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Summery strawberry banana milkshake is a cold, thick, creamy, fruity delight, made with fresh or frozen fruits (+ no ice cream or added sugar!) & only requires 4 ingredients!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
A strawberry banana milkshake is nostalgia at its finest – a timeless classic that’s sweet, creamy, and surprisingly easy to make with just 4 base ingredients – perfect for enjoying as a refreshing treat all summer (or year round!). Plus, by using frozen banana and vanilla extract, you can make a healthier milkshake that’s super creamy and decadent without the need for dairy-based ice cream or added sugar.
It’s gluten-free, nut-free, and dairy-free, and the addition of fresh strawberries means extra summery flavor and a drink with vitamin C, potassium, and several other nutrients. Best of all, it’s really easy to customize using fresh or frozen ingredients to adapt the texture, add extra fruits, spices, toppings, and more.
You might also enjoy trying a coffee milkshake, banana kale smoothie, or strawberry milk tea.
The Ingredients
Refer to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and their quantities.
Banana Strawberry Shake Variations
- Sweetener: If the fruit isn’t sweet enough naturally, add maple syrup, a Medjool date, coconut sugar, or even a sugar alternative like erythritol to taste.
- Cinnamon: Added for warmth, optionally with nutmeg.
- Cocoa powder: Add a chocolatey twist with 1-2 spoonfuls.
- Nut Butter: Add 1-2 tablespoons of any nut or seed butter (like almond or peanut butter) for richness, healthy fats, and protein.
- Vegan yogurt: Replace some plant-based milk for a creamier vegan milkshake recipe.
- Other fruits: Make delicious vegan strawberry milkshake blends with other berries (like raspberries, blueberries, etc.), pineapple, and/or mango.
- Protein: Add 2-3 tablespoons (about ½ scoop) of your favorite plain, vanilla, banana, peanut butter, or strawberry protein powder. Add more plant-based milk if necessary.
- Chia seeds or hemp seeds: Add a tablespoon per portion for fiber, thickness, various nutrients, and heart-healthy omega-3s.
- Avocado: Replace or add to banana for creaminess, healthy fat, and antioxidants. Check out this avocado guide for more tips/tricks!
- Spinach: Add a handful for extra nutrients with no extra flavor.
- Toppings: For a diner-style treat, top with vegan whipped cream, strawberry sauce, shaved vegan chocolate, and/or sprinkles.
How to Make a Strawberry Banana Milkshake
Step 1: First, if you don’t already have the ingredients prepared, peel and chop the bananas in half (or smaller slices for easier blending). Spread the pieces across a baking tray and freeze until solid. Also, pour the plant milk into an ice-cube tray for a minimum of 4 hours, or until solid, and place two glasses in the refrigerator. I prefer to do this overnight.
Step 2: Blend the strawberries and vanilla in a blender until smooth (about 20 seconds).
Step 3: Add the frozen banana and plant-based milk ice cubes to the blender.
Step 4: Blend until smooth and creamy (use the tamper if there is one. Otherwise, pause the machine to scrape the sides). Finally, pour the banana strawberry milkshake into the chilled glasses and enjoy!
For the non-frozen version, simply combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend until creamy and smooth.
FAQs
A mix of frozen banana and vanilla extract replicates an ice-cream like flavor and texture in this dairy-free milkshake, but feel free to use chilled plant-based milk for a less ‘icy’ consistency or all non-frozen ingredients for a more typical milkshake consistency.
Technically, yes, though it helps the vegan milkshake taste like it has ice cream in it (without the added sugar and calories!).
Smoothies and milkshakes are both popular types of creamy blended drinks. However, milkshakes often contain ice cream and are topped with whipped cream and sweet toppings, enjoyed as a dessert or indulgent treat.
Smoothies are usually made as a healthier option with a mixture of fruits and/or vegetables (fresh or frozen), enjoyed as breakfast or a pre/post-workout snack.
For this vegan banana strawberry milkshake recipe, though, I’ve used mostly frozen ingredients, giving it a smoothie-like consistency, but this can be adjusted.
Pro Recipe Tips
- Use the best fruit: Make sure the bananas are overripe for the sweetest flavor, and use ripe, juicy strawberries.
- For lower-speed blenders: Freeze banana slices for easier blending. Pause to scrape down the sides. Add more liquid if needed.
- Reduce prep time: Keep frozen ingredients on hand. Frozen bananas can be used for other vegan shakes, smoothies, and banana nice cream.
- Pre-chill your cup/s: This helps keep the frozen drink chilled for longer.
- Adjust the texture: There are several ways to adapt the texture of this recipe for a strawberry banana milkshake, including using fresh instead of frozen ingredients (i.e., just frozen banana or no frozen ingredients) and adapting the amount of plant-based milk for a thinner or thicker texture.
Storage Instructions
Make-Ahead: Reduce prep time by freezing the banana and plant-based milk in advance stored in airtight containers/Ziplock/Stasher bags for up to 3 months.
Store: Once prepared, enjoy the homemade strawberry banana shake immediately before it thaws. If you’ve made a non-frozen version, though, leftovers will store in the fridge for up to a day.
Strawberry Banana Milkshake
Ingredients
- 1 cup of frozen plain unsweetened soy milk
- 3 small ripe frozen bananas, chopped
- 1 pint of fresh strawberries, tops removed (use frozen when off strawberry season)
- ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract (optional)
Instructions
- Add one cup of plant-based milk to a standard ice cube tray. Place it in the freezer for at least 4 hours. You could also use ice, but it won't be as creamy. Chop the bananas and place them in the freezer for 4 hours. Place 2 glasses in the refrigerator.
- Once the plant-based milk and bananas are frozen, add the strawberries and vanilla extract to a blender. Blend for 20 seconds.
- Add the bananas and all of the frozen plant-based milk cubes. Blend for 1 minute using a blender tamper to push down and mix the ingredients while the blender is running.
- Remove the glasses from the refrigerator and pour the vegan milkshake.
- Enjoy immediately!
Notes
- Use the best fruit: Make sure the bananas are overripe for the sweetest flavor, and use ripe, juicy strawberries.
- For lower-speed blenders: Freeze banana slices for easier blending. Pause to scrape down the sides. Add more liquid if needed.
- Reduce prep time: Keep frozen ingredients on hand. Frozen bananas can be used for other vegan shakes, smoothies, and banana nice cream.
- Pre-chill your cup/s: This helps keep the frozen drink chilled for longer.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Although plantbasedonabudget.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Plantbasedonabudget.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
So sweet and delicious!