Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup fresh carrots, chopped or grated (about 2 medium carrots)
- 1 cup fresh orange juice (from 2 medium oranges)
- 1 frozen banana (previously peeled and sliced)
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt (or vanilla Greek yogurt)
- ½ cup milk of choice (almond, oat, dairy, etc.)
- ½ inch fresh ginger, peeled (optional)
- 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup (optional, to taste)
- ½ cup ice cubes (optional, for extra thickness)
- Pinch of ground cinnamon (optional garnish)
Instructions
- Prep Your Carrots: Wash and peel your carrots (or use pre-washed baby carrots). Chop into small pieces or grate using a box grater for the smoothest texture. Smaller pieces blend more easily, especially in less powerful blenders. If you have a high-powered blender, rough chopping is fine. For even easier blending, you can quickly steam carrot pieces for 3-4 minutes until slightly tender, then cool before blending.
- Juice Your Oranges: Cut 2 medium oranges in half and juice them using a citrus juicer, reamer, or simply by hand, squeezing over a bowl and catching any seeds. You should get about 1 cup of fresh juice. Pro tip: Roll oranges firmly on the counter before cutting to release more juice. Strain out seeds but keeping some pulp is perfectly fine and adds fiber!
- Prepare Frozen Banana: If you haven’t already, make sure you have a ripe banana that’s been peeled, sliced, and frozen for at least 2 hours or overnight. Frozen banana is absolutely key to achieving that thick, creamy milkshake texture. If using fresh banana instead, you’ll need to add extra ice cubes.
- Layer Ingredients Strategically: Add ingredients to your blender in this specific order for optimal blending: fresh orange juice first (creates the liquid base), then milk, Greek yogurt, optional honey if using, peeled ginger if using, chopped carrots, frozen banana, and finally ice cubes if needed. This strategic layering prevents ingredients from getting stuck and helps your blender work more efficiently.
- Start Blending on Low: Begin blending on the lowest speed setting for about 15-20 seconds. This is especially important when blending raw carrots, as they need time to break down. Starting low prevents chunks from flying up the sides and gives your blender time to grab and process the harder ingredients. You’ll hear the sound change as carrots begin breaking down.
- Increase to High Speed: Gradually increase your blender speed to high and blend for 60-90 seconds until the smoothie is completely smooth and creamy with no visible carrot chunks or fibers. Raw carrots take longer to blend than most fruits, so be patient! The mixture should be a gorgeous, vibrant orange color and have a velvety, uniform consistency. If you see any carrot pieces, blend for another 30 seconds.
- Check Consistency and Adjust: Stop the blender and check the thickness. If it’s too thick to blend properly or drink comfortably, add milk or orange juice 2 tablespoons at a time and pulse briefly. If it’s too thin for your preference, add a few more ice cubes or an extra frozen banana chunk and blend again. The smoothie should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon but still drinkable through a straw.
- Taste and Perfect: This is crucial! Taste your smoothie and adjust sweetness if needed. If your oranges weren’t very sweet or you prefer sweeter smoothies, add honey or maple syrup and blend briefly. If it needs more brightness, add a squeeze more orange juice. If you want more ginger warmth, add another small piece. Blend for 10 seconds after any additions.
- Serve Immediately: Pour into glasses and enjoy right away while perfectly chilled and at peak texture. If desired, garnish with a small pinch of ground cinnamon on top, an orange slice on the rim, a grated carrot curl, or a small mint leaf for pretty presentation. Serve with a thick straw or spoon depending on consistency.
Notes
- For the smoothest texture, use grated or finely chopped carrots, or steam them briefly before blending
- Fresh orange juice makes a huge difference – don’t skip it if possible!
- Frozen banana is essential for that thick, creamy texture without diluting with excessive ice
- If smoothie is too earthy from carrots, add more orange juice or a bit more banana
- Steaming carrots for 3-4 minutes makes them much easier to blend and slightly sweeter
- Different blenders have different power levels – blend longer if needed to eliminate all carrot chunks
- The smoothie may separate slightly if it sits – this is normal, just stir before drinking
- For a tropical twist, replace some orange juice with pineapple juice or add frozen mango
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Beverage
- Method: Blending
- Diet: Gluten Free
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 smoothie (approximately 16 oz)
- Calories: 225
- Sugar: 31g
- Sodium: 95mg
- Fat: 3g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 9g
- Cholesterol: 8mg