This nourishing avocado peanut butter green smoothie is simple, yet ultra creamy and loaded with rich flavor. Filled with good-for-you ingredients, fully vegan and dairy-free and rich in fiber and healthy fats. We love it for breakfast, but also makes for a delicious post-workout snack.
One more smoothie recipe, because you know how much I love them! It is often the only thing I eat (or drink?) in the morning. Unless someone is making tofu scramble for me. Which is an extremely rare event.
I'm usually running around after my 2 kids with a smoothie in one hand trying to get them out of the house on time. Which is also an extremely rare event.
Anyway, smoothies are amazing for crazy mornings or if you don't feel overly hungry like me in the mornings. They can help fill you up with important nutrients and calories, so you can have good energy to get started with your busy day.
And I am super excited to share this vegan avocado smoothie! Oh, and it's the first time I share a green smoothie too! Can you believe this?
Green smoothies have been so popular for a while now, and for good reason! You can load your drink with lots of nutrient dense greens without actually making a drink that tastes like grass. The secret is to also include sweet fruits to balance the subtle bitterness from the leafy greens. In this case, using frozen bananas with a few dates sweeten up the smoothie very well in such a healthy way, so you won't even taste the "green" at all.
Still skeptical to combine avocado + spinach + peanut butter in a smoothie? Well, have you tried whipping avocado and peanut butter together? No? Me neither. But now that I did I am obsessed. This smoothie is somehow thick and rich, but also feels super light. Plus, the banana and PB take over flavor-wise, so you won't really taste the avocado.
It's like a luscious sweet green whipped cream that's drinkable. Ok, this sounds strange, but it is SO good. I think you might just need to try it. 😉
What's to love about this smoothie
- Easy and quick, ready in 5 minutes
- Tasty way to enjoy more greens
- Whipped and rich texture, just like a milkshake!
- Not overly cold, which you might prefer during the winter months
- Avocado offers so many health benefits and is high in healthy fats
- Great for kids & toddler friendly
- Flavorful and sweet
- Vegan, dairy-free, soy-free, free of refined sugar and naturally gluten-free
Ingredients & substitutions
- Avocado: I used a fresh ripe avocado, but you can also use frozen avocado. The drink will be colder and you might need an extra splash of milk to help blending if using frozen ones.
- Frozen banana: try to use frozen banana instead of fresh. It will make the drink so much more creamy and rich, plus will help chilling it.
- Peanut butter: use unsweetened peanut butter, ideally a natural kind as well. I love the smooth peanut butter from Teddy.
- Spinach: I prefer using baby leaves as I find their flavor milder which work better for smoothies, but use any kind. Kale would also work well. You could use frozen spinach if that's all you have, simply add less.
- Medjool dates: helps make your smoothie sweeter. Can also swap for a little agave nectar or maple syrup.
- Cinnamon: vanilla extract would also be delicious. You can also add some raw cacao powder with a little extra sweetener to make a chocolate version. Play around with spices!
- Plant-based milk: any kind will work, but I love using oat milk for smoothies. Use unsweetened.
What does adding avocado to a smoothie do?
Avocados are rich in healthy fats which can help create a creamier texture to smoothies that are made without any dairy products. Avocados are also not that strong in taste, which allows the rest of the ingredients to take over its flavors.
Other than creating a silky and rich smoothie texture that will help you feel full longer, avocado also boosts your smoothie with extra nutrients, such as healthy monounsaturated fat, fiber, vitamins, minerals and some protein (about 2 grams each half avocado).
Tips when making this smoothie
Making this smoothie is super simple: add everything to your blender and blend until ultra smooth and silky. Taste to adjust flavoring and add more milk if you want your smoothie thinner.
As mentioned above, this smoothie recipe is no overly cold, which I kind of like when it's not summer. But, if you would like it more chilled, then you can add a few ice cubes and pulse until crushed. Add them after the smoothie is pretty much done, so you don't have to blend that much longer anymore, which could melt the ice. Or even better, use frozen avocado!
And since smoothies are usually pretty forgiving, feel free to add more fruits, protein powder, chia or hemp seeds, etc. And just like in my watermelon smoothie, vegan yogurt makes drinks so much creamier with a hint of tangy flavor, so feel free to add some if you have any. Coconut yogurt would work well and also add more flavor. If you add more ingredients, then adjust the amount of plant-based milk accordingly so it blends well.
Also, soak the dates in boiling water for 10 minutes if they are not very soft (to help crush them) or if not using a high-speed blender.
Other nut or seed butter work well in place of the peanut butter too. Almond butter adds amazing flavor and use sunflower or pumpkin seed butter for a nut-free smoothie.
Watch how to make it
How to make an avocado peanut butter smoothie bowl
My new favorite way to enjoy smoothies is to pour them in a bowl and garnish with all the toppings! I recently shared my strawberry banana smoothie bowl and I simply can't stop making it.
This recipe can also be turned into a smoothie bowl! The consistency will be less frozen, more whipped, light and creamy, which is amazingly delicious. Top with granola, chia seed, more fruits and a drizzle of maple syrup or peanut butter. I did try it with vanilla extract instead of cinnamon and also added a few ice cubes to help chill my bowl a little more. It was a hit!
More healthy avocado recipes
- Avocado chocolate pudding
- Vegan avocado pasta
- Avocado green goddess dressing
- Beet, avocado and chocolate muffins
- Avocado ranch dressing
- Panko avocado sushi rolls
- Cold cucumber avocado soup
I hope you like this avocado peanut butter smoothie as much as we do! If you try it, please leave a comment below and rate the recipe to let me know how it was. Your feedback is so helpful!
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Avocado Peanut Butter Green Smoothie
Equipment
- Blender
Ingredients
- ½ medium size avocado - or ½ cup frozen avocado
- 1 frozen banana
- 2 tbsp peanut butter
- 1 handful of spinach leaves - packed, kale works too
- 2 medjool dates - pitted, or maple syrup to taste
- 1 ½ cup plant-based milk - I used oat milk
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon or ½ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a blender and blend on high until smooth. Taste and adjust the flavor. Enjoy immediately.
Video
Notes
- If using frozen avocado, then you might need to adjust the amount of milk to help blending the smoothie better.
- This smoothie is not overly cold. Add a few ice cubes if needed.
- Soak the dates in boiling water for 10 minutes if they are not very soft (to help crush them) or if not using a high-speed blender.
- Feel free to serve this smoothie in a bowl and top with your favorite garnishes such as granola, more fruits and chia seeds.
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