How To Add Protein To Smoothies (15 Ways!)
Wondering how to add protein to smoothies beyond just protein powder? There are plenty of protein containing foods and nutritious ingredients you can reach for as well and here are a dietitians top 15 recommendations!
Smoothies are an easy and enticing way to get a serving of colorful foods into your diet.
With that serving of colorful foods tends to come a higher carbohydrate load… not a bad thing, but it’s one we want to balance out with other macronutrients so that our smoothie can keep us full and satisfied.
Hey, I’m Lauren! I’m a registered dietitian and I’m on a mission to make healthy eating feel simple, enjoyable, and achievable for you. A key part of this mission is help you stay fuller or longer by focusing on key nutrients we need more of… like protein.
Adding protein to smoothies doesn’t need to be complicated and it also doesn’t need to mean protein powder if you don’t want it to. While protein powder is one great option to reach for, there are plenty of other foods and ingredients you can add as well. In todays round up, I’m giving you 15 ways to add protein to your smoothie!
Do you need to add protein to a smoothie?
Short answer? No, you don’t NEED to… not every meal and snack will be perfectly balanced all the time. We want to focus on what we do majority of the time and that is to build up balanced meals and snacks with adequate protein as often as you can.
Long answer? As a dietitian, I would recommend adding protein to your smoothie because it will keep you fuller, can add other nutrients that the fruits and vegetables do not contain, and will help you reach your daily protein goals. Plus, it can be VERY easy to do.
Fruits and vegetables are filled with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and fiber filled carbohydrates. That said, blending fruit and vegetables concentrates them down, allowing us to fit more into the blender than we would generally eat one our plate. This is a great way to eat more color but also an easy way to build a very high carbohydrate meal or snack.
I always recommend taking the “what can I add” approach to meals and plants. Looking at a food label of a smoothie, you would likely see alot of carbohydrates and not alot of protein or fat. To balance it, we need to ADD foods that fill that void and I like to specifically focus in on protein here and here are 15 ways to do that:
15 ways to add protein to a smoothie:
1) Protein Powder
Alright I know we said no protein powder but protein powder is likely the most common (and easiest) way to add protein and flavor to a smoothie. Beyond that, blending in protein powder enhances the mouthfeel of a smoothie and often results in a thicker and creamier smoothie (depending on the protein powder you use!)
5 tips to make a creamier smoothie
If you want to make a thick and creamy smoothie then check out this blog with 5 tips that will give you spoon worthy smoothies!
Adding anywhere from 10 to 30 grams of protein, protein powders come in many different varieties and flavors. I generally use a whey protein powder but plant based, clear protein powder, and even egg white protein powders are also common.
2) Collagen
Collagen is a structural protein that is found within our body. Collagen is naturally found in animal foods but you can also supplement with powdered collagen rising in popularity and now is blended into everything from smoothies to coffee.
While research is lacking overall, many people prefer to blend collagen into their smoothies instead of general protein powder because of collagen supplements purported health benefits including youthful skin, hair health, and joint health. Just one scoop of collagen powder can add around 18 grams of protein.
3) Milk (or another high protein liquid)
Another simple way to add protein to smoothies is simply by selecting a higher protein liquid content. While blending your smoothie with juice or almond milk can add flavor or minimize calories, those liquids do not contain a significant amount of protein.
Instead, choose a liquid that naturally contains protein that will balance out the smoothies carbohydrates and kep you fuller for longer. Here are a few liquids to try:
Milk= 8 grams of protein per 8oz
Fairlife milk= 13 grams of protein per 8oz (plus it’s lactose free!)
Soy milk= 8 grams of protein per 8oz
Pea milk (like ripple)= 8 grams of protein per 8 oz
4) Ready to drink protein shakes
Think CorePower, Premier Protein, and Owyn. These are more examples of a high protein liquid that can help you build up a balanced protein smoothie.
Similar to protein powder, ready to drink protein shakes are very concentrated forms of protein adding almost 30 grams of protein plus a variety of flavors. This could be an easy way to make a protein smoothie for weight loss as these shakes are high in protein but low in calorie.
5) Cottage cheese
Cottage cheese is a sneaky way to add protein to smoothies masked in a creamy flavor. In fact, adding just ½ a cup of cottage cheese can add over 15 grams of protein.
While you may feel that the texture of cottage cheese wouldn’t make it smoothie friendly, blending cottage cheese results in a smooth and creamy texture similar to yogurt without the tangy flavor. A cottage cheese fruit smoothie, like my peaches and cream smoothie, is a delicious and balanced way to enjoy a protein packed smoothie!
Peaches and Cream Cottage Cheese Smoothie
This peaches and cream cottage cheese smoothie is full of zesty lemon flavors, sweet peaches, and packs a cottage cheese protein punch. It’s the perfect smoothie for summer!
6) Greek yogurt
Speaking of tangy flavor, greek yogurt is another delicious and nutritious way to add protein to smoothies. Adding ¾ cup of greek yogurt can add 20 grams of protein as well as calcium, vitamin D, and gut healthy probiotics.
Greek yogurt is offered in a variety of flavors that can be selected based on the smoothie you are making: a strawberry yogurt for a strawberry banana smoothie, vanilla yogurt for a banana smoothie, or key lime yogurt for a zesty lemon smoothie!
7) Kefir
Kefir is another protein rich liquid that you could add to your smoothies. Just one cup of Kefir will add about 10 grams of protein! Beyond its protein content, kefir is also completely lactose free and will also add tons of gut healthy probiotics.
With it’s live and active cultures, Kefir does add a tangy flavor to a smoothie and I find it goes best in a berry smoothie or this probiotic coffee and banana smoothie.
Coffee & Banana Probiotic Smoothie
This gut healthy coffee and banana probiotic smoothie is loaded with delicious flavors and gut healthy bacteria that support your health, digestive regularity, and support your immunity.
8) Silken Tofu
If you were looking for dairy-free ways to add protein to smoothies then silken tofu could be one component that you consider. With a texture similar to yogurt, silken tofu blends easily and smoothly into smoothies without adding a lot of flavor.
The serving size for silken tofu is around 3 oz and will add about 4 grams of dairy-free protein to your smoothie!
9) Chia seeds
Chia seeds are a nutrient dense seed that can be seamlessly incorporated into tons of recipes, including smoothies. Chia seeds are rich in protein, fiber, and healthy fats that can balance out your smoothie macronutrients.
Adding one tablespoon of chia seeds will add about 3 grams of protein and a healthy dose of omega-3 fatty acids. Beyond that, it will also add 4.5 grams of fiber which can help you build a high fiber smoothie as well.
*If you’re interested in learning about chia seeds or including more of them in your diet, check out these posts!
10) Hemp Hearts
Hemp hearts, which are shelled hemp seeds, are probably one of the easiest ways to sprinkle a boost of protein onto your meal or snack. With 10 grams of protein and 12 grams of essential fats (omega 3 and omega 6) per serving, hemp hearts can be added to recipes like smoothies, toast, yogurt bowls, and salads.
Hemp hearts do have more of a sprouted flavor than chia seeds or flax seeds do but I find that they pair well with peanut butter smoothies, green smoothies, and berry smoothies.
11) Nut butters (or PBFit)
While not a super concentrated source of protein, adding nut butters is another way to add a few grams of protein to your smoothie plus some delicious flavor. Adding nut butters like peanut butter, almond butter, and walnut butter will also add healthy fats and small boost of fiber!
Beyond that, another quality of nut butters is that they have a higher fat and higher calorie content which could be useful if you want to build a high protein smoothie for weight gain!
If you want to build a high protein smoothie for weightloss, swapping the nut butter out for a lower calorie PBFit will retain the protein but lower the calories. In fact, adding 2 tbsp of PBfit will add 8 grams of protein to your smoothie and just 60 calories!
12) Edamame
Want a high protein green smoothie? Then edamame could be an ingredient to reach for! Soy foods like edamame (and the silken tofu mentioned above) are plant-based sources of complete protein that can help you reach your protein goal.
⅔ cup of frozen, prepared edamame will add about 5 grams of fiber, 12 grams of protein, disease fighting isoflavones, as well as another serving of colorful foods! The key to incorporating edamame into a smoothie well is to make sure you add enough liquid and blend it enough to avoid a grainy texture.
Want to try it out? Try this soy delicious green smoothie!
Soy Delicious Green Smoothie
Use soy foods, like edamame, to boost your protein intake in this soy delicious green smoothie!
13) Beans
This one may surprise you but beans are actually really easy to blend into smoothies and can add both fiber and protein! Like edamame and silken tofu, this is a vegetarian and vegan friendly way to boost to protein content of your smoothie without relying on protein powders.
Just 1/2 a cup of beans will add around 6 grams of protein, 5 grams of fiber, and add some volume to your smoothie which could make it more filling. I think the best beans to include in a smoothie are great northern beans and cannellini beans though you can experiment and see which ones you enjoy the best!
14) Pasteurized liquid egg whites
Another high protein liquid idea that you could add to your smoothie, oatmeal, and other meals that need a protein boost. Eggs are incredibly nutrient dense and boast a high quality protein that can help with muscle building and recovery.
Just 3 tablespoons of liquid egg whites in your smoothie will add around 5 grams of protein and just 25 calories which makes this a great option for people wanting to build a high protein smoothie for weightloss. You can always add more or pair it with your other high protein liquids to build a higher calorie and higher protein smoothie.
The Best Banana Date Smoothie
Liquid egg whites could be a good addition to this high protein smoothie!
15) Spirulina
Finally, spirulina is a vegan friendly way to add a few grams of protein to smoothies and other recipes. Sprirulina is a blue green algae that is contains protein, vitamins, minerals, and disease fighting antioxidants.
Its vibrant green color not only enhances any green smoothie you may be blending but just one teaspoon of spirulina can add 2 grams of protein and other health promoting nutrients. Sprinkle it into smoothies, add to parfait bowls, or even mix it into dips like guacamole!
Final thoughts:
Adding protein to smoothies is a great way to balance out the carbohydrates and build a more macro-friendly smoothie that will keep you fuller for longer.
While protein powder is one convenient option, you can see that there are tons of other ways to add protein to smoothies beyond protein powder!
Cheers to protein-packed smoothies!
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Disclaimer: please note that I am a registered dietitian but I am not YOUR registered dietitian. This information is meant to be educational and should not be used as personalized medical or nutrition advice. This blog may contain affiliate links and any purchase made through my links gives me a small commission and supports Lauren Twigge Nutrition. 
Hey! I’m Lauren
I’m a registered dietitian and my goal is to give you tips and tricks to make healthy eating fun, easy, and even delicious!