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    Home » Recipes » Drinks

    Easy Strawberry Banana Smoothie (Light Milkshake)

    Published: Jul 9, 2023 · by Markie · Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe

    This strawberry banana smoothie (light milkshake) is super easy, delicious and refreshing. This no ice-cream shake is low in calories and is packed with valuable nutrients making it a healthy summer refreshment. It is the perfect breakfast drink, and kids will love it too!

    A photo of a glass with pink milky drink, garnished with sliced strawberry, mint leaves and red and white straw. Behind it, there are a few ripe bananas and in the front, there is a halved strawberry.
    Jump to:
    • Why To Make This Strawberry Banana Smoothie
    • Key Ingredients for Strawberry Banana Smoothie
    • Substitutes & Variations
    • How To Make Banana and Strawberry Smoothie
    • Top Tips
    • Storage
    • FAQs
    • More Summer Drink Recipes
    • 📖 The Recipe

    Why To Make This Strawberry Banana Smoothie

    I associate milkshakes and smoothies with summer, as my mum always makes some to use up the extensive seasonal produce.

    This recipe is super simple, even my brother has learned how to make it - no doubt this easy fruity milkshake will become your favourite soon! You’ll only need a few ingredients and basic kitchen equipment.

    A handheld blender (stick blender) and a deep bowl or container is all you need to make it. Alternatively, you can use a food processor.

    This smoothie is full of vitamins (vitamin C, B6, E, K), minerals (potassium, folate, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, manganese, selenium, zinc), protein, fibre and antioxidants and therefore it’s great for a healthy and balanced diet. Ideally, drink it in the morning to make the most of its health benefits. It also contains many natural sugars, which could ruin your sleep at night, so avoid drinking it before bedtime.

    Like I said at the beginning, the recipe is fantastic for using up leftover (surplus) fruit. Fresh strawberries get soft quickly when ripe, and whilst they can’t always be used in recipes where they are supposed to look ‘pretty’, they are perfect in jams, conserves or in drinks like this light milkshake or strawberry virgin mojito.

    A top down photo of cooking ingredients: a glass of milk, a banana, seven strawberries on a white plate and a small amount of syrup.

    Key Ingredients for Strawberry Banana Smoothie

    This recipe contains only 4 basic ingredients, all of which can be found in most kitchen cupboards and are available in shops throughout the year.

    • Strawberries – for best flavour, use ripe fresh strawberries with stems removed. You can also use frozen strawberries straight from the freezer.
    • Bananas - ripe or overripe fresh or frozen bananas are very good in smoothies and shakes, giving the drink a sweet flavour.
    • Milk – semi-skimmed cow’s milk is ideal for this recipe. For vegan and lactose-free options, please see the substitutes section below.
    • Vanilla extract – adds a bit of the delicate vanilla flavour and brings another dimension to this milkshake.

    Optional ingredients are ice, sugar, honey, maple syrup or other sweetener – depending on taste. If you like, you can turn this smoothie into an indulgent milkshake by adding whipped or spray cream on top.

    Garnishes are also optional; this milkshake will look nice with a slice of strawberry and fresh mint leaves.

    Detailed measurements can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

    Substitutes & Variations

    You may be wondering if there are ways of making this smoothie just as delicious even though summer has passed and strawberries are no longer in season (or as tasty as they would be in full summer). Luckily, there is an easy hack for this:

    • Good quality strawberry jam or conserve – this common pantry staple is an absolute saviour of the sweet and fruity flavour of strawberries. Use it in this recipe instead of fresh or frozen strawberries and enjoy this milkshake all year round without losing out on flavour!
    • Vegan-friendly - use plant-based or dairy-free milk (oat, soya, almond or similar), sweetener, and dairy-free cream (if using).

    Variations

    This milkshake recipe is flexible and can be adjusted to your liking and produce that you have.

    • Add a variety of berries - fresh or frozen raspberries, blackberries or blueberries. Check it is sweet enough and not too sour, and sweeten with sugar, or honey if needed.
    • Add chia seeds for extra fiber.

    Turn it into a yummy milkshake by adding:

    • Strawberry (or raspberry) dessert sauce - decorate the insides of a glass with before serving and add some on top of the cream.
    • Chocolate sauce into the glass before serving, and sprinkle with chocolate (cocoa) powder on top.

    Find more details and exact amounts in the recipe card below this article.

    How To Make Banana and Strawberry Smoothie

    This delicious and light shake is ready in 3 simple steps:

    1. Clean and dice the fruit.
    2. Add it to a blender, add milk, ice and sugar (the two later are optional).
    3. Blend until smooth and serve with garnish.

    For a more detailed recipe, please see the recipe card at the very end of this post.

    A photo of a glass jug with diced banana and strawberries.
    Step 1: Cut the fruit.
    A photo of a glass jug with diced banana, strawberries, and milk.
    Step 2: Add milk and vanilla extract.

    Top Tips

    Here are some ideas on how to make this super easy milkshake even better:

    • Although all of the ingredients go into a blender, cut the fruit into chunks – it only takes a minute but the milkshake will be smoother and made quicker as the texture will be more balanced.
    • To make this smoothie thicker, add Greek-style or natural yogurt.
    • If the smoothie is too thick, add a dash of milk.
    • When making this light milkshake in advance, shake it well before serving. This will help combine the milk and water from the fruit that may have separated.

    Storage

    You can make this strawberry smoothie in advance. It will keep fresh for up a day from blending. Store it in an airtight food container in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Shake it well before serving or give it another blitz in the food blender (processor).

    Can You Freeze a Strawberry and Banana Smoothie?

    It is very easy to freeze any leftover smoothies. There are several ways around it, all of them save you time next time you fancy this smoothie - find one that meets you need:

    • Option 1: transfer the smoothie into a freezer-safe container, seal and freeze – this option is good for batch cooking. Defrost on the kitchen counter for at least 15 minutes and stir (or shake) it thoroughly before serving.
    • Option 2: freeze the smoothie in an ice cube tray, and place in the freezer for 4 hours or until just solid, then take the ice cubes out, place them into a freezer-safe bag and freeze, later you will be able to defrost just as much as you need – this is great for prepping individual portions. Leave it to thaw for about 15 minutes and give it a stir before serving.
    • Option 3: freeze only the diced fruit, add the rest of the ingredients (liquids) and blend it when ready to serve. You will be able to blend the frozen fruit after 10-15 minutes of thawing at room temperature. This option gives you flexibility on adjusting the recipe just before serving and on the usage of the fruit – you can use it in cakes, desserts, pancakes, overnight oats etc.

    Note: Options 1 and 2 save you washing up the blender before each serving. Never re-freeze items that had been previously frozen and defrosted.

    A top down photo of two glasses with pinkish milky drink, garnished with sliced strawberries, mint leaves and red and white straws. Next are a couple of ripe bananas and three halved strawberries.

    FAQs

    What is the difference between milkshake and smoothie?

    Milkshakes traditionally contain fruit, milk and ice cream, while smoothies are lighter and are made without ice cream, but fruit, vegetables, nuts, milk or yogurt.

    Is strawberry banana smoothie good for you?

    Yes, this smoothie is rich in vitamins, minerals, fibre, protein and is low in calories. Enjoy it in moderation as a part of a healthy and balanced diet.

    What thickens smoothies?

    Greek-style yogurt or natural yogurt help thicken smoothies. Alternatively, you can add more fruit or vegetables, crushed ice, nuts, oats or seeds.

    More Summer Drink Recipes

    • Strawberry mojito mocktail
    • Alcohol-free Pimm’s cup
    • Elderflower cordial
    • Cold brew iced latte
    • Homemade hazelnut iced latte

    📖 The Recipe

    A photo of a glass with pink milky drink, garnished with sliced strawberry, mint leaves and red and white straw. Behind it, there are a few ripe bananas and in the front, there is a halved strawberry.

    Easy Strawberry Banana Smoothie (Light Milkshake)

    Markie | MarkiesKitchen.com
    Strawberry banana smoothie (light milkshake) is easy, delicious, refreshing and low in calories. It's a perfect drink to start your day with!
    5 from 1 vote
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Total Time 5 minutes mins
    Course Breakfast, Drinks, Snack
    Cuisine American, British, Czech, European
    Servings 2
    Calories 144 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 130 g strawberries, fresh or frozen
    • 130 g banana, fresh or frozen
    • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, or 1 tablespoon vanilla sugar
    • 250 ml semi-skimmed milk

    Optional:

    • sugar, honey, maple syrup or sweetener, to taste

    Instructions
     

    • Wash the fruit, remove green stems of the strawberries and peel off banana skin. Cut the fruit into dices and transfer them into a blender or into a tall food container (jug).
    • Add vanilla extract, milk, sugar and ice (if using).
    • Blend in short sequences until smooth.
    • Serve with sliced fruit and a straw.

    Notes

    Possible swaps:
    • Strawberry jam or conserve instead of strawberries (3 tablespoon per serving),
    • Vegan-friendly milk, sweetener and cream (if using; 1:1 ratio).
    Variations:
    • Raspberries, blackberries or blueberries (1:1 ratio).
    • Add chia seeds (1 teaspoon per serving).
    Make it a milkshake by adding:
    • Strawberry (or raspberry) dessert sauce,
    • Chocolate sauce.
    Top Tips: Please see the article above this recipe card.

    Nutritional Information (Estimates Only)

    Serving: 280ml | Calories: 144kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 60mg | Potassium: 508mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 177IU | Vitamin C: 44mg | Calcium: 163mg | Iron: 0.5mg
    Keyword banana, milkshake, smoothie, strawberries
    Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was! Give a star rating if you enjoyed it, this helps other readers who are looking for recipes like this!

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    About Markie

    Hi there! I'm a passionate home cook, food blogger and photographer. I enjoy making great food without having to run to the shop every day. I'm here to help you cook easy and delicious meals from classic pantry ingredients. More about me

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