Mango Chocolate Smoothie
Mango chocolate smoothies are rich, creamy and so chocolaty. This chocolate mango protein smoothie recipe is perfect for breakfast, as a healthy snack, dessert or post-workout meal. Ready in just 5 minutes with the consistency of a frosty, this chocolate mango smoothie will quickly become one of your favorite ways to start the day.
If you love chocolate smoothies, you should try this Chocolate Banana Oat Smoothie or a Chocolate Tahini Smoothie.
Why you will love this recipe
The chocolate and mango together in this smoothie pair perfectly and create a rich and creamy smoothie that tastes just like dessert. I wasn’t sure how the mango and chocolate would taste together, but the flavor is close to a frosty or a milkshake and it’s just a thick – you can easily eat this smoothie with a spoon!
This smoothie is packed with protein, making it super filling and the perfect breakfast or post workout meal. You will feel full and satisfied thanks to the protein and healthy fats in this recipe.
Smoothies are so simple, and thanks to store bought frozen mango, this smoothie is super easy to make. Just measure out the ingredients and blend until smooth.
This chocolate mango smoothie can be made vegan, dairy free, gluten free, and paleo friendly (depending on the kind of protein powder you use).
Ingredients
- Frozen mango – mango adds sweetness to the smoothie, the riper the mango, the sweeter the smoothie. I recommend using frozen mango chunks, they are easy to store in the freezer and are already cut into cubes, cutting down the prep time. Also using frozen mango really helps create the creamiest, thickest smoothie. If you are going to use fresh mango, add 1/2 cup of ice to help create that creamy consistency.
- Cacao powder (or cocoa powder) – cacao powder adds the chocolate flavor to the smoothie. I prefer cacao powder over cocoa powder because cacao is less bitter tasting. You can also use cocoa powder, but you may find you need a date or a teaspoon or two of honey or maple syrup to offset the bitter flavor.
- Chia seeds – chia seeds help to make your smoothie more filling, as they are a great source of fiber and healthy fats. Chia seeds also absorb liquid, helping to make the consistency thicker. You could also use ground flax in place of chia seeds.
- Chocolate protein powder – protein powder adds protein to the smoothie and also helps to sweeten it a bit. I use and recommend a vegan protein powder (my go-to Almond Protein is both vegan and paleo friendly). Another great option would be Chocolate Pumpkin protein (Mary Ruth’s) which is also vegan, paleo friendly and nut free. However, you can use any kind of protein powder you love and have on hand.
- Dairy free milk – use whatever milk you have on hand. I usually use almond milk, cashew milk, oat milk, or coconut milk (in the carton, not the can). You could also use soy milk or regular dairy milk (skim or 2%).
- Cashews – cashews help to thicken the smoothie more and help to make it more filling. If you are nut free, you can use pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds or even a tablespoon of sunbutter or tahini.
How to make mango chocolate smoothie
Measure out the ingredients into a blender.
Blend on high until smooth (45 seconds – 1 minute).
Top tips
Use chia protein (ground chia seeds) if you don’t have a high speed blender. Chia seeds can be tough to break down in a regular blender, so I always recommend using chia protein since it’s already broken down for you.
Use frozen mango, if possible, as it creates the best texture for the smoothie. If you don’t have frozen, be sure to add some ice to get the cold, creamy consistency.
This smoothie is thick! If you prefer a thinner smoothie that is easier to drink from a straw, add a little extra milk (about 1/4 cup).
If you want a really thick smoothie bowl consistency, use a little less milk (start with 3/4 of a cup. This smoothie is pretty thick to start with and you want to be sure there is enough liquid to get everything well blended.
Other additions
- Chocolate chips – add a few chocolate ships in at the end to make it more like a milkshake.
- Cacao nibs – cacao nibs are added at the end and blended for just a few seconds to create a super fun, crunchy chocolate addition to the smoothie.
- Banana – adding some frozen banana (especially if you are using fresh mango) can help to create that creamy consistency. Banana can also help to naturally sweeten the smoothie more.
- Pitted medjool dates, maple syrup or honey for added sweetness. I found this smoothie was perfectly sweet for breakfast but if you are having it as more of a dessert smoothie or aren’t using a protein powder with added sweetener, you may want to add just a little sweetness from one of these sources.
- Hemp hearts – add a few tablespoons for extra protein (3 tablespoons is 10 grams of protein).
- Oats – add about 1/4 cup of oats to the smoothie to give it a super creamy texture and also helps to make it more filling thanks to the fiber and protein.
Common questions
Do chocolate and mango go together?
Yes! I honestly wasn’t sure about this combination myself but after trying it I can say that yes, they go together really well. The sweetness from the mango helps to offset any bitterness from the chocolate and they really complement each other well.
Can you use fresh mango to make smoothies?
Yes, you can certainly use fresh cut mango to make smoothies. For the best texture, be sure to also add some ice (1/4 -1/2 cup) along with the mango to help thicken the smoothie and make it ice cold.
What are some of the benefits of adding mango to a smoothie
Mangos are naturally sweet and are low in calories and packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. One cup of mango will provide about 60% of the daily recommended Vitamin C, 20% copper and 20 % of folate for the day.
Can you make this chocolate mango protein smoothie into a smoothie bowl?
Yes! This mango chocolate smoothie is already very thick and creamy and would be great as a smoothie bowl the way it’s written. If you want to make the smoothie bowl even thicker, use a little less milk (like 3/4 of a cup) to start with when blending. Only add more milk if the blender stops moving the ingredients around.
If you decide to make this into a smoothie bowl, be sure to add some great toppings as well. Some good topping ideas include:
- Chocolate chips
- Cacao nibs
- Fresh fruit – mango, strawberries, raspberries, banana, blackberries, cherries would all be great on top
- Hemp hearts – sprinkle on top to add some more protein
- Granola or your favorite cereal – for crunch and flavor
- Chopped cashews
- Drizzle of nut butter (like cashew butter, tahini, almond butter)
Can you make this smoothie ahead of time?
Smoothies are really best when made fresh since the frozen fruit or ice is what makes the smoothie thick and creamy and ice cold (which really makes them so refreshing).
If you want your morning smoothie to be even quicker, try making smoothie freezer packs. Simply measure out the ingredients (except for liquids) into a freezer safe bag and freeze until you are ready to use. When you are ready, add the contents of the bag to the blender along with milk and blend until smooth.
One great benefit of making smoothie packs is that you can measure out a few days worth at once when you have all the ingredients out, which can really save time. Get all the details on how to do this in this tutorial on how to meal prep smoothies.
If you want to blend your smoothie in advance and take it with you, it will last up to 24 hours in the fridge but won’t be as thick unless re-blended with ice.
What to do with leftover smoothie
If you find that you have some leftovers, one of my favorite things to do is to pour it into a popsicle mold or an ice cube tray. The popsicles are fun to eat all summer long and the smoothie ice cubes can be used in other smoothies or re-blended with milk to make a new smoothie.
Substitutions
- Mango – if you don’t have mango, you can use frozen banana or dark sweet cherries.
- Cacao powder – use cocoa powder if you don’t have cacao on hand.
- Chia seeds – replace chia seeds with ground flax or ground chia seeds (chia protein). If you don’t have either of these, just omit it from the recipe.
- Chocolate protein powder – you could also use vanilla protein powder, the chocolate flavor just won’t be as intense. If you don’t want to add protein powder, add about 1/4 cup of oats or half and avocado plus a little liquid sweetener (like maple syrup or honey) or a few dates (pitted) for sweetness.
- Dairy free milk – use whatever milk you have on hand. IF you don’t have any milk, blend together 1 tablespoon of your favorite nut or seed butter with 1-2 cups of water to make your own nut milk!
- Cashews – use whatever nuts/seeds you have on hand or even nut butter or seed butter.
If you love this recipe, you should try
Mango Chocolate Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 cup frozen mango
- 2 tbsp cacao powder
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- 1 serving vegan chocolate protein powder
- 1 cup dairy free milk
- 2 tbsp cashews
- 1 medium date - optional
Instructions
- Measure out the ingredients into a blender.
- Blend on high until smooth (45 seconds – 1 minute).
