Make this easy and delicious Carrot and Banana Smoothie in 5 minutes. Perfect for busy mornings and afternoon snacks!

If you know me, you know I get a lot of inspiration for recipes from restaurants (and smoothie shops ;). Have you ever noticed how many smoothies are made with apple juice or orange juice?
Well, I figure why not try to give the same flavor to a carrot smoothie using whole fruit and water in place of juices. Success!
You're going to love the delicious flavor of carrot and banana combined with orange and pineapple in this smoothie recipe. It's so refreshing!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Dairy-Free Smoothie This isn't just a smoothie without yogurt, it's a non-dairy smoothie made with dairy-free milk so people who are intolerant or allergic to milk can enjoy it, too.🙌
- Quick and Easy All you need is a high-speed blender (I love my Vitamix!) and this smoothie will be ready in no time.
- Simple Ingredients Fresh orange, carrots, banana, frozen pineapple, oat milk, ice, water, and hemp hearts. Hemp hearts are used for a little boost of protein, healthy fats, and fiber.
- No added sugar Natural sugars from fresh orange, banana, and pineapple add the perfect amount of sweetness to this delicious carrot banana smoothie. There is no need to add agave, maple syrup, or honey.
- Kid-Approved Made with less oat milk than most oat milk smoothies because it's the way kids like it! Seriously, when I used all oat milk (instead of oat milk and water) when making this smoothie, my kids thought it tasted too much like oat milk which they didn't like. So, I cut back on the amount of oat milk and added some water. They loved it!
Dietitian Tips
- Making smoothies with a variety of fruits and vegetables is a great way to help meet the recommended intake of a variety of vitamins, minerals, and other important nutrients.
- Oat milk is thought to be the milk alternative that is most similar to cow's milk in flavor and texture. It is a nice option for kids with certain dietary restrictions because it is naturally free of dairy, soy, and nuts.
- Many milk alternatives, including oat milk, contain very little to no protein. So, when serving this smoothie as a meal, consider pairing it with something that contains protein, like egg muffins.
- Cow's milk contains 8 grams of protein per cup, most oat milk contains 3 grams of protein per cup, and almond milk contains about 1.5 grams of protein per cup.
Recipe Variations
- Protein Powder Add a small amount of protein powder to add more protein.
- Peanut Butter Adding peanut butter will change the overall flavor of this smoothie. Still, it's an easy way to add protein and fat to smoothies so you feel full longer.
- Milk If you can tolerate regular milk, feel free to use whole milk or 2% milk instead of non-dairy milk for more protein. Also, if you like the taste of oat milk, feel free to use oat milk in place of water.
- Coconut If you like the flavor of coconut, try using coconut milk instead of water or oat milk. Otherwise, add coconut flakes before blending for a hint of coconut flavor.
- Ginger A small amount of fresh ginger can be added for a hint of spice and unique flavor.
- Thicker Smoothie This is a thinner smoothie than most banana smoothies. If you prefer thick smoothies, try making this without water or adding plain or vanilla Greek yogurt. Once it's done blending, check the consistency and if its too thick, add a small amount of liquid and continue to blend.
Ingredient Notes
- Orange Use a large seedless navel orange, peeled. Oranges are high in vitamin C and fiber. If using an orange with seeds, remove the seeds.
- Frozen pineapple pieces Pineapple adds a wonderful sweetness that masks the flavor of the banana and oat milk. Pineapple contains manganese, copper, various vitamins, and fiber.
- Banana Use a ripe or over-ripe banana. Ripe bananas add natural sweetness and help give smoothies a smooth and creamy texture. Bananas are high in potassium and fiber.
- Oat milk Use plain, unflavored oat milk. Feel free to substitute it with your milk of choice.
- Raw Carrots Fresh carrots are an affordable vegetable that are easy to find year-round. They are a good source of vitamin A (beta carotene) and fiber.
- Hemp Hearts Hemp hearts are shelled hemp seeds. They provide omega-3 fatty acids which are good for heart health and protein. They also contain fiber, potassium, iron, and more. Oat milk is low in protein, so hemp hearts help round out the nutrition profile of this recipe.
How to Make This Carrot Banana Smoothie Recipe
Here's a quick overview of the steps to make this smoothie. For the full recipe with complete instructions, scroll down to the recipe card.
- Place water, the orange, and oat milk in a high-powered blender.
- Add carrot, banana, and ice cubes.
- Then add the hemp hearts and frozen pineapple pieces.
- Blend well, until the desired consistency is reached. It takes about one minute with my Vitamix.
Helpful Tips
- If you use a regular blender, you will likely end up with small pieces of carrot in your smoothie.
- Frozen mango can be used in place of pineapple but the smoothie will be less sweet.
- Either a fresh or frozen over ripe banana can be used. Using a frozen banana will thicken the smoothie. If the smoothie is too thick when using a frozen banana, add a small amount of additional water or oat milk to thin it out.
- Store leftover smoothie in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
- To freeze leftover smoothie, freeze using an ice cube tray. Once frozen, place frozen smoothie cubes in an airtight freezer bag to remain frozen.
Questions You May Have
Oat milk is safe for people with dairy, soy, and nut allergies. Plus, it has a hint of natural sweetness and is thicker than other milk alternatives which makes it useful in smoothies.
Oat milk can be included in a healthy, well-balanced diet.
Yes, you definitely can taste it if you use a lot of it proportionate to other ingredients. I always have my kids taste test recipes. When I used all oat milk (instead of less oat milk with a small amount of water), my kids knew without a doubt that I had used something in place of milk.
More Smoothie Recipes
Did you love this Carrot Banana Smoothie? Please leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below to let me know. A 5-star rating is the best compliment!
Don't forget to snap a pic of your delicious smoothie and tag @carrots.and.cookies on Instagram so I can see it. Enjoy!
Easy Carrot and Banana Smoothie
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 Orange (seedless) Large seedless navel orange, peeled.
- 1 Banana Overripe
- 2 Carrots Small to medium sized. Or, one large carrot. Ends removed and scrubbed well
- 1 ½ cups pineapple pieces Frozen pineapple pieces. At Trader Joe's they are called frozen 'Pineapple Tidbits.'
- ¾ cup Oat milk unsweetened
- 3 tablespoon Hemp hearts
- ¾ cup water
- 1 cup ice cubes
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a high powered blender in the order listed.
- Blend until smooth.
Notes
- Either scrub the carrots well or wash and peel them first.
- Use a high-speed blender to get a smooth consistency.
- If you use a regular blender, you'll end up with small chunks of carrot in your smoothie.
- If using fresh pineapple instead of frozen, add a few more ice cubes.
- When blending, start on a low speed. After about 20 seconds, gradually increase the speed and blend for an additional minute, or until the desired consistency is reached.
Kara says
Delicious! Refreshing and the right amount of sweetness.
momofthree says
My kids loved this smoothie!