Have you ever tried adding sweet potato to your smoothies? If not, then you MUST try this banana-less Sweet Potato Smoothie. This Fall-flavored breakfast is vegan, gluten-free, paleo, refined sugar-free, made with 8 simple ingredients, and perfect for breakfast!
Now... I love a good banana-filled smoothie, but I also realize it's a pretty polarizing ingredient. That's why I've started to experiment with banana-free smoothie combos lately! First up was my Piña Colada Smoothie made primarily with pineapples, next was my Strawberry Watermelon Smoothie for summer, and the most recent is this absolutely delicious sweet potato smoothie!
Thanks to the thick and creamy consistency of blended & frozen sweet potatoes, plant-based yogurt, and oat milk- this smoothie is super creamy & filling too!
Ingredients:
While the full ingredient list with quantities is in the recipe card at the bottom of the post, here's a quick recap of the ingredients needed to make this sweet potato shake. Plus, I've included a ton of substitute ideas to make this smoothie allergen-friendly so it can work for YOU.
Notes & substitution ideas:
Frozen sweet potatoes
- I used sweet potatoes that were blanched and then frozen. Here is a comprehensive guide on how to cook (or not cook) and freeze sweet potato.
- While sweet potatoes can actually be eat raw, some people may experience digestive issues eating raw food. I do not, so I just blanched them, but you can always boil sweet potatoes and freeze them for this recipe too.
- You can also sub with the same amount of cooked pureed sweet potato in grams (not volume). HOWEVER, you will need to add about 1-2 cups of ice to the smoothie as the frozen sweet potato makes this smoothie cold & thick.
Plant-based yogurt
- I used Forager project unsweetened cashew yogurt
- Any yogurt works as a 1:1 substitute (even greek yogurt if you're vegetarian and not vegan). The yogurt makes this smoothie creamy so I don't recommend subbing for more plant-based milk.
Nut butter
- I used almond butter, but have also tried it cashew butter and recommend both.
- To keep this smoothie nut-free, just sub for sunflower butter. It will taste different, but is still just as creamy!
Plant-based milk
- I used Oat milk, but any milk works 1:1 such as almond, rice, hemp, or soy. I prefer oat milk because of the creamy texture, however other plant-based milks will make this smoothie lower in calories.
Maple syrup
- Added for sweetness and makes it so this smoothie tastes like a sweet potato pie!
- To keep this smoothie naturally sweetened, sub for 2 soaked medjool dates (soaking them helps to soften them so they blend evenly), 1 banana (unfrozen), OR 2 tablespoon date syrup (which is the best replacement IMHO).
Hemp Seeds
- This is added for protein, fiber, and to fill you up!
- Can be omitted or replaced for 1 scoop of a vanilla protein powder. Hemp seeds are best because they don't add any extra flavor and let the flavor of the sweet potato shine through.
Pumpkin pie spice
- Pumpkin Pie Spice is made of ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and ground cloves. It actually has NO pumpkin! I used Trader Joe's Pumpkin Pie Spice, but here is a recipe for homemade pumpkin pie spice.
- Can also be subbed 1:1 for cinnamon to make a cinnamon sweet potato smoothie if you can't find all the spices needed!
Salt
- I know you're probably like-what?? Salt in a smoothie? But a little salt adds SO much flavor to this smoothie with sweet potatoes. Don't skip it unless you really need to and definitely don't add more than what is listed.
How to make a sweet potato smoothie
When it comes to making this sweet potato shake, it really is as simple as adding all the ingredients to a blender and blending until smooth!
My biggest tip for making any smoothie at home?
Invest in a good blender! Yes, Vitamix is best, but I made this smoothie in my Kitchen 2400 Blender and it worked amazing!
I also have a Ninja blender and find it isn't quite powerful enough for smoothies. Essentially, the quality of your blender will determine just how smooth & creamy your smoothie can get.
FAQ & Expert Tips:
Overall, YOU have to decide what healthy means to you. I'm a firm believer there is no one definition of what healthy is, but for me it means eating foods that are nutritious, filling, and that makes me feel GOOD. I will be honest, this isn't a low-calorie smoothie, but it IS a high-protein smoothie full of nutrients that will keep you full.
Sweet potatoes are a high carbohydrate food, but they are also filled with fiber which helps with digestion. Also, their yellow/orange color is due to them being high in beta-carotene aka Vitamin A which is important for vision u0026 immunity health.
In addition to sweet potatoes, we are adding unsweetened yogurt that is full of probiotics (though this depends on the yogurt brand). Plus, I added in hemp seeds which are an AMAZING plant-based source of protein with all 9 essential amino acids (that your body cannot produce). Again, I eat this smoothie as my breakfast and it truly is a filling meal replacement for me.
This smoothie recipe makes 2 large 16 oz smoothies. For our family of two, it's perfect!
However, if you happen to have a leftover smoothie, you can store it in a closed container in the fridge for 24 hours. It may separate a bit while sitting, so just stir it together before drinking.
I truly hope you all love this delicious, easy, & dairy-free Sweet Potato Smoothie! There is nothing I love more than a smoothie for breakfast, and this is a fun Fall flavored smoothie to try out next. Enjoy!
-TSG
More Healthy Breakfast Recipes You Will Love:
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Sweet Potato Pie Smoothie
Ingredients
- 2 cups frozen sweet potatoes blanched and cubed
- 1- 1 ¼ cup plant-based milk start with 1 cup and only add up to 1 ¼ cups if needed for a thinner smoothie
- 1 cup plant-based yogurt I used Forager project unsweetened yogurt
- 2-3 Tablespoons maple syrup add more or less to adjust sweetness of smoothie
- 2 Tablespoons nut butter I used almond butter
- 2 Tablespoons hemp seeds
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- â…› teaspoon salt adds a lot of flavor and actually makes the smoothie sweeter!
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a blender including the frozen sweet potato, plant-based milk, yogurt, maple syrup, nut butter, hemp seeds, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
- Blend until smooth. If needed, add up to 1 ½ cups of milk for a thinner smoothie or (may be needed if blender is not strong). You can also wait to add the maple syrup at the end to sweeten to your preferred level. Then, pour into two glasses and enjoy immediately!
Notes
- Smoothies are best enjoyed right away, but can be stored in a closed container or cup with a lid in the fridge for 24-48 hours.
- Please see blog post for substitution ideas. I used blanched and frozen sweet potatoes, but feel free to boil and freeze sweet potatoes too.
Rakel says
I LOVED this recipe! I have never eaten raw sweet potato, I didn’t know you could, and I have never tried sweet potato in a smoothie before. It was absolutely delicious! It honestly tasted like a piece of pumpkin pie, I think the yogurt and pumpkin spice play a big part in enhancing that. Definitely recommend and would make this again! It is so so healthy too.
Megan says
SO glad you liked it- it's such a good breakfast for Fall 🙂