Lemon Smoothie

This lemon smoothie recipe is bright and creamy! Whiz it up in a blender for a refreshing, nourishing drink.

Craving the refreshing, zingy flavor of lemon? Try this easy lemon smoothie recipe! This frosty, pale yellow puree holds a secret: a super citrusy, sweet tart flavor owed to a load of lemon zest and juice. Whiz it up with frozen fruit and milk in a blender, and it’s one of the tastiest, most satisfying smoothies around! Here are a few tips to this fun lemon drink.

Ingredients in this lemon smoothie

Lemon is a unique flavor for a smoothie recipe: it’s more common to see berry flavors like a strawberry smoothie or bright green smoothies. But a lemon smoothie is a fun and refreshingly healthy way to enjoy fresh fruit! There’s no juice or loads of extra sugar: it’s lightly sweetened with a hint of maple syrup and made creamy with your milk of choice. Here are a few notes on the ingredients you need:

• Lemon juice and zest: The best flavor in a lemon smoothie is from real lemon! You’ll use the zest from an entire lemon here, plus two tablespoons of the fresh juice (no substitutes).
• Frozen pineapple: Frozen pineapple is essential for the frosty texture and it adds a nice yellow color.
• Banana: Room temperature banana is all you need: no need to freeze it! It’s also essential for the creamy texture of the smoothie. (Alternatively, you could use fresh pineapple and frozen banana.)
• Milk: You’ll need liquid for it to blend! Use your favorite milk here, dairy or non-dairy both work, making it a vegan smoothie option.
• Maple syrup: Just 1 teaspoon maple syrup heightens the flavors and gives it the best, sweet tart flavor.

Use turmeric for color

Turmeric is a a root used in cooking, part of the ginger family. It is most often used dried and ground into a yellow powder, which has an earthy, almost mustard-like flavor. But more than flavor, turmeric is also often used for color in recipes: in fact, it’s what gives yellow mustard its bright yellow color!

You can use turmeric here to make an even brighter lemon flavor! It won’t be noticeable flavor-wise.

Ways to add more protein

This lemon smoothie isn’t protein packed, unless you use dairy milk (which has 8 grams protein in 1 cup). If you’d like, you can add even more protein: whether it’s dairy-based or a vegan smoothie. Here are some ideas:

• Stir in Greek yogurt. Use ½ cup Greek yogurt and ½ cup milk for a significant dose of protein.
• Chia seeds. You can add plant-based protein and fiber with chia seeds: 2 tablespoons chia seeds adds 4 grams protein and 11 grams fiber.
• Vanilla protein powder: Protein powder works well too! We use this protein powder that has natural ingredients and a flavor that’s not too artificial. Just remember to dial back the maple syrup or honey, because protein powder adds sweetness.

Variations on this lemon smoothie

Want to change up this lemon smoothie with mix-ins instead? There are a few additions that go well with the tropical flavors here! Here’s what we’d recommend trying:

• Add cashew butter. A way to add plant-based protein is nut butter; we recommend the flavor of cashews here to compliment the lemon. Keep in mind this can also dampen the flavor of the smoothie.
• Swap in frozen mango or peaches. Swap out a cup of the frozen pineapple for frozen fruit of another variety.
• Throw in coconut. Throw in a handful of coconut (or toasted coconut) for a tropical vibe.
• Add a handful of fresh mint or basil. Lemon mint and lemon basil are two tasty flavor combinations.

More smoothie recipes

This lemon smoothie is one of our favorite new smoothie recipes! Here are a few more we love:

• Try a Perfect Strawberry Smoothie or Chocolate Strawberry Smoothie
• Make a Mango Smoothie
• Go for a Green Detox Smoothie or Glowing Green Smoothie
• Try a Easy Smoothie Bowl

01

Perfect Strawberry Smoothie

02

Mango Smoothie

03

Green Detox Smoothie

04

50 Best Smoothie Recipes

This lemon smoothie recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.

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