Vegan Matcha Protein Smoothie

Energize your day with this vegan matcha protein smoothie! It’s packed with 32 grams of plant protein and protective antioxidants. This plant based matcha smoothie is vegan, gluten free, nut free and soy free—learn how to make it at home in just 5 minutes.

Why You’ll Love This Smoothie

• 32 grams of protein
• High in antioxidants
• Creamy consistency

This vegan matcha protein smoothie is the perfect healthy caffeinated drink for matcha lovers. It’s high protein, with 32 grams per glass! The flavour is sweet, earthy and balanced. The ultra creamy consistency makes this smoothie a satisfying way to start the morning. Perfect to get energized and ready for the day ahead. If you love matcha everything then this simple matcha protein smoothie is a must-try.

The key ingredient in this smoothie is, of course, matcha powder. Matcha powder has a wonderful earthy taste. This vibrant green powder is made from finely ground green tea leaves and has been shown to improve brain, heart and liver health. Matcha has lots of antioxidants like vitamin C and polyphenols which help to lower risk of chronic diseases. This smoothie also contains kale, a dark leafy green which is another rich source of antioxidants and nutrients.

There are two kinds of matcha powder that can be found in stores—ceremonial grade and culinary grade. For smoothies and smoothie bowls you should use culinary grade matcha powder which is less expensive than ceremonial grade matcha powder. There’s no need to use expensive ceremonial grade matcha powder in smoothies as the final flavour will be a blend of all the ingredients.

Ingredients Needed

These are the ingredients you will need to make this matcha vegan protein smoothie.

Matcha powder: Culinary grade powder works perfectly for smoothies. Choose a powder with a vibrant shade of green for the best tasting result.

Hemp seeds: The dehulled variety of hemp seeds will provide a creamier blend.

Kale: Wash any dirt from the leaves before adding to the blender. Frozen kale can also be used.

Protein powder: Any plain vegan protein powder of your choosing. Both sweetened and unsweetened types work well, depending on your smoothie sweetness preference.

Frozen bananas: To create the thick, creamy base of the smoothie.

Oat milk: The liquid that brings all of the other ingredients together to blend smoothly and adds a creamy consistency.

For ingredient amounts and instructions, please see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Benefits

High fibre

Easily get more fibre in your every day diet! In addition to being generally healthy, getting enough fibre can be extremely helpful for weight loss as it helps keep you feeling full for longer, without adding calories. Fibre also helps improve our gut health.

Nutrient dense

Vegan smoothies are a great way to get more nutrient rich foods in each day. By blending them into a single meal, it’s super quick, easy and fun! Choose ingredients like dark leafy greens, berries, nuts, seeds and fruits to make your smoothies nutrient rich.

Quick and easy

It’s incredibly fast to make a yummy smoothie. Gather your ingredients and toss them in the blending container, blend, and you’re already done! Rinse the blender container. It doesn’t get much more simple than that. Smoothies rarely take more than 5 minutes to make. This makes them a great option if you find yourself short on time for a healthy meal.

Variations

Intensify the matcha

If you’re a seasoned matcha drinker and prefer a strong taste go ahead and add another spoon full of matcha powder for a total of 3 tbsp. If it accidentally becomes too bitter add 1-2 tablespoons of agave syrup or to taste until the flavour is balanced.

Try an alternative plant milk

This recipe uses oat milk but you can try using any plant based milk you prefer. Some alternatives include soy, almond or cashew! You can also make your own plant milk from scratch in a blender.

Use spinach instead of kale

If kale isn’t your thing then swap it out for spinach instead. Spinach is a very mild tasting green that blends easily into smoothies. Spinach can be added fresh or frozen, just like the kale.

Adjust the consistency

If you prefer a thicker consistency you can try the recipe using a bit less liquid than what is suggested. If you want a thinner consistency, try adding a bit of extra liquid to the recipe.

Instructions

• Add all ingredients to blender.

• Start blending at low speed for 5-10 seconds. Increase to high speed and blend for 1-2 minutes. Use the blender tamper to push ingredients down towards the blades.

• Pour into a glass and serve your vegan matcha protein smoothie.

Prep & Blending

Add ingredients in the correct order

Always add liquid ingredients to your blender first. Then add powders, nut butters, nuts and seeds. Then add fresh greens and fresh fruit. Finally add your solid ingredients like frozen fruit. If using a small blender container with a twist on lid, reverse the order so that when you turn the container over to blend the frozen ingredients are farthest away from the blades.

Use a tamper

Push ingredients down towards the blades while blending using the tamper that comes with your blender. This helps to avoid thick smoothies from getting stuck, so you don’t have to stop blending and scrape down the sides of the container.

Don’t over blend

Try to blend your smoothie for less than a couple of minutes. If blended for too long, even thick smoothies will become thin. This is because the heat generated by the blades and motor of the blender heat up your ingredients while they are being blended.

Use a high power blender

For smoothies that have a perfectly smooth and creamy texture use a high powered blender such as a Vitamix. It can break down any ingredients to much finer particles than standard blenders, and more nutrients are released. A high speed blender also reduces the time you need to blend your recipe, which helps keep it nice and cold.

Chill your glass

By placing your smoothie glass in the freezer for a few moments you can help your smoothie stay cool for longer. This is especially helpful if you’re in a hot climate. Pop it into the freezer while you are prepping and blending, then take it out when it’s time to pour your finished smoothie!

How to Freeze Bananas for Smoothies

There are different ways to freeze bananas for making smoothies and smoothie bowls. This method is the simplest way to freeze plenty of ripe bananas for smoothies at one time.

1. Peel your fully ripe bananas.
2. Break each banana into two or three pieces.
3. Freeze the banana pieces overnight in a reusable freezer bag.

FAQ’s

Does this smoothie taste sweet or bitter?

This matcha smoothie tastes sweet without being overly sweet. Bananas are natural sweeteners, so long as they were ripe when frozen. Bananas should have small brown spots all over the peels when they are ripe and ready to use in smoothies. Freeze bananas when they are perfectly ripe for the most delicious smoothies.

Can I lose weight with smoothies?

Smoothies are an excellent weight loss food! This is because they are generally lower calorie and higher in fibre and nutrients. Due to high water content, the large volume of a smoothie helps your stomach to feel satiated. And the fibre keeps you feeling full for longer, without feeling weighed down or tired like a huge meal would.

Can smoothies be refrigerated?

Smoothies are best enjoyed immediately after blending, while they are freshest. However you can refrigerate most smoothies for 1-2 days in an airtight container such as a jar.

Can I make smoothies without a high speed blender?

Yes, you can still make smoothies with a regular blender. It might take more patience depending on the recipe, but it can work. Turn off the blender to scrape down the sides of the container, and secure the lid before continuing to blend. Repeat as needed. Alternatively you can add a small amount of additional liquid to the recipe, which should help.

How can I increase the protein?

If you wish for your vegan matcha protein smoothie to have a higher protein content, you can simply add one extra scoop of protein powder to the recipe. It’s not recommended to use more than 3 scoops of protein powder because the texture will change and the smoothie won’t taste as good. Other optional high protein add-in’s are oats, peanut butter, almond butter or silken tofu.

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