Nutella Smoothie

Chocolate for breakfast, anyone? This healthy easy Nutella smoothie tastes oh-so decadent, yet is made with whole ingredients like hazelnuts, cacao, and banana for a delicious treat that’s nourishing enough to have for breakfast. 

About this Nutella Smoothie Recipe

I’m a big fan of anything-chocolate, especially if I can sneak it into a healthy smoothie recipe!

So when I set out to create this Nutella smoothie, I wanted to capture the rich, indulgent taste of the famous hazelnut spread, but I wanted to do it with whole, nourishing ingredients. 

Scanning the ingredient list online, I found that the ingredients in Nutella include sugar, palm oil, hazelnuts, milk, cocoa, soy lecithin, and vanillin. 

For this healthy smoothie I decided to skip the refined sugar, the milk, the palm oil, and the soy lecithin. 

I kept the hazelnuts, cacao, and used real vanilla extract, and used the natural sweetness from banana and optional maple syrup to capture that signature Nutella taste.

The result is this wholesome, satisfying, protein-packed smoothie with enough staying power to fuel you through whatever your day brings (but that still tastes like a total treat!).

Process & Tips

The beauty of a good smoothie recipe is that all you really need to do is add all your ingredients to a blender and let it work its magic.

In a matter of minutes you’ll be sipping on a delicious, nutrient dense smoothie!

The powerhouse combination of fiber, fat and protein in this smoothie makes it more filling and satiating than a smoothie that’s only fruit-based.

Plant-powered fiber comes in the form of banana, ground flax seeds, and hazelnuts.

Healthy fat comes in the form of hazelnuts, plant-based milk, flax seeds and cacao powder.

And the protein can be found both in the hazelnuts & flax seeds, as well as the protein powder.

Fun Nutella Smoothie Variations to Try

Without banana: Make a Nutella smoothie without banana by swapping in ½ cup frozen cauliflower rice. Yes, it might sound strange, but the cauliflower will add the same creaminess and body to the smoothie without much taste. Plus, you get the added bonus of extra fiber and nutrients from the cauliflower rice as well!

Nutella smoothie bowl: To make a nutella smoothie bowl, make the smoothie thicker by only using 1 ½ cups of milk. Be sure to use frozen banana (or frozen cauliflower rice) to help you get that thick consistency. Once blended, pour into a bowl and add your choice of smoothie bowl toppings.

Peanut butter Nutella smoothie: Add 1-2 tablespoons of unsweetened peanut butter to the smoothie along with the other ingredients.

Blueberry Nutella smoothie: Add one cup of frozen blueberries to the smoothie along with the other ingredients.

Cherry Nutella smoothie: Add one cup of frozen cherries to the smoothie along with the other ingredients.

For an extra boost of green goodness, add a handful of baby spinach or baby kale before blending!

Ingredients & Modifications

Frozen banana: The banana adds some natural sweetness to this smoothie. You can use fresh or frozen banana in this recipe. If using fresh banana, be sure to add some ice for better texture.

Toasted hazelnuts: The hazelnuts are what give traditional Nutella its signature flavor and together with the cacao/cocoa powder, they’re the star ingredient of this smoothie. If you substitute another nut or seed in its place, it’ll still be delicious but it won’t have that same taste.

Cacao powder: I like the taste and added benefits of cacao powder, but you can also use cocoa powder in its place.

Ground flaxseed: Ground flaxseed adds a bit of fiber and a dose of plant-based protein. I find it easier to use ground flaxseed but you could also add whole flax seeds if you have a high speed blender. Chia seeds would also work in place of flax seeds in this recipe.

Milk of choice: I used unsweetened almond milk but you can use any milk you like. Oat milk, cashew milk, and hemp milk would all work great in its place. If you like a thinner consistency in your smoothies, add more milk.

Pure vanilla extract: The pairing of vanilla extract with the chocolatey cacao/cocoa powder in this recipe really helps to create that traditional sweet nutella flavor.

Pure maple syrup: Maple syrup is optional in this recipe but I love the subtle sweetness it adds to this nutella smoothie. You could also use another refined sugar free sweetener in its place like honey, coconut nectar or agave. Or for a low-sugar version, feel free to omit it (the banana will still add some sweetness to it).

Chocolate protein powder: This ingredient is optional, but I love the staying power that protein powder gives to smoothies, especially if I’m planning to enjoy them for breakfast. You can use any chocolate protein powder you like the taste of. To keep this recipe vegan friendly, be sure to use a plant-based protein powder. To keep this recipe paleo friendly, be sure to use a grain-free and dairy-free protein powder.

If you’d rather just use prepared Nutella, that will work, too. Simply replace the hazelnuts with 2 tablespoons of Nutella and proceed with the recipe.

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