This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my affiliate policy.

Today I’m giving you a Red Velvet Smoothie with rich chocolate flavor, just the right amount of sweetness, and that velvety texture you want in a creamy dessert. And that gorgeous red color? It comes from a little bit of beet. Don’t worry—you won’t taste it at all.

This luscious smoothie satisfies my sweet tooth, gives me natural energy, and feels festive enough to share with someone you love. Don’t let the spinach fool you. If you’re exploring my world a chocolate smoothies, this recipe is a winner.

Table of Contents

delicious red smoothie

Ingredients You’ll Need

Each ingredient plays a role in creating that classic red velvet flavor—rich, creamy, and just sweet enough—while still being nourishing.

  • Coconut milk: Creates a creamy, dessert-like texture and adds healthy fats for satiety. Check out the best coconut milk brands to use in smoothies.
  • Frozen strawberries: Provide natural sweetness, a slight tang that red velvet is known for, and help thicken the smoothie for a milkshake feel.
  • Spinach: Adds fiber, iron, and folate while giving the smoothie a nutrient boost without changing the flavor.
  • Medjool dates: Add caramel-like natural sweetener that has fiber and minerals for steady energy.
  • Beet, raw: Gives the smoothie its signature red velvet color and adds antioxidants—no earthy taste, promise.
  • Cacao powder: Delivers rich chocolate flavor and antioxidants for that classic red velvet vibe. Explore my other cacao powder recipes you might like.
  • Pure vanilla extract: Rounds out the flavors and enhances the natural sweetness.
  • Coconut whipped cream: Adds a decadent flavor and look to this smoothie.

Save This for Later!

Enter your info below and I’ll send it straight to your inbox to save for later.

▶ Get more plant-based recipes + tutorials in Rawk the Year: Meal Planner with access to meal planning tools, ad-free recipe library, grocery list generator and support.

How to Make a Red Velvet Smoothie

For the smoothest, creamiest texture, blend this smoothie in two simple steps. For more in-depth instructions, check out my how to make a smoothie guide.

  1. Blend the base. Add spinach and coconut milk to the blender and blend until completely smooth.
    Tip: If you’re using one of my recommended blenders for smoothies, you can wait to blend until step 3.
  2. Add the flavor. Add frozen strawberries, Medjool dates, beet, cacao powder, and vanilla extract.
  3. Blend until velvety. Start on medium speed, then slowly increase to high until thick, smooth, and creamy.
  4. Serve and enjoy. Pour into a glass and enjoy right away, or top with coconut whipped cream for a festive dessert smoothie.
Red velvet smoothie in a stemmed glass with heart-shaped strawberries.

Ingredient Swaps

This smoothie is flexible and forgiving—use what you have.

  • Strawberries: Frozen cherries or raspberries also pair beautifully with chocolate for a fun twist.
  • Coconut milk: Swap with cashew milk or oat milk for a lighter texture.
  • Medjool dates: Use 2 tablespoons maple syrup or 1 tablespoon date syrup for easier blending.
  • Beet: Replace fresh beet with ½–1 teaspoon beet powder for the same vibrant color.
  • Cacao powder: Unsweetened cocoa powder works just as well with a slightly milder chocolate flavor.

More Chocolate Smoothies

If you’re craving more sweet, nourishing chocolate smoothies, there are plenty of delicious options to keep things fun and satisfying. A chocolate peanut butter smoothie brings that rich, salty-sweet combo that feels like a treat but fuels you well. You might also like a chocolate strawberry smoothie is bright and fruity with a classic chocolate-covered-berry vibe. A chocolate cherry smoothie adds a deep, slightly tart flavor that pairs beautifully with cocoa. And you can’t go wrong with a chocolate banana smoothie—it’s creamy, comforting, and always a crowd favorite.

If you make this red velvet smoothie recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out in the comment box below. Your feedback helps me and all the readers in this community. And if you’re interested in more plant-based recipes (and exclusive content), sign up for my weekly recipe newsletter.

Red velvet smoothie in a stemmed glass with heart-shaped strawberries.
4.66 (20 votes)

Red Velvet Smoothie

This Red Velvet Smoothie is rich, chocolatey, and naturally sweet with a silky, dessert-like texture. Made with strawberries, cacao, coconut milk, spinach, and a touch of beet for color, it’s a healthy treat that tastes indulgent but fuels you with real food.
Print Pin Rate
Prep: 3 minutes
Blend: 2 minutes
Total: 5 minutes
Serves: 1
Author: Jen Hansard

Ingredients 

Save this Recipe
Drop your email & I’ll send it to you.

Instructions 

  • Blend spinach and coconut milk until smooth.
  • Add remaining ingredients, and blend until smooth.
  • Top with a dollop of coconut whipped cream, if desired.

Helpful Tools

high-speed blender
smoothie blender

Notes

  • Use frozen fruit to make smoothie cold.
  • Swap spinach for the leafy greens of your choice.
  • Swap Medjool date with the natural sweetener of your choice (maple syrup, honey, etc.)
  • Use canned coconut milk for a richer, creamier smoothie.
  • Use carton coconut milk for a lighter smoothie.
  • Unsweetened cacao powder can be swapped with unsweetened cocoa powder.

Nutrition

Serving: 16 oz | Calories: 289 kcal | Carbohydrates: 35 g | Protein: 4 g | Fat: 15 g | Saturated Fat: 14 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1 g | Sodium: 216 mg | Potassium: 655 mg | Fiber: 7 g | Sugar: 18 g | Vitamin A: 2842 IU | Vitamin C: 95 mg | Calcium: 70 mg | Iron: 2 mg

Did you make this recipe?

Leave a review for a chance to win signed copies of my cookbooks!

Common Questions

What kind of coconut milk should I use?

Both will work fine in this smoothie recipe. Canned coconut milk gives a thicker, creamier texture. Carton coconut milk is much thinner and less caloric— which is what I usually use.

Can I use cocoa in a red velvet smoothies?

Yes—you can use cocoa instead of cacao in this smoothie. Cacao is less processed with a slightly richer, more intense flavor, while cocoa is more processed and tastes smoother and milder. Both work well here—just be sure to use unsweetened cocoa or cacao so the chocolate flavor stays balanced.

Do I need to add spinach to this recipe?

Nope! If the spinach is throwing you off, leave it out. I like to add leafy green vegetables to most of my smoothies for the added health benefits, yet it’s totally up to you!

You Might Also Like

FREE! Smoothie + Meal Plan

Not sure what to eat with smoothies? I got you! Start eating healthier without overthinking every meal.

4.66 from 20 votes (5 ratings without comment)

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Rating




Comments

  1. Im not a big fan of strawberry, is there any fruit that would be a good supplement with out taking out any nutritional value

    Reply

    1. Hi Nicole,

      Raspberries, blackberries, + cherries are all great replacements for strawberries!

  2. I freaking LOVE your website and have been telling everyone to check it out! So happy to have found recipes that are easy and delicious… This one is desert in my mouth!

    What is your best meal replacement combo for this one that won’t change the straight up cake flavor too much? I put chia seeds today since you can’t taste them at all but wondering about a healthy fat. Coconut oil?

    Reply

    1. Hi Alison,

      We’re so excited to hear you love the Red Velvet Green Smoothie recipe, we do too! 🙂

      Avocado or coconut oil would both be great additions when looking for a healthy fat that won’t effect the flavor of this delicious smoothie!

      Avocado is mild in flavor, + offers a great creamy texture, while also being a great source of monounsaturated fats!

      Coconut oil is an appetite suppressant, an incredible energy booster and has antibacterial properties. When blendin’ coconut oil into a chilled smoothie, it sometimes solidifies, to prevent this, I like to melt my coconut oil (not hot, just melted) and with the blender on low, slowly pour the coconut oil into my completed smoothie!

      While coconut milk is high in protein, fiber, and other micronutrients, it is also high in calories and fat. For this reason we recommend using coconut milk as a liquid-base only for special indulgences–maybe for date night desserts. This milk does help to protect your heart, but it will cost you in other areas if used on a regular basis.

      Switch up your liquid base occasionally with these great options!

      https://simplegreensmoothies.com/dairy-free-smoothies

  3. I think I did something wrong. . .maybe you can help me figure it out.

    The dates didn’t blend up well. They were chunks that sank to the bottom. I just have a very low grade blender, a Ninja – and not the higher powered one. This is the only time I’ve had any issues with blending well and I’ve been doing smoothies for over a month now. Are the dates supposed to blend up well?

    Are the beats supposed to be raw? I used a tiny pre-cooked/pre packaged one from Trader Joes. My smoothie was more beat tasting and I was hoping it would be more of an undertone flavor. It really smelled like beats too. I’m guessing I should have gone raw?

    Thanks in advance! Love your website and all your smoothies!!

    Reply

    1. Hi Tara,

      If you’re finding your dates to be chunky, we suggest blending the dates + liquid base first, to ensure you have a smooth consistency and then add your remaining ingredients.

      And the beets can either be raw, roasted, or steamed, whatever works for you! Here are some of our tips for blendin’ with beets…

      https://simplegreensmoothies.com/anti-inflammatory-smoothie-recipe

    2. Hi Tara
      I soak my pit my dates and soak overnight to soften. This makes them blend smoothly. I would also replace beets with frozen cherries. Best chocolate lovers smoothie. Trust you’ll love it this time.

    1. Hi Angie,

      We personally don’t count calories, so we don’t include them in our recipes at this time. You’ll find that when you consume more nourishing whole fruits and veggies, you will not only feel full longer, but you’ll also have lessened cravings for high-calorie, nutritionally empty foods. So in the end it balances out. But we know many people would like to have calorie info. Three great resources for tracking calories are Self Nutrition Data, and the phone apps: My Fitness Pal and Lose It.

  5. Instead of coconut milk, can coconut water be substituted? Also, is there some place that gives a calorie count for the different smoothies?

    Reply

    1. Hi Amy,

      Of course you can swap out coconut milk for coconut water! We made this smoothie a decadent creamy treat with the addition of coconut milk!

      We personally don’t count calories, so we don’t include them in our recipes at this time. You’ll find that when you consume more nourishing whole fruits and veggies, you will not only feel full longer, but you’ll also have lessened cravings for high-calorie, nutritionally empty foods. So in the end it balances out. But we know many people would like to have calorie info. Three great resources for tracking calories are Self Nutrition Data, and the phone apps: My Fitness Pal and Lose It.

    1. Hi Tiina,

      Bananas, honey, + maple syrup make great substitutions for dates!

    3. Hi Annette,

      Thanks for being an amazing member of our SGS tribe + sharing so many o you insights…YOU RAWK!

  7. This is so good! I have always had a sweet tooth and giving up sweets was hard. I found this smoothie to have that cupcake taste I’ve been craving! I sometimes use cherries instead of beets and raw cacao nib and it makes a chewy chocolate covered cherry smoothie. Way to inspire, ladies!

    Reply

    1. Hi Wendy,

      Swapping out beets for cherries and adding raw cocao nibs sounds delicious! I might have to try that tonight for dessert!

      Cheers 🙂

    2. Ive used cherries too and it is just as wonderful, if not better.

  8. Hey, I’m new to this and feel this is a silly question. It may seem obvious to most people, but can I use any “unsweetened cocoa powder” or does it have to be specifically called “cacao?” Thanks!

    Reply

    1. Hi Emma,

      Not a silly questions at all! Cocoa powder is produced similarly to cacao except cocoa undergoes a higher temperature of heat during processing. Surprisingly, it still retains a large amount of antioxidants in the process and is still excellent for your heart, skin, blood pressure, and even your stress levels. Just look for a brand that is unsweetened!

  9. I am so jealous ! That looks so delicious but I’m allergic to strawberries and I hate beats. would raspberries and carrots work.

    Reply

    1. Hi Christie,

      Try it out, and let us know what you think! 🙂

    1. Hi Kelsey,

      I give the spinach a good push with my finger tips and add enough spinach until it’s starting to press up out of the measuring cup. Please let me know if that helps!

  11. I was terrified of this smoothie and it is delicious!!! I did half blueberries in place of strawberries since I was running low and it kept the red color. Thank you!

    Reply

    1. Hi Kate,

      Adding blueberries sounds rawsome! Thanks for sharing, and so happy you enjoyed this smoothie!! 🙂

  12. Absolutely Decadent…it’s like little cupids in red velvet suits dancing on my tongue. I could not get enough and wanted to clean the sides of my glass clean. I used creamed coconut to avoid guar gum in canned coconut milk and steamed beets. I’ve been trying a new recipe from your site each week and this has been the best. I’ve been doing green smoothies for two years now with no real recipe and needed a change and found your site. Thank you so much!

    Reply

    1. We haven’t tried beet powder in its place before, but always worth a try if you have it on hand.:)

  15. This smoothie was amazing! My 1 year old, 2.5 year old, & my very fussy husband all loved it too!! So good.

    Reply

    1. I haven’t tried picked beets in this recipe, so I don’t know they best answer…My life motto, go for it!

    1. Our coconut whipped cream recipe is coming soon. 🙂

  20. I literally hate, abhor beets. Can you taste them in this recipe or is there something I can substitute? I know it provides the color and it sounds delicious.

    Reply

    1. Hey Debbie.

      Thanks for the comment. Try subbing in carrots. 🙂