Protein Pumpkin Smoothie (31g Protein, Under 300 Calories)

This protein pumpkin smoothie is 31g of protein and under 300 calories, thick enough to want a spoon, and it takes five minutes and one blender. Real pumpkin puree, vanilla protein powder, Greek yoghurt and a frozen banana, with a no banana version further down if you would rather skip it.

I had not made a smoothie in ages, and it was worth the wait for this to be the one back. The consistency is exactly right, thick and refreshing at the same time, and it tastes like pumpkin pie rather than like something you are being sensible about. Most pumpkin smoothies are a banana smoothie in a costume, three grams of protein and a lot of sugar, and this is not that.

If you have half a tin of pumpkin puree sitting in the fridge, this is what to do with it. A smoothie with pumpkin puree in it is the fastest way I know to finish the tin, and it beats queuing for pumpkin spice smoothies somewhere.

• 31g of protein and under 300 calories
• Five minutes, one blender, no cooking at all
• There is a no banana version and a vegan one, both in the FAQs

What goes into this protein pumpkin smoothie

Pumpkin puree is the whole point, and it has to be plain puree rather than pie filling, which is already sweetened and spiced. Freeze it in an ice cube tray and you get a thick frozen pumpkin smoothie without watering anything down.

Vanilla protein powder does the heavy lifting, one 35g scoop for 24g of the protein. Vanilla suits the spice better than anything else, and unflavoured works if you add the maple syrup.

A small frozen banana is what makes it creamy rather than icy. This is a pumpkin banana smoothie as written, and the FAQs cover what to use instead.

Greek yoghurt, just two tablespoons, for thickness and a little tang against the sweetness.

Pumpkin spice, or cinnamon, ginger and a pinch of nutmeg if you are making your own. A pumpkin pie spice smoothie and a pumpkin spice smoothie are the same drink, the blend is just named differently depending where you shop.

How to get a thick, spiced pumpkin smoothie every time

The one thing that matters is the order. Milk into the blender first, then everything else on top. Liquid at the bottom gives the blades something to grab, and without it they stall against the frozen pumpkin and the banana and you end up scraping the sides for two minutes. It is the difference between a smooth pumpkin smoothie recipe and a lumpy one, and it costs nothing. Most pumpkin smoothie recipes skip it, which is why people end up scraping the sides for two minutes.

The other thing is not to over blend. Forty five to sixty seconds on high is enough. Longer than that and the ice melts into it and you lose the thickness you were after.

I do not love the phrase, but if you are after a healthy pumpkin smoothie recipe, the honest version is this. Real pumpkin, enough protein to actually keep you full, and no syrup unless it needs it. That is the whole trick to a healthy pumpkin smoothie, and there is nothing clever about it.

More healthy pumpkin recipes

If you want the same flavours in something you can chew, my pumpkin protein pancakes and my air fryer pumpkin granola both use the same tin, and my pumpkin spice latte overnight oats are the make ahead version of this.

Alex :)