This banana oatmeal smoothie is one of the easiest ways to make a quick, filling breakfast with just a few basic ingredients. It comes together in minutes and has a smooth, creamy texture that feels more substantial than a typical smoothie.
The combination of banana and oats makes it naturally satisfying, while the almond milk keeps it light. A touch of vanilla adds just enough flavor without overpowering the simplicity of the recipe. It’s a dependable option for busy mornings, or anytime you want something simple that will keep you going for a few hours.
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Why This Smoothie Works
This smoothie works so well because of its simple, balanced ingredients. The banana gives it a naturally sweet flavor and creamy texture, while the oats add substance and make it more filling than a typical smoothie. The almond milk keeps everything smooth and easy to drink, and the vanilla adds a subtle hint of flavor. One small change makes a big difference. Using a frozen banana takes this smoothie from good to really exceptional. It creates a thicker texture and eliminates the need for ice, so the flavor stays rich and undiluted.
How to Freeze Bananas
- Remove the peel from 4 or 5 bananas
- Cut the bananas in half
- Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, making sure they aren’t touching
- Freeze for at least 24 hours
- Once frozen, transfer the banana pieces to a resealable bag or freezer-safe container
Ingredients
- Almond milk: I use Silk Unsweetened Almond Milk with 30 calories per cup. Oat milk, soy milk, or coconut milk can be substituted. If you don’t need a dairy-free smoothie, regular skim milk can be used as well.
- Oatmeal: either quick oats (instant) or old fashioned rolled oats work great.
- Banana: a large frozen banana works best.
- Vanilla bean paste: adds a flavorful, nutty taste. Feel free to use more than a teaspoon.
How to Make
- Combine all ingredients in a blender.
- Mix on low speed until the banana and/or ice are broken up.
- Mix on high speed for 1 minute.
- Serve immediately.
Tips for A Creamy Banana Oatmeal Smoothie
- Add the liquid first. When using frozen fruit, the order matters. Add the almond milk to the blender first, followed by the frozen banana. This helps everything blend more easily and prevents the blades from getting stuck.
- Blend the smoothie for at least one full minute so the oats are fully broken down. This creates a smoother texture and keeps the smoothie from feeling grainy.
- Use the best blender you have. Any blender will work, but a more powerful blender will give you a smoother result, especially when blending oats. If your smoothie isn’t as smooth as you’d like, simply blend it a little longer.
If you enjoy simple smoothies like this, you might also like my strawberry banana smoothie for something fruity and refreshing, or my citrus smoothie with orange and pineapple for a brighter flavor. You can also see all three recipes together in my collection of easy smoothie recipes, where everything is gathered in one place for quick and easy options.
Smoothie Making Supplies
- Freezer containers
- KitchenAid blender
- Black & Decker PowerCrush
- Striped straws
- Stemless glasses
- my favorite vanilla bean paste
- quart mason jars
Banana Oatmeal Smoothie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup almond milk (unsweetened)
- 1 large banana (frozen is better)
- 1/4 cup old fashioned oats
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 5-6 ice cubes (leave out if using frozen bananas)
Optional Ingredients
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a blender.
- Mix on low speed until the banana and/or ice are broken up.
- Mix on high speed for 1 minute.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
If you make this recipe, and love it, please come back to leave a comment and a 5-star review. I would really appreciate it, and it would help me so much. Thank you!
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Love this smoothie! My new favorite breakfast. I add 1 tablespoon of chia seeds for a bit of protein
Love this smoothie! Make it iften!
It was delicious 😋.
can i use chia seeds internet of flax seeds
I’ve never tried chia seeds but I know many smoothie recipes have them, so give it a try and let us know how you like it!
The smoothie is so delicious, this recipe is a keeper.
Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment…and a special thanks for the rating. I appreciate it so much!
This smoothie is so easy and yummy. Thank you for a great, simple recipe!
Great recipe!.I used vanilla almond milk and omitted the vanilla. Also added a date.
I made this for the first time and it was delicious, made it in a nutribullet, banana wasn’t frozen but will be next time, thanks for the recipe
Really like this for several reasons: I now know how to freeze bananas and use them later before they go bad. I’m glad I don’t have to deal with ice cubes. I didn’t think I could use regular oats instead of instant. Three thumbs up before even making it. I added blueberries and omitted in cinnamon and vanilla. For me it was perfect. Both in the ease of making it and it was delicious. I look forward trying different variations. Thanks for the recipe!
I’m so glad you like it…and thank you for the rating!
Thank you Ann for this recipe!! It is delicious and with the WW points it is on my Weight Watchers recipe list to make often!! I always have frozen bananas in the freezer. I use fat free Fairlife milk in mine.
Great recipe for a smoothie with additional protein powder. Thanks!!
This smoothie is great!!!
Love this recipe
It was very delicious i fast from Sunday 5 pm til Thursday 5pm and this is my meal replacement
I am so happy to have found this recipe, which I have made countless times. I also add a scoop of plain Greek yogurt and another fruit…pineapple, mango, strawberries, etc., and sometimes a small scoop of ice cream! Thanks so much!
This was fantastic. I added 1/2 scoop collagen powder and 3/4 T of my honey turmeric bomb for the sweetener. Delicious!
I made it for my family and they loved it- I can’t drink myself due to an allergy to bananas. I also can’t use almond milk because I am sensitive to oxalic acid. For myself, I tried using frozen berries and hazelnut milk.
Thank you for sharing all of these smoothie recipes. I appreciate the variety and additional comments. I like the simplicity of ingredients which also keeps calories down. I usually stick to blueberries and yogurt base. I like addition of oatmeal and almond milk. Also thinking to try peaches since they are in season now. Thank you!
I too freeze bananas for a similar smoothie I make for my husband and I. (We add frozen kale to ours and water instead of the milk.) I have found that you can put the bananas immediately in a zip lock bag without having to freeze them first on the cookie sheet. If the bananas stick together, a quick bang on the counter top will break them apart. It works for us and will save one step. Or alternatively, you could put lay them flat in the zip lock bag not touching each other for the first few hours of freezing and that should keep them apart too. Like Ann, I usually break them up first (I do halves). The most important thing I’ve learned about freezing bananas is (like Ann says) take the peel off. The peel is very hard to get off once the banana is frozen.
I really liked this smoothie! I didn’t add any sweetener, but the next time I make it I will add a soaked Medjool date!
I loved the smoothie. I was wondering how many times can I drink it during the day?
Hi Omar…I’m not a nutritionist, but I think you could drink it twice a day. As long as you don’t have a reaction to too much potassium due to the bananas.
Really yummy, simple to make, and refreshing! Thank you for the recipe!
Love this and that it has a base of healthy ingredients. My blender gave out and I haven’t replaced it, so I made it in the food processor the first time. The oats didn’t completely break down. This morning, I made it again, using a spare coffee grinder to grind the oats and then used the immersion blender to blend everything together. That worked nicely for me while in a blender less phase!
Delicious
I’m not necessarily trying to lose weight but I have a lot of “water weight” and baby fat still. I’m 14 and I have been changing my eating habits. I’m hoping this helps my ongoing hunger throughout the day. I also love this smoothie! It tastes so good and doesn’t have much sweetness. I did add some of Smuckers Natural Peanut Butter to give it a little bit more of a flavor.
Really good smoothie
I thoroughly enjoyed this.
I have to say, this is my absolute favorite diet smoothie above all. Most other smoothies just about make me gag BC of the taste and what not but this one was quite pleasant. I added all ingredients including the optional ones and the flavor at the end was great. Highly recommend :)
Just tried this and it is sooo good!! Thanks for sharing!!!
I made this and it was so good! Though I didn’t use oatmeal as I can’t eat it but instead I used 1/4 cup of sliced toasted almonds and it’s amazing!
I absolutely love the oatmeal banana smoothie. The drink really fills me up. Thank you for sharing.
Cindee