Have you ever admired the beautiful thick smoothie bowls in your Instagram feed and wondered, “How do you make thick smoothie bowls like that?” Learn how to make thick smoothies with the best tips and tricks for luscious smoothies and smoothie bowls.
Page Contents
The Best Tips for How to Make Thick Smoothies
1. Little No Liquid
Either use the littlest amount of juice or milk as possible or use juicy fruit like orange or dragon fruit at the bottom. For fruit smoothies, I use 1/2 of a peeled orange, and for non-fruit smoothies such as peanut butter or coffee, I start with 1/4 cup of almond milk. You can always add more later, but you can’t remove it once it’s blended.
2. Frozen Fruit – How to Make Thick Smoothies
Frozen, rather than fresh fruit makes a big difference when making a smoothie. Bananas and avocados work best to make a smoothie super thick and creamy with any flavor and work well in non-fruit smoothies.
For fruit smoothies, using frozen strawberries, mango, or pineapple works well. Top the liquid or juicy fruit with the frozen fruit. The liquid will help turn the blade. You can even use watermelon.
3. Protein Powder
Protein powder can help thicken smoothies as it absorbs some of the liquid. Make sure you add frozen ingredients like bananas and ice to avoid gumminess.
4. Oats, Nuts, And Seeds
The fiber in oats, nuts, and seeds helps to bulk up and thicken smoothies. Oats especially are very absorbent. Try adding a couple of tablespoons to your creamy smoothies. Chia and flax seeds also gel and expand when wet and can add thickness, not to mention healthy Omega-3s and plant-based protein. Add 1 tablespoon of chia, hemp, or flax.
Nut butter adds great flavor to strawberry, blueberry, and nut-butter-flavored smoothies. They also add fiber and thickness.
5. Ice Cubes
Regular ice cubes or frozen milk or even frozen coffee ice cubes all work wonderfully to thicken up a smoothie. I always add at least 1/2 to 1 cup of ice cubes to my smoothies because I like them very cold and thick. Again, frozen ingredients make the biggest difference in making thick smoothie bowls. Chill your bowl or glass in the freezer for 15 minutes to prevent the smoothie from melting quickly.
6. Be Patient And Use a Tamper – How to Make Thick Smoothies
Making a super thick smoothie might take you longer than you’d expect, and certainly longer than if making a thin smoothie. Plan on blending a super thick smoothie for 3 minutes at least. Use your tamper (the stick that came with your blender) to help move ingredients around.
Stop, turn off the blender, and use a spatula to stir the smoothie when it won’t turn. Add more liquid if you need it but in very small increments.
7. Upgrade Your Blender
A high-powered blender such as Vitamix or Blendcano blends with less liquid than other blenders. If you don’t have a blender, a food processor works very well for thick smoothie bowls.
5 Tips to How to Make Thick Smoothies
One of the most common questions I get is: “How can I make my smoothie thicker?” I get excited about this question because I love making super thick spoonable smoothies.
My smoothies are the consistency of ice cream- the thicker the better! These bowls are the perfect base for plenty of tasty toppings! Now you can make tasty smoothie bowls at home!
Here are five tips and tricks for How to Make Thick Smoothies
Use Frozen Fruit or Freeze Fresh Fruit Overnight
I always have a stash of bananas in the freezer because they’re perfect in smoothies! Mango, pineapple, strawberries, and blueberries are also great in the freezer. Plus, frozen fruit tends to be cheaper, and also you can find fruit that might not be in season! Budget-friendly and delicious? That’s a win-win.
Cut Fruit Into Small Pieces For Easier Blender – How to Make Thick Smoothies
If you don’t have a powerful blender, cut the fruit into small pieces and also freeze it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place the fruit in the freezer and once it’s frozen, you can transfer it to a freezer bag. This works especially well for fruit like bananas, strawberries, mangoes, and pineapple. The large pieces can be hard for a blender to blend smoothly without a lot of additional liquid. By cutting the fruit into smaller pieces, also it’s easier for your blender to blend the fruit.
Freeze Some of The Liquid
If you typically use orange juice in your smoothies, freeze some of it in an ice cube tray and also add those to your smoothies! I don’t recommend freezing milk or almond milk, as it can separate when frozen. But if you like juice in your smoothies, this can work well for anything from orange juice to pineapple juice!
Blend Protein Powder or Greens First
If you want to add protein powder or spinach to your smoothie, blend it with a little bit of liquid first. 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
The better the blender, the less liquid you’ll have to use. 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. If you add too much, it’ll be runny. I start with a little bit and also add an extra splash if it’s too thick to blend.
Add a Scoop of Raw Oats or Chia Seeds
A handful of oats can add thickness to your smoothie while also adding some extra protein and fiber! I love tossing in some oats in this peach cobbler smoothie. You don’t need to cook them, just add them in raw! Adding in a tablespoon of chia seeds will add healthy fats that also make your smoothie thicker! They’re a natural thickener. This can be especially helpful if you’re not eating your smoothie right away. After just a few minutes, the chia will start to absorb liquid from the smoothie, and the seeds will expand, creating a thicker texture also.
How to Make a Thick Smoothies + Thick Tropical Smoothie Bowl
Ingredients
- 1/2 medium orange, peeled (I used a blood orange)
- 1/2 cup frozen pineapple
- 1/2 cup frozen mango
- 1/2 cup frozen banana slices
Method
- Place the peeled orange in the bottom of a blender. The juice from the orange will help turn the blades. When using other ingredients, the liquid should be closest to the blender blades.
- Top the orange with the frozen fruit. Close the blender lid and fit it with a tamper if you have one.
- Turn on to low speed and use the tamper to help move the ingredients around. Be patient while the frozen fruit blends, this takes several minutes.
- If the blades will not turn or the ingredients stop moving, stop the blender and use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides and move everything around. In addition, you can add more liquid (or juicy fruit in this case) but go slowly, adding just a little at a time.
- To make your smoothie thicker add ice cubes and/or more frozen fruit. I often add 1/2-1 cup of ice.
- When the smoothie is smooth, creamy, and blended, turn the blender off and use a rubber spatula to scoop it out of the blender and into a glass or bowl.
- If you’re making a smoothie bowl, top it with your favorite toppings such as fruit, granola, seeds, nuts, and coconut.
More Frequently Asked
Frozen ingredients are the key to creating a thick smoothie. Using fibrous, thick-fleshed fruit and vegetables can also help the texture. Adding chia seeds, avocado, yogurt, and protein powder are other thickening options.
Add a scoop of raw oats or chia seeds
A handful of oats can add thickness to your smoothie while also adding some extra protein and fiber! I love tossing in some oats in this peach cobbler smoothie. You don’t need to cook them, just add them in raw!
How to Thicken a Smoothie with 8 Easy Ingredients
Bananas.
Mangos.
Avocados.
Yogurt.
Chia Seeds.
Sweet Potatoes.
Frozen Fruit & Vegetables.
Ice.
This Strawberry Kiwi Smoothie uses both frozen and fresh fruits, which helps to keep it from getting too thick. If you add ice, it will thicken your smoothie, but as it melts the smoothie will dilute and become thinner, so that is something to keep in mind.
Regular ice cubes or frozen milk or even frozen coffee ice cubes all work wonderfully to thicken up a smoothie. I always add at least 1/2 to 1 cup of ice cubes to my smoothies because I like them very cold and thick. Again, frozen ingredients make the biggest difference in making thick smoothie bowls.
Conclusion
One of the most common questions I get is: “How can I make my smoothie thicker?” I get excited about this question because I love making super thick spoonable smoothies. My smoothies are the consistency of ice cream- the thicker the better! These bowls are the perfect base for plenty of tasty toppings! Now you can make tasty smoothie bowls at home!
Have you ever admired the beautiful thick smoothie bowls in your Instagram feed and wondered, “How do you make thick smoothie bowls like that?” Learn how to make a smoothie thicker with the best tips and tricks for luscious smoothies and smoothie bowls.
Frozen ingredients are the key to creating a thick smoothie. Using fibrous, thick-fleshed fruit and vegetables can also help the texture. Adding chia seeds, avocado, yogurt, and protein powder are other thickening options. A handful of oats can add thickness to your smoothie while also adding some extra protein and fiber! I love tossing in some oats in this peach cobbler smoothie. You don’t need to cook them, just add them in raw!
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