Protein Pumpkin Smoothie

Grab this Protein Pumpkin Smoothie for all the flavors of fall in one high protein smoothie!

This recipe gives you 2 servings with over 20 grams of protein each, making this smoothie either an excellent filling snack or grab-and-go meal!

Pouring protein-packed pumpkin smoothie into tall clear glasses, with dishes of pumpkin puree and flaxseeds nearby

TLDR: Top Tips

USE FROZEN BANANAS: For a thicker smoothie, use frozen bananas! I always have a stash of "couldn't-eat-it-before-it-got-too-ripe" bananas in the freezer for smoothies, banana ice cream, or banana bread.

GRAB THE RIGHT PUMPKIN: Use canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie mix for this smoothie. Or, use homemade pumpkin puree from fresh pumpkins!

Jump to:

TLDR: Top Tips
Ingredients of note
Go-to pumpkin pie spice blend
Variations and Substitutions
FAQs
More protein-packed smoothie recipes
📖 Recipe

Ingredients for pumpkin protein smoothie with text labels for each ingredient

Ingredients of note

PUMPKIN PUREE: If you're using canned, make sure to grab pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie mix. Feel free to use your own pumpkin puree if you'd like, too!

GREEK YOGURT: Plain Greek yogurt or skyr add creaminess and protein to this smoothie! You could also use cottage cheese if you'd like - it'll get blended up anyway!

BANANA: Use a frozen banana if possible to help thicken the smoothie. I often keep a stash of over-ripe bananas in the freezer for smoothies, banana ice cream, or banana bread!

PROTEIN POWDER: Depending on the protein powder you use, this'll just add a slight vanilla flavor and a bit of sweetness without overpowering the smoothie. As usual, I grabbed my Equip Prime Protein for this one!

FLAXSEED: Flax adds a little fiber, while also thickening up the smoothie somewhat. I used ground flaxseeds, but you can use unground since they'll just get blended anyway.

PUMPKIN PIE SPICE: A little pumpkin pie spice brings out that warm pumpkin flavor! You can use a store-bought blend or make your own with my go-to blend below.

Pumpkin protein smoothie with ingredients in dishes in the foreground and background as well as a bag of Equip prime protein, vanilla flavor

Go-to pumpkin pie spice blend

If you opt to make your own pumpkin pie spice blend, use this one!

4 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons ginger
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon allspice (optional)

Add to a small jar, cap it, and shake until fully combined. This blend should last for a good deal of fall and winter recipes!

Variations and Substitutions

You've got to love how customizable smoothies are!

Here are a few suggestions for changing up this smoothie or making it your own:

Make it a green smoothie by adding a handful of spinach or ½-1 cup of zucchini.
Bulk it up with ½ cup of oats.
Swap the Greek yogurt for cottage cheese.
Use a different-flavored protien powder - Equip makes a Salted Caramel flavor that would be fantastic in this smoothie.
Add different fruit like applesauce, a cored apple, or up to ¾ cup blueberries. Obviously this impacts the overall flavor!

Pumpkin protein smoothie in a small glass, dusted with pumpkin pie spice and garnished with graham crackers

FAQs

What protein powder should I use?

It's no secret that I love Equip Prime Protein and use it for essentially all of the protein powder recipes on Chelsea Joy Eats!

That said, feel free to use any vanilla protein powder. However, not all protein powders taste the same, and I can't speak to texture for other protein powders either.

If you don't like the taste/texture of the smoothie, I'd recommend omitting the protein powder - you'll likely have to add maple syrup or some other sweetener - and troubleshoot from there!

Can I make this smoothie without a banana?

Yes! In this case, the banana provides a bit of bulk and sweetness. But you can omit it if you'd like - the smoothie just may be a bit less sweet.
Otherwise, toss in a cored apple or ½ cup applesauce to help sweeten the smoothie with fruit!

Can I make this smoothie dairy free?

Sure can. My go-to protein powder, Equip Prime Protein, is already dairy free. Either omit the Greek yogurt entirely, substitute a dairy free alternative such as Cocoyo or So Delicious, or swap it out for an extra banana.

More protein-packed smoothie recipes

Love a good smoothie? I've got you!

For smoothies with a good protein punch, check out my Strawberry Banana Smoothie or Protein-Packed Chocolate Strawberry Smoothie.

Another favorite without bananas: Peanut Butter Protein Smoothie.

Finally, for more fall flavors, try Madi's Chai Banana Smoothie, named after a friend of mine!

Did you try this pumpkin smoothie recipe? I'd love to hear what you think! Comment below or tag me on Instagram.