Easy Matcha Protein Shake (healthy, dairy free)

A delicious and nutritious matcha protein shake to keep you energized all morning or afternoon long! Made with matcha, banana, spinach, and protein powder. This recipe takes a few minutes to make, perfect for a busy, well-fueled and productive day ahead.

❤️ Why you’ll love this protein shake

Smoothies are easily one of the best ways to pack in SO much nutritional value that’s quick, simple, and able to be enjoyed literally any time of the day. Enjoy one as a snack or a meal, take your pick!

Protein shakes were one of the first things I started adding to my diet when I began exploring my own health and wellness journey, and we’re still going strong today! With a whole bunch of goodness in just one cup, this matcha protein shake will give you a sustained, calm energy, making it perfect for busy mornings or as an afternoon pick me up.

Rich in antioxidants, this superfood smoothie is also packed with elements that will help fight inflammation, improve memory, prevent cancer, reduce stress and anxiety. Get your mood and energy boost using the recipe below!

Jump to:

• 📋 Key Ingredients
• 📖 How to make the best matcha protein shake
• 🥣 Substitutions
• 💭 FAQ
• Pro Tip
• More recipes you’ll love!
• Matcha Protein Shake

📋 Key Ingredients

• Matcha – This ingredient is everywhere now, and for good reason. It’s a Japanese green tea that’s ground into powdered form. It’s vibrant, slightly bitter, and oh so delicious. It contains more caffeine than your regular green tea, but not as much as a cup of coffee, so you won’t get that buzzy feeling. With it’s high amount of antioxidants, this ingredient can actually help boost your metabolism, lower blood pressure, and reduce your risk of heart disease. Make sure you pick up a high-grade ceremonial matcha to keep you feeling focused and energized while still calm and centered.
• Frozen Banana – Just one frozen banana will help make the smoothie creamy, while also providing a bit of natural sweetness. If you aren’t into banana, please check out the substitutions below for some alternatives!
• Spinach – A handful of spinach will go completely undetected in your smoothies as they have a very mild flavor when blended up.
• Protein Powder– Totally optional, but this ingredient is what will not only make this recipe much more filling, but also help stabilize blood sugar levels, fuel your muscles, and boost your metabolism. I love a good vanilla plant-based protein powder in smoothies, but use whatever you have on hand.

📖 How to make the best matcha protein shake

Add all ingredients to a high speed blender and blend until completely smooth.

Feel free to add more liquid depending on your desired consistency, same with adjusting flavors or sweetness based on preference. Pour into glass & enjoy!

Note: If you don’t have a high-speed blender then no worries! You may want to blend the liquid and spinach together first before you add any of the other ingredients, just to make sure that gets broken down all the way.

🥣 Substitutions

There’s just a few substitutions that we can make to this smoothie, while still keeping that main ingredient of matcha as the core flavor.

• Banana – I know many either don’t like or can’t have bananas in their diet, so please feel free to omit this ingredient and replace it with more frozen cauliflower, frozen mango, greek yogurt, or even just an extra handful of ice or two. Keep mindful that the smoothies consistency might change, as banana helps give it that creaminess. You may also have to add or adjust the level of sweetness depending on which option you chose.
• Spinach – Any leafy green would work great for this recipe, particularly romaine, as it has a very mild taste. I would maybe stray from using kale, as that flavor is a bit stronger and would shift the flavor of this smoothie into a very “green” tasting smoothie.
• Sweetener – As this smoothie is a bit earthier than many others, a little sweetener of choice would be a good addition. I prefer to use monk fruit sweetener, as it keeps the sugar content to a minimum. However, a date, maple syrup, or honey would taste delicious!
• Protein Powder – If you’re not the biggest fan of protein powders, replacing this ingredient with hemp hearts, chia seeds, or greek yogurt would work well.

💭 FAQ

Should I use fresh or frozen fruit?

Both! Either! All of it! I like to keep frozen bananas and riced cauliflower on hand to make smoothies anytime, as they really are such a good base. The spinach and any other fruit or veggie can be fresh or frozen, just keep in mind the liquid amounts will need to be adjusted depending on how much of the ingredients are fresh vs frozen.

Does it keep well?

I’d recommend enjoying your smoothie right away for the best taste and texture. However, you can absolutely prep this smoothie ahead of time and it will keep in the fridge for about 24 hours. Or, alternatively, you could distribute the smoothie into an ice cube tray and blend it up again another time when you’re ready for an even quicker smoothie on-the-go.

Do I need a high speed blender?

Nope! You don’t need anything fancy to make a delicious smoothie. A high-speed blender is great, but a regular blender or even food processor would work great. If you don’t have a high speed blender, I’d advise to blend any leafy greens with liquids first, so that those ingredients are broken down completely before you add any other ingredient.

Pro Tip

If you want to make your meal prep for the week a whole lot easier, you can add all of the ingredients for this smoothie in a reusable ziplock bag, placing in the fridge or freezer. Then, just grab a bag and toss into the blender with your liquid and ice in the morning and you’re good to go!

More recipes you’ll love!

• Gut Healing Green Smoothie
• Creamsicle Protein Shake
• Carrot Cake Protein Balls
• Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
• Mini Mango Cheesecakes

Lastly, if you want more recipes straight to your inbox, be sure to subscribe to my email list! As always, if you make this recipe, be sure to tag me on instagram so I can see your creation!