie is too thick, add 2 tablespoons of milk at a time and blend briefly. If using fresh peaches, add the ice cubes and blend again. The finished smoothie should hold its shape briefly on a spoon but still pour easily.
- Pour into two glasses or smoothie cups right away, as the texture is thickest within the first few minutes. Add a straw and serve cold.
Notes
- Freeze the banana ahead of time. A frozen banana replaces a large amount of the thickening power that would otherwise come from ice, without watering down the flavor.
- Use riper fruit than you think you need. Slightly overripe strawberries and peaches blend smoother and taste sweeter than firm, underripe ones.
- Don't over-blend. Once the mixture is smooth, stop. Extra blending time adds friction heat, which can slightly soften the thick texture.
- Add milk in two additions rather than all at once. Adding half first, checking the texture, then adding more only if needed gives a more predictable result.
- Compare fresh and frozen peaches if you're unsure which to buy. Frozen peach slices blend smoother than fresh ones straight from the fridge, since fresh peach flesh tends to stick to the blades in larger pieces.
- Taste before adding honey. Peaches vary widely in sweetness by season, so the amount of added sweetener should change with the fruit.
- Keep a stash of pre-portioned frozen fruit. Store sliced strawberries and peaches in labeled freezer bags specifically for this smoothie to cut prep down to just measuring and pouring.
- Rinse the blender jar right after use. Yogurt-based smoothies dry onto the jar walls quickly and are much harder to scrub off once set.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container or mason jar in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Separation is normal, so give it a good shake or quick re-blend before drinking. You can also freeze the smoothie in an ice cube tray and blend the frozen cubes with a splash of milk later for a quick refresh.
- Skip the honey if freezing: Sweetness can taste muted after freezing and thawing, so it's easier to add honey fresh after a re-blend.
Nutrition
Serving: 1SmoothieCalories: 240kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 14gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 75mgFiber: 4gSugar: 28gVitamin C: 60mgCalcium: 220mg
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