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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!
Hi, I see that a lot of recipes call for almond milk. Because of allergy issues, I can’t use any type of nut products. What would you recommend as a substitute for almond milk for the creamy quality?
Hi Kelly,
If allergies are keeping you away from almond + coconut milk, try reaching for rice milk instead!
We use plain kefir for the liquid in our smoothies sometimes. Any opinions on that? Thanks!
Hi Gail,
Great question! A lot of our community has shared that they enjoy blendin’ with kefir. We’ve talked with a lot of nutritionists and milk isn’t all that it’s been hyped up to be. Dairy is one of the highest diet allergies (and often goes undiagnosed), yet can cause inflammation and if you aren’t buying organic milk, you’re also getting doses of antibiotics, hormones, etc that can tip your own body out of whack. We just avoid milk for our family (and opt for almond milk). We get our calcium from plant-based sources mainly— broccoli, spinach and kale.
It’s definitely a personal choice, and you just have to decide what works best for you and your family.
Ah, but what about water kefir? Even better – coconut water kefir? All the probiotic awesomeness of dairy kefir minus the lactose. 🙂
Hi Rachael,
I haven’t seen coconut water kefir, I’ll have to keep an eye out for it!
Cheers,
Amanda, Simple Green Smoothies
What is your favorite brand of coconut water?
Hi Tammie,
I personally reach for Harmless Harvest, because it’s organic + minimally processed. You can pick it up at Whole Foods. We suggest reaching for a brand thats unsweetened, with the least amount of additives possible.
Cheers,
Amanda, Simple Green Smoothies
Hi, I have signed up for my second 30 day challenge to get summer recipes and because I missed the emails! I use rooibos tea as a liquid base in many smoothies. It goes great with cocoa containing smoothies. It also is full of anti oxidants, but has no caffeine. Give it a try. Thanks for all your support!
Hi Joan,
We love blendin’ with tea! Using tea, is a great option, when you’re trying to kick your morning coffee habit! Did our emails not reach your inbox? If so, our apologizes, technology is not always on our side. Send a quick message to our team at the link below and they’ll get the challenge recipes + shopping lists to your inbox right away!
Cheers!
Love Rawing it. It’s my first week and going great. My only threat is chocolates but only had one for the week though. Any help?
Hi Simonei,
Craving chocolate, try adding cocoa or cocoa nibs to your green smoothie! Here are some of our favorite chocolate smoothie recipes…
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/recipes
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/red-velvet-green-smoothie
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/skinny-mint-green-smoothie
Hi I just started having smoothis for breakfast and lunch. However Im getting a lot of froth meaning it’s very thick at first then as it sits it gets thinner. My recipe is a cup each of coconut water, water,mango, peaches, spinach, kale and a handful of shredded carrots. Help
Hi Joanne,
Thank you so much for reaching out! Sometimes smoothies can become frothy because of the power behind your blender. To help calm the froth, we suggest once your smoothie is blended, place your blender on the slowest setting for a few seconds to settle everything down. Adding healthy fats like coconut oil help too!
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/healthy-fats
My favorite liquid base is a straight peppermint sun tea – I make a gallon and have it in a spigot dispenser in my fridge. It gives such a nice background to just about everything.
I had an amusing experience when I used cranberry juice (for tract reasons) – I blended it in my magic bullet with spinach, and it frothed so much that there was all foam, and only about a half inch of liquid in the bottom. Once I blended the fruit in it settled down, but it was pretty green and fuzzy there for a while!
Hi Cindy,
Thanks for sharing! Blendin’ with peppermint sun tea sounds like a great addition to your smoothies! It must be so refreshing! I’m going to have to give it a try!
Cheers,
Amanda, Simple Green Smoothies
Is the coconut milk you refer to from the can or out of the carton? There are so many varieties. If out of carton do you recommend the unsweetened, plain in all the recipes?
Hi Kim
The container doesn’t matter, as much, as making you’re reaching for coconut milk and not coconut creme. Coconut milk has the liquid consistency of cow’s milk and is made from simmering one part shredded coconut in one part water. Coconut cream is much thicker and richer. It is made from simmering four parts shredded coconut in one part water. And yes, we recommend grabbing unsweetened coconut milk!
We also love making our own coconut milk…
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/how-to-make-coconut-milk
Hope this helps!
I am finding it hard to get unsweetened coconut milk. Can I use regular coconut milk diluted with water? Loving the smoothies, thank you so much x
Hi Mo,
Thanks for reaching out! Diluting sweetened coconut milk is a great way to still add creaminess, while lowering the added sugar. If you don’t want the added sugar of sweetened coconut milk, feel free to swap it out for another liquid base option!
Cheers 🙂
Hi,
I subscribed for 30 days challenge (1st July). I got the recipes in my email and most of them asks for coconut milk. I don’t like milky smoothies. Can I replace coconut milk with coconut water? I am going to have my smoothie as my breakfast.
Hi Manisha,
Great question! We love switching up our liquid base, so feel free to substitute coconut milk with another liquid base you enjoy more. Planning on using our 30-Day Challenge to replace breakfast, check out our tips on using green smoothies as a meal replacement here…
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/meal-replacement-smoothie
Hi! Can i use soy milk as my liquid substitute? Also, where is the best place to buy coconut water from?
Hi Lucy,
Small amounts of organic, non-GMO soy are fine (like tamari and tempeh) but we recommend staying away from highly-processed unfermented soy products which can interfere with nutrient absorption and leach nutrients from your body. Soy milk, soy burgers, and soy ice cream are all in this category. Two great alternative to soy milk are unsweetened almond milk and coconut milk. We love them both!
We love blendin’ with coconut water too. You should be able to find coconut water at any health or grocery store!
Hello!
I’ve just started making smoothies and I’m still experimenting with what I like and don’t like. I have used water as my liquid base in the smoothies I’ve tried but I didn’t feel like I was enjoying them as much as I could be. Is it okay for me to use fruit tea, such as Strawberry and Mango? Not sure if these qualify as green teas but I’m not a lover of green tea but want some extra flavour. I also tend to pack my smoothies with oats to keep me full and not sure if this combination would work.
I would love to know what you think about this!
Thanks! 🙂
Hi Emma,
Of course! Adding fruit tea sounds like a great idea for adding additional flavor to your smoothies!
Cheers 🙂
How do you make your green tea? Thanks!
Hi Sandra,
I like to brew green tea using 2-3 tsp of green tea leaves for every 8 oz, and allow the leaves to step for 2-5 mins, I then dilute over ice. Hope this helps! 🙂
A delicate question: Will the green smoothies have a newbie visiting the potty frequently or cause diarrhea issues?
Hi Susan,
Our green smoothies are packed with nutritious fiber – which can sometimes shock your system if you’re new to the green smoothie lifestyle! For that reason, we suggest sticking to 16oz a day until your body becomes accustomed to the added fiber, and make sure to drink plenty of water!
Hi! I have a swim meet tomorrow morning and I was wondering well because you shouldn’t have lactose, if I could use water instead of milk for the smoothie because im scared it will Taste different, will it? If so what can I put in it to make it taste the same again?
Hi Cate,
Water is a great liquid-base! An even better liquid base for working out is coconut water, it’s like an all-natural sports drink! Coconut water is filled with electrolytes and potassium, which are two nutrients your body craves when expending lots of energy. It’s low in calories, fat, and sugar meaning that this is the liquid-base you want when working out.
Your smoothie might not be as creamy when using water or coconut water in place of a non-dairy milk option, but it will still be delicious + refreshing!
Best of luck in your swim meet! 🙂
I just found the website and love many of the recipes. I have a quick question, in terms of coconut milk, do you use the ones in cans normally found in the Asian aisles or the coconut milk in the cold case. Thanks!
Hi Miles,
We personally like to make our own coconut milk!
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/how-to-make-coconut-milk