I’ve been making smoothies since I was barely tall enough to reach the kitchen counter. I remember pulling a chair up to the counter so I could reach my family’s old school blender nearly three decades ago (yikes—am I old?). Back in the day I would throw in fruit along with milk, yogurt, and even sometimes ice cream to make the creamiest and most delicious smoothies on the block.
One might assume that becoming vegan would mean smoothies that are less creamy, less decadent, and less overall delicious. Not so!
My smoothies have only gotten better and better over the years, and while today’s completely plant-powered smoothies are certainly healthier than their dairy-laden counterparts, they’re also just as (if not more) delicious. And this, dear friends, is my favorite of them all. A thick and creamy mango banana smoothie.
Any blender can work, but since this is a pretty thick smoothie, a high-powered blender like a Vitamix will work the best. If you don’t own one, I get it. They are priiiiiceyyyy. But consider saving up or adding to your holiday wish list (maybe the whole family can pitch in). I use mine virtually ever single day, and I expect it to last me a lifetime!
Don’t Freeze Your Bananas!
Frozen bananas are awesome. They can thicken and chill and cream-ify almost any smoothie. And of course they can make the magical one-ingredient banana soft serve! But for this recipe, we’re using fresh bananas for a reason.
You might be tempted to swap in frozen bananas, but don’t! Why? The frozen mangos are going to provide plenty of thick cold creaminess to the smoothie, and you’ll need the bananas to be soft in order for it all to blend smoothly without adding even more liquid.
Are Your Mangos Packed With Flavor?
I’ve also noticed that this smoothie tastes vastly different depending on what frozen mangos I use. Have you ever sliced into a fresh mango that tasted completely bland, compared to the juice-oozing tropical sweetness you were expecting? Epic disappointment. Well, the same thing can happen with frozen fruit. I’ve found that on a whole, organic frozen mangos more consistently have that delicious flavor we’re going for.
Pause On The Extra Add-Ins!
This smoothie is made with just 3 ingredients, so you might be tempted to throw in some more goodies. But please give it a chance exactly as-is first! I’ve made this with added flaxmeal, oats, chia seeds, other fruit, and beyond and each time I add a seemingly innocent health-boosting “extra” it takes the perfection of this smoothie down a notch.