Name: Watermelon Smoothie
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Vegetarian
Ingredients: 3 cups cubed watermelon; 10 ounces (2 heaping cups) frozen strawberries; 1 banana, either frozen in slices or at room temp

This 3-ingredient watermelon smoothie is juicy and lightly sweet, with frozen strawberries and banana. It’s a unique smoothie idea that’s ultra refreshing!

Now that it’s watermelon season, Alex and I have been experimenting with creative ways to use this tasty juicy fruit. Straight up sliced watermelon isn’t my favorite, but I adore using it in recipes! We’ve made everything from a watermelon salad with feta to a watermelon margarita to a watermelon gazpacho. And our latest? This watermelon smoothie. Watermelon is actually difficult to add to smoothies without a recipe because of its high water content. Here’s how to make a watermelon smoothie that’s the right texture: and seriously good!

How to make a watermelon smoothie

Watermelon is an interesting fruit because as you might guess, it’s mostly water! Adding watermelon to smoothies can make the texture very watery. To do it right, you’ll want to add enough fruit to get the watermelon flavor, but not enough that it’s too liquid. So, it’s helpful to have a recipe for a watermelon smoothie to get the right texture. Enter, this watermelon smoothie recipe! It’s got just the right creamy thickness.

Why add watermelon to a smoothie? It’s full of vitamins and nutrients! And, its naturally sweet flavor adds a delicious, almost tropical flair to a smoothie. Our toddler Larson absolutely loved this watermelon smoothie — he drank it extra fast! Here’s how to make a watermelon smoothie:

In a blender, add 3 cups cubed watermelon, 2 heaping cups frozen strawberries, and 1 banana (room temperature or frozen in pieces).
Blend! Serve immediately.

Either a frozen or room temp banana works!

You can use either a frozen banana or a room temperature banana. We never remember to freeze bananas for smoothies, but we know some of you constantly stock frozen bananas! Using a frozen banana makes the texture even thicker and icier — but it’s not required if you haven’t remembered to freeze it.

Is watermelon healthy?

Yes! Watermelon is full of health benefits. Here are some high level benefits:

It’s full of the antioxidant lycopene, which studies show could help curb your risk of cancer and diabetes as part of a healthy lifestyle. Interestingly, watermelon has more lycopene than any other veggie!
It’s full of water (perfect for hydration!) and a very low calorie food.
It has lots of other benefits; read more at WebMD: Health Benefits of Watermelon.

Amp with a little sweeteness, if desired

This watermelon drink has no refined sugar and is a totally naturally sweet treat! Alex and I served it to our son Larson as a “treat” at the end of a meal: it’s a great healthy dessert for kids — and adults, really! If you’d like to make it taste more decadent, you could add a little more sweetener: like a drizzle of maple syrup or honey.

Looking for more healthy smoothie recipes?

Outside of this watermelon smoothie recipe, here are some of our favorite smoothies:

Homemade Acai Bowl: One of our top ways to eat a smoothie is as a bowl! This acai bowl is seriously tasty, featuring purple acai puree and gorgeous smoothie bowl toppings.
Best Blueberry Smoothie: This one tastes like pure blueberry sweetness: but is full of whole real foods! Or try this Chocolate Blueberry Smoothie.
Honeydew Smoothie Green melon, pineapple, and vanilla make a delicate hydrating drink.
Berry Smoothie, Strawberry Smoothie or Fruit Smoothie Perfect berry goodness.
Kale Smoothie, Avocado Smoothie, Green Smoothie or Spinach Smoothie The flavor is so irresistible, you’ll forget you’re eating all those nutrients.

This watermelon smoothie is…

Vegetarian, gluten-free, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free, refined sugar free, and naturally sweet.