My first “official” job was working in a local smoothie shop. My hourly wage was abysmal, but I almost made up for my losses by whipping myself up a “free” smoothie whenever I had a craving (or my latest crush popped by to visit). I have tried every blended combination of fruit over the years. Mango and strawberry go well with a number of tropical fruits like bananas and pineapple, but I think they are at their best when paired together. Mango is sweet, sunny, and makes smoothies thick. Strawberries are cool, fruity, and a smoothie classic. Together, strawberries and mangos taste like straight-up paradise. Sipping this smoothie makes me dream of the beach.
Two of the remaining three ingredients in this smoothie are a little bit surprising. One involves an unusual veggie sneak (hint: it’s orange). The other is a citrus splash that gives this smoothie its beachy pop. I like to make my smoothies primarily with frozen fruit (more on that below), so if you have some extra frozen strawberries and mangos after you’re done with this smoothie recipe, you can use the strawberries to make:
Strawberry Smoothie (the CLASSIC!) Strawberry Blueberry Smoothie Strawberry Spinach Smoothie
The frozen mango will be perfect for:
Mango Green Smoothie (this one is vegan and just four ingredients) Swap it for the pineapple in this Kale Smoothie
How to Make This Strawberry Mango Smoothie
While spinach is the usual way to sneak extra vegetables into smoothies (and you can certainly make this a strawberry mango spinach smoothie if that’s what you prefer) this smoothie uses a different approach. Can you guess?
The Ingredients
Strawberry + Mango. Bright, colorful, and full of tropical vibes. These two fruits were meant to be together, and they pack the smoothie with Vitamin-C, folate, antioxidants, fiber, and potassium. Carrots. When adding veggies to smoothies, keep carrots in mind. Thanks to their natural sweetness, the taste of the carrots disappears in this smoothie. Carrots bring oodles of nutritious Vitamin-A, potassium, and fiber. Plus, they give the smoothie a pretty orange color. (If you really want carrots to steal the show, try this Carrot Cake Smoothie.) Almond Milk. The main liquid for our smoothie. I used unsweetened almond milk, but you can use any milk you prefer. Lemon Juice. Citrus is essential to the smoothie’s flavor. It makes the strawberry and mango pop to the extent that the smoothie will taste bland without it. For a cool taste experiment, try the smoothie before and after the citrus is added. You also can make this smoothie with orange juice.
The Directions
A Note on Thickening Smoothies
I’m of the general smoothie philosophy that a thick smoothie is a happy, satisfying smoothie; if it’s not thick, instead of feeling like I’m enjoying a substantial breakfast or snack, I feel like I’m drinking juice. It’s not the same. This is why all of my healthy smoothie recipes involve some kind of thickening agent. If you’d like to make a smoothie thicker, here are a few tricks:
Use Frozen Fruit. This is the easiest way to ensure your smoothie is nice and thick. Frozen fruit yields a thicker smoothie than fresh fruit. If your smoothie is thinner than you would like after blending, drop in a few extra pieces of frozen fruit and blend again. Choose Fruits that Blend Up Thick and Creamy. Mango and banana are two of the best fruits for making thick smoothies. When blended, these fruits are creamy, not icy. Berries tend to be more icy when blended, which is why I like pairing them with a creamier fruit, as in today’s strawberry mango smoothie. Add Greek Yogurt. You do not need yogurt for smoothies, even thick ones. Yogurt is a nice addition because it provides protein, creaminess, and body, but it also affects the flavor and might not be the right choice for someone who needs a dairy free or vegan smoothie. Personally, I enjoy the taste of smoothies with yogurt (like this Greek Yogurt Smoothie), but if you have other thickening ingredients, you can leave it out. Oatmeal. A tablespoon or two provides extra fiber and can thicken up a smoothie. Oatmeal also tastes yummy and creamy in smoothies (check out the glowing reviews on this 5-star Oatmeal Smoothie). Ice Cubes. If you’ve blended your smoothie and it’s thinner than you would like, add a few ice cubes until it reaches your desired thickness.
If you try a few of these tricks and your smoothie is ULTRA thick at the end—too thick to sip with a straw—pour it into a bowl, top it with some granola and fresh fruit, and enjoy it as a strawberry mango smoothie bowl. For a strawberry mango protein smoothie, add a scoop of your favorite vanilla protein powder. This will thicken the smoothie a tiny bit too.
Make Ahead and Storage Tips
To Make Ahead. Prepare the smoothie as directed, and pour it into an airtight freezer-safe glass jar. Store the jar in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let the smoothie thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving. The texture will change somewhat, but it’s a viable option if you want to prep ahead. I also like to pour smoothies into ice cube trays, then take them to go. To Store. Blended strawberry mango smoothies can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.
More Delicious Healthy Smoothie Recipes
Apple Smoothie Beet Smoothie Blueberry Pie Smoothie Blackberry Cinnamon Smoothies Plus, get my best smoothie tips and tricks in this post all about Healthy Breakfast Smoothies!
Recommended Tools to Make Strawberry Mango Smoothie
High-Powered Blender. For the most creamy smoothie consistency, use a high-powered blender. Stainless Steel Straws. I take these with me everywhere! They make everything taste extra refreshing. Dry Ingredient Measuring Cups. This set is perfect for measuring smoothie ingredients.
I hope this vegan strawberry mango smoothie whisks you away to the oceanside. If you try this recipe, please leave a comment and let me know how it goes! I love hearing from you, and your comments and 5-star ratings are so important for this site.♥
