This guide will show you exactly how to make a protein shake at home.

Smoothies are such an excellent way to get in your daily nutrients, including the essential macronutrient, protein. Learn how to make your own perfect protein shake/smoothie right at home with your blender and a handful of ingredients!

This guide will cover:

Let’s get into it.

What is a Protein Shake?

Put simply, a protein shake is a drink (usually a blend of a few ingredients) that includes protein (usually in the form of protein powder).

Traditionally, protein shakes are used as a quick and easy way to get in a lot of protein, and are particularly popular among athletes and people looking to build muscle.

But protein shakes are not just for bodybuilders! Protein shakes are popular among all sorts of people, as ensuring adequate protein in your diet can be beneficial in many ways.

Furthermore, protein shakes have evolved into more than just liquid protein that you chug down after a workout. There are so many different kinds of shakes and ways to make them.

A protein shake in the simplest of forms, is just protein powder stirred into water/milk. But a protein shake can include additional ingredients and will often come in different forms such as a fruity smoothie or a dessert-like milkshake.

Some people like to differentiate between a protein shake and a protein smoothie. I basically see them as the same thing – a smoothie (i.e. blended drink) that is high in protein.

One different might be that shakes typically use protein powder to increase their protein content, whereas a high protein smoothie might just have high-protein ingredients blended into it.

On this site, I tend to consider a protein shake as the same as a protein smoothie. I always include naturally high-protein ingredients in any protein shake/smoothie recipe, and adding protein powder is always an optional add-in.

Is it Good to Put Protein in Smoothies?

Putting protein in smoothie can be a good idea for many reasons.

Protein is an essential macronutrient that is required for our bodies to do pretty much everything!

You probably know that protein is important for muscle growth, repair, and recovery. But the body also requires dietary protein because it uses it to build proteins (enzymes and hormones) in the body that are crucial for all sorts of other functions as well, such as immune system defence, metabolism, cell cycling, cell signalling, transport within the body, energy, weight management, etc…whatever the bodily function, there’s a protein for that!

This means it is important to get enough protein in our diets, particularly if you have an active lifestyle.

And what better way to get in your daily protein, than through a smoothie!

Smoothie are an excellent vehicle for protein for many reasons:

They taste great
You can avoid the commonly disliked “chalky” texture of protein powder drinks
Protein makes them more filling and satiating
Protein helps slow down digestion and reduce blood sugar spikes
They’re easy and convenient to drink
A smoothie will provide so many additional nutrients, in addition to the protein, in one drink!

What is a Good Protein to Put in Smoothies?

There are many amazing (and delicious!) sources of protein to put in protein shakes/smoothies.

The obvious one is protein powder.

There are many different kinds/options of protein powder, including those derived from animal products (ex: whey protein, casein protein, egg white protein), and those derived from plant products (ex: pea protein, hemp protein, etc.). The optimal protein for you depends on your lifestyle and what your body most needs protein for.

Other popular sources of protein to put in smoothies include whole foods that are naturally high in protein, such as:

Dairy products:

Milk
Yogurt
Cottage cheese

Nuts and nut butters:

Peanuts
Almonds
Pecans
Walnuts
Hazelnuts
Cashews

Seeds and seed butters:

Flax
Hemp
Chia
Pumpkin
Sunflower
Sesame

Fruits and veggies:

Avocado
Spinach
Kale

Others:

Grains like oats
Legumes like peanuts, beans, peas, etc.

Do I need Protein Powder in my Smoothie?

You definitely do not need protein powder in your smoothie. Smoothies are so versatile and customizable that there are plenty of ways to make a high-protein smoothie, without adding in protein powder.

Protein powder is simple a concentrated powder form of natural protein sources such as those listed above. You can easily get that same protein right from the source.

Better yet, get your protein from a variety of sources – throw in some protein powder as well as some natural protein sources.

You don’t want to just rely on protein powder alone. Protein powder should be used as a supplement to whole foods, not a replacement.

When Should I Drink Protein Shakes?

Protein shakes are usually meant for drinking before or after working out, to help with muscle growth and repair.

But really, you can drink a protein shake any time of day, whenever you feel like it. Just like other nutrients, you don’t need to get your daily protein in all at one time and then call it a day.

You can blend up a protein shake whenever you need energy or are feeling hungry or snackish.

Turning any smoothie into a protein-rich smoothie is bound to make it healthier and more nutritious and satiating.

Can I Drink a Protein Shake For Breakfast?

Protein shakes can make for a healthy and nutritious breakfast, if made properly.

As mentioned above, you do not want to toss some protein powder in your drink and call it a meal. Nothing can replace a well-rounded meal made with whole foods.

However, a protein shake that includes plenty of nutrient-dense, natural protein sources, as well as healthy fats and fibrous carbs, will resemble the components of a wholesome meal, and is an excellent breakfast option.

A nutrient-dense, high-protein smoothie will provide energy and keep you full for longer than a regular smoothie.

Should I Drink a Smoothie Before or After a Workout?

Protein shakes/smoothies can be drank before and/or after a workout to provide energy and help muscles repair and grow.

This study found that consuming protein before vs. after a workout had similar effects on muscle strength, muscle growth, and body composition.

So it’s up to you!

How to Make a Protein Shake at Home

protein shakes can be made with or without protein powder

How to Make a Protein Shake With Protein Powder

Step 1: Gather ingredients

Liquid base – typically milk or water, but can be any liquid of choice
Fruit – pick one or two fruits to form the basis of your smoothie
Protein powder + additional protein sources – ex: yogurt, nut butter, seeds, nuts, oats, greens, etc.
Thickening ingredients – ex: ice, frozen fruit, something creamy

When making a traditional protein shake with protein powder, it’s a good idea to make sure you include some texture-improving ingredients to balance out the chalky powder texture. This can be creamy fruits like banana or avocado, or frozen fruits, or nut butters (which will also add tons of protein!)

An easy and straightforward way to make a protein shake with protein powder is to simply gather the ingredients for a smoothie you like, and then add a scoop of protein powder to that mix. Choose a protein powder that does not influence the taste of the smoothie, or a flavoured protein powder that complements the flavours of the smoothie.

Step 2: Blend until smooth

How to Make a Protein Shake Without Protein Powder

Step 1: Gather ingredients

Liquid base – milk is a protein-rich option
Fruit – pick one or two fruits to form the basis of your smoothie
Protein source – ex: yogurt, nut butter, seeds, nuts, oats, greens, etc.
Optional: thickening ingredients like ice, frozen fruit, something creamy

To make a protein shake without protein powder, the focus is on including those natural protein sources listed earlier.

You can also add in some texture-improving ingredients if needed.

Step 2: Blend until smooth

FAQs/Troubleshooting

Should I Make my Protein Shake With Milk or Water?

You can make a delicious protein shake with either milk or water as the liquid base.

Milk tends to be the preferred choice for a few reasons:

Milk contains quite a bit of protein.
Milk will create a slightly thicker and creamier blend.
Milk is more filling/satiating.
Milk offers additional benefits like healthy fat, calcium, vitamin B12, and other important nutrients.

That being said, you can definitely make a protein shake with without milk.

Instead of using milk, you can make a protein shake with water, juice, or any other liquid of choice. (see this smoothie ingredients list for more ideas)

It’s generally a good idea to start with a small amount of liquid and add more as needed, to avoid creating a thin, runny drink.

Adding in additional frozen fruits or something creamy is a good way to make your shake thicker (and more nutritious) in lieu of dairy. (see more below)

How to Make a Protein Shake Thicker

Adding in protein powder is one simple way to make a drink thicker.

Other methods of ensuring a thick protein shake include:

Start with a small amount of liquid and add more as needed
Use milk instead of water
Add yogurt, especially Greek yogurt (it’s super thick and also super high in protein!)
Use frozen fruits or ice (drink right away if using ice)
Add creamy or high-fat ingredients (avocado, banana, nuts, etc.)
Add in oats or seeds (make it thicker and add protein!)

See more tips on how to make a smoothie thicker in this how to make a smoothie guide.

How to Make a Protein Shake Taste Good

Add fruits. Fruits are a crucial part of making any smoothie taste good, because they add a lot of natural sweetness as well as tasty flavours.
Choose complementary flavours. Blending together clashing flavours, or too many strong flavours, or simply too many ingredients in general, can result in a funky-tasting smoothie. Choose just a couple main flavours that go well together, and stick with more neutral flavours for the rest of the ingredients. Especially when using protein powder, make sure the flavour of the protein powder goes well with the rest of the smoothie.
Don’t put too much protein powder. Similar to the point above, if using protein powder, you don’t want to overwhelm the flavour or texture of your shake by adding in a ton of protein powder.
Blend, blend, blend. Sometimes, when your smoothie doesn’t taste the best, it’s a texture thing. Be sure to blend well and include thickening ingredients to improve the consistency and texture of your shake.

Ready to blend up a delicious protein smoothie? Check out some of our delicious and protein-packed Protein Shake Recipes.

If you enjoyed this article, let me know in the comments what your favourite protein shake recipe is, or your favourite way to add protein to your smoothies!

How to Make a Protein Shake

Protein shakes, or protein smoothies, are a great way to get in your daily protein. Learn how to make a protein shake, with or without protein powder, right at home using your blender and a handful of ingredients!

Instructions

1) Gather ingredients:

Liquid base (milk is a protein-rich option).
Fruit (pick one or two fruits to form the basis of your smoothie).
Protein powder and/or natural protein sources (ex: yogurt, nut butter, seeds, nuts, oats, greens, etc.).
Optionally, thickening ingredients (ex: ice, frozen fruit, something creamy).

2) Add ingredients to your blender and blend for around 30-60 seconds until thoroughly smooth.

Notes

If using protein powder, it’s a good idea to include some texture-improving ingredients to balance out the chalky powder texture. This can be creamy fruits like banana or avocado, or frozen fruits, or nut butters (which will also add tons of protein!)
An easy way to make a protein shake with protein powder is to simply gather the ingredients for a smoothie you like, and then add a scoop of protein powder to that mix. Choose a protein powder that does not influence the taste of the smoothie, or that complements the flavours of the smoothie.