Blue Spirulina Smoothie

We’re obsessed with smoothies around these parts; they’re the perfect way to start your day or rid yourself of sugar cravings! Be sure to try this incredible acai bowl, a golden milk mango smoothie, or this insanely good cherry smoothie next. 

Reasons to love this blue smoothie recipe

• Easy cleanup! All you need is a blender.
• This gorgeous blue smoothie is packed with flavor AND nutrients.
• The protein content from the yogurt and spirulina will keep you satisfied until lunch.
• It is a great option if you’re on the go.
• This smoothie is very simple to make!

Ingredients needed

Packed with a good amount of antioxidants and so delicious, this blue spirulina smoothie is my new go-to. And the recipe is easy to customize – feel free to add or swap in your favorite ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need to make it:

• Banana. A good ripe banana makes all the difference in this smoothie. Freeze the bananas when they’re extra ripe and use only when completely frozen. Bananas truly thicken up healthy smoothies like nothing else.
• Yogurt. Any yogurt works great! And you can easily add more protein by using Greek yogurt or keep this recipe vegan and dairy free by using a plant-based yogurt.
• Mango. Mangoes are one of my favorite fruits and they add such great fruitiness to this drink! You can absolutely use a different variety of frozen fruit, though. 
• English cucumber. Adds refreshing flavor and a boost of nutrients.
• Liquid. I like to use plant-based milk in my smoothies, but even water will work fine.
• Blue spirulina powder. Just 1 to 2 teaspoons of blue spirulina powder will give this shake extra nutrients and a beautiful shade of blue.
• Medjool date. To get a great natural sweetness in this smoothie, throw in one medjool date. The date will blend up nicely and add nutrients and sweetness to the smoothie.
• Greens. Feel free to add about 1 cup greens, like spinach or kale. This will add lots of nutrients without changing the taste, however it will darken the smoothie.

How to make this smoothie

This recipe is quick, easy, and simple to make, but you do need a good, powerful blender (think Blendtec, Vitamix, or Ninja) to break down all of the ingredients.

Simply add all of the ingredients to a blender and blend until the mixture is smooth and creamy. For best results, add the liquid and blue spirulina powder first, then any greens, and last the frozen fruit and other mix-ins.

Once the shake is blended, pour into a glass or bowl and add some fun toppings, like chia seeds, shredded coconut, chopped nuts, or fresh berries.

Tips for recipe success

Here are a few simple recommendations for making this smoothie creamy and delicious:

• If the smoothie seems too thick, you can add more liquid to get the blender going again.
• To blend, start with the blender on low speed, then gradually increase to high speed. This will help fully blend and incorporate all ingredients really well. End with the blender on low speed.
• If you’ve never tried blue spirulina powder in a smoothie, I suggest starting with 1 teaspoon, taste, and then add an additional ½ to 1 teaspoon of powder depending on how you like the taste.

Smoothie variations

Feel free to make this blue spirulina smoothie your own! Here are a few different mix-in ideas:

• Liquid. Switch up the liquid with apple juice or coconut water!
• Add greens. If you’re looking to get more greens in your diet, try adding a handful or two of baby spinach or kale leaves. It will turn the smoothie a different color, but you won’t be able to taste the greens.
• Different fruit. Feel free to sub the mango for strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, cherries, pineapple, peaches or any other favorite. Just be sure to use frozen fruit for best results.
• Add an extra boost of nutrition. Sometimes I like to add in a serving of protein powder, flax seed, chia seeds, hemp seeds or oats.

Frequently asked questions

What is blue spirulina?

Spirulina is seaweed and can be consumed by humans and animals. It’s a nutrient dense superfood that’s thought to be one of the oldest forms of life on the Earth. It’s high in protein and antioxidants and also contains some magnesium.

Blue spirulina is derived from green spirulina and is thus less nutritiously dense. It is made of pure phycocyanin that is left over after the spirulina has been processed to remove heavy metals.

What are blue spirulina benefits?

The benefits of blue spirulina are still being studied, but it is packed with nutrients and has many benefits to your health. Many people use green and blue spirulina as a way to boost their immune system when sick or even simply to help prevent illness. 

There are 4 grams of protein in each tablespoon of spirulina.

What does blue spirulina taste like?

You don’t want to eat blue spirulina on its own, but it is more palatable and a bit less sea-weedy than regular green spirulina. In addition, since the spirulina powder is being added into the smoothie in small doses, you’ll probably hardly notice it at all. 

Where can I buy blue spirulina?

Blue spirulina powder can be found at most natural health food stores or organic grocery stores or can be found easily online on Amazon or other online health retailers. 

What can I use instead of banana?

If you can’t eat bananas or just don’t enjoy them, use 1 cup of frozen cauliflower instead. Frozen cauliflower is a great thickening agent in smoothies and will give you extra veggies. You can’t taste it at all! 

Can I add ice to this smoothie recipe?

Using frozen fruit is best as it helps keeps the smoothie cold and thick. Sometimes ice doesn’t blend as well and can detract from the fruit flavor, so it’s best to skip it unless absolutely necessary. 

As usual, PLEASE let me know if you make this recipe and how you like it! You can come back here and leave a comment or tag me on instagram (@foodwithfeeling).