Blueberry Kefir Smoothie

This simple blueberry kefir smoothie recipe ticks all the boxes with fresh fruit, vanilla kefir and a touch of honey.

I love, love, love using kefir in smoothies. With a slightly different flavor than yogurt, it's a great way to mix things up and add a little extra fermented love to your life. If you've never tried kefir before, this recipe is a great intro; it's refreshing, easy and delicious. (Spoiler alert: milk kefir is very similar to it's cousin, yogurt, with just a slightly more intense but lovely tang and sourness.)

If you can't get enough blueberries in your life (like me), you can also try this blueberry banana smoothie or these easy blueberry muffins. And if you love using kefir in recipes as much as I do, you should also check out this overnight oats recipe. 🙂

Jump to:

🌿 Ingredients
📝 Instructions
📋 Substitutions
📖 Variations
🔪 Equipment
🍱 Storage
🎉 Top tip
💭 FAQ
🍳 Recipe

🌿 Ingredients

Just a few ingredients are all you'll need for this smoothie. You should be able to find kefir at any health food store as well as at nearly all large grocery stores (look in the yogurt section.) If you can't find it, just substitute vanilla yogurt instead!

See recipe card below for exact quantities.

📝 Instructions

This kefir smoothie recipe does not disappoint when it comes to prep time. You'll be drinking its deliciousness in five minutes flat.

Simply place all of the ingredients in a blender, kefir first and ice last. Then cover the blender tightly, increase its speed to high and blend for 30 seconds to 1 minute or until everything is smooth and creamy.

Pro tip: Use a professional-grade blender for an extra smooth texture if you have one, but a standard blender will work just fine too. If you use a standard blender, run for an additional 30 seconds to 1 minute to make sure everything is as smoothly incorporated as possible.

Ice, blueberries, kefir and chia seeds placed in a high speed blender. — Add the ice to the blender last to ensure smooth blending.

You can test it to check sweetness; if's not sweet enough, just blend in a little extra honey. Then pour into two tall glasses and enjoy immediately.

📋 Substitutions

This smoothie is naturally gluten free and vegetarian as written. Here are some common substitutions you can make:

Kefir - if you can't find kefir in your local store, just substitute vanilla yogurt or plain yogurt
Blueberries - use the same amount of strawberries, raspberries or mixed berries (fresh or frozen fruit both work great)
Banana - feel free to substitute fresh or frozen pineapple instead of banana to make up for the sweetness
Honey - substitute maple syrup or agave syrup; they both work great
Chia seeds - ground flax seeds also work well, or just leave out
Vegan - unfortunately there really aren't any vegan or dairy free kefir products on the market (unless you make your own), but you can definitely swap out the milk kefir in this recipe with any plant based yogurt, and use maple syrup or agave syrup instead of honey to make vegan

📖 Variations

And here are a few variations you can try:

Kale blueberry kefir smoothie - add a couple leaves of kale and a ½ cup or so of frozen pineapple chunks to balance the kale flavor (I love this variation!)
Strawberry kefir smoothie - just swap the same amount of fresh or frozen strawberries for blueberries
Mango kefir smoothie - use fresh or frozen mango instead of berries
Banana kefir smoothie - add an extra banana and leave out the berries
Protein - if you want to sneak in a little extra protein and creaminess at the same time, add a tablespoon or so of almond butter or peanut butter, or add a scoop of protein powder
Kid friendly - add a little extra honey (if necessary) for some extra sweetness

🔪 Equipment

Here is the equipment you'll need to make this smoothie recipe:

professional-grade blender or standard blender

A professional-grade blender (if you have one) will create an extra smooth texture, but a standard blender will work just fine too.

🍱 Storage

This smoothie tastes best when consumed immediately, but it will stay fresh for up to 24 hours in the fridge in a covered container. It does not stand up well to freezing.

🎉 Top tip

If you haven't tried kefir before, this recipe is a great place to start! While kefir is a little more tart than yogurt, the sweetness of the banana, berries and honey are the perfect complement.

Enjoy!

💭 FAQ

What is kefir?

Kefir is a fermented milk drink made by adding kefir grains to milk and allowing the beverage to ferment. Its flavor is very similar to yogurt and it is often similarly found sweetened with various fruits or sugar.

Where can you buy kefir?

Most large grocery store chains carry kefir in the dairy and yogurt section, as well as smaller health-food oriented stores.

What are some ways to use kefir in smoothies?

Kefir makes a delicious addition to smoothies due to its tart taste and creamy texture. Popular fruit smoothies with kefir often include bananas, blueberries, strawberries or mango. Honey or maple syrup can be added to the smoothie for extra sweetness.

How long do kefir smoothies stay fresh?

Kefir smoothies taste best when consumed immediately, but they will stay fresh for up to 24 hours in the fridge if kept in a covered container or jar.

🍳 Recipe