Apple Carrot Smoothie

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure.

My immune-boosting 8-minute apple carrot smoothie is perfect for a quick, on-the-go breakfast or afternoon pick-me-up! It’s a dairy and gluten-free refreshing smoothie made with a base of banana, apple, carrots, and almond milk, and jam-packed with beta-carotene and essential vitamins.

As much as I love waffles, pancakes, and delightful breakfast carbs, sometimes I just want a refreshing, nutrient-packed breakfast smoothie. My favorite is this carrot cake smoothie, as I absolutely love the flavors of carrot cake, but I wanted something less like a dessert drink and something that can kickstart my day with fruits and veggies.

That’s why I created this carrot apple smoothie that’s perfectly sweet with no refined sugars! Fresh apple and banana naturally sweeten it, and fresh lemon juice brightens it up. It tastes more like a summertime treat than a hydrating, vitamin-packed drink. If you like carrots as much as I do, check out my maple roasted carrots recipe.

🥘 Ingredients

This vegan carrot apple smoothie requires simple ingredients found at your local grocery store. Here is what I used:

Apple: Apples provide fiber, antioxidants, and vitamin C. If you have a high-speed blender, there’s no need to peel it. The peel is a good source of nutrients. I like to use a Fuji or Honeycrisp apple, but any kind will do. Just keep in mind if you use a granny smith apple, the smoothie won’t be as sweet. If you don’t have apples on hand, you can also use applesauce!

Carrots: I prefer to peel large carrots, because the peel tastes bitter. Without the peel, fresh carrots are naturally sweet. Baby carrots also work if you don’t want to peel and dice them.

Banana: I recommend a ripe, frozen banana for natural sweetness. Unripe bananas are chalky and flavorless. When a banana ripens, its starch converts to natural sugar. A frozen banana will keep the smoothie thick and cold.

Almond Milk: Unsweetened almond milk has a creamy texture and mild flavor that’s ideal for smoothies and has no added sugar.

Cinnamon: Adds spice and warmth to the smoothie. It also provides plenty of disease-fighting antioxidants with anti-inflammatory properties.

Lemon Juice and Ice Cubes: Acidity enhances the sweetness of the apple and carrots. Just be sure to use a fresh lemon, it’s affordable and so much better! Don’t forget the ice – it keeps the smoothie nice and cold and adds a creamy texture.

🔪 How to make

Here’s how I make this apple carrot smoothie recipe in two simple steps that even my kids can make:

Blend Fruit and Veggies: First I blend the apple, small chunks of carrots, and banana until smooth. This will give it a smoother consistency. Add a splash of almond milk if necessary.

Add Remaining Ingredients: Then I add the almond milk, cinnamon, lemon juice, and ice to the blender. I blend until smooth.

Adjust and Pour: If the smoothie is too thick, I add a little more almond milk to thin it out. I pour the smoothie into two glasses or one tall glass and enjoy immediately.

📖 Variations

My delicious breakfast smoothie is easy to customize! I like to switch up my smoothie routine and make one of these simple nutritious variations.

Add Spinach: For a boost of iron, I like to add 1-2 cups of fresh baby spinach to the blender with the rest of the ingredients.

Change The Fruits: If you don’t like banana (or don’t have any), try frozen peaches, pineapple or mango. I have used them all before now, and the taste changes depending on the fruit used but the texture is roughly the same.

High Protein: Sometimes I will add 1-2 scoops of vanilla protein powder, Greek yogurt, chia seeds, flax seeds, or nut butter along with the rest of the ingredients to add up to 20 grams of protein per serving.

🍽 Serving Suggestions

A smoothie is the perfect morning or lunch nutritious meal that can be enjoyed on its own or as we do on weekends, complemented by something just as delicious. Here are some of my favorites:

Waffles and pancakes: There’s nothing better than a plate of fluffy oat milk pancakes and a refreshing smoothie on a Saturday morning! Well, that’s what my husband thinks anyway. Personally, I am more of a waffle fan, and can devour these gluten-free vegan waffles anytime of the day.

Bars and parfaits: For those who like food on the go, these healthy breakfast bars packed with oats, nuts, peanut butter, bananas, chocolate, and more are perfect hand food to pair with this nutritious apple carrot smoothie. I make a big batch of these bars and pumpkin Greek yogurt parfaits every weekend to make my mornings easier.

🧊 Storage Directions

Refrigeration: The best way to store leftover smoothie is to pour the mixture into an airtight bottle and place it in the fridge for 3 days.

Freezing: In my experience, freezing the smoothie doesn’t work. The smoothie loses it’s thickness upon thawing and the overall flavor isn’t as bright due to being frozen. So, I usually avoid freezing any type of smoothie.

❓ Recipe FAQs

📋 Recipe Card