Sweet Potato Smoothie
This smoothie is everything you want in a fall-inspired drink: thick, naturally sweet, and loaded with warming spices that make every sip feel like a cozy treat. It tastes like drinkable sweet potato pie and comes together in about five minutes.
Equipment
- High-powered blender - Such as a Vitamix, Ninja, or NutriBullet
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Sharp knife and cutting board - For prepping the sweet potato and banana
- Freezer-safe bag or container - For freezing the sweet potato and banana in advance
- Tall glass or mason jar - For serving
- Long spoon or reusable smoothie straw
- Baking sheet and parchment paper - Optional, if roasting the sweet potato
- Steamer basket - Optional, if steaming the sweet potato
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked sweet potato - 150g, cut into cubes and frozen
- 1 medium ripe banana - peeled, sliced, and frozen
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk - 240ml, plus more as needed
- 0.5 cup Greek yogurt - 120g, plain or vanilla; use coconut yogurt for dairy-free
- 2 tablespoons almond butter - 30g, or any nut or seed butter
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup - 15ml, or to taste
- 0.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 0.25 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 0.125 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ground ginger - pinch, optional
Optional Garnishes
- ground cinnamon - for dusting
- almond butter - drizzle
- granola - for smoothie bowl topping
- sliced banana - for smoothie bowl topping
- pumpkin seeds - for smoothie bowl topping
- whipped coconut cream - for a more indulgent treat
- pecans - for a more indulgent treat
Instructions
- Cook sweet potato and freeze: Peel and dice sweet potato into 1-inch cubes. Roast at 400°F for 20-25 minutes or steam for 12-15 minutes until fork-tender. Cool completely, then freeze cubes in a single layer for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Freeze banana: Peel and slice banana into 1/2-inch coins. Freeze on a parchment-lined tray for 1-2 hours, then transfer to a freezer bag.
- Measure remaining ingredients: Almond milk, Greek yogurt, almond butter, maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg, and ginger.
- Add ingredients to blender: Pour almond milk first, then add Greek yogurt, almond butter, maple syrup, vanilla, spices, frozen banana, and frozen sweet potato cubes on top.
- Blend until smooth: Start on low for 10 seconds, then increase to high and blend for 45-60 seconds until completely smooth with no lumps. Scrape down sides if needed. Add more almond milk if too thick.
- Taste and adjust: Add more maple syrup for sweetness or more cinnamon/nutmeg for warmth. Blend briefly to combine.
- Serve immediately: Pour into tall glasses and garnish with a dusting of cinnamon or a drizzle of almond butter. For a smoothie bowl, reduce almond milk and top with granola, banana, and pumpkin seeds.
Notes
- Always use cooked sweet potato: Never use raw sweet potato. It is difficult to digest and has an unpleasant starchy texture when blended. Baking or steaming first is essential.
- Freeze both sweet potato and banana: This creates a milkshake-like thickness without ice that would dilute the flavor.
- Use a very ripe banana: Bananas with brown spots are sweeter and creamier, requiring less added maple syrup.
- Add liquid first: Pouring the almond milk into the blender first helps create a vortex that pulls ingredients down to the blades and prevents straining the motor.
- Blend on high for at least 45 seconds: Under-blending leaves tiny chunks of sweet potato. Give it a full minute on high for the best texture.
- Start with less almond milk: You can always add more to thin, but you cannot remove it. Start with 3/4 cup and add only if needed.
- Vegan option: Swap Greek yogurt for coconut or cashew-based yogurt for an equally thick and creamy texture.
- Add protein powder: Stir in one scoop of vanilla or unflavored protein powder for an extra 20-25g of protein, perfect for post-gym recovery.
- Make it a smoothie bowl: Reduce the almond milk slightly to keep it extra thick, pour into a bowl, and top with granola, sliced banana, pumpkin seeds, and a drizzle of maple syrup.
- Storage tip: Store in a sealed glass jar in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. The smoothie will separate, so give it a good shake or stir before drinking. Re-blend with a splash of fresh almond milk if needed.
- Freezer prep hack: Portion frozen sweet potato cubes and banana slices into individual freezer bags with the spices added. In the morning, just dump the bag into the blender with the liquid and yogurt.
- Leftover sweet potato: Cooked sweet potato can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. Make extra so you always have some ready for smoothies.