Watermelon Banana Smoothie

This watermelon banana smoothie is SO creamy, frosty, thick and refreshing. It simply combines frozen watermelon, frozen banana, plant-based milk and a hint of vanilla extract. It makes for an easy, vegan and healthy light breakfast, mid-day snack or energizing post-workout snack.

This frozen watermelon and banana smoothie is my new favorite refreshing drink to enjoy in the morning.

We are obsessed with watermelon and make all sorts of recipes using it, such as watermelon mocktail, watermelon cucumber salad and watermelon smoothie bowl. But, I especially love this creamy watermelon smoothie for its ultra-creamy texture, simplicity and natural sweetness.

Using watermelon to make smoothies brings incredible freshness and makes you feel totally revitalized and hydrated. Plus, if you first freeze the fruit, then it turns the smoothie into a frosty and thick consistency that's absolutely amazing.

This simple watermelon smoothie recipe simply combines watermelon, banana, plant-based milk and a hint of vanilla extract. The vanilla is optional, but highly recommended if you have it to boost your smoothie with such a unique and wonderful mellow taste.

And do not worry, the blended frozen banana surprisingly does not taste that banana-y, allowing the watermelon flavor to shine. Frozen bananas makes the smoothie ultra-creamy, thick and sweet naturally, thanks to its high amount of natural sugar. This smoothie is completely dairy-free yet has the most dreamy consistency, thanks to frozen bananas!

You can enjoy this smoothie as a light breakfast with toast, but it is also great to help you hydrate if you feel under the weather, need a healthy snack on a hot day or are looking for a fun way to cool off after working out. Also great as an afterschool snack for kids.

Hope you give it a try! ❤️

Why this recipe works

• Very easy, quick and made using simple ingredients
• This fruit smoothie is energizing and hydrating
• Rich in fiber and vitamin C, plus made without any added sugar
• Great all year round, but especially amazing to sip on a hot summer day
• A naturally pretty sweet smoothie, thanks to the bananas
• The combo of watermelon + banana makes for the creamiest texture!
• Perfect for breakfast, snacking and post-workout hydrating treat
• Easy to customize
• Naturally vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free

Ingredients for watermelon banana smoothie

• Frozen watermelon: watermelon is so fresh with a light sweet flavor, which makes it a delicious addition to smoothies. I highly recommend using frozen watermelon for this smoothie, which makes it amazingly frosty and thick. For that reason, you will have to plan ahead and freeze some cubed watermelon the night (or at least 4 hours) before. Use a seedless watermelon or take a few minutes to remove the seeds for the best result. 
• Frozen bananas: they are key to making this smoothie rich and creamy. Blending frozen bananas makes the texture similar to ice cream! They also add natural sweetness. 
• Plant-based milk: use your favorite dairy-free milk. I like using oat milk from Oatly, but almond milk, soy milk or cashew milk all work well.
• Vanilla extract: optional, for added flavor. 

How to make a watermelon banana smoothie recipe

Making this smoothie is super simple, just as it is for most smoothies!

Freeze the fruits

As mentioned above, you will have to first freeze the fruit before making your smoothie. Ideally, try to always have some frozen in the freezer ready to go, so you don't have to wait for them to be frozen before making smoothies. 

• To freeze the watermelon: remove the rind of the fresh watermelon and cube it in about 2 inches size pieces. Smaller pieces blend better, just something to keep in mind. Then, place the watermelon chunks on a parchment paper covered large plate or baking sheet (depending on freezer space). Without the parchment paper, it is very hard to remove the cubes from the surface. Try to disperse the pieces before transferring to the freezer. Once the cubes are frozen, then you can transfer them to a freezer-friendly plastic bag for longer storage. Freezing watermelon can be a convenient way to use up extra watermelon before it goes bad!
• To freeze bananas: first, make sure to let them ripen before freezing. Then, peel and roughly break up the ripe banana into smaller chunks. Same as for the watermelon, place them on a plate or baking sheet that's covered with parchment paper, then transfer to the freezer. 

Combine the ingredients

Add all the ingredients to a blender (pour the milk first). You can start with about ½ cup of plant-based milk, but you will likely have to add a little more as needed to blend.

Blend and adjust

Blend until smooth, thick and creamy. For a thick smoothie, then you will have to take some breaks to help stir in the blender and also, add more milk as you go (not too much, just enough to blend the ingredients). If you have a high-speed blender like a Vitamix, then use the tamper to help keep the ingredients down closer to the blades.

Helpful tips

• If you don't have frozen fruit ready to go and cannot wait for them to freeze, then you can still make it using fresh fruits. Ideally at least one of the fruit would be frozen so the smoothie is not too thin and colder, but if only using fresh fruit, then skip on the milk altogether and add a handful of ice cubes.
• It can be tricky to blend a lot of frozen fruit to create a thicker consistency. The idea is to add just enough milk to help the blades blend the mixture, but not too much so the texture does not turn too thin.

Variations

Feel free to customize this recipe as you wish, smoothies are so flexible! 

Here is some inspiration:

• Zesty flavor: Watermelon goes really well with citrusy flavors, so don't hesitate to add a good squeeze of lemon or lime juice to the blender.
• Fresh herbs: Fresh mint leaves or basil would be amazing in this fresh drink.
• More fruit: Berries, kiwi or pineapple would be delicious included in this smoothie. Try using frozen fruits!
• Creamier: If you have some coconut milk on hand, then go ahead and add a few tbsp. It will not only create a richer smoothie, but also boost with an extra tropical flavor.
• Yogurt: if you have some coconut yogurt or almond yogurt, then feel free to add a few spoonfuls. This will add healthy probiotics, but also more creaminess!
• Coconut water: swap the milk for coconut water for a delicious twist in flavor.

How to make this smoothie more filling

I usually enjoy smoothies with toast or oatmeal in the morning, but if you are planning on enjoying this smoothie alone for breakfast, then you can add a few extra ingredients to avoid being hungry too quickly. If you add more ingredients, then you might need to adjust the amount of milk accordingly.

Here are a few ideas:

• Seeds: chia seeds and hemp seeds are shockingly packed with plant-based protein and healthy fats. Just one tablespoon will boost your smoothie with 3-5 g. of protein!
• Rolled oats: I often add rolled oats to my smoothie. It mostly goes unnoticed, but reinforce the smoothie with more fiber and protein to keep me full. In that case, you can add about ¼-1/3 cup of oats to your smoothie, pour the milk over and let them soak for about 15 min. This will help blend the whole grain to smooth. 
• Nut or seed butter: consider adding ½-1 tablespoon of almond butter, peanut butter or pumpkin seed butter for an ultra-creamy and filling smoothie. Note that this would slightly change the flavor of the smoothie.
• Protein powder: you can add ½ scoop of protein powder if you have some. A vanilla-flavored pea protein powder would work well here (omit the vanilla extract in that case). 

FAQs

Is this smoothie recipe healthy?

This easy smoothie recipe is so good for you! Watermelon is super healthy and makes for an amazing addition to your smoothies. First, it is made up of 92% of water content, making it a great fruit to help you stay hydrated. 

But also, watermelon is known to be rich in vitamins (such as vitamin C and vitamin A), antioxidants (especially carotenoids and lycopene), minerals (like potassium and magnesium) and more. As a side note, watermelon is also low in calories, which can support weight loss if this is something you are looking for. 

As a side note, the addition of banana helps make this smoothie sweet without having to add any extra sweetener. Bananas also are packed with potassium, rich in vitamins and they are great for supporting digestion.

How can I store it?

This smoothie is made using frozen fruit to make it frosty and thick. For that reason, it is not recommended to make it ahead to make the most of the frozen smoothie texture. That being said, if you do have leftovers, you can keep them in a glass container in the fridge for up to 24 hours. The consistency will turn more a fruit juice over time, but the flavors will remain just as good.

Can I make it without a high-speed blender?

Yes, you do not need a high-powered blender to make it, although you might need additional liquid and the texture might not end up as smooth.

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I hope you enjoy this watermelon banana 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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📖 Recipe