These quick and easyProtein Shakesare great for busy mornings when you need to eat something fast! Being able to prepare these shakes in minutes and customize them with a variety of ingredients makes them a perfect substitute for traditional breakfast.

glass mason jars with protein shakes inside.

Are you tired of scrambling to put breakfast together every morning? These quick and easy protein shakes make a great alternative! Filled with flavorful, hearty ingredients, these shakes make a great breakfast alternative. One of our favorite things about these shakes is how easy they are to customize.

You can never go wrong with a classic combination like chocolate and banana, but feel free to get creative! Use a combination of vanilla protein powder and your favorite frozen fruit for a fun, tropical concoction or use chocolate milk and cocoa nibs for a dessert-like shake!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

It comes together in minutes, making it great for mornings on the go.
You can customize your protein shake with a variety of ingredients and toppings.
It’s an easy way to get fruits and vegetables into picky eaters.

Recipe Ingredients

portion bowls each with digitally labeled raw ingredients to make protein shakes.

Milk—Whole milk or your favorite dairy free alternative.
Protein Powder—We like to use chocolate protein powder, but feel free to use whatever you have on hand!
Bananas—Frozen bananas will help thicken your shake. You can find frozen sliced bananas at most major grocery stores.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How to Make Your Protein Shakes

blender with fresh ingredients for a protein shake recipe.

blender with a smooth protein shake recipe.

Step #1.Throw all of your ingredients into a blender.

Step #2.Pulse your blender on high or use the smoothie setting if you have one. Blend until the ingredients are smooth and homogenous.

Recipe FAQs

How do I thicken my protein shake?

There are a few different ways to thicken your protein shake. The easiest way to thicken it without changing the flavor is to use plain Greek yogurt. We like to use about a half cup of yogurt. You can also add an extra frozen banana to your shake. Adding extra frozen fruit is a great way to thicken the shake if you are making a fruit-flavored protein shake and aren’t worried about the balance of flavor between the fruit and protein powder.

Do I need to add ice to my shake?

Since you are using frozen fruit there is no need to add ice cubes to the blender. The frozen fruit will provide the same thickening benefit as ice. With that being said, if you would prefer to use fresh fruit then you can add ½ cup of ice to help thicken your protein shake.

Popular Substitutions or Variations

We love customizing our protein shakes to create new flavors! Some of our favorite ways to modify these shakes include:

Make it fruity—Use vanilla protein powder and a combination of your favorite frozen fruits! Some of our favorite fruits to use include strawberries, peaches,pineapple, and raspberries.
Sneak in some veggies—One of the great things about a good protein shake is how easy it is to sneak in some extra veggies. Using strong flavors like chocolate and banana makes it easy to add spinach or kale without altering the flavor of your shake.
Nuts and toppings—Add a spoonful of your favorite nut butter for some extra protein and flavor. You can also top your shake with coconut flakes,granola, or cocoa nibs.

Expert Tips

We like tocut our bananas into slices and then freeze themcheck outhow to freeze bananas, but you can also use frozen sliced bananas from the grocery store. Just make sure you have about 1 cup of banana.
We like to use “Vital Proteins” or “Just Ingredients” protein powder,but you are more than welcome to use your favorite brand as long as you use ¼ cup.
Most protein powders contain whey, which is a milk product.You can make this drink dairy free by using pea protein and your favorite almond milk.You can use other kinds of dairy free milk, but almond milk will give the most similar result.
For a thicker protein shake, add an extra frozen banana, a few ice cubes, ½ cup of plain or vanilla Greek Yogurt, or a few tablespoons of peanut butter.For a thinner, smoothie-like shake you can add an extra ¼ cup of milk.
This recipe makes enough forone 12 ounce shake.