This matcha smoothie recipe is easy to make with bananas, almond milk, and a splash of vanilla. It's a healthy, antioxidant-filled breakfast or snack!
This matcha smoothie recipe is perfect for a healthy breakfast or an afternoon energy boost! It starts with my go-to smoothie base—almond milk and frozen bananas. Then, I add in matcha powder for a kick of caffeine, antioxidants, and grassy flavor. Vanilla adds a touch of warmth that takes it over the top.
I started making this matcha smoothie recipe after Jack and I traveled to Japan for the first time. There, we tried all kinds of bright green matcha treats—matcha ice cream, matcha doughnuts, and matcha cookies were daily afternoon snacks. This matcha smoothie is an equally fun—but healthier—way to enjoy matcha at home.
If you’re new to matcha, it’s a Japanese green tea powder made from very finely ground, shade-grown tea leaves. It has a vibrant green color and delicious earthy flavor that balances perfectly with the sweet bananas in this smoothie. Just like regular green tea, it’s high in antioxidants, so it’s a great superfood addition to smoothies!
Matcha Smoothie Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this matcha smoothie recipe:
- Matcha powder, of course! If you don’t already have matcha on hand, you can find it in many regular grocery stores, tea shops, Asian markets, and online. The cost of matcha will vary depending on the quality—more expensive ceremonial matcha is more mellow, while less expensive culinary matcha has more bitterness. Some may have sugar added (the best kinds won’t). If you want to make sure you’re getting high-quality matcha, look for one made in Uji, the area of Japan where the best matcha is produced.
- Bananas – They make this smoothie naturally sweet and give it a delicious creamy texture. Make sure to peel and freeze your bananas ahead of time. They need to be frozen to make the smoothie creamy.
- Almond milk – Or any milk you like! Oat milk, soy milk, and regular milk all work well here.
- Vanilla extract – Matcha’s earthy, grassy flavor pairs perfectly with the warmth of vanilla. It’s a combo I loved in desserts in Japan, so I couldn’t resist using it in this smoothie!
- Ice – It makes the smoothie thick and frosty.
- And sweetener, if you like – If the bananas don’t add enough sweetness to your smoothie, sweeten it to taste with honey or maple syrup.
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
What Is the Best Matcha Powder?
Buying matcha for the first time can be confusing—there are so many brands, and they vary widely in quality. I’ve tested out all of the top matcha powders, and my favorite one for smoothies is Golde Pure Matcha Ceremonial Grade! It doesn’t have any added sugar, and its grassy flavor cuts through the other ingredients in a smoothie.
Get the Golde Pure Matcha Ceremonial Grade on Amazon for $34.99, or check out some of the other matcha powders I tested to find the best one for you!
How to Make a Matcha Smoothie – My Best Tips
This matcha green tea smoothie couldn’t be easier to make. Just add all the ingredients to a blender, and blend until smooth! Follow these simple tips for the best results:
- Add more milk as needed. The amount of milk you use will depend on the strength of your blender and your desired smoothie consistency. If you need more than I call for to get your smoothie to blend, don’t hesitate to gradually add a little at a time to help get it smooth.
- Taste and adjust. Different brands and types of matcha vary widely in flavor. I call for 1 teaspoon here, which should give the smoothie a mild matcha taste with most brands. If you’d like it to be stronger, add 1/4 teaspoon at a time until you love the flavor. If the smoothie tastes too bitter, sweeten it with honey or maple syrup.
Recipe Variations
I love this easy matcha smoothie recipe as written, but like most smoothies, it’s flexible! Here are a few fun ways to change it up:
- Add other fruits. Matcha is fantastic with fresh fruits like strawberries (see this iced strawberry matcha latte), raspberries, and mango. Add 1/2-1 cup of any of these fruits to the blender for a fun spin on this smoothie. Use frozen fruit for the best creamy texture.
- Sneak in a veggie. Blend in a handful of spinach or kale. You won’t be able to taste it!
- Amp up the protein. Add a scoop of vanilla protein powder or chia seeds to the blender to give this smoothie extra staying power.
Let me know what variations you try!
More Smoothie Recipes to Try
If you love this matcha smoothie, try one of these healthy smoothie recipes next:
Can’t get enough matcha? Try this classic matcha latte, or check out my guide to how to make matcha to learn more about this antioxidant-packed green tea!
Matcha Smoothie
Ingredients
- 2 frozen bananas
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk, or milk of choice, plus more as needed to blend
- 1 teaspoon matcha powder, plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- A few handfuls of ice
- Honey, maple syrup, or sweetener of choice (optional)
Instructions
- In a blender, place the frozen bananas, almond milk, matcha, and vanilla. Blend until smooth, adding more milk if necessary to blend. Add the ice and blend again.
- Taste and add more matcha powder if you'd like a stronger matcha flavor. Sweeten to taste with honey if desired. Blend to combine, then pour into glasses and serve.
Notes
i like it… its look nice
I’m just starting with Matcha and I’m in loveeee! This smoothie is perfect, so rich and creamy and fresh! I added a couple of tsp of Chia and yum!
This sounds like a great idea! Do you think this would keep overnight so that I could make this as my breakfast the night before? Or even two nights so that I could make two breakfasts at once? Thanks for the recipe!
I am in love with you guys loving matcha! Growing up with the lovely powder made my heart leap when I saw this smoothie recipe because all I’ve ever known was the tea and ice cream version. Plus this is super healthy.
Thanks so much for sharing.
Much love, Alli
Rgis sounds delicious, although I don’t like bananas 🙁 does it taste strongly of banana? Is there a substitute you reccomend? Also, what about vanilla almond milk?
Sometimes I sub mango for banana, or sometimes almonds or cashews… (you’ll have to play around with the ratio).
I thought I was the only one that did not like the taste of bananas! Have you tried avocado? I think I will.
Hi Lisa, avocado should work well – I also love this one with mangos (the mango thickens it nicely): https://www.loveandlemons.com/matcha-mango-smoothies/
I also love adding a few tablespoons of hemp seeds or a scoop of almond butter for creaminess without a banana.
Tried this today. Substituted coconut milk for almond milk as that’s what I had on hand (snowed in at the moment thanks to Juno) & it was great! Didn’t add sweetener of any kind either. Thanks for sharing!
What do you recommend using as a substitute for almond milk? Most dairy free milks have carrageenan as an ingredient. I’m lactose intolerant.
In your next visit to Japan, try this “Tokusen Tsujiri Parfait”.
It’s a assort of various forms of Powdered-Green-Tea-Sweet.
http://www.giontsujiri.co.jp/saryo/menu/kyoto_isetan/pafe/
A few branch in Kyoto and one in Tokyo.
I love matcha!
Yum! I just made this. I use an unsweetened matcha from Whole Foods for my morning matcha lattes, and it’s much stronger than the stuff that’s made for lattes (this stuff is supposed to be had just with water, but I’m not a purist). If anyone is using matcha like that, you’ll probably only need a couple teaspoons!
I use my matcha in phases – time to bust it out! I can imagine it taking amazing with vanilla.
This sounds delicious!
I love matcha, but haven’t had it in a really long time. I may have to look for some online. 🙂
I love smoothies for busy days and this looks completely delicious!
I enjoy matcha this way and every other way possible – have you tried avocado as a base, I sometimes like it that way too 🙂
Hi Dixya, I haven’t but that sounds amazing!
I will have to try this. I’m not usually a fan of matcha green tea, although I like the ice cream, so I think this cold drink will be great.
http://liveitinerantly.com
I love matcha. These smoothies are right up my alley. I know what I’m making tomorrow morning!
I love matcha! Love the look of this smoothie. I made no-churn matcha ice cream recently using bananas and cashews which was awesome http://coconutandberries.com/2013/08/24/raw-vegan-green-tea-ice-cream/
yum, looks delicious!
Loving this flavour! I like how you used frozen bananas instead of ice, creamy texture with out the cream!
Green tea is my most requested creamy drink flavour and now I can make it home, Thanks for the recipe!
I used some ice too :). But the frozen banana really helps it become creamy!
mmm…. my favorite tea house serves these, though they are usually not vegan. the last time I was there they ran out of milk and ask if I would “mind” if they used almond milk… mind? are you crazy? gimme!!!!
ha! I love it with the almond milk too (plus I just can’t do regular milk) 🙂
I am in love with matcha, and matcha and vanilla especially – these smoothies sound fantastic.