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.
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!
Donna says
This is a fantastic and tasty post workout treat!
Kelly says
My fav for post workout too!!
Donna says
Made this yesterday (had to sub some ingredients because… quarantine kitchen) and it was AMAZING. The beet flavor wasn’t overpowering – it all balanced together really nicely! Will definitely be making this again!
Kelly says
So glad you liked it Donna! And yes, the beet isn’ too strong! Thanks for trying!
Katie says
Very good combo and not too sweet (probably depends on your protein powder but using Ka’chava worked really well)! I love a good beet smoothie 🙂 The chocolate aspect makes it like red velvet in a smoothie.
Kelly says
Yay, so happy to hear you liked it Katie! I’m a huge fan of Ka’Chava too! Thanks for trying!
Alex says
I went all out when I tried this… I prepped my own beets even! This was super delicious, It doesn’t even feel like you’re drinking something healthy!!
Definitely will incorporate this regularly!!
Kelly says
Oh heck yeah! Love that and glad you enjoyed!!
Soina Sandhu says
This smoothie was so good! Never thought of putting cooked beets in a smoothie, but this turned out great! Definitely making again! Thank you, Kelly for the recipe!
Kelly says
So happy to hear that Soina! Combo sounds strange, but glad you liked it!
Dan says
Sounds great i love anything chocolate
Kelly says
The combo with the beets is really good!
Sarah Rachels says
I wonder what this tastes like. I love beets, but with chocolate?
Kelly says
It’s so good! I know it sounds weird, but I promise it’s good!
Zach White says
What are the macros on this? It looks amazing, but fattening?
Kelly says
The macro breakdown is listed above!