Protein shake recipes: 3 smoothies to make at home

A smoothie is one of the easiest ways to combine fruit, liquid and protein in a glass. With a blender or hand blender, you’ll have a full glass ready in just a few minutes. Below, we explain why you should add protein to a smoothie, what makes a good smoothie, and share three protein smoothie recipes you can easily make yourself.

Why add protein to a smoothie?

A smoothie made solely from fruit and milk (dairy or plant-based) mainly provides carbohydrates and fluids. Add a scoop of protein powder and it becomes a more complete meal. Protein contributes to a growth in muscle mass. Protein contributes to the maintenance of muscle mass.

Protein is also found in ingredients such as quark, milk or porridge, but adding a scoop of whey protein or vegan protein is an easy way to increase the protein content of your glass. Protein contributes to the maintenance of normal bones. If you’d like to know roughly how much protein you need each day, you can find out in ‘How much protein do you need each day?’. You’ll find more background on protein powder in general in ‘The benefits of protein powder’.

What makes a good protein smoothie?

A good protein smoothie has four key ingredients: liquid, fruit, a source of protein and something to add texture. If you stick to this ratio, you’ll end up with a creamy glass of smoothie without any lumps.

• Liquid: water, coconut water or milk (dairy or plant-based). Allow for around 200 to 250 millilitres per glass.
• Fruit: fresh or frozen. Frozen fruit makes your smoothie thicker and cooler, is available all year round and is often better value.
• Protein: a scoop of whey, casein or vegan protein. You’ll find whey protein in the whey collection, and vegan varieties in the vegan protein collection.
• Texture: rolled oats, linseeds, half a banana or a spoonful of peanut butter make the smoothie fuller and thicker.

Three protein smoothie recipes to make yourself

For all three, you’ll need a blender or hand blender. The basic method is the same for each one: put the ingredients together in a jug or blender and blend until everything is smooth and there are no lumps left. If your smoothie is too thick, add a splash of liquid. If it’s too thin, throw in an extra handful of fruit (fresh or frozen).

Red fruit smoothie

• 250 ml almond milk (or another plant-based milk)
• 100 g frozen red fruit
• 3 tablespoons of rolled oats
• 1 scoop of vanilla vegan protein powder

1. Put all the ingredients into the blender or a jug.
2. Blend on a high setting until the smoothie is smooth and creamy.
3. Taste, adjust the consistency with a little extra milk or fruit, and drink straight away.

Mango and cocoa smoothie

• 250 ml coconut water
• 100 g frozen mango
• 3 tablespoons of rolled oats
• 1 scoop of organic plain whey
• 1 teaspoon raw cocoa

1. Put all the ingredients into the blender or a jug.
2. Blend until everything is well combined and there are no lumps left.
3. Pour into a glass and drink the smoothie straight away, whilst it’s still cold.

Banana and peanut butter smoothie

• 250 ml milk (dairy or plant-based)
• 1 ripe banana
• 1 tablespoon of peanut butter (100% peanuts)
• 1 scoop of whey or organic plain casein
• a few ice cubes (optional)

1. Put all the ingredients together in the blender or a jug.
2. Blend until smooth and slightly thick.
3. Add a little more milk to taste if you want it thinner.

How do you make a smoothie without lumps?

A smooth smoothie mainly comes down to the order you add things in, and using enough liquid. Start by putting the liquid at the bottom, then add the powder and the softer ingredients, and blend for long enough.

• Put the liquid into the jug first, so the blender can get through the ingredients more easily.
• Add protein powder before the frozen fruit; this helps prevent lumps from forming.
• Blend for a few seconds longer than you think is necessary.
• Too thick? A splash of water or milk will make it drinkable again.

When should you drink a protein smoothie?

A protein smoothie is perfect at any time of day, for example for breakfast, as a snack or after exercise. Above all, it’s a practical way to get your fruit, liquid and protein all in one glass.

If you’re short on time in the morning, you can easily have a smoothie on the go. In the afternoon, adding a bit of oats or peanut butter gives it a bit more body than fruit alone. Before or after a workout, many people opt for a smoothie because it’s light and easy to drink. That said, treat a smoothie as an addition to varied meals, not a replacement for them.

Variations

These fruit and flavour combinations work just as well with the base recipe above and a scoop of protein powder (whey, casein or vegan):

• Lemon, orange and mint: squeeze the lemon and orange, then blend with a few mint leaves and a little liquid for a fresh citrus flavour.
• Melon and cherries: blend sweet melon with pitted cherries; frozen cherries make your smoothie instantly cooler and thicker.
• Fruit with soya yoghurt: replace some of the milk with a scoop of soya yoghurt for a fuller, creamier texture.
• Lime, apple and blueberries: combine a splash of lime juice with apple and blueberries; the lime juice keeps the whole thing fresh.
• Coconut, mango and passion fruit: mix mango with coconut water and the pulp of a passion fruit for a tropical twist on the mango-cocoa blend.
• Forest fruits with strawberry: take a handful of mixed forest fruits with extra blueberries and strawberries; these are easiest to blend straight from the freezer.
• Chocolate: stir a teaspoon or two of raw cocoa into the base with unflavoured whey for a chocolate smoothie.
• Vanilla, strawberry and blackberry: blend strawberries and blackberries with a frozen banana and use vanilla protein for a subtle hint of vanilla.
• Spinach, kiwi and lemon: add a handful of spinach, kiwi and a bit of lemon juice with vegan protein; you’ll hardly taste the spinach, but it’ll turn your smoothie green.
• Ginger and strawberry: grate a small piece of fresh ginger into the strawberries for a zesty, fresh flavour.
• Peach, banana and fig: blend ripe peach with banana and a fresh fig for a sweet, slightly thicker smoothie.
• Watermelon, beetroot and apple: mix watermelon with a small piece of cooked beetroot and apple for a light, pink spring smoothie.
• Cherries and berries: combine pitted cherries with mixed berries; a spoonful of goji berries goes well with this.
• Vegan strawberry: choose plant-based milk and a scoop of vegan protein to go with the strawberries for a completely vegan version.
• Chocolate and cherries: blend pitted cherries with raw cocoa for a chocolate and cherry combination.
• Raspberry, cranberry and orange: mix raspberries and cranberries with orange juice for a fresh, slightly tart smoothie.
• Stewed pear and cinnamon: blend cooled stewed pear with milk and a pinch of cinnamon for a wintery flavour.
• Prickly pear: scoop the flesh of a ripe prickly pear out of its skin and add it to your base for a mild, exotic smoothie.

Frequently asked questions about protein smoothies

How much protein is there in a smoothie with protein powder?

That depends on your powder and portion size. One scoop of protein powder provides roughly 20 to 25 grams of protein, and the fruit, milk and oats add a little more. Check the packaging of your powder for the exact values per scoop.

Can I make a smoothie without dairy?

Yes. Use plant-based milk or coconut water as a base and choose a vegan protein instead of whey protein. Our vegan protein powders are available in the vegan protein collection.

Which protein powder is best to use in a smoothie?

That’s mainly a matter of taste and preference. Whey protein mixes easily and has a mild flavour, vegan protein is suitable if you want to avoid dairy, and casein gives a slightly thicker consistency. You can read more about the differences in ‘What is whey protein and what does it do for your body?’ and ‘What is casein?’.

Can I make smoothies in advance?

A smoothie tastes best when fresh. If you do want to prepare it in advance, store it in a sealed container in the fridge (for about a day) or freeze the fruit in portions beforehand. Give it a good stir or shake before drinking, as the ingredients may have settled.

Give it a go yourself

You’ll find the protein powders used in these recipes in the whey collection and the vegan protein collection. Each product lists the full ingredients, so you know exactly what’s going into your glass.