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This chia smoothie with berries is as simple and simply fabulous as it gets. Clean flavor profile, perfect texture, and micronutrients galore. Don’t miss it.
Why we love this recipe
Chia seeds make an amenable smoothie ingredient. They have a nice, neutral flavor profile that lets other ingredients shine. They’re packed with alpha-linolenic acid, fiber, antioxidants, and protein. And they have a natural thickening power that can help create a great smoothie texture when you know how to use them.
This chia seed smoothie is:
- Bursting with lovely berry flavors (though you can use any frozen fruits you like)
- Just the right amount thick and creamy
- Gently sweet
- Quick and easy to make from ingredients that are easy to keep on hand
I first published a version of this recipe here back in 2018. I’ve since updated the post for clarity and made changes to the recipe itself.
What you’ll need
Here’s a glance at the ingredients you’ll need to make this recipe.
- A generous amount of frozen fruit forms the base of this delicious smoothie. Here I’ve used frozen raspberries and frozen strawberries, but you can actually make this smoothie with any combination of frozen fruits that you like.
- Chia seeds, in just the right proportion, add substance to this smoothie in terms of both texture and nutrition. You don’t have to soak them first, but you can if you want — there’s more information in the FAQ section below.
- I love using a little bit of natural peanut butter for flavor, creaminess, and staying power. If PB doesn’t work for you for any reason, you can: substitute another nut or seed butter, use two tablespoons of raw oats or cooked oatmeal, or substitute a rich plant-based milk like soy milk for the water.
- When making smoothies with tart berries like raspberries, I typically add a tablespoon of jam to take the edge off and layer in a touch of additional sweetness. You can leave it out if you prefer, with no further changes to the recipe. If using different fruits, you can match the jam flavor if you like. I almost always keep a jar of raspberry jam and a jar or apricot preserves in the fridge for various culinary applications. One or the other is usually a good fit in a smoothie.
Smoothie resources
- Want to level up your smoothie game? Here’s my epic post with everything you need to know get started and to take your smoothies to the next level.
- Prefer to have a little help? I recommend SmoothieBox. Read my review or buy now with discount code UMAMIGIRL for $35 off your first box.
- And here are my recommended products: Vitamix 5200, cacao nibs, ground flax seed, chia seed, and maca powder.
A note on nutrition
I’ve noticed over the years that people searching for smoothie recipes tend to have strong feelings about nutrition, and sometimes to assume that their personal preferences are more universal than they are.
The smoothies on Umami Girl are delicious, generally pretty good for ya, and always presented with nutritional data. They’re also very flexible — so if your nutritional needs are different, feel free to tweak the recipes. Some easy changes include:
- Swapping in different liquids
- Adding your favorite protein powder
- Removing higher-sugar ingredients like dates or jam
How to make it
Here’s an overview of what you’ll do to make a great chia smoothie. You can see the steps in action in the video that accompanies this post, and get all the details in the recipe card below.
- Add the berries to the blender.
- Add the chia seeds, along with the rest of the ingredients.
- Position the lid and blend on high speed until perfectly smooth and creamy.
- Pour into a glass and serve right away.
Expert tips and FAQs
It’s up to you. Like all seeds, nuts, and legumes, chia seeds contain phytic acid, which can bind with some nutrients and make them less bioavailable. Soaking the seeds in the fridge for 24 hours before consuming helps remove it. But you absolutely don’t have to, and I typically don’t. From a culinary perspective, the seeds will do just fine in your smoothie as-is.
A high-speed blender like a Vitamix or Blendtec makes so many kitchen tasks easier and better, but you absolutely don’t need one to make a basic smoothie like this one.
If you’re using a regular blender, you may want to blend in two steps. You can add the water and chia seeds first and blend until the seed are incorporated to your satisfaction. Then add the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth.
All smoothies are at their best shortly after blending, and here, the chia seeds will continue to absorb liquid and thicken the smoothie over time. But if you need to make yours in advance, you’ve got a couple of options. Store it in a regular cup in the freezer for up to an hour or in an insulated, lidded cup in the fridge overnight.
More favorite smoothies
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Chia Seed Smoothie
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup (140 grams) frozen raspberries
- 1 cup (140 grams) frozen strawberries
- 1 tablespoon (15 grams) chia seeds
- 1 tablespoon (16 grams) peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon (20 grams) raspberry jam
- 1 cup (237 ml) cold water
Instructions
- Place all ingredients into the jar of a blender.
- Blend on high speed until perfectly smooth.
- Pour into a glass and serve right away.
Notes
- A generous amount of frozen fruit forms the base of this delicious smoothie. Here I've used frozen raspberries and frozen strawberries, but you can actually make this smoothie with any combination of frozen fruits that you like.
- I love using a little bit of natural peanut butter for flavor, creaminess, and staying power. If PB doesn't work for you for any reason, you can: substitute another nut or seed butter, use two tablespoons of raw oats or cooked oatmeal, or substitute a rich plant-based milk like soy milk for the water.
- When making smoothies with tart berries like raspberries, I typically add a tablespoon of jam to take the edge off and layer in a touch of additional sweetness. You can leave it out if you prefer, with no further changes to the recipe. If using different fruits, you can match the jam flavor if you like. I almost always keep a jar of raspberry jam and a jar or apricot preserves in the fridge for various culinary applications. One or the other is usually a good fit in a smoothie.
- It's up to you whether to soak chia seeds before using them. Like all seeds, nuts, and legumes, chia seeds contain phytic acid, which can bind with some nutrients and make them less bioavailable. Soaking the seeds in the fridge for 24 hours before consuming helps remove it. But you absolutely don't have to, and I typically don't. From a culinary perspective, the seeds will do just fine in your smoothie as-is.A high-speed blender like a Vitamix or Blendtec makes so many kitchen tasks easier and better, but you absolutely don't need one to make a basic smoothie like this one.
- If you're using a regular blender, you may want to blend in two steps. You can add the water and chia seeds first and blend until the seed are incorporated to your satisfaction. Then add the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth.
- All smoothies are at their best shortly after blending, and here, the chia seeds will continue to absorb liquid and thicken the smoothie over time. But if you need to make yours in advance, you've got a couple of options. Store it in a regular cup in the freezer for up to an hour or in an insulated, lidded cup in the fridge overnight.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hungry for more?
Subscribe to Umami Girl’s email updates, and follow along on Instagram.
Hi iam going to try my smoothie tomorrow morning. Thank you for answering important questions I had. I want to keep up with you. You are the best. Maria