When I want a creamy smoothie, I turn to cashews or bananas. Well, I went a little crazy with this smoothie recipe and added BOTH. Get ready for a super creamy, super protein-charged smoothie that can jumpstart your day.
How to Make a Banana Smoothie Recipe
When making a green smoothie I recommend blending the leafy greens + liquid first. Yet for a non-green smoothie, feel free to blend all your ingredients at once!
If this smoothie is too thick for your blender blades to handle, try adding a bit more liquid, stirring up the ingredients, then blending again. This should help.
If cashew milk isn't your thing, then use the plant based milk of your choice! Oat milk will produce an equally creamy smoothie, while almond milk will make this smoothie a bit thinner.
Health Benefits of Bananas
This easily accessible fruit is incredibly versatile and delicious. Use it to naturally sweeten baked goods, make that smoothie creamier or naturally more sweet-tasting, or as a simple healthy snack dipped in almond butter.
Bananas are great sources of fiber, antioxidants, potassium, vitamin B6, and manganese. Bananas, while sweet, are actually a lower glycemic (low sugar) fruit. Unripe bananas have a GI (glycemic index) score of 30, while ripe bananas have a GI score of around 60. So if you want your banana smoothie to be naturally lower in sugar, use a less ripe banana!
Tips for storing bananas
Living in Florida means my bananas ripen in two days tops. I love having them on hand for a quick snack or easy smoothie ingredient, yet they turn brown too quickly! So I've learned a great trick- freeze them.
I leave bananas on my counter until they are the perfect ripeness for me (which I'm finding is different for everyone). Then I line a baking sheet with parchment, peel the bananas, and line them up on the baking sheet. Freeze for 1-3 hours, then toss those lovely frozen bananas in a freezer safe bag (I like silicone Stasher or Rezip bags).
Now I've got the perfect banana smoothie ingredient ready to go. If you don't have gallon sized freezer bags, then cut your bananas in half before freezing to maximize space. Prepping smoothies ahead also saves produce!
Low Sugar Swaps
While the sugar in this banana smoothie comes from whole food, it might be a little high for some. If you need a lower sugar option, then here are some great swaps:
- Use plain cashew yogurt or swap for ¼ cup cauliflower
- Swap yogurt for in 2 tbs cashews
- Swap banana with ¼ cup cauliflower or ¼ avocado
Make sure the collagen or protein powder you use doesn't have any added sugar. Read the label on the yogurt you use as well! There are many great plant based yogurt brands on the market now, yet lots are loaded with added sugar.
FAQs
Yes, just make sure that smoothie is full of only whole food ingredients. No fillers, chemicals, added sugar, or fake ingredients!
I recommend changing up your daily shake or smoothie, so you can benefit from a variety of fruits and veggies. Bananas are a great regular addition though!
Bananas are a great source of fiber, and often help settle stomach issues naturally.
No! Well... it depends what you put in them. Strawberry banana is a popular smoothie flavor at restaurants, yet those smoothies are usually pre-made mixes full of processed sugar and chemicals. Stick to strawberry banana smoothies with real, whole food ingredients and soak in all the benefits.
Now, let's get blending this banana smoothie!
Creamy Banana Smoothie
Rate this Recipe Print RecipeIngredients
- 2 bananas (frozen)
- ½ cup cashew yogurt (plain or vanilla)
- 1 cup cashew milk
- 1 serving collagen powder (or 1 serving Protein Smoothie Boost)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Blend all ingredients until smooth
- Pour into your favorite glass and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- To make this smoothie vegan, swap 1 scoop of collagen powder with 1 serving Protein Smoothie Boost
- To reduce the natural fruit sugars, use ¼ avocado and 1 banana
- You can swap in any kind of yogurt, just choose one that's plain or with limited sugar
- The cashews can be swapped for almonds or oats
- The cashew milk can be swapped out for the plant milk of your choice
Nutrition (estimated)
8 More Healthy Banana Smoothies
I know that bananas are a polarizing fruit. People either love 'em or hate 'em. If you enjoy bananas in your smoothies, then check out some other delicious smoothie recipes below:
Heather
I only used 1 banana, 2 is too much for me. Tasted good!!
Janice Jack
Winter storm kept me from picking up enough cashews to make the milk and yogurt; so had to switch around some items. But the smoothie was fresh and very good with less banana.
Rose Herrera
My daughter thought this was too “banana-y” but I thought it was just right.
Karen
My grocery store (Ingles) did not have cashew milk or yogurt, so I used oat milk and coconut yogurt. Really good. Had to add a splash of orange juice to get the Vitamix to keep going.
Angela
Really creamy and filling!
Lynnette clancy
So super creamy…
Frances Acheson
Smoothie Challenge - Day 8
This was super-creamy, and tasted like rich banana cheesecake. I keep being surprised at how sweet each smoothie is, even with no sugar or honey or syrup is added.
I was unable to find cashew yogurt or cashew milk, so I used Silk Almond yogurt and used up the last of the almond and oat milk from earlier this week.
Another new favorite for our family. 🙂
Mary M
Creamy!
Crystal Rose
Tasty smoothie, again I was surprised by how sweet the bananas made this smoothie! They are such a wonderful ingredient that sweetens and makes things creamy, yet keeps the natural sugars levels low. Not surprising this was a hit with my toddler!
Ionela
Didn’t have cashew yogurt so I just added water and few whole cashews. Very creamy and good taste!
LaVon Teel
Very creamy and filling.
Maggie Dorsey
This was just ok for me. I thought about adding strawberries or blueberries but didn’t. Next time either that or spinach.
Stephanie Patterson
I made homemade cashew milk for this one, with so few ingredients I wanted to use the good stuff! I also surprised myself and used Trader Joe’s eggnog yogurt, which wasn’t overly spiced, and made for a perfect winter smoothie!
SUSAN
NOT MY FAVORIST BUT, DELICIOUS
Danielle
Loved this smoothie. Only used 1 banana and instead of collagen put in a tablespoon of flaxseed. Have never had cashew milk or yoghurt before, happy to try something new. This was so creamy.
Jemia
My creamy banana smoothie was another good, non dairy sweet treat! I like that this smoothie is naturally sweetened by what I feel is the “star ingredient”…the banana! I used tofu for the first time and this added to the creaminess of my drink. Another one added to my list of smoothie options!!!
Stephanie H
To my surprise I actually liked this smoothie. I was unsure about the plain cashew yogurt but I really couldn’t even tell that it was in the smoothie. The banana flavor was just right not to over powering. Next time I will add a little honey or maybe a few dates just for a little more sweetness.
Karen Terry
So not my jam, so to speak. I really am not fond of bananas and just too much banana flavor. Felt proud that I did try it at least! Rescued it by adding the really flavorful blueberries I had and they became the predominant flavor.
Grace
Yummy dessert smoothie!
I used homemade vanilla cashew/coconut yogurt (per SGS DIY vegan yogurt recipe) including some probiotic powder, and added a bit of pea protein powder.
Tanya
Let me just say, this was not what I expected given the simplicity of the ingredients. I wasn't able to get my hands on cashew yogurt so I soaked some cashews and added 1/4 cup of cauliflower. I also did not have collagen. This was such a creamy, frozen treat! I found the banana nice and subtle, balanced well with the other flavors. This is definitely one of the top smoothies from this winter challenge!
Wendy Pegues
Oh My, So Creamy And Delicious What Else Is There To Say, Tastes Just Like A Banana Milkshake. I Will Make This Smoothie Again.
Anita
I really didn't think I was going to like this one. I am not a banana girl and was looking for a way to change the recipe. However, I committed to this challenge so I did not change the recipe and found that I liked it. I think that the cashew milk and yogurt and the vanilla cut the heaviness of the bananas. I will definitely make this again.
Donna
I loved the Creamy Banana Smoothie. I used almond milk. I'll make this one again.
Karisa Sherman
YUM!! So creamy & smooth!
Lynn
Not a fan of milk alternatives or non-dairy yogurts. Still a good smoothie I will try again with dairy substitutions and added nuts. Marine collagen powder did not seem to detract from flavor.
Dana
So relaxing, frothy and delicious I used Greek yogurt, warm almond milk and only 1/2 banana, a dash of cinnamon in addition to the rest of the ingredients.
HB
A Simple and really nice and soothing
Maureen Kajzer
I have but one word.......YUM!
HB
Simple and really nice and soothing
Christina P
I love bananas but have to watch carbs. So I subbed 1/4 cup avocado and 1/4 cup cauliflower for the 2nd banana. I added 1 tsp of cinnamon because I love cinnamon! It was delicious!
Sara
Oohhh this smoothie was so smooth and creamy!!! We didn't have cashew yogurt, so I just used my vanilla 0% sugar greek yogurt, which added a nice hint of vanilla to it and it was so delish! I also added a scoop of vanilla protein powder to it as well!! So fresh!!! Hubby said 'Make this one again!!'.
Rosie
Another winner! I had ‘old’ frozen bananas and this smoothie still tasted good.
Bonnie C.
It's funny that I enjoy bananas much more in smoothies than eating them plain. Creamy and banana-y. I like the addition of vanilla extract, and as others have posted, cinnamon or cocoa powder would also be a nice addition.
Bridgette
I was in the mood for a smoothie bowl today, so I only added enough liquid to make the rest of the ingredients “come together”. I didn’t have any cashew milk or yogurt, so I used almond milk and plain Greek yogurt. Also subbed in cauliflower for some of the banana. I topped my bowl with chia, kiwi, blueberries, almond butter, grated chocolate (75%), and grain-free granola. Another winner!
Denise N
Absolutely loved this smoothie! I used frozen lite regular plain yogurt and homemade cashew cream. The result was a smoothie that tasted like banana cheesecake! Super yummy! I've lost 4 pounds since the challenge started without any real exercise, but I am doing more and that has increased my steps per day. Couldn't be happier! I'm going to try to make cashew yogurt.....soon.
Kathy
Was something about this movie that just was not hitting it for me. I think it might be the collagen that I’m using. Because I added a tablespoon of cacao and two Stevia packets and it still didn’t taste good. How can you go wrong with banana?
Kari M
I love bananas, so I knew I’d love this one.
Debby B
Too banana’y’ for me so I added spinach blueberry’s and teaspoon of almond butter that was a game changer!
Teri
I enjoyed this one! Tasty, smooth, clean finish. I had never tried cashew yogurt or cashew milk so I am pleased to now know about them because I enjoyed them both.
Jarrah
Not a big fan of bananas in my smoothies so I wasn’t a big fan of this smoothie.
Val
I absolutely love this smoothie! It’s creamy and has a bit of an orange cicle taste!! Delicious!! One of my favorites, for sure!!
Candace Cecconi
This is my least favorite of the week but for banana lovers it would probably be a fave!
Angela
Beautiful recipe although I felt like cutting the fat from the avocado and replacing it with zucchini as well as red pear instead of the rest. Very simple with no powders. Just alkaline water. I placed on too some candied pineapple, dried apple, thin zucchini slices and a touch of nutmeg.
Angela
Added 4 cashews.. forgot that!
Jessica
Not a banana or yogurt fan butI really like this smoothie. It reminded me of a shake my mom used to make me growing up and I really enjoyed the addition of the vanilla. This smoothie was like a treat to my tastebuds.
Sheila
Delish...just too many carbs.
Diane Perko
Very yummy. Loved the vanilla flavoring.
Rochelle Brumfield
Overall, best smoothie yet, but I am definitely bias as a lover of bananas. Thank you
Candy
This was so very yummy! I wish I would have added the frozen bananas and not fresh, cause it was a little to warm by noon. But still yummy. Just for fun, I’m going to add cinnamon next time too.
Dorée Trent
If you're a banana lover, this Smoothie is for you. Cool and creamy with a smooth banana taste.
Aja
Hey if you love bananas, this is the smoothie for you!! It was good but very banana, like a banana laffy taffy-who likes those please stand up!!
Elizabeth M
If you love bananas, you'll love this smoothie! It is delicious. It's really a banana milkshake, but with only whole food, healthy ingredients.
Sharon V
I thought this smoothie was pretty good! You could step up the flavor with cinnamon or cacao powder to compliment the banana!
Deb Karasinski
So creamy rich and yummy
Paula
I’m not crazy about strong banana flavor so I added some organic cocoa protein powder. Since I double these I used avocado and some cauliflower for the second set of bananas. Creamy and yummy.
Judy
Tastes like a Banana Milkshake...yum!
Rosie
Eating 2 bananas in 1 day seems like too much to me, so I only made half the recipe. This smoothie tasted fine, but nothing outstanding about it. I probably would not make it again.
Joyce
I loved this smoothie. I may omit the vanilla extract next time. It filled me up and was my lunch for the day. I will definitely make this one again.
Tiphanie
I didn’t think I’d like this one so much, but it’s so creamy! I did sub in almond milk for the cashew, since I wanted to use it up, and added in some spinach for greens. Yum!
Mickey
This smoothie was very creamy. This recipe made way too much for one person. I am not fond of yogurt but the yogurt taste was not overpowering. Substituted almond milk because I could not find cashew milk. Did add the collagen. Not my favorite during the 10 day challenge. May add cinnamon or cocoa powder to change the taste up.
Tanesha
Yummy, yummy in my tummy! It is so weird that I really enjoy this smoothie being that I am not a huge fan of bananas. I did only add one banana and the rest cauliflower but only because I had cauliflower left over that needed to be used and I didn’t have cashew yogurt. Luckily, I also realized my cashews had sea salt in them before adding them so I swapped them for Almonds. I also used Almond milk because that is what we had and 1/2 tsp of raw honey. All in all it was absolutely delicious!
Temara
Very Creamy & Pretty Tasty!
Cheryl Brueggeman
Made quite a few changes to this recipe as I have to be careful consuming too many nut products. Used vanilla oatmilk and lactose free yoghurt. Used one banana, 1 Tbl hemp seed, dash of cinnamon and turmeric, 1.5 teaspoons collagen powder, no vanilla, and a large handful of power greens. I liked my creation and hope to one day be able to actually follow the recipe as written.
Marcia U
I made it with coconut milk and no yogurt
Also added strawberries
Renee
I loved this banana smoothie. Soo creamy and delicious. I couldn't find any cashew yoghurt so used i used Almond yoghurt and Almond milk.
Jennifer Leinhos
I enjoyed this smoothie quite a bit more than I thought I would. Banana isn't my favorite flavor by itself, but the vanilla in the recipe really changed the flavor into something nice. Kind of like a vanilla shake with a hint of banana.
Wen
Knowing that I'm not a huge fan of bananas, I went immediately for the 1 banana, 1/4 cup avocado/1/4 cup cauliflower. The texture was fabulous but I think because I only used one banana it wasn't quite sweet enough and mostly tasted like yogurt. I added some mixed berries and liked it better. Not a bad smoothie, just not in my wheelhouse!
Claire
Creamy Banana Smoothie - 2 bananas are too much for me. I substituted 1 with 1/2 of a small avocado. Creamy, but not on my favorites list.
Dawn H. (IG @inmikitchen)
Creamy Banana, I mean the title says it all except good was left out! This smoothie is like drinking a milkshake ❤️ Nothing more to say than….. delicious!
Dana D
Super creamy with a wonderful flavor
Dana D
Forgot to rate it
Yvonne
Very creamy and rich. Enjoyed it.
Shawna Hawton
My kids really loved this smoothie! I think there were no overpowering tastes and it was mild and so creamy for them to just gulp right up!!! I am putting this recipe on the fridge, as I plan to make it SO often!!
Fritzi
It reminded me of snow cream. Loved it!
Emily
I love bananas so I really enjoyed this one. I used the plain yogurt and almond milk because that was what I had on hand and it was still good.
Krista
A good silky smooth smoothie, but would prefer an additional flavor.
Amanda Neff
I love the suggestion of swapping some avocado for the 2nd banana. It still had fabulous flavor and was probably the creamiest smoothie yet. This was a great afternoon pick me up! Thanks again for another stellar recipe!
Krista Ginter
This smoothie was so delicious! One of my favourites so far.
AnnMarie
Bananas are a staple in my kitchen, so I really loved this one. It was so creamy. I make plain yogurt, so I used that and threw in some cashews. I am going to see about making cashew yogurt in my yogurt maker. Loving these smoothies.
Anna
It's super creamy and super good! Thanks for another great smoothie!
Hope Thompson
Very smooth and creamy! I like this smoothie, but I took away one star because I needed another flavor to balance out the banana. However, if you love bananas, this is definitely the smoothie for you! I will play around with this one, trying to make it more like the peanut butter one and the strawberry one (my two favorites). And I’m sure I can sneak some cauliflower in here to get in some veggies without a noticeable change in flavor!
Also, cashew milk yogurt, you’ve got a fan in me! OMG! I could only find flavored cashew milk yogurt, so I went with vanilla bean for this one since it already had vanilla in it. I gave it a try before I put it in the smoothie because I’ve never even heard of cashew milk yogurt and it was delicious! It’s sweet (I’d be interested in one that has lower sugar or is unsweetened) and extra creamy!