This Citrus Smoothie is a sweet, fresh drink blending citrus fruits for a creamy breakfast packed with vitamin C. Ready in 5 minutes, with 39g of protein.
What to do with leftover citrus fruits? Turn them into a smoothie of course! If you have leftover oranges, grapefruits, tangerines, etc. Before they go bad, peel and slice, and pop them in the freezer. Once frozen, turn them into this delicious citrus smoothie!
Or buy citrus fresh and freeze immediately for prep-ahead smoothies whenever!
It feels weird, but oranges and grapefruits can be frozen just like any other fruit. And blended into a delightful smoothie. Packed with vitamin C! Perfect for cold & flu season.
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Why You'll Love This Citrus Smoothie
- Dietary needs - this smoothie is dairy-free, vegan, oil-free, gluten-free, and sugar-free
- Bright flavor - it might feel weird, but citrus in smoothies is actually incredibly delicious. And I add some vanilla flavor for the delicious vanilla orange combo
- Easy to make - smoothies are such an easy way to get in plenty of nutrients.
- Great for meal prep - you can make smoothies the night before or even the weekend before for a grab and go breakfast
- Packed with protein - depending on the milk, yogurt, and protein powder you use, this recipe has over 39g of protein per serving
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Frozen Orange and Grapefruit: peel, segment, and freeze oranges, grapefruits, tangerines, etc. Keep in a zip-top bag in the freezer for smoothies anytime. Feel free to use your favorite fruits for this smoothie - just use the equivalent of two fruits
- Frozen Banana: always keep frozen bananas on hand for smoothies and desserts! Using a frozen banana makes your smoothie nice and creamy, so you don't have to water it down with ice. (This is especially important in this citrus smoothie, because the citrus itself already has a lot of liquid)
- Non-Dairy Greek Style Yogurt: greek-style yogurt creates a thick and creamy texture and adds even more protein. I've been loving Kite Hill's greek-style yogurt. If you can, get a vanilla yogurt - the vanilla-citrus combo is delicious! Or add a bit of vanilla bean paste!
- Milk: you can use any milk, but I love using soy milk in particular adds another boost of protein
- Protein Powder: I used Naked Nutrition's Almond Powder - this is my go-to for a naturally sweet, neutral flavored, digestion-friendly protein. I love this brand because of how clean there ingredients are. See notes below for more protein recommendations.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1. Add all the ingredients to a blender. For easy blending and no stuck protein powder, start with the fruit, then yogurt, then protein, and finish with milk.
Step 2. Blend on the smoothie setting or on high for 1 minute, until smooth. Serve immediately or store for later (see post for notes).
Tips for the best vegan protein smoothie
- Make it easy on your blender. If your ingredients are very frozen, let them thaw just slightly before blending.
- Add sweetness. If you're using an unsweetened protein powder or just want a bit more sweetness in your breakfast, add a few extra teaspoons of maple syrup or agave. I find the smoothie to be sweet enough with just my half banana.
- Choose the protein-rich options. Soy milk and a non-dairy yogurt with protein added in are both great options for your smoothie, since they'll be giving you extra protein. Choose those options over regular non-dairy milk or yogurt.
- Protein powder. I used Naked Nutrition's Almond Powder - this is my go-to for a naturally sweet, neutral flavored, digestion-friendly protein. I love this brand because of how clean there ingredients are. If you're looking for other completely unsweetened protein powder you can try their vegan seed protein powder or even their peanut powder. In the past I've also used Naked's Vegan Vanilla Shake protein powder. I also like the Natreve brand Peanut Butter flavor, and they have a French vanilla flavor that would work well in this smoothie.
- Use frozen fruit, not ice. Ice makes for a watery smoothie that doesn't store well. Instead, use frozen fruit (as opposed to fresh.)
- Add your favorite toppings. Serve in a bowl and the topping possibilities are literally endless: fresh fruit, granola, coconut, almonds, chia, hemp seeds, more non-dairy yogurt, other seeds like pepitas or flaxseeds, other nuts like walnuts, nut butters, chocolate chips, cereals and more!
FAQ & Expert Tips
I store my smoothie leftovers in a freezer safe bag. They can last for months in the freezer.
Defrost in the fridge overnight or quickly in the microwave.
Grab some plastic or other freezer-safe cups and pour in the smoothie. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze. Then defrost in the fridge the night before you want to drink your smoothie.
Recipe Prayer
Thank you God for a healthy smoothie to fuel our bodies with protein, vitamins, and nutrients. Amen.
More smoothies
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📖 Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 Medium Orange frozen
- 1 Medium Grapefruit frozen; or use a second orange
- ½ Medium Frozen Banana or use an additional ½ cup yogurt
- ½ Cup Vanilla Non-Dairy Greek Style Yogurt or use an additional ½ banana; if you don't have vanilla yogurt, add ⅛ teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
- ⅓ Cup Milk of choice
- 1 Serving Vegan Protein Powder optional - I used almond powder
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a blender. For easy blending and no stuck protein powder, start with the fruit, then yogurt, then protein, and finish with milk.
- Blend on the smoothie setting or on high for 1 minute, until smooth. Serve immediately or store for later (see post for notes).
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate.
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