Strawberry Chia Seed Smoothie (3 Ingredients, No Banana)

This 3-ingredient strawberry chia seed smoothie is thick, creamy and high in protein, with no banana and no milk. Ready in 2 minutes. Fresh or frozen!

I think I might have mentioned before that I'm not a morning person. I am not all chirpy and happy when I wake up - in fact, I would prefer if everybody could stay out of my way for an hour or so until I come to life.

This is where easy smoothies come super handy - as you may imagine, I'm also not a fan of overly complicated breakfasts.

Three ingredients. No banana, no milk, no faff. It's in a glass before the kettle has even clicked off, and it's thick, creamy and properly fruity. Thanks to a big dollop of Greek yoghurt, it's also packed with protein (hello, protein!) and keeps me full right through to lunch.

In summer I make it with Scottish strawberries, which are honestly some of the sweetest you'll find anywhere (yes, I'm biased). In winter, a bag of frozen strawberries does the job beautifully, and the smoothie comes out even thicker.

Why you'll love this strawberry chia smoothie

• Just 3 ingredients. Strawberries, Greek yoghurt and chia seeds.
• No banana, no milk. If you're tired of every smoothie tasting of banana, this one's for you.
• High in protein, no powder needed. Around 20 g of protein per glass, depending on your yoghurt.
• Fibre-rich. About 12 g of fibre per glass, thanks to the strawberries and chia seeds working together.
• Works all year round. Fresh strawberries in summer, frozen ones in winter.
• Ready in 2 minutes. One blender, one glass, done.

What do you need to make this strawberry smoothie?

• Strawberries (400 g / about 2½ cups). Fresh or frozen both work. With fresh, hull them and halve any big ones. Frozen strawberries give you a thicker, frostier, almost milkshake-y smoothie (you may need a splash of water to get things moving).
• Greek yoghurt (200 g / about ¾ cup). I love full-fat for the creamiest texture, but 0% works too. One thing worth knowing: check the label for "Greek" vs "Greek-style". Proper strained Greek yoghurt has roughly double the protein of most Greek-style yoghurts, so if protein is the point, go for the real deal.
• Chia seeds (1 tbsp). Black or white, they're interchangeable. One tablespoon is the sweet spot for flavour and texture.

Optional extras: 1 teaspoon honey, maple syrup or agave if your strawberries aren't very sweet, and a handful of ice if you're using fresh fruit and want it extra frosty.

How to make a strawberry chia seed smoothie

1. Load the blender. Strawberries go in first (they release juice and help everything blend), then the yoghurt, then sprinkle the chia seeds on top.
2. Blend. About 45-60 seconds on high, until completely smooth.
3. Taste and tweak. Too thick? Add a splash of water. Too tart? A teaspoon of honey or maple syrup. Want it frostier? Throw in some ice and blitz again.
4. Pour and enjoy. Straight away, or after a 2-minute rest for a thicker smoothie.

Chia seeds in smoothies: everything you need to know

Why add chia seeds to a smoothie? They're tiny but they pull their weight. One tablespoon (about 12 g) gives you roughly 4 g of fibre, 2 g of protein and a dose of plant-based omega-3 (ALA). They also thicken the smoothie naturally, so you get a creamier texture without needing a banana.

How many chia seeds per smoothie? One tablespoon per glass is my go-to. You can go up to two, but the smoothie heads towards chia-pudding territory, and each tablespoon adds about 60 calories, so keep that in mind.

Will chia seeds make my smoothie gritty? A little bit of texture is part of the charm, honestly. But if you want it completely smooth, use a high-speed blender, or swap whole chia seeds for milled (ground) chia, which disappears into the smoothie.

Does the smoothie keep thickening? Yes. Chia seeds absorb liquid and turn gel-like the longer they sit. After a few minutes it's thicker; after a few hours in the fridge, it's practically pudding. More on that in the storage section.

Substitutions and variations

• Dairy-free: use a thick coconut or soy yoghurt. Soy yoghurt keeps the protein higher than coconut.
• Want banana after all? No judgement! Half a frozen banana makes it sweeter and even creamier. If you're a banana fan, you'll love my Banana Oat Smoothie with Peanut Butter and Chia Seeds.
• Other berries: swap some (or all) of the strawberries for raspberries, blueberries or a frozen mixed-berry bag.
• Extra protein: add a scoop of vanilla protein powder plus a splash of water or milk, or use skyr instead of Greek yoghurt.
• Other seeds: ground flaxseed or hemp hearts work in place of chia.
• Make it a smoothie bowl: use frozen strawberries, skip any extra liquid, and top with granola, sliced strawberries and a sprinkle of chia.

Recipe tips

• Taste your strawberries first. Ripe summer berries rarely need any sweetener; out-of-season ones might.
• Blender stalling? Frozen fruit can jam things up. Add a tablespoon or two of water, pulse, and scrape down the sides.
• Weigh the yoghurt. 200 g is more accurate than trying to squish thick yoghurt into a measuring jug, trust me.
• Chill your glass. Pop it in the freezer for 5 minutes while you blend. Small thing, big difference on a hot day.
• Doubling up? Easy. Just check your blender can handle 800 g of strawberries at once, or blend in two batches.

Leftovers and storage

• Fridge: this smoothie is best fresh, but you can keep it in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 24 hours. It'll thicken as the chia seeds soak, so give it a good stir or blitz it with a splash of water before drinking.
• Freezer: pour leftovers into ice-lolly moulds for a cheeky frozen treat.
• Prep-ahead smoothie packs: bag up 400 g strawberries with 1 tablespoon chia seeds and freeze for up to 3 months. In the morning, tip the bag into the blender with the yoghurt and you're done. Even grumpy-morning me can manage that.

More smoothie recipes you'll love

• Avocado and Kiwi Smoothie with Lime and Chia Seeds
• Peanut Butter & Jelly Protein Smoothie
• Cantaloupe and Strawberry Smoothie
• Vegan Pineapple Smoothie (3 Ingredients)
• Grapefruit, Strawberry and Spinach Smoothie

And if you'd rather eat your protein than drink it, my High Protein Breakfast Casserole is a brilliant make-ahead option.

Made this smoothie? I'd love it if you left a star rating below. It really helps other readers find the recipe!

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