This is one of our base recipes. A kefir smoothie is a great way to start your morning, fuel a workout, or satisfy a craving for something cold, creamy, and sweet!
Must-Know Cooking Skill
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Culinary Tips for the Best Kefir Smoothie
If you want to make smoothies for breakfast and are in a time crunch, place all of the non-frozen ingredients in your blender’s jar and place it in the fridge the night before. Add the frozen ingredients in the morning and blend!
If your smoothie is too thick after blending, add more liquid. If it is too thin, add more fruit or ice. Note that adding more of the optional ingredients will thicken the smoothie.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Kefir: substitute 1/2 cup plain Greek or regular yogurt + 1/2 cup milk/milk substitute for 1 cup kefir.
- Fresh Fruit: use any fresh fruit. Use creamy fruits such as bananas, avocados, and mangoes to yield creamy smoothies. You can also use fruit or vegetable purees, such as mashed sweet potato, pumpkin puree, or applesauce.
- Frozen Fruit: use any frozen fruit. Choose options without any added sugars.
- Leafy Greens: use spinach or kale. If you are unsure about the flavor of greens in your smoothies, start with spinach. Spinach has a milder flavor than heartier greens like kale. Do not use arugula or mustard greens. If you are uncertain about the taste of greens in your smoothie, bananas hide the taste of leafy greens really well!
- Oats: use old-fashioned or quick oats. Do not use steel cut oats, as these need to be cooked.
- Seeds: use chia, hemp, or ground flaxseeds.
- Nut Butter: use almond, peanut, walnut, sunflower, soy, or any other variety of your choosing. Choose natural varieties (just nuts and salt) for best nutrition.
- Flavor Extracts: use vanilla, almond, coconut, or lemon. Start with 1/4 teaspoon, then adjust to taste.
- Spices: use sweet spices such as allspice, apple spice, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, or pumpkin spice.
Base Recipe Variations
Remember that this is a base recipe, so the goal is for you to customize it to your taste!
If the smoothie is too tangy for your taste, add some honey or agave.
“Should I add protein powder to my smoothie?” We don’t recommend it! By adding a few simple ingredients to your morning smoothie, you can satisfy your protein needs and avoid expensive protein powders with questionable ingredients!
For a higher protein berry smoothie, add the optional nut butter, chia seeds, and/or flax seeds.
Need some kefir smoothie recipe inspiration?
Use these recipe variations for inspiration, then have fun exploring other flavors, ingredients, and textures!
Which Blender is Best for Smoothies?
Any blender will work! While a Vitamix probably makes the creamiest smoothies, any full-size blender, single-serve blender, immersion blender, or even food processor will do the job.
Are Smoothies Healthy?
While eating whole fruit is normally best, a smoothie can be a great way to get lots of fruits and/or vegetables in one easy serving. This recipe features fruit, kefir and leafy greens.
Fresh & Frozen Fruit
Both fresh and frozen fruit is healthy. Fruit contains fiber, water, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals. All of these nutrients help your body fight, prevent, and manage diseases. Aim to include a variety of colors throughout the week.
Kefir
What is kefir? Kefir is a fermented milk beverage – basically a pourable yogurt drink. It is high in probiotic cultures, which makes for a happy gut. We recommend buying plain varieties to avoid added sugars and organic, if you can afford it. Select a fat content that works with your overall diet. If you tend to consume a lot of foods high in saturated fat, a low-fat or fat-free variety is your best choice. If you limit saturated fat in your diet, whole milk varieties are okay.
Read this article to learn more about the health benefits of probiotics.
Leafy Greens
Leafy green veggies are rich in essential vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals that promote health and help fight diseases. Blending spinach into a kefir smoothie is an easy way to promote your health.
For more information about ingredient recommendations, check out our ingredient guide.
Serving Suggestions
Kefir smoothies can be a meal on their own or can be an accompaniment to a healthy breakfast. Pair with our overnight oats, energy bites, whole wheat muffins, or granola for a satisfying meal.
Will Smoothies Keep in the Fridge?
Keep leftovers in the fridge and enjoy the next day. They can hold for longer than a day but will often begin to separate. Shake before drinking.
Want some more healthy breakfast recipes?
Check out these easy, healthy breakfast ideas!
Dairy Free Smoothies Base Recipe
Greek Yogurt Smoothie Base Recipe
Baked Oatmeal Cups Base Recipe
Kefir Smoothie Base Recipe
Ingredients
Base Recipe
- 1 cup plain kefir
- 1 cup fresh fruit or fruit/vegetable puree
- 1 cup frozen fruit
Additions to YOUR taste
- 1 cup lightly packed leafy greens
- ¼ cup old fashioned or quick oats
- 1 Tablespoon chia, hemp, or ground flaxseeds
- 1 Tablespoon nut butter
- ¼-½ teaspoon flavor extract
- ¼ teaspoon spice
- 6-8 ice cubes
Instructions
- Place ingredients in a blender and puree. If using oats and your blender isn't the strongest, consider blending them first before adding the other ingredients. Enjoy!
This Post Has 5 Comments
Yum!
Such a tasty recipe
We think so! 🙂
I used 1 c kale and stems and 1c spinach with banana and fresh pineapple and added fresh ginger and turmeric and a little avacado! It is Amazing!!!!
That sounds like a delicious and longevity promoting smoothie! Thanks for sharing your variation on how you made it to your taste 🙂