What Do I Need To Make A Smoothie- A Complete List

Don’t be embarrassed if you’re searching for information about what you need to make a smoothie. Not everyone knows what things you need to make a smoothie, at least not at first. You might think that everyone already knows this and so it’s a stupid question. But relax. Everyone starts somewhere.

Since this site is based around blenders and what you can do with them I figured it was time that I created the definitive article that explains what you need to make a smoothie. For beginners.

So, this article will explain in detail every single thing you need, starting with the beldner, and ending with the cup. And yes, I’ll cover everything in between. So it’s super comprehensive. You can skip some of the middle section where I cover extras that you can put in your smoothie. But I suggest reading the whole thing so that you get an idea about how you can customize your smoothie once you get a hang of the basics.

You Need A Blender To Make A Smoothie- No Way Around It

If you’re looking to make smoothies, you need a blender. While some fancy articles online might claim you can make a smoothie with a food processor (or some other wacky ideas I’ve yet to read) the truth is you really shouldn’t. Can you? Maybe. But why in the heck would you? It would be a mess.

So, while you technically can make a smoothie without a blender, just don’t. Let’s move on now under the assumption that you really can’t make a smoothie without a blender and accept that if you don’t have one…you are going to have to buy one.

Which leads to my first section. What type of blender should you get? Well, that’s a big question and I’ve written a few articles about it. I have a complete overview of the best blenders for green smoothies….as well as one that covers the best single serve smoothie blender.

I suggest that you skip the cheap blenders that you see retail for 30 bucks or so. These blenders are ok for making milkshakes, but they are not good for making smoothies. When you are making a smoothie, you need a blender that is capable of blending up fruits and vegetables and ice. And sadly those cheap blenders you see for sale in BJs and Costco and other retail stores just won’t cut it.

Now, that doesn’t mean you need to get a Vitamix (though it is my recommendation for people looking for the best blender. I even wrote a big overview of Vitamix vs Ninja blenders).

So, in order to make a smoothie, you will need a blender. Here are three blenders at three different price points. The first one is a small bullet style blender. I used a bullet style blender for many years and it worked great. There are some drawbacks (namely, if you are looking to make large quantities), but overall they work really well.

Here’s a great bullet style personal blender

(if you’re planning on making fruit smoothies, this is perfect)


If you’re looking for a medium price point blender, then this is a good option.


Start With The Best

Lastly, if you’re ready to jump right in and buy the best blender for the money, then here’s my suggestion. I have a whole review of why this is the best blender for smoothies. But the short answer is to get it and see for yourself.


You Also Need Fruit, a Liquid, and Then Extras

Once you’ve gotten a blender, then next step is to get the ingredients and get started making your smoothie. Basically you will need fruit (or vegetables) a liquid and then if you want, extras. I’m going to go over in detail the different type of fruit you can use to make your smoothie (frozen vs fresh fruit) as well as cover the different types of veggies.

I’ll also cover liquid because without liquid, you don’t have a smoothie.

And finally, the extras. There are a lot of different extras you can add and I’ll cover them all.

What Fruit Can You Use To Make A Smoothie

fruit for smoothie

Apples, Pears, Bananas, Pineapple? What fruit should you use to make a smoothie? It’s up to you. The main thing to think about is taste and texture. Some fruit blends up smoother than other fruit, and so you will get a smoothier smoothie! Also, some fruit has more of an intense taste and flavor. You will want to consider what types of fruit and liquid pairings you are going to make.  I suggest some of the following:

  • Pineapple and Banana with Almond Milk
  • Blueberries and Yogurt and Almond Milk
  • Spinach and Pineapple and Coconut Water
  • Banana and Peanut Butter and Almond Milk

Once you get to be more of an expert in the smoothie making process, you will learn what fruits work with what other fruits to make a nice smoothie. Also, it’s important to never over do it on the fruit. While fruit is healthy and blenders do not destroy the fiber in a smoothie, you also want to be mindful of getting too much sugar. That’s why I suggest mixing fruit and vegetables and a base liquid that doesn’t have sugar.

What Vegetables Can You Use To Make A Smoothie

As long as you have a powerful blender, you can use quite a few vegetables. The important thing to keep in mind whenever you are blending vegetables is that not all vegetables blend up as easy as others. For instance baby spinach is going to be easier to blend up than carrots.

The basic blenders that are best for beginners (the bullet blender or the vitamix blender) will handle some vegetables –baby spinach, microgreens, tomatoes, and cucumbers. But, if you are looking to blend up beets or most types of kale—then you will want to get a Vitamix. Honestly, after using the Ninja for many years I really only recommend it for people who are making fruit smoothies or basic green smoothies with baby spinach.

So, here’s my breakdown:

What Type of Vegetables Can You Make In A Smoothie with A Ninja or Bullet

  1. Baby Spinach
  2. Microgreens
  3. Cucumbers
  4. Bell Peppers

And The Type of Vegetables You Can Make In A Smoothie With A Vitamix

  1. All of the Above +
  2. Cabbage
  3. Beets
  4. Carrots
  5. All Types of Kale
  6. All Types of Spinach

What Liquid Do You Use To Make A Smoothie

You can’t make a smoothie without a liquid. Otherwise you are simply making a puree. So, the next question is what liquid you are going to use? Some people use milk, but I like to use a nut milk such as almond milk or even rice milk. Here’s a few to consider:

  • Rice Milk
    • Draw backs is that it is a bit thin.
  • Almond Milk
    • One of the best options
  • Cashew Milk
    • Has more protein but is a bit thick
  • Soy Milk
    • Lots of protein, but I don’t like to recommend soy
  • Coconut Water
    • Very refreshing and adds potassium and magnesium

What Are The Extras You Need To Make A Smoothie

Once you’ve picked the fruit and vegetables and liquid that you are going to use to make your smoothie, the next thing you need to do is choose the extras. As the name states, this category is extra. You don’t have to choose anything here. But if you are looking for something extra to put into your smoothie, then here are some good ideas:

  • Nuts (almonds, walnuts, pecans, and macadamia nuts)
    • Be sure to soak almonds
  • Chia Seeds
    • Be sure to soak chia seeds. I wrote a whole article covering if you can blend chia seeds.
  • Yogurt
    • My suggestion is to use an unflavored yogurt when making a smoothie. Also, you should choose Greek Yogurt if you want extra protein.
  • Peanut Butter or Almond Butter
    • If you want to speed up the smoothie blending process, or if you have a basic blender such as a Vitamix, you can use a nut butter instead of real nuts.
  • Ice
    • Ice makes a smoothie cold, which many people prefer, and it also helps with the liquid content.
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