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Looking for a dairy free banana smoothie recipe? This banana cashew smoothie might well end up becoming one of your favorites. It’s rich, tasty and filling, along with really easy to make, since all you need to do is throw the ingredients in a blender. So, if you grab the ingredients and have a decent blender, get ready for a really impressive flavor experience you’ll crave all the time. A freshly whipped up smoothie makes breakfast all the more fun and starts your day on a happy, delicious note.
A wonderful breakfast or brunch, or even dessert, this refreshing, creamy banana cashew smoothie makes a tasty, healthy treat. If you love smoothies, don’t miss out!
Also try this sweet pineapple peach smoothie, a pretty layered strawberry kiwi smoothie and this tropical pineapple and mango smoothie.
Why You’ll Love It
A great non-dairy drink: We have more cow’s milk alternatives around today than ever before. And most grocery stores stock several. You can use any kind of milk here, including coconut, cashew or almond milk. Soy milk would work. You can even use cow’s milk to make this smoothie with cashew butter – if you’re not dairy-intolerant.
Delicious flavors: You aren’t sacrificing anything in the way of flavor by opting for non-dairy ingredients. Far from it – the ingredients in this smoothie give it a scrumptious taste. And you can add whatever you want to your banana cashew drink, like chia seeds or protein powder.
Surprisingly simple: Making this wonderful smoothie is largely just about throwing the ingredients into a blender. It really couldn’t be easier and the prep time is just a few minutes.
Dairy and gluten free: It’s also vegetarian and vegan-friendly!
Banana Smoothie with Cashew Butter Ingredients
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Bananas: You will need a pair of ripe bananas to make this dairy free banana smoothie. Even if they have more black than yellow and you wouldn’t necessarily want to eat them like that, they’re fine for smoothies! Actually if your blender is strong enough, you can use chopped frozen bananas.
Cashews: I add raw cashews and cashew butter for flavor and texture. They complement the banana taste so well.
Spices: I like to add ground turmeric, cinnamon and ginger. These are partly for flavor and partly for their health benefits.
Milk: Almond milk thins the mixture to smoothie consistency.
How to Make a Banana Cashew Butter Smoothie
For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.
Blend the ingredients: Put everything in the blender and puree. I recommend a good quality, high speed blender (like this brand!)
Serve: Pour into glasses and sprinkle some cashews on top as a garnish if you like.
Substitutions and Variations
Sweeten it up: Want your cashew banana smoothie sweeter? Add dates, maple syrup or honey for a sweeter smoothie.
Add more chill: If you have a capable, high speed blender, add ice. If not, pour the smoothie over ice.
Fresh or frozen banana: I used fresh banana but you can use frozen if you have it (and if so, you probably won’t need ice).
Add veggies: Throw in a handful of spinach, kale or your preferred greens for extra nutrients.
More coconut: If you’re using coconut milk, you might like to add some coconut flakes to the blender too, to strengthen the tropical flavor. You could even add coconut if you’re using soy milk, oat milk or another type of non dairy milk.
Spices: Leave out any of the spices you don’t have or don’t really like, or add others that you do. Allspice or nutmeg would be good here, but just a small pinch since both of those can be pretty strong-tasting.
More nuts: Add another kind of nut to the mix, perhaps hazelnuts, pistachios or almonds, or add some sunflower seed butter, almond butter or peanut butter to this cashew smoothie recipe.
Make it creamier: Achieve a more creamy texture with some Greek yogurt.
Different fruit: Try frozen berries or chopped peach or apple in this delicious recipe.
Add chocolate: A spoonful of cocoa powder adds a rich chocolate flavor.
More optional add-ins: Include anything else you like, from vanilla extract to ice cream, hemp seeds or extra protein in the form of protein powder to customize your smoothie.
Serving Suggestions
For breakfast or brunch: Pair it with savory breakfast items for a contrast, perhaps breakfast tacos, sheet pan eggs, a crescent roll breakfast casserole, blended cottage cheese breakfast bowls, or eggs benedict, crispy bacon, or a breakfast skillet for a balanced, healthy start to the day.
As a sweet treat: Enjoy it as a late afternoon pick me up, and perhaps pair the smoothie with some peanut butter and jam cookies.
For dessert: Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or even cinnamon peach bourbon ice cream to the mix and it becomes an indulgent dessert.
How to Store Banana Cashew Smoothie
Store: Although it will keep for a few hours in the refrigerator, cashew milk smoothie recipes are best served immediately, and it only takes a minute to make, so make it and enjoy it right away – you’ll be happy you did!
Freeze: Well, you could freeze it as long as you mix it up well again after thawing, but honestly this is way better fresh!
Top Tips
Use a capable blender: You can use a regular or immersion blender to make smoothies. A regular high speed blender is slightly quicker but an immersion blender is quicker to rinse off afterwards so it’s up to you.
Ice can be nice: You can either add ice to blender with the other ingredients or pour the prepared smoothie over crushed ice or ice cubes. A third option is to use frozen bananas (that way, you won’t need ice).
Frozen bananas: If I find myself with more bananas that I’m going to use, my options are usually banana bread or a banana smoothie with cashew butter. But peeling, chopping and freezing them is also a great idea if you have a high powered blender can handle frozen slices. It means you don’t need to add as much ice too, since the frozen banana chills the drink.
Banana Cashew Butter Smoothie FAQs
Yes, frozen bananas make the smoothie extra thick and cold, almost milkshake-like. Make sure you have a powerful blender for best results.
They add warm, earthy flavors to the drink. You can find turmeric in all kinds of beverages from teas to smoothies and more.
Banana Cashew Butter Smoothie Recipe
Banana Cashew Smoothie
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 bananas, ripe or very ripe
- 2 Cups almond milk, or any other kind of milk
- ½ Teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 Teaspoon turmeric
- ½ Teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 Teaspoons cashew butter
- 2 Tablespoons cashew nuts, plus more to garnish, optional
- ice, optional
Instructions
- Peel the bananas and put them in the blender.
- Add your choice of milk, all the spices, cashews, and cashew butter, along with some ice if liked.
- Blend everything together until smooth and creamy.
- Pour the smoothie into 2 long glass and serve over ice (optional), adding a few cashew nuts on top for garnish if liked.
Notes
Ice can be nice: You can either add ice to blender with the other ingredients or pour the prepared smoothie over crushed ice or ice cubes. A third option is to use frozen bananas (that way, you won’t need ice).
Frozen bananas: If I find myself with more bananas that I’m going to use, my options are usually banana bread or a banana smoothie with cashew butter. But peeling, chopping and freezing them is also a great idea if you have a high powered blender can handle frozen slices. It means you don’t need to add as much ice too, since the frozen banana chills the drink.
Nutrition
I like to have this banana cashew butter smoothie for breakfast sometimes. It’s quick to make, and if I’m in a rush I can literally tip everything into a blender and the smoothie is ready to drink in just a few minutes. It’s filling enough to keep me happy until lunchtime too. You could also try a cashew milk smoothie an hour before working out, to give you extra energy. Another idea is to enjoy it as an afternoon pick-me-up or for dessert. It’s sweet and satisfying after all, with the rich banana and cashew flavors, warm spices and your milk of choice.
Other Recipes to Try
Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.