Whether it’s a refreshing breakfast drink or a fruity dessert, a smoothie is good any time of day. For me, mango smoothies are the best of the best. With a tropical flavor and smooth texture, mangos are the perfect smoothie fruit.
How do you make a mango smoothie? It’s as simple as blending fruit, juice and yogurt together.
4 Things to Know Before You Blend
Before you start, here are a few basic tips to keep in mind.
- Add liquids first. Not only is this easier on your blender, but it’ll produce a better texture.
- Start slow. If you start blending on the highest level, an air bubble could form, preventing your ingredients from blending.
- Use frozen fruit instead of fresh. That allows you to skip the ice, preventing a watered-down flavor.
- Prepare make-ahead bags of ingredients. You just have to dump the ingredients in the blender, add liquid and enjoy.
Searching for a new blender? Use our buying guide to choose the right one.
What Fruit Mixes Well With Mango?
Mangoes are a team player—they go with almost anything! Since they intensify the flavor of other tropical fruits, try coconut, papaya or pineapple. In my opinion, melons, berries, peaches and bananas are also a good choice.
As for the liquid, apple juice, orange juice, pineapple juice or mango nectar are all good options.
If you’d like to amp up the health of your smoothie, try adding in flax seeds, chia seeds or protein powder. Here are ingredients that can add more protein to your smoothies, too.
How to Make a Mango Smoothie
Here’s a basic recipe for a mango smoothie. Feel free to get creative by adding different fruit or liquid!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
- 2 cups frozen chopped peeled mangoes
- 1/2 medium ripe banana
- 1/2 cup reduced-fat plain yogurt
- 1 tablespoon honey
Instructions
Step 1: Add the liquids
In a blender, combine the juice, yogurt and honey. Cover and blend until smooth.
Step 2: Add the fruit
Add the mango and banana. Cover and blend until smooth.
Pro Tip: If the blades get stuck on a chunk of frozen mango, hit the pulse button to help free it.
Step 3: Enjoy!
Pour into two chilled glasses; serve immediately. When it’s time to clean up the mess, this is the easiest way to clean your blender.
A.M. Power
Start with a base of 1 cup flavored kefir (a healthy probiotic drink in the dairy or natural foods case), and ½ cup juice of your choice. Add baby spinach, a small avocado, protein powder if you like it, and ½ cup or more of frozen berries.
Fresh Peach
My smoothies use vanilla almond milk, orange juice, peaches, Greek yogurt and a surprise ingredient: English cucumber. —Angela Lively,Conroe, TX
Cranberry Zing
Combine orange juice, kefir or low-fat yogurt, avocado for creaminess and frozen cranberries.
Monkey Around
Give chocolate milk a whir in the blender with a ripe banana and a handful of ice cubes. It's a great treat for kids—that you’ll actually feel good giving them.
Green Goodness
I make smoothies with frozen or fresh fruit, kefir, spinach and unsweetened almond milk, plus flax and chia seeds. Yummy! —Jami Kruse, Baltic, SD
Strawberry-Carrot
Mix 1 cup each carrot juice, orange juice, 2 cups plain yogurt, and 1 cup each of pineapple and strawberries. —Elisabeth Larsen, Pleasant Grove, UT
Peach Melba
I use frozen peaches, raspberries, yogurt, peach nectar, wheat germ and vanilla to make my smoothie taste like this old-school dessert. —Mari Lizzt, Kalamazoo, MI
Cantaloupe
Peel and cube half a cantaloupe; blend with ½ cup each vanilla yogurt and orange juice. Add a few ice cubes and more juice if needed to get things moving.
Chocolate-Cherry Power Shake
Pour in equal parts tart cherry juice and pomegranate-flavored kefir. Add 1-2 scoops of chocolate-flavored protein powder, a handful of frozen tart cherries or cranberries, and, if you have it, baby spinach.
Strawberry-Banana
I make a smoothie almost every day for my oldest granddaughter using 1 banana, 1/2 cup strawberry yogurt, a splash of coconut water and a handful of frozen strawberries. —Don Mellott, Durand, MI
Rich Pumpkin Pie
Blend 1 can pumpkin, two 5-oz. cans evaporated milk, 1 banana and 1 cup orange juice with 1/3 cup brown sugar, ½ tsp. pumpkin pie spice and ¼ tsp. cinnamon.
Apple Cider
Blend 1 cup apple cider and ½ cup vanilla yogurt with apple pie spice and 1 small apple, peeled, cored and chopped. Drizzle in caramel if you fancy it.
Sweet Potato-Cherry
There’s nothing like a blend of sweet potatoes, banana and cherries. —Brenda Nora, Memphis, TN
Blueberry Blast
Blend 1 cup frozen blueberries with 1 small avocado, 1 clementine and 2 cups blueberry kefir. Add 1 tsp. nutrient-rich powdered spirulina or chlorella if you like it.
Coconut-Mango
My favorite smoothie combines coconut milk, mango, pineapple, Greek yogurt and ice. —Megan Worthington, Birmingham, AL
California Dream
Pulse 2 cups ice cubes in a blender with 1 cup milk, 1 cup vanilla yogurt, ½ cup honey and a 12-oz. can of thawed orange juice concentrate. —Sonya Labbe, West Hollywood, CA
Grandma's
To a base of equal parts milk and yogurt, add 1 ripe banana and 1-2 Tbsp. peanut butter and ground flaxseed. Sweeten with honey.
Peanutty Chocolate
With baby spinach, banana, dark chocolate soy milk, dairy-free yogurt, powdered peanut butter, instant coffee granules and ice, this tasty combo is gluten- and dairy-free. —Tricia Barlow Walker, Oshkosh, WI
Pineapple-Coconut
Blend a can of coconut milk with 1 cup frozen pineapple, ½ cup frozen mango and ¼ cup shredded coconut. To sweeten, blend in 1 or 2 pitted dried dates or honey to taste. —Gunjan Dudani, Bellevue, WA
Broccoli-Berry
My favorite smoothie includes frozen broccoli, frozen berries, a banana, kiwi, Greek yogurt, fruit juice of some kind and hemp protein powder. —Lisa Kydyk McGann, Peterborough, ON
Mermaid
Whir up ½ of a pineapple, ½ papaya, 3 oz. baby spinach, 1-1/2 cups milk and ½ cup ice cubes.
Cucumber-Melon
Place a peeled seeded cucumber, 1-1/2 cups honeydew, 1 cup each Greek yogurt and crushed ice in a blender with honey to taste and fresh mint, if you have it. Add a small avocado to make it extra creamy. —Crystal Schlueter, Babbitt, Minnesota
Mango-Carrot
You can’t go wrong with frozen mango chunks, almonds, cinnamon, raw carrot, milk and water. Blend all until smooth. —Ian Crawford, Deux-Montagnes, QC
Berry Blast
Blend 2 cups cranberry juice with 2 cups frozen mixed berries, some ice and 1-1/2 cups raspberry yogurt. —Elisabeth Larsen, Pleasant Grove, UT
Pumpkin Spice
This tastes just like fall: pumpkin puree, vanilla Greek yogurt, orange juice, cinnamon, nutmeg and ice. —Syndee Yurkanin Mears, Round Lake, IL
Creamy Berry
Whir up ½ cup pomegranate juice, 1 cup each frozen mixed berries and strawberries, 1 Tbsp. agave syrup or honey with 3 oz. silken firm tofu. No one can tell there’s tofu in these creamy smoothies. —Sonya Labbe, West Hollywood, CAThe post How to Make the Best Mango Smoothie appeared first on Taste of Home.
Alexa Hackfort