Best Watermelon Banana Smoothie

This tasty watermelon banana smoothie recipe is packed with fiber, it’s simple and easy to make, and totally delicious.

Not to mention it’s dairy-free, and vegan too! 

Creamy Watermelon Banana Smoothies

 

When it comes to watermelon there are so many ways to enjoy this delicious fruit. In salads (fruit salad or a more savory salad with mint and feta), skewered, grilled even, and of course, blended in a smoothie. You can also make healthy watermelon slushies at home or homemade no-churn watermelon ice cream. There are so many more possibilities for this fruit than your typical summer BBQ parties.

The watermelon flavor in this watermelon banana smoothie really shines, and there’s no guessing what’s in it when you have the first sip! It’s light, refreshing, fruity, juicy, lightly sweet, and all things wonderful that watermelon is. It tastes just like the fresh and juicy watermelon you buy from the store (not like the artificial watermelon flavor you find in candies).

I bought some watermelon a while back, chopped it up, and threw it in my freezer for an occasion just like this… “smoothie making time”! A perfectly refreshing treat! this is also a really great idea for after a BBQ or party when you have leftover water melon on hand. I do recommend using seedless or removing most if not all of the seeds before freezing them but if you plan on blending the watermelon the seeds can stay since they’ll be blended to bits anyways!

Are banana and watermelon a good combination?

 

You bet! Frozen bananas are naturally creamy and relatively subtle in banana flavor which allows the watermelon to really shine in this smoothie. The banana’s sweet flavor is not too intense either which is great to balance out the natural sweetness in watermelon. 

Watermelon is mainly water (as the name suggests) so on its own blended it doesn’t create a rich, creamy smoothie consistency which is why the two, watermelon and ripe bananas, go so great together! This easy banana smoothie recipe will make you a believer!

Together this unlikely duo works together to create a sweet (but not too sweet) creamy concoction that is filling, healthy, and remarkably good! You’re going to look forward to your net sip of this cold drink all summer long.

Ingredients in a Watermelon Banana Smoothie

 

To make this super simple and delicious smoothie you only need a handful of healthy ingredients. You can also add in some extras for added nutrition, fiber, and protein.

 

Here’s what simple ingredients you’ll need:

• Watermelon (fresh or frozen)
• Frozen bananas
• Vanilla protein powder of choice (or collagen peptides for flavorless) 
• Chia seeds
• Unsweetened vanilla almond milk or oat milk (even soy milk would work just fine)

 

Optional Add-Ins Include:

• Peanut butter or almond butter (just a tablespoon or so of any nut butter for added protein, not so much for flavor)
• Greek yogurt (This can change the consistency to be a bit creamier and help to stretch the recipe to fill two glasses worth. Vanilla yogurt would work well.)
• Vanilla extract (for added flavor enhancement just add 1/2 -1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
• Ice cubes (this can work great in a pinch if you don’t have frozen watermelon and bananas to give you a chilled touch but the ice will make the smoothie watered down if not drank fast enough)
• Maple syrup (for added sweetness)
• Other fruits or berries
• Ground flax seeds
• Cacao nibs

 

Step-By-Step Instructions

1. Place the frozen banana and other ingredients in a blender. (It helps if you have banana slices already cut.)
2. Place the lid on and secure it well.
3. Blend or process the ingredients until smooth.
4. Sprinkle some chia seeds on top, if desired.
5. Pour into your tall drinking glass.
6. Serve immediately. It tastes best when freshest!
7. Enjoy! 

Note: If you want the smoothie to be thicker or creamier add some more banana. If you want it thinner add in more milk.

What’s the benefit of eating watermelon?

 

Watermelon is a fantastic, refreshing fruit that has tons of health benefits as it’s packed with nutrients and very hydrating. According to Healthline there are lots of benefits of watermelon including the following: 

• Watermelon helps keep you hydrated as it has an incredibly high water content!
• It’s a great source of Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and B vitamins. 
• It contains lycopene which is a compound that can help combat cancer and other diseases. 
• It has natural anti-inflammatory properties. 
• It can boost digestion because of its water content and it also contains fibre. 

 

The added ingredients in this watermelon banana smoothie recipe also bring in their own nutrients including potassium from banana, fibre and omega fats from the chia seeds, and protein from the protein powder which makes this smoothie also nicely balanced when it comes to macronutrients (proteins, fats, carbohydrates). 

Obviously, the special add-ins that you bring to your smoothie will change up the health benefits of this smoothie recipe by a bit. Depending on what you use you may get added proteins, fibers, potassium, calcium, or vitamins (just to name a few examples). So pick and choose what you want added to your smoothie wisely and create a wonderful blend of tastes and nutrition that’s right for you!

 

Should I use fresh or frozen watermelon for this smoothie?

You can actually use fresh or frozen depending on what you have on hand or what you think you would prefer.

While I recommend you use a frozen banana to create that necessary smoothie creamy texture, you can go with fresh watermelon, and the smoothie will have a slightly thinner consistency or freeze chunks of watermelon ahead of time to give the smoothie a much thicker consistency. 

I like my smoothies on the thicker side, so I chose to freeze the watermelon and ended up with a great creamy texture, but if you haven’t had a chance to freeze any watermelon, or want to skip that step, you’ll still get a great result!

 

How to freeze watermelon

Slice your watermelon into small chunks, slices, or scoop it out of the rind using a melon baller. You want the pieces small enough that they can conveniently fit inside of your blender for smoothies. Place the fruit onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet and arrange it out in a single layer so that it isn’t overlapping.

Freeze until solid (about 2 hours) before placing the frozen watermelon into an airtight container or Ziploc bag for up to 8 months. This will give you plenty of time to enjoy it long after the heat of summer has passed.

How long will watermelon last in the fridge?

If you don’t want to freeze your watermelon just yet you can keep any sliced melon in the fridge in a covered or airtight container for up to several days. If your watermelon is uncut and whole you can store it in the fridge for up to 3 weeks! Note that you may want a smaller watermelon or a larger fridge to accommodate it for this long.

Protein Powder Options: 

 

For this smoothie I used vanilla plant-based powder, which adds a nice amount of protein boost and some natural sweetness to the smoothie. You can choose from several options including:

• vegan vanilla protein powder
• whey-based vanilla protein powder (although this is not dairy free or vegan)
• unflavoured collagen peptides 

Collagen peptides are sources from marine or bovine so this would also make the smoothie not vegan but still be dairy free. Whichever option you prefer is fine, I just recommend you do not omit the powder as the protein will help to balance the carbohydrates and natural sugars that come from the watermelon and banana in this smoothie.

 

Check out some more smoothie recipes for delicious ideas:

• Refreshing Pineapple Weight Loss Smoothie
• Perfect Berry Smoothie Bowl
• Creamy Blueberry Avocado Smoothie
• Top 10 Detox Tips & My 10-Day Green Smoothie Cleanse
• Banana almond butter Date Smoothie Recipe
• Easy Pre Workout Smoothie
• Easy Oat Milk Smoothie

 

What is your favorite way to enjoy watermelon? Do you like it “straight up” or mixed into a smoothie or another filling breakfast recipe? Tell me about it in the comments and be sure to pin the photo below the recipe to save this one for later!

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More Summer Inspired Recipes You’ll Love: 

• Dairy-Free Watermelon Ice Cream
• 18 Camping Meals
• 18 Easy & Healthy Dinner Recipes for Summer
• 10 Healthy Popsicle Recipes
• 12 Homemade Dairy Free Ice Cream Recipes