Start off your morning with this bright, refreshing, and delicious Orange Smoothie! It’s made in minutes, loaded with healthy fruits, and perfectly balanced with just the right amount of sweetness and tangy flavors.
And don’t miss our Orange Julius recipe for another sweet and tart combination!
Healthy Orange Smoothie Recipe
One of my favorite ways to kick start the day is with a smoothie. They’re so quick and easy, right? Especially if you have all the ingredients already prepped and ready to go.
Loaded with three different healthy fruits, carrot, tangy yogurt, and a bit of honey for some sweetness, this healthy orange smoothie recipe is a year-round favorite, but especially on a hot summer morning – great as a quick afternoon snack, too!
Ingredients Needed
You only need a short list of fresh ingredients for this orange smoothie recipe.
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)
- Orange juice – Fresh oranges are best, especially since you’ll need the zest anyway. But juice from a carton is fine, if preferred.
- Orange zest – For an extra punch of orange citrus-y flavor.
- Apple – I prefer a sweeter apple for this smoothie, such as Honeycrisp or Pink Lady. It should be cut into chunks, preferably frozen.
- Shredded carrot – Yep, carrot! It actually lends a natural sweetness to the drink and also deepens the orange color. (You could also use a small jar of pureed carrots – like baby food!)
- Banana – It should be sliced into 1/4-inch thick coins, preferably frozen.
- Plain Greek yogurt – Greek yogurt is very low calorie and high in protein. It makes the smoothie extra creamy with a slight tangy flavor. If you absolutely hate Greek yogurt, you can sub with low fat vanilla yogurt.
- Honey – This adds some sweetness to balance out the other flavors.
- Ice (optional) – Blend in some ice for a thicker consistency.
How To Make an Orange Smoothie
Smoothies are possibly the quickest and easiest thing to make. Just simply place all the ingredients in a blender and whirl away for a couple minutes until the desired consistency is reached.
PRO TIP: it’s best to pour any liquid in first, followed by the rest of the ingredients, ending with the ice. Keeping the liquids on the bottom allows the blender to create a “vortex,” easily pulling down the fruit that is layered above it, and preventing it from getting caught in the blender’s blades. Start your blender on low and then increase to high speed.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t skip the honey. Just a bit of honey helps balance out the acidity from the orange and flavors from the other fruit. Not all fruit carries the same amount of natural sweetness, especially if they’re not in season.
- Using frozen fruit. Fresh fruit is fine, but I actually prefer using frozen fruit for this smoothie. It’s great for meal prep, super convenient, and actually blends into a creamy texture while smoothies with only fresh fruit can sometimes be watery.
- Include some ice for a thicker consistency. If you want a thicker, more milkshake-like consistency, blend in some ice with the rest of the mixture.
- Make popsicles. Make extra and pour into popsicle molds and freeze for a fun summer treat.
More Smoothie Recipes:
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Orange Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1/4 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 cup sweet apple chunks , frozen (I prefer Honeycrisp or Pink Lady)
- 1/4 cup shredded carrots (or 1, 4 ounce jar pureed carrots – like baby food!)
- 1 small banana , sliced into 1/4-inch thick coins, frozen
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (or low fat vanilla yogurt)
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 cup ice (optional)
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients in a blender, in the order listed.
- Blend until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Pour into tumbler glasses and enjoy!
