Learn how to make this creamy vegan strawberry lemonade smoothie in 10 minutes with a high-powered blender. It has the classic sweet-tart flavor of the refreshing lemonade treat, but packaged up as a nourishing breakfast smoothie. Made from a blend of fresh strawberries, vegan protein powder, sunflower seed butter, chia and hemp seeds, soy milk, lemon peel and juice, and frozen peaches for a neutral base. That’s right, this one comes together without banana and without yogurt! This wholesome vegan smoothie is the perfect balance of zesty, fruity, and refreshing with 10 total ingredients.
I love a frozen strawberry lemonade when the temperatures rise. Nothing beats that super fruity, slightly tart and sweet flavor when you’re feeling the heat. Refreshing to the core! But I started thinking about the flavor combination in a more complete package. How to make it more satiating and appropriate for the breakfast hour? I came up with some ideas after tinkering in my kitchen.
To start, I use a base of frozen peaches and fresh strawberries. Why peach though? Frozen peaches are a bit sweet, blend up nice and creamy, and overall have a pretty neutral flavor profile in smoothies. I wanted this blend to be a “no banana zone” because the flavor is just too strong for what I was trying to achieve. Fresh strawberries are key as they provide a more intense berry taste. Two cups of fruit works for me in a smoothie and this combination is great. The peach is frothy and mildly sweet while the strawberry has that jammy tartness.
For the “lemonade” factor, we use a strip of lemon peel and half of a peeled lemon. The juice adds the sour/tangy quality and the strip of peel intensifies the lemon flavor. Do try to remove as much white pith as possible from both components! A touch of maple syrup enhances overall sweetness, bringing the lemonade vibe home.
Hope you love this one! I will say, nothing is more refreshing and satiating after a sweaty warm weather run. Fans of this will also love my peaches and cream smoothie. Cheers!
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Vegan Strawberry Lemonade Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsweetened soy or pea milk
- 1 strip lemon peel
- ½ lemon, peeled and seeds removed
- 1 scoop vanilla or plain vegan protein powder
- 1 tablespoon sunflower seed butter
- 1 tablespoon hemp seeds
- 1 teaspoon chia seeds
- 1-2 teaspoons maple syrup (optional)
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup chopped fresh strawberries
- 1 cup frozen peach slices
Equipment
Notes
- I prefer soy milk or pea-based milk (like Ripple brand) for the higher protein content here.
- Sunflower seed butter is my go-to with this combination because it’s pretty neutral tasting and has a good amount of protein (it also keeps our smoothie nut-free). Cashew butter would also be lovely.
- Try to not include the white pith with the piece of lemon peel as it is quite bitter.
Instructions
- In an upright blender, combine the milk, lemon peel, lemon half, protein powder, sunflower seed butter, hemp seeds, chia seeds, maple syrup (if using), salt, strawberries, and frozen peaches. Blend the mixture on high until smooth and creamy. Enjoy immediately!
I’m also obsessed with the smoothie! so good!
Thank you for this awesome recipe! I’ve been making it daily, using blackberries and peaches we picked last year and froze. It totally rocks! Lemon is one of my favorite flavors and the zest plus the lemon half are so yummy!
Obsessed with this smoothie! Have made multiple times. Thanks for creating and sharing! Love all your recipes :)
I quite liked this lemonade-y protein packed version of a strawberry smoothie. I liked that it didn’t use banana as I seem to rely on those a little too much for breakfast time.
I made as directed (except I subbed for almond butter cause that’s all I had) and found that I had extra than one servings worth. It would probably work for 2 as a snack!