This healthy piña colada smoothie recipe is thick, creamy, and filled with tropical pineapple and coconut flavor!
Easy piña colada smoothie
With only three ingredients and a blender, you can easily whip up your very own frosty pineapple drink at home.
Close your eyes and imagine you are in Hawaii, drinking classic piña coladas while lounging on the sandy beach.
And the best part? The low calorie healthy breakfast smoothie tastes just like a delicious frozen piña colada dessert in a glass!
Also make this Frappuccino Recipe
Origins of the recipe
First created in Puerto Rico, piña colada means strained pineapple in Spanish.
The traditional cocktail calls for light rum, coconut cream, and pineapple juice blended or shaken with ice then poured into a Poco Grande glass.
For this healthy smoothie, I removed the alcohol and turned the original pineapple drink into a non alcoholic mocktail.
It is the perfect choice for breakfast, snack time, post workout, or happy hour.
Serve for breakfast with Applesauce Muffins
Piña colada shake health benefits
Pineapple contains fiber, vitamin C, manganese, folate, potassium, B vitamins, copper, and other important nutrients.
The tropical fruit can help with digestion and hydration, thanks to its electrolytes and high water content.
If you choose to include optional protein powder, the recipe will pack in 20-30 grams of protein per serving, depending on the type of protein powder you use.
When made with refrigerated coconutmilk, a large serving is just 124 calories, and the plant based smoothie is 100% cholesterol free.
The shake can also be dairy free, egg free, nut free, gluten free, and vegan.
Pineapple is naturally sweet, and including banana or a sugar free sweetener yields a single serving pineapple coconut smoothie with no sugar added.
Step by step recipe video
Watch the piña colada recipe video, above.
Healthy piña colada smoothie ingredients
All you need to make the recipe are pineapple, sweetener of choice, and coconut milk.
Unlike many other piña colada smoothies, this one uses crushed pineapple instead of pineapple juice, resulting in a thick smoothie with more fiber.
You can choose any all purpose sweetener, including unrefined sugar like pure maple syrup, honey, agave, or xylitol for a shake that is added sugar free.
If you include the optional frozen banana, you may not need additional sugar at all.
I almost always use canned pineapple. If you would like to substitute diced frozen pineapple chunks instead, this is fine as well. I have not tried fresh pineapple here.
Canned full fat coconut milk will yield a fruit smoothie that tastes like a thick pineapple milkshake. For a low fat and low calorie smoothie, choose refrigerated coconut milk beverage or lite coconut milk.
Once you get the smoothie base down, have fun trying new flavors.
Add a half cup of chopped frozen mango, strawberries, raspberries, or cherries. Or throw in a handful of raw spinach or half a ripe avocado for a super healthy green piña colada. Try substituting coconut flavored yogurt for a fourth cup of the coconut milk.
Adding a scoop of protein powder turns it into a piña colada protein shake.
Readers also love this Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie
Piña colada smoothie without banana
Just like a traditional piña colada drink, this one calls for no banana.
I do often like to add a frozen banana for extra nutrition, sweetness, and thickness.
If you would like a thicker smoothie with no banana, you can add a scoop of your favorite Greek yogurt, vanilla ice cream, or dairy free Coconut Ice Cream.
How to make the pineapple coconut drink
For the best piña colada smoothie texture, start by freezing your crushed pineapple in a shallow container. If time permits, you can freeze the coconut milk in an ice cube tray.
To make the shake in under five minutes, simply throw everything into a high speed blender and blend until the texture is completely smooth.
Pour into a chilled glass or mason jar, and top with whipped cream if desired.
Garnish your three ingredient smoothie with pineapple wedges, toasted shredded coconut flakes, or maraschino cherries.
Add a straw or colorful paper cocktail umbrella for a fun and fancy presentation.
Or make a piña colada smoothie bowl and sprinkle on fresh blueberries, sliced kiwi, diced almonds, cereal, or granola. Enjoy your beverage with a straw or a spoon.
Leftover coconut milk? Make Coconut Curry or Chocolate Truffles
Piña Colada Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1 cup crushed pineapple
- 2 tbsp sweetener of choice or a ripe frozen banana
- optional scoop of ice cream
- optional scoop of protein powder
Instructions
- *For the best smoothie with a thick milkshake texture, freeze the crushed pineapple ahead of time.To make a piña colada smoothie, simply blend all ingredients in a high speed blender until smooth. You can use lite or full fat refrigerated or canned coconut milk for the recipe. If using the banana, you can choose whether or not to add sugar or other additional sweetener.View Nutrition Facts
Notes
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Lori says
It was very tasty!! I used frozen pineapple and added a container of pineapple Greek yogurt and coconut Greek yogurt along with the coconut milk. Soooooo yummy!!
Allison says
This is my new favorite drink!