Beet and Blueberry Smoothie

The blueberries are paired with oranges to add sweetness to the smoothie, helping to balance the earthy flavor of beets.  I prefer to use a combination of fresh and frozen ingredients in smoothies to make it chilled without it being too icy.  Frozen blueberries and frozen bananas chill the smoothie and bind all of the ingredients together to make a thicker, creamy dairy-free smoothie. 

The plant-based smoothie is made with simple ingredients and can be prepared in about 10 minutes.  It's also an easy way to pack more veggies into your day!

For more plant-based smoothies with beets, try a beetroot spinach smoothie, a beetroot kale smoothie, or a banana and beetroot smoothie. 

Recipe features

• Simple ingredients, and it only takes 10 minutes!
• Naturally sweet!
• Packed with nutrients!
• Dairy-free and plant-based!
• No need to cook the beets!

Ingredient notes and substitutions

The blueberry beet smoothie recipe is simple, but please see the recipe card below for the exact measurements.

Raw beet - Wash one red beet and remove the ends. Then peel and dice it.  I cut the beet into a large dice, which works fine for my Vitamix. If you're not using a high-speed blender, you might need to dice the beets smaller for easier blending.  

I only tested with fresh red beets; I haven't tried canned beets, so I can't say for sure how they would turn out.  For leftover beets, try a beet and banana smoothie, a beet and raspberry smoothie, or a beetroot Buddha bowl.

Frozen blueberries - Fresh or frozen blueberries can be used for the recipe, but if you use fresh, the smoothie won't be as chilled. I prefer to use a combination of frozen and fresh produce for a thick, creamy smoothie.

For more smoothie recipes with blueberries, try a pineapple and blueberry smoothie or a raspberry and blueberry smoothie. 

Orange - Add a peeled navel orange to the smoothie to pair its sweet, tangy flavor with beets and blueberries.  You'll need to peel the orange, but there's no need to slice it, as it'll be pureed along with the rest of the ingredients.  Navel oranges typically do not have seeds, so if you substitute with an orange that does, you may want to remove the seeds before adding the orange to the blender. For another beet smoothie with oranges, try a beetroot and carrot smoothie.

Ripe banana - Use a brown spotted banana to naturally sweeten the smoothie and make it creamy.  The more brown spots the banana has, the sweeter and more pronounced the banana flavor.  Fresh or frozen bananas can be used; however, if you use a frozen banana, it helps chill the smoothie.  To make the smoothie without a banana, use 2 tablespoons of whole chia seeds; this substitution will reduce the sweetness in the smoothie.  You can blend in a soft pitted date to make the smoothie sweeter.

Cold water - I use 1 ½ cups of water, but this may need to be altered depending on how large your beets are and your preferred consistency.

Tips 

• If you're new to adding beets to your smoothie and unsure if you would like them, start with half of a beet and work up to a whole one once you get used to them.
• If beet pieces get stuck under the blades and are not blended up, next time add the beet pieces to the blender first and blend until they have broken down.
• If you use all fresh blueberries instead of frozen, the smoothie won't be chilled.
• To make the smoothie sweeter, try adding a soft pitted date.  If the date is not soft, soak it in the water that you'll use for the smoothie for about 30 minutes for a high-speed blender.  Try 1 hour for a non-high-speed blender.
• If you don't have a high-speed blender, you may want to dice the peeled beets small so they'll blend more easily.

Variations

Enjoy the dairy-free smoothie as is or try a different variation.

• Use 2 tablespoons of whole chia seeds instead of a banana.  This will make the smoothie less sweet.  
• To make the smoothie sweeter, blend in a soft pitted date.  If the date is not soft, let it soak in the water you'll use for the smoothie for 30 minutes for a high-speed blender.  Try 1 hour for a non-high-speed blender.
• Add fresh kale or spinach.
• Use coconut water instead of water.
• For a little kick, add freshly grated ginger.
• Add whole chia seeds, hemp hearts, or ground flax seeds.
• Substitute half of the frozen blueberries with half frozen strawberries.

How to make a beetroot blueberry smoothie

1. Wash and peel the raw beet.  Then dice the beet.  Peel the orange.

2. Add the beet pieces to the blender and pulse to break them up.  This helps prevent pieces from getting stuck under the blades and not blending up.

3. Then add the frozen blueberries, ripe banana, peeled orange, and water to a blender.  

4. Blend until smooth.

Serving suggestions

Smoothies tend to be delicious but not very filling.  I use them as an afternoon snack and not as a main meal.  To enjoy this smoothie as a meal, try pairing it with toast with roasted strawberries, tomato avocado toast, avocado toast ideas, vegan toast ideas, dairy-free overnight oats, or oil-free granola.

Storage

Refrigerator - The smoothie is best served immediately, but store the leftover smoothie in an airtight container with a lid in the refrigerator and consume it within 24 hours.  If there is any liquid separation, stir it back in. 

Freezer - Leftovers can be frozen in ice cube trays and used later to add flavor to another smoothie.

Frequently asked questions

Related recipes

• Kale beet smoothie
• Pineapple beet smoothie
• Beet spinach smoothie
• Blueberry pineapple smoothie
• Beet raspberry smoothie

I hope you enjoyed the smoothie recipe!  If you did, feel free to rate it and leave a comment.