When the weather gets hot, I rarely want a heavy breakfast or a complicated snack. I usually want something cold, fruity, and quick enough to make. That is exactly what these seven summer smoothie recipes are designed for.

Each recipe uses a short ingredient list and takes only a few minutes to blend. Some are light and refreshing, while others are a little creamier and more filling. You will find apricots, melon, plums, grapefruit, papaya, nectarines, pears, and berries—so this is not another collection made up of the same three tropical fruits. All recipes make approximately one generous serving.

The 7 Summer Smoothies:

1. Apricot Ginger Smoothie
2. Honeydew Lime Smoothie
3. Plum Vanilla Smoothie
4. Grapefruit Strawberry Smoothie
5. Papaya Coconut Smoothie
6. Nectarine Oat Smoothie
7. Pear Blackberry Smoothie

1. Recipe: Apricot Ginger Smoothie

This smoothie is fruity and creamy with a small amount of fresh ginger in the background. The ginger should add a little warmth and freshness without overpowering the apricots. It is a good choice when you want something a little different from the usual berry or mango smoothie.

Ingredients

• 3 ripe apricots, pitted and chopped
• 1/2 banana
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
• 3/4 cup ice cubes

How to make it: Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until completely smooth. Taste before adding more ginger, since fresh ginger can become quite strong. For a thicker smoothie, use frozen banana or add a few more ice cubes.

2. Recipe: Honeydew Lime Smoothie

Honeydew melon makes this smoothie light, juicy, and naturally refreshing. Lime adds enough acidity to keep the flavor from becoming too mild, while coconut water gives it a clean, summery finish.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups honeydew melon, cubed
• 1/2 banana
• 3/4 cup coconut water
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 3/4 cup ice cubes

How to make it: Blend the honeydew, banana, coconut water, lime juice, and ice until smooth and frosty. Serve it immediately while it is still cold. Add another splash of coconut water if your melon is very firm or your blender needs more liquid.

3. Recipe: Plum Vanilla Smoothie

Ripe plums are excellent in smoothies but do not seem to get nearly as much attention as berries or peaches. Their sweet-tart flavor works especially well with vanilla and creamy oat milk. The color will vary depending on the plums you use, which makes every batch look slightly different.

Ingredients

• 2 ripe plums, pitted and chopped
• 1/2 banana
• 1 cup unsweetened oat milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup ice cubes

How to make it: Place everything in a blender and blend until creamy. If your plums are particularly tart, let the banana provide the sweetness before deciding whether the recipe needs any adjustment. You can leave the plum skins on as long as they are washed well and your blender can process them smoothly.

4. Recipe: Grapefruit Strawberry Smoothie

This is the brightest and slightly more tart recipe in the group. Strawberries soften grapefruit’s sharper flavor, while banana gives the smoothie enough sweetness and body to keep it balanced. It is refreshing rather than dessert-like, making it a nice option when very sweet smoothies are not what you are craving.

Ingredients

• 1/2 pink grapefruit, peeled and segmented
• 1 cup strawberries
• 1/2 banana
• 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 3/4 cup ice cubes

How to make it: Remove as much of the bitter white grapefruit pith as possible. Add the grapefruit, strawberries, banana, almond milk, and ice to a blender and blend thoroughly. Taste the smoothie before serving. Grapefruits vary in sweetness, so each batch may be slightly different.

5. Recipe: Papaya Coconut Smoothie

Papaya has a mild tropical flavor and a naturally soft texture, so it blends especially well without needing a long list of ingredients. Coconut water keeps this version lighter than a smoothie made with canned coconut milk. A little lime juice brings the flavors together and prevents the smoothie from tasting flat.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups ripe papaya, peeled, seeded, and cubed
• 1/2 banana
• 3/4 cup coconut water
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 3/4 cup ice cubes

How to make it: Blend all ingredients until smooth and chilled. Ripe papaya should blend very easily, so this recipe usually takes less than a minute. Serve it right away, as the flavor and texture are best when freshly blended.

6. Recipe: Nectarine Oat Smoothie

This smoothie is slightly more substantial than the others, making it a good option for breakfast. Nectarine provides fresh summer flavor, while rolled oats add body without making the recipe overly heavy. There is no need to soak the oats first if you have a reasonably powerful blender.

Ingredients

• 1 ripe nectarine, pitted and chopped
• 1/2 banana
• 1/4 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup unsweetened oat milk
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup ice cubes

How to make it: Add the oat milk and rolled oats to the blender first, followed by the nectarine, banana, cinnamon, and ice. Blend until the oats are fully broken down and the smoothie is creamy. Let it sit for one or two minutes if you prefer a slightly thicker consistency.

7. Recipe: Pear Blackberry Smoothie

Sweet pear and tart blackberries create a smoothie that is fruity but not overly sugary. Pear also adds a soft texture that works surprisingly well with berries. The blackberry seeds may remain slightly noticeable depending on your blender, but I personally do not mind the extra texture.

Ingredients

• 1 ripe pear, cored and chopped
• 3/4 cup blackberries
• 1/2 banana
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 3/4 cup ice cubes

How to make it: Blend all ingredients until smooth. A ripe, juicy pear will blend more easily and provide better natural sweetness than a firm one. For a colder, thicker result, use frozen blackberries and reduce the ice slightly.

How To Make Your Summer Smoothies Taste Better

Most smoothies are easy to prepare, but a few small details can noticeably improve the final texture.

• Add the Liquid First: Pour almond milk, oat milk, or coconut water into the blender before adding the fruit. This helps the blades move more easily and reduces the chance of ingredients becoming stuck.
• Add Soft Ingredients Next: Bananas, ripe peaches, papaya, melon, and other soft fruits should go in after the liquid.
• Add Frozen Fruit and Ice Last: Heavier frozen ingredients on top help push everything toward the blades once blending begins. Start at a low speed for a few seconds and then increase to high speed until the mixture looks smooth.
• Add More Liquid Gradually: It is easy to make a smoothie thinner, but difficult to make it thick again. Start with the amount listed in the recipe and add more liquid one tablespoon at a time only when necessary.
• Serve Smoothies Fresh: Smoothies usually taste and look best immediately after blending. If they sit for a while, separation is normal. Stir or shake the drink before serving.

Ingredients tips

• Fresh or Frozen Fruit work both well, but they produce slightly different results. Fresh fruit creates a lighter smoothie and is useful when seasonal fruit is ripe and flavorful. Frozen fruit makes a smoothie thicker, colder, and often creamier. A combination of fresh and frozen fruit usually gives the best balance.
• Ice makes smoothies obviously colder but can also dilute their flavor. When using plenty of frozen fruit, you may need less ice than the recipe suggests.
• Unsweetened almond milk has a light, neutral flavor. It works well in smoothies where you want the fruit to remain the main focus.
• Oat milk is naturally creamier and slightly sweeter than almond milk. It pairs particularly well with plums, nectarines, oats, vanilla, and cinnamon.
• Coconut water creates a lighter and more refreshing drink than plant milk. It works especially well with melon, papaya, pineapple, mango, cucumber, and lime.
• Banana adds sweetness and creates a creamy texture. Most of these recipes use only half a banana so that it does not hide the flavor of the main fruit.

Easy Smoothie Variations

These recipes are flexible, so you can adjust them based on what you have at home or how you prefer them.

Make It Creamier

Try adding:

• 1/4 avocado
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
• Additional frozen banana
• A small amount of coconut milk

Add More Protein

Add one of the following:

• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder of your choice
• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup cottage cheese
• 1 tablespoon nut butter

Keep in mind that protein powder and dairy ingredients can noticeably change the taste and texture.

Add More Freshness

For a brighter flavor, add:

• Fresh lime juice
• Fresh lemon juice
• A few mint leaves
• A small piece of fresh ginger

Start with a small quantity. Citrus, mint, and ginger can quickly become dominant.

Turn It Into a Green Smoothie

Add one small handful of baby spinach. Spinach has a relatively mild flavor, but it will change the color of lighter smoothies.