In honor of National Smoothie Day, and peak season papayas and mangos, we’re updating one of our favorite recipes for dairy-free tropical smoothies. Whether you’re living on an island or are completely land-locked, this sweet sip will brighten your day! It’s a creamy combination of fresh and frozen fruit that uses favorite produce from Hawaii and the Caribbean. And instead of dairy, it uses coconut milk.
Creamy Tropical Smoothies made with a Mélange of Fruit
The best thing about smoothies is how easy they are to customize! Here are just some ingredient notes and options for these dairy-free tropical smoothies.
- Frozen Fruit: When we originally made this recipe, we used Trader Joe’s tropical trio frozen fruit, infused with passion fruit. I’m not sure if they still offer this, but there are similar frozen fruit blends at other stores like Target. Don’t be araid to mix things up!
- Pineapple: You can definitely use fresh pineapple if you have it! When cutting the pineapple, be sure to use a drip tray cutting board to catch all of the juices.
- Coconut Milk: For the creamiest finish, we use regular, canned coconut milk. For tropical smoothies that are lighter in fat and calories, you can use lite canned coconut milk or coconut milk beverage.
- Banana: You can use fresh or frozen, depending on how thick you want these tropical smoothies to be.
- Banana-Free: If you are allergic or aren’t a fan of bananas, simply omit it! Blend in a little honey or agave nectar (for strictly vegan) to brighten the sweetness just a little. I use about 1 teaspoon.
- Lime: I sometimes like to add a fresh squeeze of lime, which adds a little extra sunshine to the flavor.
Special Diet Notes: Creamy Tropical Smoothie
By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free, peanut-free, soy-free, vegan, plant-based, vegetarian, and paleo-friendly.
- 3 cups frozen cubed mango, papaya, or combination
- 2 cups canned pineapple chunks in juice (do not drain)
- 1 cup coconut milk (see post above)
- 1 banana (optional; see post above)
- Add the frozen fruit, pineapple with juice, coconut milk, and banana to your blender.
- Puree until smooth and creamy.