Dive into a vibrant world of color and flavor with this delicious and healthy dragon fruit smoothie! This exotic fruit's stunning color and refreshing taste make it the ultimate ingredient to elevate your homemade smoothies to new heights. This recipe is vegan and gluten free and can be made in 5 minutes!
I'm a big fan of smoothies and smoothie bowls. They're a delicious way to start the day or hydrate after a work out. Plus, they also provide an incredible opportunity to infuse your body with a boost of essential nutrients. Some of my favorites are my hydrating green smoothie, tropical pineapple banana smoothie, and mango smoothie bowl.
Now I'm excited to bring you this delicious dragon fruit smoothie (pitaya smoothie), which is packed with refreshing flavor, gorgeous color, and numerous health benefits. This smoothie is a tropical treat that will be the perfect addition to your daily routine!
Enjoy this delicious dragon fruit smoothie as an easy breakfast option, a midday pick-me-up, a post-workout replenisher or a healthy snack anytime of day. So, grab a blender, embrace the tropical allure of dragonfruit, and get ready to sip your way to a nourished and vibrant you!
Jump to:
What is Dragon Fruit?
Dragon fruit, which is also sometimes referred to as pitaya, is a beautiful tropical cactus fruit. While it was originally cultivated in Mexico and Central America, it is now grown all over the world.
Have you ever been puzzled by the terms "dragon fruit" and "pitaya," wondering if they refer to the same fruit or not? Read my post on Dragon Fruit vs Pitaya: What's The DIfference?
Dragon fruit is characterized by its eye-catching appearance, with vibrant pink or yellow skin adorned with green scales. When you slice it open, the dragonfruit has a juicy, subtly sweet flesh that's speckled with tiny black seeds. There are different varieties of dragon fruit, including white-fleshed, pink-fleshed, and purple-fleshed.
Dragon fruit has a mild taste and can be compared to a cross between a kiwifruit and pear, with subtle earthy notes. Different varieties have different flavors and sweetness levels. Variations with a deeper pink flesh are typically the sweetest.
Dragon fruit is a popular ingredient in various culinary dishes including juices, smoothies, and smoothie bowls.
Doctor's Tips:
Dragon fruit is as beautiful as it is nutritious. With its bright magenta color, it adds a pop of gorgeous color to this delicious dragon fruit smoothie. But its appeal goes beyond aesthetics.
Dragon fruit is rich in essential vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants. This makes it a fantastic addition to a healthy diet. With its high water content, dragon fruit also aids in hydration, making it an ideal ingredient for a refreshing smoothie.
The high fiber content aids in digestion and promotes a healthy gut. The antioxidants present in dragon fruit help fight against free radicals and support overall well-being. Plus, the combination of vitamins and minerals nourishes your body, providing an energy boost to kick-start your day or revitalize your afternoon.
Why You'll Love This Dish
- Delicious- naturally sweet and refreshing with a tropical flair
- Quick and easy- made with a handful of simple ingredients in 5 minutes
- Gorgeous- just look at that beautiful color
- Nutrient-rich- loaded with essential vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants to support your health
- Hydration booster- will help quench your thirst and keep you hydrated
- Versatile- dragonfruit blends seamlessly with other ingredients so you can customize your smoothie to suit your taste and nutritional needs
Ingredients
Ingredient notes and substitutions. See recipe card at the end of the post for full recipe.
- Dragon fruit (pitaya)- you can find frozen dragon fruit in cubes or dragon fruit smoothie packs (dragon fruit puree) in the frozen aisle of your local grocery store- either one will work. The fresh dragon fruit sold in grocery stores is typically the white-fleshed fruit and won't give the same color and flavor as frozen.
- Mango- I recommend using frozen diced mango
- Pineapple- you can use frozen or fresh pineapple
- Banana- use a ripe, frozen banana if you have it- it will make your smoothie extra creamy
- Coconut water- adds tropical flavor to this smoothie. Harmless Harvest coconut water is my favorite but you can use any brand. You could also substitute juice like orange or pineapple juice.
Don't have any ripe bananas? Read my post on how to quickly ripen bananas in the oven or air fryer.
How To Make a Dragonfruit Smoothie (Pitaya Smoothie) Step-By-Step
See recipe card below for full recipe instructions.
- Step 1- Place the coconut water in a high-speed blender. Add the dragonfruit, mango, pineapple, and banana.
- Step 2- Blend on high speed until smooth and creamy. Pour into glasses and serve.
My Favorite Blender
Looking for a blender? I've had this high-speed Vitamix blender for 10 years and it's still going strong!
Chef's Tips
- You can find frozen dragon fruit in cubes or smoothie packs in the freezer section of your grocery store- either one will work.
- Use frozen fruit for best results- it will give this pitaya smoothie a creamy texture without watering it down. I always keep frozen ripe bananas in my freezer to use for smoothies. Just be sure to peel them first- it's really hard to peel frozen bananas!
- If using fresh fruit, you can add a few ice cubes to the blender.
- Use a high-speed blender for best results. Use a tamper tool as needed to push the ingredients down towards the blades to get it to blend easier. If you don't have a tamper, you can stop the blender and scrape down the sides with a spatula as needed.
- If you have any leftover smoothie, you can pour it into popsicle molds and make popsicles.
- You can also turn this dragon fruit smoothie into a smoothie bowl. Use half the amount of coconut water to make the smoothie thicker. Then, transfer it to a bowl, top it with your favorite smoothie bowl toppings, and dig in with a spoon!
Optional add-ins for your smoothie:
- To add a boost of protein, you can add a scoop of protein powder to your pitaya smoothie.
- You can add a tablespoon of ground flaxseed, chia seeds or hemp seeds for a boost of fiber, omega-3 fatty acids and phytonutrients.
- Toss a handful of greens like baby spinach in for a boost of nutrients.
- Add a squeeze of fresh lime juice for a pop of bright flavor.
- You can substitute plant-based milk like almond milk or coconut milk as the base of the smoothie instead of of coconut water for a creamier consistency.
Interested in learning more? Read my post All About Dragon Fruit: How To Buy It, Eat It & Store It.
Recipe FAQs
Dragon fruit has a mild flavor and pairs well with other fruit like tropical fruit (like pineapple, mango, and banana), berries (like strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries), and citrus (like lemon or lime).
Dragon fruit and pitaya are closely related fruits that belong to the same family of cactus plants. They are so similar that the two terms are often used interchangeably.
Some species of dragon fruit have white flesh on the inside and others have pink/magenta flesh. The pink-fleshed fruit has a sweeter flavor than the white-fleshed variety, with a hint of berry.
Yes, to make a smoothie bowl, you can use less liquid in this recipe (I would recommend using ¼ cup of coconut water) to make it thicker. Then, pour the mixture into a bowl, top it with your favorite toppings, and dig in with a spoon. Read my tropical smoothie bowl post for ideas.
Want to learn more about how to make the perfect smoothie? Read my Quick Guide To Making Smoothies.
More Smoothies and Smoothie Bowls
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Recipe
Dragon Fruit Smoothie
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup coconut water
- 1 ½ cups frozen dragon fruit cubes
- 1 cup frozen diced mango
- 1 cup chopped pineapple
- 1 banana, preferably frozen
Instructions
- Place the coconut water in the blender. Add the dragon fruit, mango, pineapple, and banana. Blend on high speed until smooth. If the smoothie is very thick, you can use a tamper to push the ingredients down towards the blade get it to blend easier. Alternatively, you can stop the blender and scrape down the sides as needed.
- Pour into two glasses and serve.
Notes
- To add a boost of protein, you can add a scoop of protein powder to your pitaya smoothie.
- You can add a tablespoon of ground flaxseed, chia seeds or hemp seeds for a boost of fiber, omega-3 fatty acids and phytonutrients.
- Toss a handful of greens like baby spinach in for a boost of nutrients.
- Add a squeeze of fresh lime juice for a pop of bright flavor.
- You can substitute plant-based milk like almond milk or coconut milk as the base of the smoothie instead of of coconut water for a creamier consistency.
url says
I was always afraid to buy and experiment on a fruit that I have never tried. Now that I know that it's available as cubes in the freezer, I am willing to venture into the smoothie, which sounds so simple !
Thank you Sonali, for your push.