Cherries and vanilla give this smoothie a dessert-like flavor, while plain yogurt adds a gentle tang. Banana thickens the blend and helps bring the fruit flavors together. The recipe makes four small glasses, which suits a brunch table or a shared snack.
Frozen pitted cherries are convenient when fresh cherries are out of season. They also make the smoothie colder without requiring ice. Whether you use fresh or frozen fruit, inspect the cherries carefully for any remaining pits before they go into the blender. A bag labeled pitted can still occasionally contain a fragment.
Healthy Smoothie Recipes
Cherry Banana Smoothie with Yogurt and Vanilla
Cherries and vanilla give this smoothie a dessert-like flavor, while plain yogurt adds a gentle tang.
Prep: 10 minutesServings: 4
Base recipe: 4 small servings; one-quarter of the batch each
Vegetarian
Category image
Measured ingredient amounts adjust with servings. “To taste” amounts and directions stay as written.
Ingredients
- 300 g pitted cherries, fresh or frozen
- 150 g plain natural yogurt
- 1 large banana, peeled and sliced
- 0.5 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 50–100 ml cold water, as needed; adjust for batch size
Directions
- Add the yogurt, vanilla, and 50 ml water to the blender. Follow with banana and checked, pitted cherries.
- Blend until evenly combined. Stop before checking the jug, then add more water if the mixture needs loosening.
- Blend briefly again and divide equally between four small glasses.
Notes
Serving volumes and nutrition totals have not been verified. Four small portions selected within the source range of two to four servings. Contains milk.
Adapted from Esther Clark at Good Food.
Tips and variations
Use sweet cherries for a milder fruit flavor. Tart cherries make a noticeably sharper variation, so taste the mixture before changing anything else. A very ripe banana can help balance that sharpness, though fruit sweetness will always vary from batch to batch.
Natural yogurt keeps the recipe straightforward. Greek yogurt is a possible variation, but its thicker consistency may need more water. Choose plain yogurt so the vanilla remains easy to control. For two larger portions, divide the same batch between two glasses and recognize that each portion then contains twice as much of every ingredient. Serve soon after blending, particularly when frozen cherries are used, because the texture loosens as the fruit thaws.
Ingredient health benefits
- Yogurt contributes calcium, which helps maintain bones and teeth.
- Banana contributes potassium for normal nerve and muscle activity.
Nutrition references: NIH: Calcium; NIH: Potassium.
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- Blueberry Banana Yogurt Smoothie
- Creamy Strawberry Avocado Smoothie
- Peanut Butter Banana Oat Smoothie
Recipe adapted from Esther Clark’s recipe at Good Food. Descriptions and instructions written for Healthy Smoothie Recipes.
