How do you feel about putting veggies in smoothies? Personally, I am all for it – you can tell from my other smoothie recipes like my favorite chocolate protein smoothie and this tropical green smoothie as it’s such a great way to get in some extra vitamins and minerals. Today we are sharing a super fun and delicious chocolate beet smoothie!
I know, the flavor combination sounds a little weird but works so well. You have some sweetness from the beets and honey, which balances out the cacao. It also has protein from greek yogurt and healthy fats from nut butter.
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And since beets are naturally sweet when cooked, so you don’t need to add a banana or additional fruit (of course you can if you like though!). While I do love the texture of frozen bananas in smoothies, sometimes I feel they overpower everything.
Plus, this beet smoothie is packed with nutrients! The combination of beets and chocolate makes a great pre-workout (read more about it below). Whether it’s for a healthy breakfast, snack, or pre or post-workout, you can’t go wrong with this powerhouse!
Why we love this beet smoothie recipe
- quick and easy to make – ready in 5-10 minutes!
- makes a great pre or post-workout!
- packed with vitamins and minerals – it’s full of B vitamins, vitamin C, calcium, copper, phosphorus, potassium, and selenium to name a few!
- macro-balanced – it has a good ratio of carbohydrates, protein, and fat for balanced blood sugar, and to avoid those spikes and crashes that some smoothies can do.
Benefits of beets and chocolate
Let’s talk about how the benefits of chocolate and beets can work together in the body.
Cacao contains magnesium, dietary fiber, and antioxidants including flavanols and polyphenols. Magnesium is an important mineral in the body for so many processes, including heart health. The flavanols in cacao can prevent fat-like substances in the bloodstream from clogging the arteries. They also moderate nitric oxide, which is a compound found in beets.
Beets are loaded with potassium, are high in magnesium, and can help replenish iron. Besides being a source of antioxidants, beets contain dietary nitrates. Dietary nitrates convert to nitric oxide, which is responsible for the dilation of blood vessels and helps support blood circulation.
This improves an athlete’s capacity for sustained exercise and endurance. Nitric oxide also helps the speed of nutrient delivery to the muscles, improving energy efficiency for performance and recovery. Pretty freakin cool in my opinion!
Beet smoothie ingredients
- milk
- cooked beets – I buy already cooked ones to make it easy.
- greek yogurt – plain or vanilla flavored.
- frozen cauliflower rice – to add a little bulk (you can’t taste it).
- cashew butter
- cacao powder
- honey
- cinnamon
- protein powder – I like using chocolate flavored.
How to make a beet smoothie
- If needed, prepare your beets (see section below). I buy precooked beets to make this easy.
- Blend your smoothie. Add all the ingredients to a high-speed blender (I used my Vitamix) and blend until smooth and creamy.
- Enjoy! Drink or top with some toppings and enjoy!
How do you prepare beets for smoothies?
If you can’t find store-bought beets, here is how you can cook them for a smoothie:
- Thoroughly clean them.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil, add beets to a steamer basket, and steam for about 45 minutes until tender and can easily be pierced with a knife.
- Allow beets to cool for a few minutes and peel (the skin should easily peel off).
- Let cool completely and store in a tightly sealed glass container for up to a week.
Can I put raw beets in a smoothie?
While beets are safe to eat raw, I would suggest cooking them for this recipe as raw are very hard and might break your blender. Cooked vegetables are also easier to digest.
Can you freeze beets for smoothies?
Yes, beets freeze well for smoothies. To freeze beets, take cooked beets and slice or dice them into 1-2″ pieces. Line a baking sheet or plate with parchment paper (this makes them pop right off when frozen). Spread out evenly to make sure they freeze individually. Place in the freezer for a few hours until frozen and store in a bag in the freezer for easy use.
This smoothie recipe does not call for frozen beets, but you can easily freeze them for it!
Substitutions and additions
You can customize this smoothie to your liking depending on how you like your smoothies. Here are some suggestions for substitutions:
- milk – dairy or dairy-free milk (almond milk, coconut milk, oat milk…) will work.
- greek yogurt – use vanilla or plain. Use dairy-free if needed.
- cauliflower rice – you can use frozen cauliflower florets instead of rice.
- cashew butter – almond butter would be the best substitute. To make it nut-free, try tahini or sunflower seed butter.
- cacao powder – cocoa powder will work the same.
- honey – maple syrup, agave, or a date will work instead.
- chocolate protein powder – if using, any kind will work. You can use whey, plant-based, or collagen. I do suggest flavored though to help give the smoothie more sweetness. Chocolate or vanilla will work.
Here are some additions:
- fruit – if you want to add some more sweetness, add some fruit. Frozen banana is great for making the smoothie thicker and some added sweetness if you don’t love the earthiness of beets. Berries would also work well.
- greens – for some more veggies. I would suggest spinach or kale. This will change the color though.
- avocado – to add more healthy fats and make it more creamy.
- chia seeds – great for added healthy fats and fiber!
- ice – if you want more frozen texture
More healthy smoothie recipes
- sweet potato smoothie
- post-workout chocolate protein smoothie
- pineapple green smoothie
- coffee protein smoothie
- orange creamsicle smoothie
If you love quick and easy meals and want to learn how to build a balanced plate, check out our FREE How to Build a Balanced Plate Guide!
Chocolate Beet Smoothie
ingredients
- 3/4 cup plain greek yogurt (I used 0%)
- 1 cup diced cooked beets (150 grams/2-3 small-medium)*
- 1 cup frozen cauliflower rice (100 grams)
- 2 heaping tablespoons cacao powder
- 1 tablespoon cashew butter
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4-1/2 cup milk (depending on desired consistency)
- 1 scoop chocolate protein powder (optional, but I like it for more chocolate flavor)
- optional toppings: granola, cacao nibs, cinnamon…
instructions
- If needed, prepare your beets (see section below). I buy precooked beets to make this easy.
- Blend your smoothie. Add all the ingredients to a high-speed blender (I used my Vitamix) and blend until smooth and creamy.
- Enjoy! Drink or top with some toppings and enjoy!
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I used fresh beets and it wasn’t a problem at all! 🙂
Did not add almond butter – but DID add frozen banana, beet greens, kale, and a couple chunks of pinapple.
Tasted like a chocolate milkshake – so yummy
Oh my gosh, beet green?! I love that! That combo sounds so good too, thanks for trying it!
This sounds delicious! I had a chocolate beet smoothie this morning, but yours sounds SOOOO much better.
Let me know if you try it!
Surprisingly delicious 😋
Glad you enjoyed it Holly! Thanks for trying!
I wouldn’t even think that had beets in it.
Haha yes! I love sneaking in some veggies into my smoothies!
Chocolate and beet? I need to try that out.
The combo sounds weird, but it’s so good!
This recipe looks so yummy, especially with the beets! I’m definitely going to try this one! Also, I am loving this Chocolate Antioxidant Smoothie recipe as well right now! https://ashleydiana.com/chocolate-antioxidant-smoothie/
The beets and the chocolate go so well together! Hope you like it and I will have to check yours out 🙂
Tastes pretty good, but I’m missing the “smoothie” factor here. Realized halfway thru adding ingredients that there’s nothing frozen involved, so it’s not exactly creamy, just kind of watery.
Hi Alison, thanks for the feedback! I like my smoothies a little thicker so I can definitely see where you are coming from. I would probably add some frozen spinach, frozen banana, or even avocado to make it thicker. I will make it again and see where I can update it. Thanks for trying it!!
I added a small avocado to get that smoothie texture and it’s still very yummy❣️
A combo of ingredients that I would not believe possible, but I see that if you can put them together with a perfect finish
Can I conserve the ingredients to prepare them in the afternoon?
Can you use raw beets in this recipe ? thanks !
Hi Sherie! I haven’t tried raw beets in this smoothie, but I have eaten them on other occasions. Your blender would have to be really powerful to break down the raw beet. I think cooked would work best, but if you try it let me know how it goes!
I just did and it’s fantastic, I also added a small avocado and it’s delicious???
Such a good idea Romana! Thanks for trying and so glad you liked it!