In 2013, I came up with this avocado banana smoothie as a way to boost my healthy fat intake. It remains a favorite to this day because it is thick and creamy, and just plain delicious. This smoothie is packed with healthy fats to curb your appetite as well as nourish your skin. If you like creamy smoothies, this should be your next blend!
Avocado banana smoothie benefits
I’ll just come right out and admit that I adore avocados (looooong before they were trending on IG). I’m a California girl living in Florida. Avocados are a major part of my diet. Guacamole is my love language, and I’m not afraid to shout about it. But avocados are good for other things besides chip dip.
Avocados are more than just a pretty face…
Did you know avocados contain more potassium than bananas? Crazy, right? Potassium is essential for heart health. A diet rich in avocados may also help lower bad cholesterol and triglyceride levels due to heart-healthy monounsaturated fat.
1 serving of avocado contains 7 grams of fiber, which is an important part of any healthy diet. By getting enough fiber, we make sure our digestive tract can stay healthy. It even acts like a little scrub brush to keep things humming along. The combination of healthy fats and fiber also helps keep you feeling full for longer after eating. So get ready for a delicious + nutritious avocado banana smoothie!
A balanced banana smoothie
I know many people either love or hate bananas… there seems to be no middle ground when it comes to this fruit. Yet they shine in this smoothie, adding just enough sweetness to balance out the avocado. They also contain antioxidants and folate, which keeps us healthy and energized.
Avocado banana smoothie swaps
If bananas just aren’t your cup of fruit, then swap them out for another 1/2 cup of mango, or 1/2 cup of peaches. You can use any variety of avocado you can find, just know that if you go big, you may need 1/4 of that avocado instead of half. If you’re all out of spinach, any leafy green can be swapped.
How To Store Avocados
I know you feel me on this one. You buy a bag of unripe avocados and it seems like they never ripen, until BAM! they ripen all at once. It’s more than you can eat at once. What to do? Avocados are a fruit that freezes exceptionally well, probably due to the healthy fats. (When frozen, they make a tasty avocado banana smoothie like the one below)
Freeze the avocados on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, then transfer to freezer-proof bags or other airtight containers. The frozen avocados will keep up to six months or more in a deep freezer, or several months in a regular freezer.
Once avocados have ripened sufficiently, they can also be placed directly in the fridge where they will stay good for a few days longer. Unripe avocados can also be refrigerated and brought out to the counter to ripen at room temperature. While room temp avocados can be used in this avocado banana smoothie, I think frozen ones add a little bit extra to this blend.
How to make a creamy smoothie
I don’t like to blend our green smoothies with dairy products. Yet while I prefer not to, it’s totally fine to do what fits your lifestyle best.
That being said, there are plenty of ways to make a smoothie creamy using fruit + veggies. If a too-liquid smoothie has caused a #smoothiefail in the past, then have any of these options on hand to add to your next blend:
- Avocado – so much creaminess from avos, not to mention healthy fats; avocados also thicken smoothies, as well as turn your smoothie into a meal replacement.
- Mango – mango blends up really creamy and thick, so you don’t need much – even a quarter or half cup will cream that smoothie up.
- Banana – this one is kind of a no-brainer, but I’m adding it to the list anyway. This avocado banana smoothie just wouldn’t be the same without the banana!
- Coconut milk – swap the liquid base in your smoothie with a little coconut milk; the high (healthy) fat content adds loads of creaminess.
- Nuts, seeds, and butters – nuts and seeds, especially cashews and hemp hearts, whether blended whole or as a “butter” will add mega creaminess and also a boost of protein and vitamin E.
- Protein powder – add a plant-based protein powder to thicken your smoothie and make it extra creamy.
- MCT oil – the medium-chain fatty acids in refined coconut oil are great for a fast energy boost, but adding 1-2 tablespoons makes a smoothie really creamy too.
Avocado Banana Smoothie
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh spinach
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 avocado
- ½ cup mango - frozen
- ½ banana
- 1 Protein Smoothie Boost - optional
Instructions
- Blend spinach and water together until smooth.
- Add remaining ingredients and blend again.
Notes
- Use at least one frozen fruit to make the smoothie cold or serve over ice.
I have to admit that I was skeptical about this smoothie. But the past has taught me to not judge until the end. Well, after I blended and tasted this beauty it was amazing. I even ramped it up to a meal replacement for breakfast-added protein powder and chia seeds. It’s now lunch time and I’m still feeling full!!! Thanks for turning me into a green smoothie believer!!! ❤️
This certainly is creamy though I think I would like to add some sort of berry to ‘up’ the taste. I did add chia & flax.
Wasn’t a big fan of this one. I wanted to be able to taste all the fruit I put in it & it came out so creamy I had to add another full cup of water. But hey, maybe my avocado was too big, even though I only used half. Having to add the extra water took away some of the flavor..
Today’s smoothie was really creamy, with a nice green color. Loved it!
My avocado was totally brown and mushy, so i replaced it with pineapple. not my absolute favourite so far, but still a very enjoyable drink.
I used kale instead of spinach and added glow protein powder. It’s a pre long run smoothie. I also had to add some peach as I ran out of mango. It was great.
It was good and creamy but not my favorite, I like it more sweet and fruity.
This is very creamy, but not much flavor. Only drank 1/2 of it and stopped. May add more berries or pineapple to it to bring up the flavor. Or maybe I will add cocoa powder and stevia for a dessert drink!
Very creamy, but I found it a little bland. I added chia seeds and cinnamon to boost flavor and nutrition.
Day 6
I really enjoyed this smoothie with protein powder added! Yummy!
I subbed papaya for the mango and added some cacao for a chocolate flavor. This was pretty good!
This one took a minute to decide if I liked it, and turns out, I do! Not as well as yesterday’s, but it is very filling and tasty
Yummy! I am mongo lover!
Pretty good after added more sweetness.
Avocado makes the smoothie very creamy, but often leaves an odd after taste. With both banana and avocado being quite unassuming in taste, there is nothing to mask the bitterish after taste.
I added organic raw cacao and organic bing cherries. It was delicious
Ooooo…so creamy and good!
Rich and creamy! I added a piece of fresh turmeric and ginger.
Not bad tasting but I’m not sure if I will repeat this one.
This is a very creamy smoothie! I would use a little less avocado next time. However, it does taste delicious
This one was not my favorite taste-wise. I loved the creamy texture, but it seemed bitter to me. However my one year old son loved it!!!
Although I love avocado, it is not my favorite in a smoothie, so I left it out and used a whole banana instead.
Very nice and creamy
Really liked this smoothie, so creamy and tasty.
Delicious! I added two turmeric smoothie cubes.
This one is so tasty! It’s really smooth so it seemed perfect to add vanilla vegan protein powder to for extra creaminess. It was like having a dessert or a milk shake that is good for you.
Loved this! I’ve used avocado in shakes before but I added too much previously. This recipe was perfect with the right amount.
Tasty and creamy. Thank you
I’ve decided I love the smoothies that incorporate bananas or avocado. Creamy is dreamy!
Avocado is going to be an addition to my future smoothies.
Nice & creamy. My husband really liked it. I did toss in a little bit of kale and okra in this one!
Very smooth. Very creamy. I loved it. Had it at work.
Both my husband and I really enjoyed this smoothie. It has a richness and creaminess — I’m sure that’s why it’s named “Cream Machine.” We added parsley to this smoothie which probably helped enhance it’s beautiful green color. Who would think we would like green smoothies?? We love them!! So glad we decided to participate in this 10 Day Green Smoothie Challenge. I am setting up my prep for another ten days of Green Smoothies today as the Challenge ends Friday.
Truly not a fan of this recipe. I added chia seeds to make it a meal. Since I had doubled the recipe, I gulped half and froze half in ice cub trays to be added to smoothies in the future.
I added about 1.5-2c spinach and used half of a small avocado and the avocado flavor still shown through. Not my favorite recipe as it was more bland, but the smooth, creamy texture was great.
Not my favorite. It was creamy but I could barely get this one down.
Kinda bland on its own but definitely fixable… Maybe less avocado and more banana? Or coconut milk instead of water…
Easy and delicious! Very smooth and beautiful green color. I’d make this any day. Thanks!
Awesome smoothie recipe!
Having previously used used them in smoothies, I doubled the quantity of avocado to create a very rich and dense smoothie.
I think I’ll call it a Whipped Green Dream
I didn’t like this one so much. Possibly because the avocado was really brown when I cut into it. Also, the avocado as part of this smoothie, is not present on the “grocery list” for days 5-10. If I had not perused the ingredients before hand, I would not have had it on hand>
This is a winner! Such a vibrant green smoothie and it is delicious.
So thick, I ate it with a spoon. This one’s may favorite, so far.
Thick, creamy, tropical, delicious
Smooth but not my favorite. I guess I would have liked it a bit sweeter.
Not a fan of avocado and my tasters can taste it. RAWK on!
Very creamy! A nice change to the traditional green smoothie.
It’s creamy for sure. I added chocolate protein powder today to make it a meal. I’ve liked the other flavor combos better but my protein powder is chocolate flavored so that could be part of it. But it’s super creamy and that’s awesome!
Very creamy but the avocado taste is almost too much & I love avocados!!
Nice and simple smoothie. It ‘s also a good base to start with to try things like kale and another fruit. I also loved adding a handful of almonds and boom, it was a meal replacement thanks to the avocado being present with healthy fats, Bonus, it’s nice and thick so I think it stayed with me better than most of the other recipes. I love this one.
I enjoyed this one!!! Brushed my teeth right before so couldn’t fully taste it at first haha! But I love hw creamy it is! I added hemp into it along with some cut up kiwi which was a nice addition!!
REALLY thick smoothie – a bit bitter, maybe it was the avocado? I’m not a huge fan.
I found this one a little bitter. I made it with a collagen powder and it was really bitter, so I remade it without and it was a little better. Also wondering if my frozen mangos were under ripe.
My four kids and I did not like this one. Sorry. It was bland to me and not enough sweetness for the kids to take more than one sip.
Best green smoothie I’ve ever had! I added some vanilla protein powder to it. The creaminess that they avocado adds makes me want avocado in all of my green smoothies!
This was very creamy but a little on the bland side. Could have used something to balance the avocado.
Yummy and creamy. Hands down my favorite so far
Delicious! I can’t have banana so I added More avocado and a date!
Very thick and bland.
I’ve been enjoying green smoothie recipes for a long time. This is the first time I added an avocado. It was delicious!
This one was THICK! I had to add extra water, but that was ok. Its not too sweet, which I like. I added some Acai Powder today.
Definitely creamy. Just felt like it was missing something. Pineapple?
Creamy and delicious
I think this one would benefit from green apple or a touch of lemon. Otherwise very good. Very spinach flavored.
Avocado for the win! I’m a lover of all things banana, but the avocado ramped up the creaminess in this smoothie perfectly. While the sweetness is still there with the mango, the freshness from the greens and fruit will make this one a craveable smoothie. Add in some chia seeds to make it a full meal replacement! Delish!
Not a favorite.. To bland..
Maybe it was the baby kale and SuperFoods Green mix. Maybe it was the avocado. This one did not do it for me. I wondered if it would be a good one to add ginger to, then I thought Cumin and maybe some chili spices. It was not sweet, so why not make it savory.
This smoothie was creamy and oh so good. I was hesitant on the avocado in it but really tasted so good. I definitely recommend this recipe.
So so creamy and delicious
I replaced banana with avocado, my favorite
Thanks so much
Love it!
Thanks Jen! Good information on storing avocados! I’m a Florida ‘neighbor’ over in Orlando!
A creamy, filling smoothie. Banana is not my favorite but this is a nice balance with the mango.
Creamy and good but this smoothie is not my favorite.
Wow, so good! It is amazing how the avocado does not change the flavor but adds such creaminess to it
This tasted like a sweet liquid avocado, since I replaced the banana with the avocado, lol. It was simple to make, but taste wise it was just alright.
Very smooth, love it
Made this smoothie a meal replacement with chia seeds and coconut oil. Really upped the creaminess, had to increase water to make drinkable instead of spoon-able. Really tasty..
Light yet creamy and not overly sweet. Good stuff!
Excellent… and then it became 10 Stars after I re-made it with a few Tumeric Anti-Inflammatory Smoothie Cubes! Thank you again for another wonderful smoothie 🙂
Creamy with that Avo!! Never had before. I like. Daughter doesn’t. Swapped mango out for peaches in mine.
Super yummy. I had to make some modifications due to food issues. So I swapped out banana and had extra avocado. But because I took the sweetness of the banana away I added some more mango and a bit of maple syrup.
I also added almond butter to keep me full longer.
This smoothie is creamy and filling. It’s sweet and very bright. It’s one of my new favorites!
Very creamy! I would use coconut water in place of plain water next time. Tasty way to benefit from healthy fats of avocado.
Most beautiful looking smoothie I have ever made. Lush green and tastes like a dream. Very creamy and not sweet at all.
Alas, a creamy smoothie and I are not meant to be. The hubs and kiddo loved it but although I love avocado the texture of this made me want to gag. I found the taste ok. Never again lol
Definitely creamy but a little bland. Still loved it though!
YES, YES, YES!!
Creamy and delicious
Hey Shari,
Yesssss!!!! This makes me want to get up and cheer!!
Yum! I love avocados!!! With both this and banana it’s extra creamy & delicious.
Hey Tanya,
This recipe is super creamy and delicious!! =P
Three stars. Omitted the banana as I did not have one at home. I did enjoy the creamy texture.
This smoothie had a very mild flavor, which I liked. I also really loved the creaminess of this smoothie. So good even my hubby liked it!
Hey Cecily,
It’s always a win when you convert a member of your family to a green smoothie lover!!!
Like this one, Jen. It was creamy and green-tasting. Not too sweet but just right. I have enjoyed this challenge and will continue with the green smoothies for sure. Thanks for the fun!
Hey Karen,
Glad this recipe was just right for you!
So happy you joined us for this challenge!!
Yes to this one!!! I love the creaminess and the fact that it is not overly sweet.
I enjoyed the Cream Machine but I had to tweak the recipe. I followed the recipe then added a whole banana , 3 strawberries , a squeeze of Meyer lemon juice and 1/4 cup ice to thin it out.
Hey Sandra,
Way to make this your own where it works for you!!
Happy blending!!
Not enough flavor for me. But I loved the creaminess! I’ve always wanted to try avocado in a smoothie, but never have. That’s why I like challenges! They push me to try new things.
I was out of mangos so I used peaches….i also added some protein powder to it. It was super yummy
Swapping with peaches sounds super delicious too! So glad that you made this work with what you had on hand 🙂
Nice and creamy with both the banana and avocado…it’s like having a dessert for breakfast! RawkOn Rawkstars 🙂 🙂
Now that sounds like my kind of breakfast!! 🙂
The avocado makes this smoothie so creamy. It tastes great!!
We are all about the avocados here! There is nothing better than a delicious creamy smoothie =P
I added a little less avocado than called for as I like the creaminess it adds, but did not want the flavor to be too pronounced. Definitely makes it more filling, too.
Hey Valerie,
Sounds like you are a pro at this already! I am so glad that you were able to make this smoothie work for you.
I like Avis or banana in my smoothies but both is just a bit too much like drinking a dip. Taste is good on this but texture is meh for me.
Hey Rebecca,
Feel free to leave some of the avocados out if you are not feeling it. You will still be getting plenty of plant power goodness!
We loved this one so much, we made it two days in a row. So comforting and creamy on two sub-zero days!
Hey K D,
That is so awesome that you had to drink this one two days in a row. Yay!!
Made this one to take to work today as I work from 11 am to 7 pm! Based on its thickness, I am sure it will hold me through my very busy day! PS….I licked the edge of the blender after making it – absolutely delicious and very thick and creamy!!
Haha That is when you know your smoothie is a good one. When you are licking every last drop
Love it!
Yumm, I added pineapple because I have them. My son is loving it too — can’t never go wrong with spinach and avocado and pineapple – my fav combo!! 😉
I have to agree, Grace!
Way to make this recipe your own 🙂
Can we use almond milk instead of coconut milk?
Of course Ozgur. Just look for a brand that is unsweetened since we’re naturally sweetening with fruits. Happy blending!