Skip to main content

21OAK may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

5 simple tips to make the perfect 3-ingredient smoothie (plus 10 great recipes!)

Smoothies are healthy, refreshing, and delicious. Thick, creamy concoctions made with nutrient-rich fruits, vegetables, and other natural ingredients, smoothies are the perfect healthy breakfast for busy mornings, or a great energy boost post workout. Not just for summer, smoothies can be enjoyed all year long, with ingredients that can be switched up seasonally to take advantage of the freshest produce available.

If you’ve been wondering how you can go about making a truly outstanding smoothie, we have all the tips and tricks that will make you a smoothie master. Plus, we’ve pulled together 10 of our favorite smoothie recipes, each with just three ingredients so they’re super easy and convenient to make. Want to know more? Here’s how to make the best simple smoothies.

Related Videos

5 simple tips for the perfect smoothie

1. Make it thick
The most delicious, most satisfying smoothies are nice and thick. So which ingredients help to make a smoothie thick? The easiest way is to use frozen fruit instead of ice cubes — particularly frozen bananas, which are a smoothie all-star ingredient. 

2. Make it creamy
To up the creaminess quotient of your smoothie recipe, try adding nut butter or tahini, silken tofu, or Greek yogurt (which both up the protein levels, as well), half of an avocado, or a bit of puréed pumpkin, sweet potato, or butternut squash.

3. Pick the perfect liquid base
If you’re trying to cut down on your calorie and sugar intake, a smoothie made with water is your best bet. If you want a smoothie that is creamy and has a bit more flavor, then it’s better to use milk, including dairy-free varieties, such as almond or soy milk.

4. Avoid adding these ingredients

  • Fat-free flavored yogurt
  • Fruit juice
  • Ice cream, frozen yogurt, or sherbet
  • Added sweeteners

5. Use the right smoothie blender
Even with the best ingredients and the most inventive recipe, your smoothie will be doomed to fail if you don’t have the right smoothie maker. Whether you opt for a personal-sized bullet blender or a standard blender, be sure your blender has sufficient power to plow through frozen fruits with ease. 

Person making smoothie with fruits.

10 of our favorite 3-ingredient smoothie recipes

Peanut butter strawberry

Super rich and super delicious, right down to the last sip. 

  • 1 cup frozen strawberries
  • 1 large banana (sliced)
  • 1-2 tablespoons peanut butter

Blend with 1/2 to 1 cup liquid.

Spinach and banana power

Power up by starting your day with this healthy, tasty smoothie. 

  • 1 cup plain soy milk
  • 3/4 cup packed fresh spinach leaves
  • 1 large banana, sliced

Not easy being green

Feeling extra adventurous? Blend in 1/2 of an avocado or some fresh lime juice when making this recipe.

  • 1 green apple with skin, cored and cut into chunks
  • 1/2 cup frozen spinach
  • 1/2-inch piece peeled, fresh ginger (cut into small pieces) 

Blend with 1/2 cup water.

Tangerine pineapple banana

A tart tropical fruit mix that’s thick and creamy, thanks to the frozen banana.

  • 2 tangerines (peeled and segmented)
  • 1/2 cup frozen pineapple
  • 1 frozen banana

Blend with 1/2 to 1 cup liquid.

Kale orange banana

Please your palate with these complementary flavors.

  • 1 orange, peeled
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 leaf kale, torn into several pieces
  • 2 ripe bananas, peeled 

World’s easiest refreshing smoothie

It only takes two ingredients and you’ve got a healthy smoothie that tastes more like a frozen summer treat.

  • ½ (16 ounce) can pineapple chunks, undrained 
  • 5 frozen strawberries

Cranberry pineapple spinach

Feel free to swap out the cranberries for another berry of your choice. Spinach adds rich nutrients and fiber.

  • 1 1/2 cups pineapple
  • 1/2 cup cranberries
  • 1 cup spinach

Blend with 1/2 to 1 cup liquid.

Cherry coconut smoothie

This refreshing drink is perfect in the summer.

  • 1 cup cherries, pitted 
  • 1 cup ice
  • 1/2 cup almond milk
  • 1/2 cup coconut water

Chocolate sunset smoothie

Rich, creamy, and dairy-free!

  • 1 (13.5 ounces) can unsweetened coconut milk
  • 6 ice cubes
  • 1/4 cup chocolate syrup

Green day

Add a pinch of cayenne pepper for an unexpected flavor explosion. 

  • 1/2 cup frozen kale
  • 1/2 cup frozen pineapple
  • 1/2 cup plain kefir or pourable plain yogurt

Mix with 1/4 cup of water in the blender. 

You can find an abundance of yummy smoothies recipes for every day of the week, every available ingredient, and every personal taste preference. Grab your favorite fruits or veggies, along with your trusty blender, add a secret ingredient or two, and you’ll be on your way to drinking to your good health.  

Editors' Recommendations

6 amazing homemade Christmas gift ideas that cost less than $50 to make
DIY Christmas gifts that are heartfelt and won't break the bank
Christmas gift wrapped in brown paper with cranberries

Though holidays aren’t all about gifts, your long shopping lists may imply otherwise. Americans will spend over $900 on gifts this year, even amid the pandemic and its associated economic and health concerns.
However, breaking the bank isn't a prerequisite to having a fun holiday. Whether you have a lower budget or are hoping to give a loved one something truly unique, homemade Christmas gifts are a great option. They offer the perfect way to give something personalized, and maybe even delicious, at a fraction of the cost.
It may seem intimidating, but some gifts are a cinch to make, whether you consider yourself crafty or a skilled home chef. These six homemade holiday gifts will wow your friends and family who have everything.

Social media recipe “book”
Total price: Free
The holidays are often full of traditional dishes best enjoyed once per year, like dad’s favorite green bean casserole or mom’s delicious Christmas cookies. A virtual recipe book can be a great way to store them, so your loved ones don’t have to dig through their drawers to find them every year. Get the free book started using a Pinterest or Instagram account and add all of your family’s favorite holiday recipes. Ultimately, this gift can keep on giving. Give your loved ones the password so they can add their favorite recipes throughout the year, resulting in a gift you all can cherish every year.

Read more
These Christmas table decorations are the perfect backdrop for your holiday meal
Take your Christmas table decorating up a notch with these fun ideas
Festive Christmas table setting

'Tis the season to send our tastebuds on an adventure. From turkeys and hams to unique side dishes and desserts made from recipes passed down throughout the generations, food certainly takes center stage this time of year. However, who says your tastebuds have to have all the fun on Dec. 25?
Christmas table decorations can provide a feast for the eyes (and make your family and Instagram followers swoon). While some may think of it as another item on their to-do list, you may love getting your creative juices flowing by curating a gorgeously arranged tablescape. Allow these ideas to serve as inspiration.

Centerpieces
Tell your turkey or roast to move over. Making room on your table for a centerpiece will draw attention to the table (rather than smartphones). You have plenty of options, from subtly beautiful assortments to statement pieces. Consider these ideas:

Read more
Tired of sugar cookies? Try these ridiculously creative Christmas cookie ideas
Christmas cookie recipes perfect for the holidays - and not sugar cookies
Christmas cookie cutter cookies

The holidays are certainly a busy time of year. With all the shopping, wrapping, decorating, and cooking, it seems like December is a blur of holiday parties, food, and spending far too much money. But, one of the sweetest of all holiday traditions is baking. Particularly baking cookies. From gingerbread houses to Grandma’s sugar cookie recipe, Christmas is a time for indulging your sweet tooth and eating more cookies than you would dream of any other time of the year.

But maybe you’ve had your fill of the typical holiday cookies. Do you want to branch out from your fallbacks of peanut butter, shortbread, and chocolate chip? If you want to shake things up at your cookie swap or holiday gathering, we’ve got you covered.

Read more