Blackberry Raspberry Smoothie
Blackberry raspberry smoothies are thick, creamy and the ultimate grab and go breakfast option! This healthy raspberry blackberry smoothie is packed with protein, healthy fats and will keep you feeling full for hours! You can even make this into a blackberry raspberry smoothie bowl with all your favorite toppings.
Why you will love this smoothie recipe
- So simple – smoothies are such a simple meal because all you have to do is measure and blend! Breakfast in under 5 minutes!
- Good for you ingredients – this blackberry raspberry smoothie is packed full of healthy ingredients, all of which you likely have on hand (check out the substitutes below if you are missing an ingredient). You can easily find all of the ingredients for this berry smoothie at your local grocery store.
- Versatile – make this into a smoothie or smoothie bowl to eat with a spoon and add your favorite toppings to! You can also easily customize this smoothie based on what you have on hand.
Ingredients
- Blackberries – blackberry are sweet, tart and so perfect in smoothies. I recommend that you use frozen blackberries. They are easy to keep on hand, no worries about them going bad in the fridge and they help make the smoothie cold, thick and creamy. If you don’t have frozen blackberries, be sure to add some ice to the blender.
- Raspberries – raspberries add so much flavor. They are sweet, tart and add so much color to the smoothie. They are also very low in sugar and packed full of vitamins and minerals. Like the blackberries, I recommend using frozen raspberries. Add ice if you don’t have frozen raspberries on hand.
- Dairy free milk – use whatever your favorite dairy free milk is in this smoothie recipe. You can use almond milk, oat milk, cashew milk, coconut milk (carton or canned will work), flax milk, etc. If you are not dairy free, you can use regular dairy milk as well.
- Chia seeds – chia seeds help to thicken the smoothie and also add fiber and healthy fats. The added fiber will help you feel full for hours and the healthy fats are great to balance your blood sugar.
- Protein powder (or rolled oats) – I love using a vegan protein in my smoothies. It helps to thicken the smoothie and also tends to be easier on your digestion then a whey protein, but you can use whatever protein powder you have on hand. I recommend using a vanilla protein in this recipe (my favorites are Nuzest and Octonuts Almond Protein). If you don’t have protein powder, add about ¼ cup of rolled oats + honey or maple syrup in place of the protein powder for a similar texture and flavor.
- Almond butter (or any nut/seed butter) – almond butter adds healthy fats and a slight almond taste to the smoothie. You could also use peanut butter, cashew butter, sunbutter or tahini (to keep it nut free).
- Honey or maple syrup (optional) – if you are using rolled oats or an unsweetened protein powder, be sure to add some honey or maple syrup to balance out the flavors.
How to make blackberry raspberry smoothies
- Measure out the ingredients in the order listed into your blender.
- Blend on high about 1 minute or until smooth.
Top tips
- Add sweetener if needed: This blackberry raspberry smoothie is slightly tart and the overall sweetness will depend on how sweet your protein powder is. If you decide to use rolled oats or an unsweetened protein powder, be sure to add some sweetness with honey, maple syrup or pitted medjool dates. You could also use a banana to sweeten the smoothie.
- Use frozen fruit: This raspberry blackberry smoothie is written to use frozen fruit. The frozen fruit help to make the smoothie super cold (the best for flavor) and helps to thicken the smoothie. If you are using fresh fruit, reduce the milk by 1/4 cup and add 1/2 cup of ice cubes.
- Blackberry seeds can sometimes stick in your throat/teeth if you are not using a powerful blender. I find that 1 minute in my Ninja Bullet style blender breaks down the blackberry seeds and chia seeds quite well. If you don’t have a powerful blender, you may want to substitute the blueberries for blackberries and use ground flax in place of the chia seeds.
- Make this nut free by using sunbutter or tahini in place of the almond butter and oat milk. If you can tolerate peanuts, you could also use peanut butter.
Other additions
- Yogurt: yogurt can add some creaminess to the smoothie. It’s a great way to add more protein too, especially if a greek yogurt is used (regular or dairy free).
- Veggies: Add 1/4-1/2 cup of frozen cauliflower rice, frozen spinach, frozen kale or even frozen zucchini. Note: If you aren’t using a sweetened protein powder and you plan on adding some veggies, you will likely want to add a bit of sweetness with maple syrup, honey, date syrup or pitted dates.
- Fruits: To increase the sweetness or change the flavor slightly, you could also add banana, peaches, blueberries, mango, or pineapple to this smoothie as well. You can add 1/2 cup up to 1 cup depending on how much you want to change the overall flavor.
Topping ideas for raspberry blackberry smoothie bowls
This smoothie is quite thick and can easily be made into a smoothie bowl! If you are going to enjoy this as a smoothie bowl, here are some great topping ideas:
- Fresh fruit – blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, peaches, pineapple, mango
- Coconut flakes
- Chopped nuts or seeds – almonds, pecans, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, etc.
- Granola or your favorite crunchy cereal
Common questions
What is the best protein powder for smoothies
I recommend using a vegan plant-based protein for smoothies. These protein powders help to thicken the smoothies and tend to be easier to digest than whey protein for many people. However, you can also use your favorite whey protein or collagen peptides. Check out this post on how to choose the best protein powder for smoothies for more suggestions.
Some of my go-to plant based protein powders are
- Nuzest Pea Protein – It has simple, clean ingredients and is very easy to digest. The vanilla or chocolate would be great in this blackberry raspberry smoothie.
- Octonuts Vanilla Protein Powder – this is made from almond and sweetened with coconut sugar (no stevia or monk fruit) and is hands down my favorite plant based protein powder (bonus, it’s paleo friendly too).
- Pumpkin Seed Protein – you can use plain pumpkin seed protein powder (it’s unsweetened, but only has 1 ingredient) or you can use Mary Ruth’s Chocolate Pumpkin Protein. Pumpkin seeds tend to be very allergy friendly and easy to digest. If you are using unsweetened, you will want to add some extra sweetness by adding some honey, maple syrup, pitted dates or adding a banana to the smoothie.
- Blend of protein sources – If you want a blend of protein sources (pea protein, pumpkin protein), I highly recommend Truvani Plant Based Protein (it has very simple, clean ingredients and tastes great) and Four Sigmatic Peanut Protein (which has clean ingredients and a blend of mushrooms for even more
- Peanut powder (peanut butter protein) – peanut powder is the powder leftover after extracting the oil from roasted peanuts. Peanut powder is usually unsweetened but some brands have added sugar. I like to use an organic peanut butter protein powder (Norcal Organics Peanut Butter Protein is great).
What are other ways to add protein to this smoothie?
- Hemp hearts – hemp hearts provide protein and healthy fats. 3 tablespoons of hemp hearts will add about 10 grams of protein. You can sprinkle the hemp hearts on at the end or blend them into the smoothie.
- Greek style yogurt – Greek yogurt can replace some of the dairy free milk or added in addition to the milk.
- Collagen peptides – collagen peptides have virtually no taste and can add 10-11 grams of protein to the smoothie without changing the texture or taste.
Is this raspberry blackberry smoothie healthy?
Smoothies can help you get in more vitamins, minerals, and fiber, which are all important parts of a healthy diet. This smoothie also has almond butter, which is a great source of calcium, fiber and healthy fats. Add a protein source (from protein powder or rolled oats) can help balance the smoothie and make it better for your blood sugar and satiety.
Can you use fresh berries to make this smoothie?
Yes, be sure to wash the berries before adding them to the blender. The frozen berries really help to make this smoothie thick, creamy, and cold (which is how I like them best). To achieve the same
Can you make blackberry and raspberry smoothies in advance?
You can make this smoothie up to 24 hours in advance. Be sure to store it in the fridge, covered until you plan on enjoying it.
Another great way to prep this smoothie in advance is to make a smoothie freezer pack. Simply measure out all the ingredients (except for the protein powder, dairy free milk and nut butter) and add them to a freezer safe bag or container. The day you are ready to make the smoothie, add all the ingredients from the bag plus the protein powder, nut butter and dairy free milk. Blend and serve.
Storing leftover smoothies
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an cup with a tight fitting lid in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
- Freezer: Pour leftover smoothie into ice cube molds and freeze solid. Transfer to a freezer safe bag or container. You can either make a new smoothie (just blend the smoothie cubes with fresh milk) or add the smoothie cubes to another smoothie for added nutrition.
Substitutions
- Blackberries and raspberries – use whatever berries you have on hand. You can also use strawberries or blueberries in place of the blackberries or raspberries.
- Dairy free milk – use whatever dairy free milk you have on hand (almond milk, oat milk, cashew milk, coconut milk, flax milk) or regular dairy milk if you are not vegan/dairy free. If you don’t have milk on hand, use water.
- Chia seeds – chia seeds help to thicken the smoothie. You can also use ground flax seeds or simply omit the chia seeds.
- Protein powder – If you don’t have protein powder on hand, you can use ¼ cup of rolled oats + 1-2 tablespoons honey/maple syrup, 1-2 pitted medjool dates or a banana to help sweeten the smoothie.
- Almond butter – use whatever nut butter or seed butter you have on hand. Cashew butter, sunbutter, tahini, peanut butter would all work here. If you prefer not to use nut butter, you can omit it or add a few tablespoons of Greek yogurt to help create the same creaminess to the smoothie.
- Honey or maple syrup – this is an optional ingredient that you likely will only need if you are using an unsweetened protein powder or rolled oats instead of protein. You can also use 1-2 pitted medjool dates or a banana too add sweetness.
If you love this blackberry smoothie recipe, you should try
- Blackberry Banana Smoothie
- Blackberry Oatmeal Smoothie
- Mango Blackberry Smoothie
- Blackberry Raspberry Smoothie
Blackberry Raspberry Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 cup blackberries
- 1/2 cup raspberries
- 1.25 cup dairy free milk
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- 1 serving vegan protein powder - or 1/2 cup oats
- 1 tbsp almond butter
- 1/2 tbsp honey - if using oats
Instructions
- Measure out the ingredients in the order listed into your blender.
- Blend on high about 1 minute or until smooth.
Equipment
Notes
- Add sweetener if needed: This blackberry raspberry smoothie is slightly tart and the overall sweetness will depend on how sweet your protein powder is. If you decide to use rolled oats or an unsweetened protein powder, be sure to add some sweetness with honey, maple syrup or pitted medjool dates. You could also use a banana to sweeten the smoothie.
- Use frozen fruit: This raspberry blackberry smoothie is written to use frozen fruit. The frozen fruit help to make the smoothie super cold (the best for flavor) and helps to thicken the smoothie. If you are using fresh fruit, reduce the milk by 1/4 cup and add 1/2 cup of ice cubes.
- Blackberry seeds can sometimes stick in your throat/teeth if you are not using a powerful blender. I find that 1 minute in my Ninja Bullet style blender breaks down the blackberry seeds and chia seeds quite well. If you don’t have a powerful blender, you may want to substitute the blueberries for blackberries and use ground flax in place of the chia seeds.
- Make this nut free by using sunbutter or tahini in place of the almond butter and oat milk. If you can tolerate peanuts, you could also use peanut butter.