This 5-ingredient copycat Banana Boat Smoothie King recipe is creamy, naturally sweet, and full of vanilla and banana flavors. This cold beverage is a healthy substitute for a banana milkshake, and you won’t be able to taste the difference!

Since you are here make sure to check out this Tropical Smoothie Cafe Island Green!

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This delicious smoothie king copycat is one of their most well-known smoothies and is perfect for any hot summer day. It is refreshing and perfect to start your morning. It is a healthy choice and is full of vitamins and nutrients that will keep your energy level going throughout the day.

Because this smoothie is made with fresh bananas, yogurt, and milk, it is not only delicious but nutritious! This yummy smoothie is full of health benefits and is a great source of calcium, and vitamins C, D, and E.

Another one of my favorite smoothies is a Cafe Island Green Smoothie from Tropical Smoothie!

close up of banana boat smoothie in clear glass with straw and slices of banana on top

side view of banana boat smoothie in clear glass with straw and slices of banana on top

What do I need to make a Smoothie King Banana Boat Smoothie?

Banana: using frozen bananas in this recipe is going to keep the texture of your smoothie, well, smooth. It will be thick and creamy, almost like a milkshake. Keep in mind if you freeze bananas when they’re a little more ripe, they will have a higher natural sweetness than if you freeze a fresh banana.

Vanilla Greek Yogurt: helps the smoothie with texture. Think of the smooth consistency of Greek yogurt; it helps thicken the smoothie without adding an odd texture. The vanilla also helps with the flavor of your smoothie. If you can’t find vanilla, you can always use banana yogurt or plain fat-free yogurt. I would add in a dash more vanilla extract if you use plain yogurt. You can use plant-based yogurt if you’d like.

Milk: is the ingredient that is going to help thin out your smoothie. Using milk vs. water in this smoothie keeps it creamy, whereas if you used water, it would seem too thin, flavorless, and watered down. You can use any type of milk that you prefer, I like to use regular 2% milk, but you can use any plant-based milk that you like. Two dairy-free milks that are great in this recipe are coconut milk and soy milk.

Vanilla Extract: is a secret ingredient that gives this smoothie a delicious flavor. Adding in vanilla adds a warm flavor as well as making this smoothie almost taste like a “healthy” banana milkshake.

Ice: is necessary for your smoothie to remain cold. You can use any kind of ice cubes, as the blender will create the perfect texture.

overhead view of banana boat smoothie king ingredients in small bowls on the counter

overhead view of banana boat ingredients in the blender

How do I make a Banana Boat Smoothie?

Making a smoothie is my favorite because it is so simple. For this recipe, you add all ingredients into your blender and then blend until smooth. It’s that easy.

overhead view of banana boat ingredients blended in the blender

overhead view of banana boat smoothie in clear glass

Can we add sugar to this banana boat smoothie recipe?

You can; however, the sweetness coming from the banana may be enough for this recipe. If you’d like a sweeter smoothie, feel free to freeze your bananas when they’re more ripe, which causes them to be sweeter.

Or, I would maybe add in a dash of honey or sugar. You will also end up getting a sweet flavor from the vanilla Greek yogurt.

overhead view of banana boat smoothie in clear glass with straw and slices of banana on top on wooden coaster

side view of banana boat smoothies in clear glasses with straw and slices of banana on top on wooden coaster

Can we consider this smoothie as a protein drink?

This smoothie is not very high in protein. However, you can switch a few ingredients to make it contain a little more protein. You can change your milk so that it has more protein; I like to use Fairlife.

You can also substitute this for a protein shake, you may need to add a splash of water, depending on how thick your protein shake is. You can also change your vanilla yogurt to a protein-based vanilla Greek yogurt.

And lastly, you can always add whey protein powder or pea protein powder to any smoothie, depending on your taste preference.

One of my favorite things to do for this smoothie is to add a little bit of peanut butter or any other nut butter. This not only adds a great source of protein, but it also makes this banana smoothie and peanut butter banana smoothie, which is delicious!

overhead view of two banana boat smoothies in clear glasses with straw and slices of banana on top on wooden coaster

side view of banana boat smoothie in clear glass with straw and slices of banana on top on wooden coaster with bananas in background

How Many Calories Are In A Banana Boat Smoothie?

A Banana Boat Smoothie at Smoothie King has around 524 calories in a 20 oz banana boat drink. Around 100 of those calories come from the banana.

If you’re watching calories but still want to enjoy this frozen drink, feel free to use sugar-free vanilla Greek yogurt or low-fat or skim milk. Plant-based milk, like almond milk, can also be lower in calories.

overhead view of two banana boat smoothies in clear glasses with a straw and slices of banana on top on wooden coaster

side view of banana boat smoothie in clear glass on top on wooden coaster

Does Smoothie King Put Ice Cream In Their Smoothies?

Smoothie King does not add any ice cream to their smoothies. It is a great alternative for when your kids really want a banana milkshake; instead, make a banana boat smoothie at home.

They can enjoy the pure banana goodness, and they will never know they’re drinking something healthy!