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Today I’m sharing the secret sauce, er… liquid, that is dairy-free smoothies. Your smoothie doesn’t need dairy to be creamy, delicious, smooth or drinkable. Don’t believe me? Give one of these dairy-free smoothie recipes a blend n’ sip, then try to tell me I’m wrong!
I’m prepared to shock you with creamy Caramel Protein Shakes and thick Cinnamon Date Smoothies with no dairy in sight.
While this recipe list includes smoothies already made without dairy, I’m also giving you all the swaps to turn any smoothie into a dairy-free one with just an ingredient or two. You might even find a new favorite option!
And I threw in a mix of healthy protein shakes, green smoothies and fruit smoothies so you can blend exactly what you want.
Table of Contents
What’s Wrong with Dairy?
Nothing, if you’re one of the 30% of the world’s population that doesn’t have a dairy intolerance. If you’re like me, dairy often gives you issues with digestion. Instead of suffering through the painful side effects of consuming dairy, I started searching for non-dairy options.
Discover the incredible world of plant-based milk and dairy-free smoothies along with me!
The Best Dairy-Free Smoothie Recipes
These recipes are all delicious, whole-food options that can be blended in minutes and enjoyed as a snack, meal or dessert. They are so easy to make and enjoy. Let’s get blending!
A quick note: Just because a smoothie is dairy-free doesn’t make it vegan. Make sure you read the ingredient list to ensure these don’t use honey, collagen powder or another ingredient that’s not what you’re looking for.
What Can You Use Instead of Milk in a Smoothie?
So. Many. Things. I’m not kidding. Once you start exploring the world of dairy-free smoothies, you’ll find a vast amount of liquid bases. A smoothie with dairy milk no longer sounds appetizing to me (or my stomach). I’d much rather reach for lighter nut milk or coconut water.
Nut Milk Options
With the explosion of non-dairy milk brands on the market, it’s no surprise that nut milk is a popular base for dairy-free smoothies. Almond milk, cashew milk, coconut milk, pecan milk, walnut milk, macadamia milk and more can all be used in smoothies.
Use store-bought or learn how to make your own almond milk (or any other milk) for a creamy texture and to know exactly what ingredients are in it.
Nut-Free, Dairy-Free Milk Bases
If nut milk isn’t an option for you, no sweat. Check out oat milk, hemp milk, flax milk, rice milk or soy milk. The possibilities are endless.
I tend to choose my dairy-free smoothie recipes based on what my body needs that day. If I’m looking for a fiber and healthy fat boost, I’ll make some hemp or flax milk. Rice milk is super thin and great for a tasteless option so that the other smoothie ingredients can shine.
Tea
This unique liquid base totally takes that smoothie to the next level. Choose a caffeinated tea like green tea for a natural energy boost as well as a metabolism mover. Herbal teas work great to soothe the stomach and calm the body. Try a smoothie like my Green Tea Smoothie for a boost of energy without the crash.
Use tea to your advantage by incorporating the one that will help you the most. I believe ingredients should work for us instead of against us, so I typically gauge what my body needs before deciding on the right liquid base for my smoothie.
If using matcha powder, then combine it with water or cashew milk for smoothies. Matcha typically comes in powder form instead of in a tea bag, so I view it more as a supplement instead of a true liquid base. It creates a creamy, light base for smoothies.
Water or Coconut Water
The number one, Best Green Smoothie in the whole wide world uses *gasp* WATER. It’s 100% dairy-free and proud to be and people can’t get enough of it. I know a lot of you hesitate to use water in a smoothie, but trust me, when you’ve got the right formula, water is a great smoothie base.
Coconut water is a unique beverage that has been touted as nature’s Gatorade. It’s loaded with electrolytes and is a must in workout recovery. It can be an acquired taste, so if you’re new to coconut water, try doing half coconut water and half regular water in your first Coconut Water Smoothie, then increase your ratio as you fall in love.
More Dairy-Free Liquids
While the above liquids are more popular, I like to get creative with my liquid bases. Here are a few more super fun and delicious options.
Kombucha– I’m not kidding! This is a great probiotic option, and the sky’s the limit on flavors. My Probiotic Smoothie is equal parts delicious and unique.
Fresh squeezed juice– While 100% juice has natural sugar, it is still a higher sugar option. Remember that when adding it to your smoothie. My Pineapple Smoothie uses both whole pineapple and pineapple juice for the best flavor.
Coffee– This base works great in smoothies including cocoa or cacao, nut butter, vanilla, you name it. I love blending my Coffee Smoothie to combine my morning beverage with my morning breakfast of choice. Need a caffeine-free option? Just use strongly brewed decaf coffee to enjoy the flavor without the buzz.
As you can see, dairy milk is far from the only liquid base for smoothies. Don’t be afraid to get creative. Mix and match any of these bases until you find your favorite.
How to Thicken a Smoothie
A lot of people use dairy milk or yogurt because it naturally thickens whatever beverage is in your blender. You can make an epically thick smoothie with a super creamy texture without the dairy. Here are my go-to thickeners:
- Vegan yogurt: There are several dairy-free yogurts that produce the same level of creaminess as regular, yet without dairy.
- Frozen fruit: This not only chills your smoothie, but it can also help thicken it more than fresh fruit.
- Hemp seeds, chia seeds or flaxseed: These superfoods are great additions to smoothies for extra omega-3s, protein, fiber and can be used to thicken a smoothie that’s on the thinner side.
- Nut butter: Peanut butter, almond butter and more can be used to thicken your drink. Plus, they taste delicious!
- Protein powder: I love turning smoothies into meals using my homemade protein powder. It can be added to any smoothie you make and helps to thicken as well as provide extra protein.
Dairy-Free Smoothies FAQs
Dairy is often used to make beverages creamy, yet it’s not necessary for a smoothie. If I’m looking for an extra creamy base that’s dairy-free, then cashew milk, oat milk, or full-fat coconut milk are all great options. Avocado, coconut cream, banana and dairy-free yogurt as well as hemp hearts and chia seeds are also great smoothie thickeners.
My go-to milk option is currently cashew. It is virtually tasteless, yet adds protein, healthy fat and a creamy texture to smoothies. Although, as you can see from the list above, you can use any dairy-free milk you want!
Honestly, it depends on the smoothie. I like water better in green smoothies and milk better in protein shakes. Everyone’s preferences are different, so there’s no right or wrong answer. Just get in that daily smoothie!
So, which one of the above dairy-free smoothies are you ready to make? Drop a comment and let me know your fav!
I am allergic to tree nuts…is it ok (and will it taste the same) to use unsweetened soy milk instead of almond milk?! Or what would be another suitable alternative? And PS – I am so unbelievably excited to have been introduced to this website! I have loved every smoothie and I’ve even gotten a bunch of co-workers to “go greeen”!
Hi Sarah,
We are not big fans of soy, personally. We would suggest coconut or rice milk 🙂 Surprisingly, unsweetened coconut milk does not have a lot of coconut-y flavor!
In what recipes do you recommend using green tea as a base?? I’m not sure about the flavor the smoothies will get using it as a base so it would be great to know which recipes taste good with it. Thank you 🙂
Hi Mj, I haven’t tried the green tea yet in smoothies, but I think it would be very good. I do make green tea and chai green tea and then put it in a blender while it it hot with 1 T cocoa and raw honey per cup of tea. It is a wonderful hot cocoa. You can use coconut milk for this recipe as well.
Hey Matt. Glad you are enjoying the recipes! Jadah and I both aren’t milk drinkers and have a lot of reasons for that. A lot of people have sensitivities to dairy and don’t even know it— so we encourage everyone to try plant-based alternatives that don’t have additives like milk does. But if you are happy with milk, feel free to add it to your smoothies. The taste should be fine. 🙂
Hi Matt, The processing that store bought milk goes through is very unhealthy. If you really love milk, raw milk is the way to go and it make take a little effort to find it.
What’s the best blender to use to make these Smoothies, obviously one that’should not to expensive. Cheers
I have an Oster MY BLEND. It’s basically like a bullet, small/compact. But the blender container itself is a 20 oz bottle that comes with a lid. Unscrew the blending blade, screw on the bottle top and you’re good to go! Minimal dish washing! I’m single and work all day so I’m making all the recipes in half batches. If I wanted to make full batches, I’d continue blending half at a time, just get a second bottle to pour into. (They do sell replacement parts as well so I think you can even get a second blend fit bottle!) Walmart, $30.
I too have the oyster blender in pink and while i love the convenience of the blend and travel, it doesnt do to well with frozen fruit. I got myself a mini ninja on sale…LOVE it. But i guess as long as whatever you have works, its all good. Have fun and enjoy!
Thanks for the tip, Kim!
Just loved your site on “Green Smoothies” I am just starting to get interested in this new way of life. It is encouraging to hear all the positive comments about them. Thanks again for sharing!
Hi Dayna!
Welcome! Please let us know if you have any questions 🙂 Don’t be afraid to contact us through our website, on FB, email, etc.
Hi, you didn’t mention soy milk as a base. What’s yout idea about it? i live in china where fresh soy milk is common. i even have a soy milk maker. so the only ingredients would be soy beans and water. the beans are cooked a little so it’s not completely raw.
We aren’t big fans of soy…. But you can use it if you like it!
Hi Natalie, You might want to do some research about soy. The way it is being grown and processed now is very bad for you. The other choices listed are soo much better for you.
Has anyone tried hemp milk? I understand it is so good for you.
I can’t get my taste buds to like almond milk! I’ve been trying everyday to like it but but nothing is working. It’s frustrating because I know how great it is for our bodies. I really want to learn to love it, any suggestions for my green smoothies so I can enjoy almond milk ASAP
Have you tried vanilla almond milk? I’m not a fan of the plain kind, either. They even make a “light” version of the vanilla flavor so it’s less calories but you still get the protein. Also it may sound odd but try different brands or vary how much you use – like half almond milk and half water (what I usually do).
Hi Amelia, If you don’t like almond milk, why not use some of the other wonderful, tasty, healthy choices. There’s really no point in trying to make yourself like it. If you are set on needing nutrition from almonds, you might enjoy eating them raw instead. Plain water is perfect fro smoothies because you are getting all the flavor from the fruits and veggies that are in the smoothis.
I yate store bought almond milk. But i LOVE homemade almond milk and ir is so easy
Just wanted if you can use aloe juice as a base?
Hi Sheila!
We personally have never used it, but we have had people comment and say that they love using it 🙂
Just wanted to
I’ve been wanting to use green tea as a base for a while, I usually use coconut water as a base and I’m in need of a change 🙂 I use the tea bags to drink normally but I was wondering how to add it to my smoothies? Do I need to chill the green tea first or can I just make it with cold water and add it that way? Many thanks! 🙂
Great question, Bex! One of the best ways we think to do it is to steep the tea no more than 2-3 minutes in hot water, add it to your smoothie, and throw a few ice cubes in to chill the tea. Or you could put the ice cubes in your tea before you put it in the smoothie. The best way to extract the tea from the bag is through hot water 🙂 Hope this helps!
Many thanks! 🙂
Hi gals…its me again. Can the tea be steeped and frozen into ice cubes and then used in the smoothie or is the good stuff from the tea destroyed in the freezer?
Hi Bex, You can also make your green tea and then refrigerate it to have on hand for your smoothies. And, here’s a recipe using hot green tea.
While it is still steaming hot, put a cup in the blender with a T of cocoa and 1 T of raw honey. This makes a wonderful hot cocoa, chocked full of antioxidants. I have made this with green chai tea and love it!
Can’t find any Trader Joe’s in Illinois besides Chicago and I am a couple hours from there so I won’t be using their green tea. I’ll try to use up the stuff from nuts.com and the Damatcha from Amazon. Is there anyone else knowledgeable and experienced with their green tea usage. If so I’d like to hear your thought too. Kimberlea your message about the hot water didn’t post under mine but I got the message. Thank you.
I love mightyleaf.com.
Try Chinese grocery store. You can get good quality green tea from there.
I’ve been using kefir as my base. It has 10x the probiotics of greek yogurt, and makes smoothies creamy and delicious!
I have been switching between So Delicious coconut milk and almond milk. I’m assuming the coconut milk mentioned in the post is the full fat variety.
I never thought of Green tea as a base. I will likely try it over the weekend and rice milk next week.
Do you use hot water after you make the paste?
Yes, Deb, I use hot water after my paste. Hopefully this is posting under your question. 🙂