Creamy Watermelon Smoothie

This easy watermelon smoothie is the ultimate refreshing summer drink—with only 5 simple ingredients! Frozen watermelon, strawberries, banana, & yogurt, blended into a deliciously creamy breakfast smoothie.

I loved chomping on fresh watermelon by the pool as a kid, and this strawberry watermelon smoothie is like a sippable version of that feeling. It’s a perfect simple smoothie for kids, or add some fresh mint to make a summer mocktail for adults! I’ve always enjoyed watermelon in drinks, but I never thought watermelon could work in smoothies—until now.

Is watermelon good in smoothies?

Watermelon is over 90% water—which is great for making watermelon juice or watermelon lemonade, but it can make smoothies thin & watery. In my experience, the secret to a creamy watermelon smoothie is to use frozen watermelon, and combine it with other frozen fruits! The more frozen fruit you use, the creamier it will be.

What fruit goes well with watermelon?

In smoothies, I think watermelon pairs best with strawberry & banana. Both strawberry & banana have sweet, relatively ‘neutral’ flavors that complement the watermelon without overshadowing it—so your watermelon smoothie still tastes like actual watermelon!

Watermelon also pairs well with other sweet fruits like blueberries, raspberries, mango, pineapple, & kiwi, but these tend to have stronger flavors that can overpower the watermelon. It all depends on your preference—feel free to experiment!

Healthy Watermelon Smoothie Ingredients

• Watermelon. You can use fresh or frozen watermelon—just be sure to use ripe melon for the best, sweetest flavor! A frozen watermelon smoothie will have the creamiest texture, so I recommend freezing some leftover watermelon for this recipe. But even if you use fresh watermelon, the other frozen fruit in this recipe will help thicken it up.
• Frozen Strawberries. This is the best ‘neutral’ red fruit that lets the watermelon’s flavor shine through! If you want a substitute, frozen raspberries could work—although their tangy flavor will be more noticeable. Or try making a watermelon and dragon fruit smoothie with pink dragon fruit!
• Frozen Banana. A key ingredient to thicken up your breakfast smoothie & add natural sweetness. Frozen watermelon & strawberries on their own can have more of an icy, fruit slushie texture, but a banana watermelon smoothie will turn out lusciously creamy. For a substitute, try frozen mango or pineapple (although, again, their flavor will be more noticeable).
• Vanilla Greek Yogurt. Instead of adding sugar, I used sweetened vanilla Greek yogurt to add sweetness, flavor, & creaminess all-in-one! Of course, you can make your own watermelon yogurt smoothie with any yogurt you want—sweetened or unsweetened, dairy or nondairy.
• Milk of Choice. I used unsweetened almond milk, but you can use any milk you like (dairy or nondairy). Or you can use a different liquid, like plain water or coconut water.

Optional Additions

• Fresh Mint Leaves. Add a sprig to your smoothie as a garnish, or add a handful of mint leaves into the blender to make a watermelon mint smoothie by !
• Sweetener. If you’re using unsweetened yogurt (or if your smoothie doesn’t taste as sweet as you’d like), feel free to add any sweetener you prefer: sugar, honey, maple syrup, stevia, etc. Start with 1-2 tsp and sweeten to taste.

How to Freeze Watermelon for Smoothies

Frozen watermelon isn’t common in most grocery stores, but freezing watermelon for smoothies is so easy! Just cut fresh watermelon into medium cubes (1-2”) and add it to a freezer-safe bag, removing as much air as possible before sealing it. Spread the watermelon out in a single layer to reduce clumping, then freeze overnight.

How to Make a Watermelon Smoothie

1. Freeze watermelon in a freezer-safe bag overnight, or for at least a few hours, until firm.
2. Add all ingredients to a blender: frozen watermelon, frozen strawberries, a frozen banana, yogurt, and milk (or water). You can add optional sweetener if you’d like, or add a handful of fresh mint leaves for a watermelon mint smoothie!
3. Blend until it’s smooth & creamy.
4. Serve your healthy smoothie with a straw & garnished with a sprig of fresh mint.

Can I use fresh watermelon instead of frozen?

I you want to make a fresh watermelon smoothie instead of frozen, start with less or no liquid at first—add just a splash if needed to help it blend. Also, make sure the rest of the fruit you’re using is frozen (both the strawberries & banana) to balance out the watermelon’s high water content.

For Endless Easy Breakfast Smoothies:

I designed this easy watermelon smoothie as a customizable base recipe, so you can swap out the watermelon for any frozen fruit you want. Turn it into a creamy peach smoothie, a simple blueberry smoothie, or whatever you’d like! All you need is frozen fruit, a frozen banana, yogurt, & milk.