How to Make a Smoothie Thicker-Get Better Consistency

Have you ever blended a smoothie that was too watery? Despite how annoying that might be, there are some simple ways to thicken smoothies. Personally, I prefer smoothies that have a milkshake-like consistency. For any thicker, I consider it a smoothie bowl recipe and add berries, bananas, and superfoods.

Although it’s not required, thickening your smoothie to a milkshake consistency does improve its flavor. I’ve compiled a list of ingredients that can quickly turn watery smoothies into thick, creamy perfection.

These are all-natural thickeners that work. You won’t find any strange additives (hello, xanthan gum) or fake ingredients here; only real, whole foods that will energize that smoothie and nourish your body.

Six Tips and Tricks for Making a Smoothie Thicker:

Blend Fruits With Soluble Fiber

Many times, soluble fiber is praised for its ability to make your stomach feel full. It draws water and condenses into a gel-like consistency, which slows and controls the digestive process. You may feel less hungry as a result. Fruits and soluble fiber combine in the same way when blended. They attract water in the blender and make the consistency more creamy and gel-like.

Here are some fruits that are high in soluble fiber and can thicken up a smoothie quickly:

• Frozen Bananas
• Avocados
• Frozen Mangos
• Ripe pear
• Peaches

Choose Frozen Fruits

Various frozen fruits are something I always have on hand. They thicken the smoothie and are my go-to natural sweetener. Fruit that has been frozen performs similarly to ice in a smoothie while being much easier on your blender’s blade.

Use Frozen Fruit Or Freeze Fresh Fruit Overnight

Bananas are great in smoothies, so I always keep a supply in the freezer. In addition to blueberries and strawberries, other fruits that freeze well include mango and pineapple. Plus, frozen fruit tends to be cheaper, and you can find fruit that might not be in season! tasty and inexpensive? That’s a win-win.

In order to have frozen ingredients on hand when I’m ready to blend, I like to prepare smoothies in advance and freeze them. This can also reduce costs because you can purchase a lot of fresh ingredients when they are in season and freeze them to preserve their nutrients.

Use a Creamy Liquid Base

Liquids like water, green tea, and coconut water tend to blend with thinner smoothies. Less of these liquids than a recipe specifies should be used if you want to make a thick smoothie bowl. Add additional liquid as you blend to achieve the desired consistency. You can also swap them for thicker liquids like the options below:

Almond Milk: This is a really simple way to get thick, creamy smoothies. To make insanely thick and creamy almond milk, you can even make your own. Almond milk made at home is the best! Here are this year’s top brands of almond milk if you’d rather buy it.

Coconut Milk: This selection is ideal for you if you like the flavor of coconut. Your smoothie will be insanely thick if you use full-fat canned coconut milk or even coconut cream, but doing so will increase your calorie intake. Light coconut milk is also effective. For assistance choosing which brand to purchase or how to make coconut milk, look at the Best Coconut Milk Brands. There are so many options!

Oat Milk: This dairy-free milk has become a popular option thanks to its environmental impact being less than almond milk. I suppose we should look after the planet. If you want to learn how to make oat milk or get the good stuff, use my Best Oat Milk to Buy Guide.

Boost With Superfoods to Thicken Smoothie

Choosing superfoods is a good option if you’re still at a loss for how to thicken a smoothie. It’s simple to throw these pantry staples into your blender to thicken drinks.

Chia seeds have tons of nutritional value, but they also do a great job of boosting the cream factor in green smoothies (as well as protein!). Soaking chia seeds for 10 minutes before blending turns them into a gel. If you’re using a non-high-powered blender, do this right before blending. By doing so, you’ll get better blending results with your chia seeds and less sticking to the blender’s walls.

A smoothie can be thickened and given a nutty flavor by adding nut butter, seed butter, or peanut butter to the blender. I love adding nut butter to banana smoothies or chocolate smoothies. If you don’t know what nut butter is, my two favorites are almond and cashew.

Use plant-based protein powder to thicken smoothies and make them into meals. Check out my recipe for protein powder, which uses organic hemp protein, organic chia seeds, and organic flaxseed to add 10 grams of protein to any smoothie you can think of. Scooping, blending and enjoying are the easiest ways to thicken a smoothie.

Yogurt: To thicken your smoothie and add some gut-health benefits, add 1/2 cup yogurt. Greek yogurt, homemade vegan yogurt, or plain coconut yogurt are all acceptable options.

Cut Fruit into Small Pieces for Easier Blender

Fruit can be frozen on a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper if you don’t have a powerful blender. Place the fruit in the freezer and once it’s frozen, you can transfer it to a freezer bag. Bananas, strawberries, mangoes, and pineapple are just a few examples of fruit that this works particularly well for. Without a lot of additional liquid, it may be difficult for a blender to smoothly blend the large pieces. By cutting the fruit into smaller pieces, it’s easier for your blender to blend the fruit.

Blend Protein Powder Or Greens First

Blend spinach or protein powder with a small amount of liquid before adding it to your smoothie. This will help break down the greens easily before you add in other ingredients that will make your smoothie thick. This also works well if you’re using protein powder, so you can avoid any grittiness in your smoothie bowl.

Use the Minimum Amount of Liquid

You’ll need less liquid the better the blender is. If you don’t have a fancy blender, you might need a bit more liquid but try to only use a little at a time while you’re blending. It will become runny if you add too much. If it’s too thick to blend, I start with a small amount and then add a splash more.

Freeze Some of the Liquid

If you frequently include orange juice in your smoothies, consider freezing some of it to use as ice cubes. Almond milk or milk in general shouldn’t be frozen because freezing causes it to separate. However, this can work well for anything from orange juice to pineapple juice if you like juice in your smoothies.

Add a Scoop of Raw Oats Or Chia Seeds

Your smoothie can get thicker with a few handfuls of oats while also getting more protein and fiber! I adore adding some oats to this peach cobbler smoothie. Just add them in raw; you don’t need to cook them! A tablespoon of chia seeds will thicken your smoothie by adding healthy fats. They act as a natural thickener. If you’re not going to consume your smoothie right away, this can be especially useful. In just a few minutes, the chia will begin to soak up liquid from the smoothie and the seeds will enlarge, giving the smoothie a thicker texture.

Thick Smoothie Recipes to Try

In search of a smoothie recipe that’s already a cream machine? Check out the fantastic options below to quickly increase your ranking.

Banana Cashew Smoothie

I advise blending the leafy greens and liquid in a blender first when making a green smoothie. Yet for a non-green smoothie, feel free to blend all your ingredients at once!

If the smoothie is too thick for your blender’s blades to process, try adding a little more liquid, stirring the mixture, and blending the mixture once more. This should help.

If cashew milk isn’t your thing, then use the plant-based milk of your choice! Oat milk will produce an equally creamy smoothie, while almond milk will make this smoothie a bit thinner.

Ingredients

• 1 handful of ice (about 5 large cubes)
• 1/2 medium banana, frozen
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 2/3 cup frozen blueberries
• 1 handful of spinach leaves (optional)
• 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder (optional)

Add-ons: Chia seeds, blueberries, almonds, etc.

Instructions

• Blend everything together until smooth, leaving out the toppings.
• Add your toppings after pouring them into a bowl.
• Dig in with a spoon!

My Favorite Smoothie Bowl Toppings

Of course, adding toppings will elevate a smoothie bowl to the next level. It’s a fantastic way to give your smoothie bowl more flavor and texture, and it may even add a little extra nutrition. I enjoy eating granola, shredded coconut, or fresh fruit. Want some more topping suggestions? Here are my favorite smoothie bowl toppings!

Chia Seeds

Healthy fats and fiber are abundant in chia seeds. 5g of fiber will be added to your smoothie bowl with just one tablespoon of toppings. They are also a good source of calcium and potassium. Keeping chia seeds on hand will help them last longer, so store them in the refrigerator!

Sliced Almonds

Almond slices are the ideal topping for my smoothie bowls because I love to give them some crunch. They provide an additional serving of protein, fiber, and good fats. They also last a very long time, making them simple to store. I keep a sealed bag of sliced almonds in the pantry, and I just toss a handful of them on top of my smoothie bowls! You can typically save a few dollars if you buy them in bulk.

Cacao Nibs

These raw cacao nibs are ideal if you have a chocolate craving but don’t want to add additional sugar to your smoothie bowl. They’re super crunchy and they’re basically super dark chocolate. For a sort of strawberry-covered chocolate flavor, I adore them in bowls with strawberries!

Hemp Hearts

Hemp hearts, which are shelled hemp seeds, have become a staple in my smoothies because they give them a nice texture and a bit more protein. Over 3g of protein is in just one tiny tablespoon! It doesn’t have a lot of flavors so if you’re hesitant to mix too many flavors in there, hemp hearts are pretty neutral.

Peanut Butter

Peanut butter is probably my original favorite smoothie bowl topping. Previously, I would finish off my banana smoothies by sprinkling a spoonful of peanut butter into them. I still like the peanut butter and banana combination, even though my combinations have become a little more inventive.

Crunchy Granola

Because it adds a nice crunch, granola is one of my favorite toppings for smoothie bowls! You should try my walnut granola, which is nut-based rather than grain-based if you want granola with fewer carbs. Alternatively, if you’d prefer something with less fat, you could make this simple oil-free granola!

Conclusion

One of the most common questions I get is: “What can I do to thicken my smoothie?” Because I enjoy making extremely thick, spoonable smoothies, this question makes me happy.

My smoothies have the consistency of ice cream; the thicker, the better! Smoothie bowls can now be made at home and are delicious!

Smoothie Consistency FAQs