Blueberry and Raspberry Smoothie

The dairy-free smoothie uses frozen berries to make a chilled, thicker beverage.  This no-banana berry smoothie adds a fresh orange for a sweet, tangy flavor to pair with blueberries and raspberries.  It's a great way to add more veggies to your diet and enjoy them as an afternoon pick-me-up. For more no-banana smoothies, try a peach pineapple smoothie, a pineapple blueberry smoothie, or a mango kiwi smoothie.

The recipe is naturally vegan and gluten-free!  For more whole food plant-based smoothie recipes, try a pineapple cucumber smoothie with kiwi, a strawberry blackberry smoothie, or a tropical island green smoothie with pineapple.

Recipe features

• The recipe calls for 4 simple ingredients!
• Only takes 5 minutes to make!
• Refreshing treat that's naturally sweetened!
• The delicious smoothie is kid-friendly!
• Dairy-free and banana-free!

Ingredient notes

The delicious mixed berry smoothie only needs a few ingredients to whip up this healthy simple recipe.  Please see the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and exact measurements.

Frozen blueberries - I opt for frozen berries in my smoothies, they tend to be cheaper than fresh and since they're frozen they make the smoothie chilled and thicker.  But you can always use fresh.  To chill the smoothie and make it thicker if you're using fresh berries, try adding a ripe frozen banana.  

Instead of buying raspberries and blueberries separately, use a frozen mixed berry blend.  Leftovers can be used to make overnight oats with frozen fruit, mixed berry cheesecake overnight oats, blueberry beet smoothie, or a kale beet smoothie.

Frozen raspberries - I opt for frozen berries because they tend to be cheaper than fresh raspberries.  They'll also make the raspberry blueberry smoothie chilled and thicker compared to fresh berries.  For leftover frozen raspberries, try raspberry overnight oats, a beetroot and raspberry smoothie, or vegan raspberry muffins.

Naval orange - This adds sweetness and an orange flavor to pair with the berries.  Peel the orange and remove as much white pith as you can.  If you don't have fresh oranges, try adding a little orange juice.  I would start with ¼ cup, taste, and adjust if needed.  If you add more than ¼ cup of fruit juice, you may want to reduce the water needed for the recipe.  For more smoothies with oranges or orange juice try carrot ginger smoothie or cherry mango smoothie.

Fresh spinach - If you're new to adding greens to smoothies you may want to start with 1 cup of spinach.  Kale can also be used.  Use fresh kale that has been pulled from the stem and torn into pieces.  It shouldn't be wilted and discard any slimy bits.  If you don't have a high-speed blender and your blender has trouble with kale, try blending the liquid with just the kale first, then add the berries and orange.

Want to add new greens to your smoothie? Try arugula in smoothies that pair the peppery greens with pineapple and oranges.

Cold water - Coconut water can also be used instead of water.  Adjust the water to suit your preferences.  Add less for a thicker smoothie and more for a thinner smoothie.

Tips

• Add a banana to make the raspberry and blueberry smoothie creamier.
• If you are using all fresh fruit it won't be as thick.  Try adding ice cubes to make it cold (this may dilute the smoothie). 
• When peeling the orange make sure to remove the white bitter pith.

Variations

Enjoy the blueberry raspberry smoothie recipe as it is or try a variation.  Smoothies are easy to customize to suit your personal preference.

• Skip the orange or leave it in and add a ripe banana for a creamy texture.
• Skip the orange and add lemon juice, you'll need to add more water since some of the liquid for the recipe comes from the fresh orange.  I would start with a tablespoon of lemon juice, then taste and adjust if needed.
• Use kale instead of spinach.  Remove the stem and tear the leaves into bite-size pieces.  Kale can be more difficult to blend in some blenders, so add it to the blender along with the liquid and blend until smooth.  Then add the rest of the ingredients.
• Substitute the blueberries for frozen peaches to create a raspberry peach smoothie.
• Try adding fresh ginger.  Peel and grate into the blender, add to taste.
• To make it less sweet, use more greens or reduce the recipe's suggested amount of fruit.  
• Reduce the water and make it into a smoothie bowl, top it with chia seeds, fresh fruit, and oil-free granola.  Start with ½ cup of coconut water or water, then add more until you get a thick smoothie bowl consistency.
• Add hemp seeds or ground flax seeds.

New to adding greens to your smoothie?

If you're new to adding greens to your smoothie and unsure if you'd like it, start with spinach.  It has a milder taste than kale and it's easier to cover up with fruit.  You can also try adding half the amount of greens, then over time slowly increase the amount as you get used to them.

How to make a raspberry blueberry smoothie

Peel the orange and remove any white pith. 

Then add it along with the rest of the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.  Pour into a glass, add a straw, and enjoy.  Super easy and super quick!

Storage

Refrigerator: The raspberry blueberry smoothie recipe is best served immediately, but leftovers can be covered and stored in the refrigerator.  Consume within 24 hours, if there is liquid separation, just stir it back in.  

Freeze: Leftover smoothies can also be frozen in ice cube trays for later.  Add the frozen smoothie cubes to a blender along with water or add them to flavor a new smoothie.

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 vegan avocado toast, vegan toast, dairy-free overnight oats, or plant-based granola.

Frequently asked questions

Related recipes

• Spinach pineapple banana smoothie
• Orange carrot ginger smoothie
• Arugula smoothie with pineapple
• Strawberry and blackberry smoothie
• Lemon water with mint and cucumber

I hope you enjoy the blueberry smoothie without bananas!  If you do, feel free to rate it and leave a comment.