Start your day with the refreshing tartness of this blackcurrant smoothie recipe. It's a great way to enjoy rich blackcurrant berries and kick-start your morning with a boost of Vitamin C and calcium.
I learned about blackcurrants when I first traveled to England several years ago. In the UK, they're a commonly grown berry used for juice and flavoring baked goods and other dishes. You could think of them similar to how we have the prevalence of cranberries and cranberry flavored foods in the US.
I was sad to find blackcurrants less readily available in New England, but I wasted no time planting a blackcurrant bush when I had a garden of my own. If you're in the US and are unfamiliar with blackcurrants, they're worth seeking out. Look for them at local farmers markets, orchards, and food co-ops in the northern United States. They're tart, earthy, and rich, in a way I find totally unique.
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Now, a few years after planting, that one bush provides several pounds of berries that I use to make jam, liquor, and desserts like my blackcurrant ice cream and sour cherry and blackcurrant granita. They also make a tasty syrup you can use to make a blackcurrant mojito.
😍Why you'll love this smoothie
- It makes a great breakfast. The punch of this smoothie's tartness and vibrancy is sure to wake you up. The protein and fiber will also help you to stay full until lunch.
- With plenty of Vitamin C and calcium, it's a good way to obtain some essential nutrients.
- If you have a lot of blackcurrants on hand and want a quick and easy way to enjoy them, it doesn't get much simpler than a smoothie.
🍌Ingredients
Here's everything you need to make a blackcurrant smoothie:
Key Ingredients
- Blackcurrants - Tart with a rich, deep flavor, look for fresh blackcurrants at local farmers markets and food co-ops in June and July. If you have trouble finding them fresh, see the note below under substitutions and variations.
- Banana - Adds creaminess and sweetness to the smoothie.
- Milk - Helps blend everything together and provides calcium and protein.
- Oats - Thickens the smoothie and adds fiber.
- Honey - Provides sweetness to balance the tartness of the blackcurrants.
- Mint - Adds a fresh, cooling flavor that pairs well with the currants.
See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and quantities.
📖Substitutions & Variations
- If you can't easily find fresh blackcurrants, and that's understandable in America, there are two other options. Look for blackcurrant juice in grocery stores and adjust the smoothie recipe to use less milk and honey. You can also try blackcurrant jam, which I often see in stores with specialty food products. (I always see blackcurrant jam at TJMaxx.) Use about 4 tablespoons of jam for the fresh berries, and omit the honey as the jam will already be sweetened. If you find frozen blackcurrants in the store or have some that you've frozen yourself, they will also work great in the smoothie.
- Add your favorite protein powder to the smoothie with a splash or two more of milk to help it blend in.
- Instead of honey, try maple syrup. The smoothie absolutely needs a sweetener because of the incredible tartness of blackcurrants. You're welcome to try it without sweetener if you don't believe me.
- Mix in some other fruits, such as blueberries or cherries, in place of or in addition to the blackcurrants.
🥤Instructions
It doesn't take much to make this blackcurrant smoothie.
- Step 1: Rinse the blackcurrants and discard any that are unripe or overripe.
- Step 2: Remove the tiny stems.
- Step 3: Add blackcurrants, milk, oats, honey, banana, mint leaves, and ice to a blender.
- Step 4: Blend until smooth. Add more milk if it's too thick. Taste and add more honey, if not sweet enough to your liking.
🌟Top Tip
This smoothie is best when served ice cold. If it's not cold enough, add more ice and blend again.
🔪Equipment
Blender - You can't really make a smoothie without a blender. Either a stand or sticker blender will do the job. A food processor would work in a pinch, but they often don't puree ingredients as smoothly.
💬FAQ
Blackcurrants are a type of currant, which are small tart berries. They can be red, white, or black (though they're really more purple in color than black). Learn more about currants.
It's fine to eat blackcurrants raw. Unlike some berries, like elderberries, there is no need to cook them first.
Blackcurrants are in season during the summer and are often ripe by late June and through July.
In the United States, blackcurrants are most commonly found in the Northeast and Pacific Northwest. Blackcurrants are generally not as common here because there was once a 50-year federal ban on growing them due to a plant disease they were helping to spread. That is no longer the case, and the ban was lifted, however some states still have limitations, and blackcurrants have remained less popular as a result.
🥞Pairing
These recipes would go great with this blackcurrant smoothie:
📖 Recipe
Blackcurrant Smoothie
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 smoothie 1x
Description
Start your day with the refreshing tartness of a blackcurrant smoothie. It's a great way to enjoy rich blackcurrant berries and kick-start your morning with a boost of Vitamin C and calcium.
Ingredients
- 1 cup blackcurrants
- 1 ⅓ cups milk
- 1 ½ tablespoons honey
- ¼ cup rolled oats
- 1 large banana
- about 10 mint leaves
- ice, as needed
Instructions
- Rinse the blackcurrants and remove the stems.
- Add all ingredients to a blender along with a handful of ice.
- Blend the smoothie. If too thick, add additional milk as needed. Taste and adjust to your liking by adding more honey
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Drinks
- Method: Blending
🍹Related
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