This Tropical Blood Orange Smoothie might be my absolute favorite smoothie yet! The blood orange juice goes perfectly with the tropical flavors of the pineapples and bananas to create a delicious and creamy smoothie!
What Are Blood Oranges?
A Blood orange is a citrus fruit that is part of the orange family. Its name comes from its dark red flesh color that sometimes varies from a pinkish-red to a “blood” reddish color. The red pigment in blood oranges come from what is called ‘Anthocyanins.’ Anthocyanins are a type of antioxidants. Antioxidants are known to help protect your body from free radicals and can help fight off chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer. Blood oranges are mostly available during the winter season from December through April.
Do Blood Oranges Taste Like Regular Oranges?
The gorgeous dark red color of the inside of a blood orange immediately makes you wonder if blood oranges taste like regular oranges. Well the short answer is yes. For the most part, blood oranges taste just like regular oranges, but they do have a slightly tart and unique taste. In my opinion they're slightly sweeter than a navel orange, but not as sweet as a tangerine. Regardless, I always try to grab these beauties when they're in season!
Blood Orange Smoothie Ingredients
- Blood Oranges - You can find blood oranges at most grocery stores in the produce section, but they are most available when they are in season during the winter months.
- Frozen Pineapple - Frozen pineapple tastes so good in this smoothie! You can also purchase fresh pineapple, chop it up and freeze it ahead of time to use in your smoothie!
- Banana - Frozen bananas work best as it gives the smoothie a thick, creamy consistency. Just peel your banana ahead of time, cut it in half and lay it in a single layer on a plate. Freeze in your freezer for about 3 hours. Then transfer the frozen banana from the plate to a freezer safe bag or air-tight container.
- Plain or Vanilla Yogurt - Adding a little bit of yogurt to this smoothie helps give the smoothie a really smooth consistency. I use vanilla dairy-free yogurt in mine.
- Almond milk - Almond milk goes perfectly with this smoothie but feel free to use regular whole milk or any plant-based milk you prefer. I also prefer using the vanilla flavored almond milk in my smoothies.
- Hemp seeds (optional) - Smoothies are a great way to sneak in extra plant-based protein such as ground flaxseeds, chia seeds or hemp seeds. You can also add your favorite protein powder to this smoothie as well. You can check out this article from Healthline for more info on the health benefits of Hemp Seeds!
Smoothie Tips
- Use frozen fruit for your smoothies to give you the perfect smoothie texture without having to use ice. Ice can sometimes water down your smoothie. So whenever you have the opportunity, always opt for frozen fruit. In this particular recipe, there isn't a lot of frozen fruit so a little bit of ice works well!
- Add your liquid first. Always add your liquid first to the blender when making a smoothie. This not only protects the blades in your blender but it also helps the ingredients to blend easier.
- Sweeteners. Try to stay away from adding regular sugar to your smoothie. Use natural sweeteners instead like honey, maple syrup or dates instead. Luckily, you don't need any extra sweetener for this one!
More Easy Smoothie Recipes
- Blood Orange Mixed Berry Smoothie
- Blueberry Spinach Smoothie
- Avocado Pineapple Smoothie
- Strawberry Spinach Green Smoothie
- Matcha Green Smoothie
WATCH ME MAKE IT HERE
Tropical Blood Orange Smoothie
Ingredients
- 2 Blood Oranges peeled & seeds removed
- ½ cup vanilla almond milk
- 1 cup frozen pineapple
- ½ frozen banana
- ⅓ cup greek yogurt plain or vanilla
- ½ cup ice
- 2 teaspoons hemp seeds optional
Instructions
- Add all ingredients in the order listed to your blender. You can juice your blood oranges if you prefer. But I often find it easier to just peel them, remove any seeds, then add the orange segments to my blender.
- Blend until smooth and enjoy!
Denise Furdge says
I absolutely love the blood orange smoothie. It satisfies my sugar cravings and is filling.
Marsha says
Yes! It's definitely one of my favorites too. Thanks Denise 🙂