Dragon Fruit Smoothie

Jump to:

• What is Dragon Fruit?
• Why You'll Love This Dragon Fruit Smoothie
• Ingredients
• Variations and Substitutions
• Step-by-Step Instructions
• Tips & Tricks!
• Serving and Storing
• FAQs
• Other Tropical Smoothie Recipes
• 📖 Recipe

What is Dragon Fruit?

Dragon fruit (also called a pitaya) is a delicious summer fruit grown on certain species of cactus in Central America, mainly in Mexico, Costa Rica, and El Salvador. It has a very mild flavor, similar to kiwi or pear, with a hint of citrus. It goes really well with fruits like passion fruit, mango, or pineapple.

The flesh of a pitaya can be either white or various shades of pink and purple. They all look very similar on the outside, so if you're going for the pink one, it's always best to ask which one it is at the store. You can also usually find it in a puree form in the freezer section of most grocery stores.

Why You'll Love This Dragon Fruit Smoothie

Perfect summer smoothie - Nothing says summer better than a refreshing fruity smoothie made with all the tropical flavors! This smoothie really is as delicious as it is beautiful! The dragon fruit gives it a bright purple color, and pineapple, mango, and passion fruit add lots of additional flavor.

Light and refreshing - You can serve the smoothie as a snack, freeze it into popsicles, or add some protein powder and enjoy it as a refreshing breakfast!

Easy to make - Smoothies are always incredibly easy to make, and this one is no different! It's ready in minutes and so simple.

Ingredients

• Pink dragon fruit - If you're using fresh dragon fruit, make sure you're getting the pink dragon fruit with bright fuchsia flesh, not the one with white flesh. Frozen dragon fruit puree packets can be found in the frozen fruits section at some grocery stores. I like the ones by the Pitaya Food brand. Always look for 100% pitaya with no added sugar. You can also freeze your own dragon fruit if you can't find the packets.
• Pineapple, mango, and passion fruit - Dragon fruit goes really well with all of these, so the recipe calls for a combination of all of them for the best tropical flavor! You can add one or all three, depending on what you have. I highly recommend frozen passion fruit puree if you can find it; it's so easy to use and has no seeds!
• Banana - Frozen banana makes this smoothie creamy and thick. You can skip the banana, but it won't be as creamy.
• Coconut water - Coconut water is packed with electrolytes, nutrients, and antioxidants. It makes the perfect addition to any smoothie! Always choose coconut water that's processed as little as possible. The less it's processed, the more nutrients it will have and the better it will taste.
• Protein powder - Any protein powder you like works here. I like using an unflavored one so that it doesn't overpower the flavor of the fruits, but vanilla protein powder is also great! Sprouts Living is my go-to brand.
• Green powder - This is optional, but to add some extra nutrients, you can add your favorite powdered greens. It's a good way to add some extra veggies into your diet without really noticing it and having to eat a big salad! Be careful not to add too much so it doesn't change the color of the smoothie.

Variations and Substitutions

• Berries - Raspberries would go really well with all the other flavors here and they'll match the beautiful color of the pitaya!
• Orange juice - You can add freshly squeezed orange juice instead of coconut water or add a little bit of both. Orange juice would add delicious tartness and sweetness to the smoothie.
• Milk - If you want to make the smoothie creamier and add some healthy fats, try adding boxed coconut milk, almond milk, or oat milk instead of the coconut water. Coconut meat from a young Thai coconut would also be really delicious here, and it would help thicken up the smoothie.
• Yogurt - Thick full-fat Greek yogurt adds tang and probiotics, and it makes the smoothie extra creamy.
• Chia, flax, or hemp seeds - I like adding hemp hearts (shelled hemp seed), chia seeds, or ground flax seeds to my smoothies to up the proteins and healthy fats. Flax and hemp seeds add a nutty flavor, and chia seeds absorb water and help thicken the smoothie.
• Sweetener - If you like, you can add a little bit of honey, agave, or maple syrup for some added sweetness.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Add all ingredients to a high-speed blender. I recommend adding the coconut water first to make everything easier to blend.
2. Blend on high and add more coconut water as needed.
3. Serve immediately in a tall glass or a bowl topped with fruits, nuts, seeds, or granola, and enjoy!

Serving and Storing

This smoothie is thin enough to be served in a tall glass with a straw, but you can also serve it as a smoothie bowl with your favorite toppings. If you're serving it in a bowl, I recommend adding less liquid to make the smoothie thicker so it can hold all your toppings.

Smoothie bowl toppings: Berries, nut butter, yogurt, chia seeds, hemp seeds, cacao nibs, cinnamon, or more diced dragon fruit!

Refrigerator: This smoothie is best served right away, but you can store any leftovers in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to 24 hours if necessary. Try to leave as little space in the jar as possible. The less air there is, the longer the smoothie will last.

Freezer: Alternatively, you can freeze your leftover smoothie into popsicles! Just pour the smoothie into popsicle molds, insert popsicle sticks, and transfer to the freezer for at least 6-8 hours.

FAQs

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📖 Recipe