Strawberry Banana Smoothie with the Ninja Slushi

The strawberry-banana smoothie is the drink I make with my eyes closed the moment strawberries are finally in season. In the Slushi, the texture stays dense and even from the first sip to the last, without the ice crystals you get from crushing ice cubes. The ripe banana brings body and sweetness, the strawberry its tangy freshness. A real summer treat to sip through a straw.

Strawberry Banana Smoothie with the Ninja Slushi

Recipe by Camille Roos

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: Smoothie / frozen juiceCuisine: Difficulty: Easy

Servings

4

people

Prep

5

minutes

Freeze time

40

minutes

Total time

45

minutes

A dense, frozen strawberry-banana smoothie with no added ice cubes, thanks to the machine’s constant churning.

Ingredients

• 350 g fresh strawberries (or thawed frozen ones)

• 2 very ripe bananas

• 400 ml milk (cow, almond, oat, or coconut)

• 2 tablespoons agave syrup (or liquid sugar)

Instructions

• Hull the strawberries and slice the bananas.
• Finely blend the fruit, milk, and agave syrup in a standard blender to obtain a smooth liquid base without chunks. The Slushi cools and churns but does not blend: the base must be 100% liquid.
• Pour this mixture into the Ninja Slushi bowl, making sure to stay between the MIN and MAX markers. Select the Milkshake program. The syrup provides the minimum sugar required so the milk does not freeze into a solid block.
• Let the machine churn until a thick and velvety texture is achieved, then serve with a straw.

Tangy dairy-free version

Tangy dairy-free version : Replace the milk with pulp-free freshly squeezed orange juice and choose the Frozen Juice program for a result closer to a fruit granita.

Why do you need to sweeten it, even with ripe bananas?

When preparing a milk-based drink in the machine, the biggest risk is seeing the mixture freeze completely and block the mechanism. The absolute key lies in the sugar content. Without it, your milk will turn into an unworkable hard block. This is why I always advise adding those two tablespoons of agave syrup, even if your bananas are already very ripe. This sugar acts as a natural antifreeze that keeps a texture you can easily sip through a straw instead of a frozen block. If you use unsweetened plant-based milk like almond milk, do not hesitate to taste the preparation before pouring it into the bowl. It should seem slightly too sweet at room temperature, as intense cold tends to dampen the perception of sugar once the drink is frosted.

Why pre-blending is essential

This is a question I am often asked about smoothies: why use another appliance before starting the program? It is important to understand that the Ninja Slushi churns and freezes, but does not have blades for chopping. If you put pieces of strawberries or bananas directly into the bowl, they will just spin around, or even obstruct the auger, without ever blending into the drink. Therefore, I always run my mixture through a traditional blender first, making sure to obtain a 100% liquid consistency without residue. Once this homogeneous liquid is ready, the Milkshake program takes care of lowering the temperature evenly while churning air into the preparation, which gives a final result infinitely more consistent than a smoothie blended with ice cubes.

What is your favorite plant-based milk for making smoothies at home?

Frequently asked questions

Why does my smoothie freeze on the bowl walls?

This is generally a sign of a lack of sugar. Do not hesitate to add a little extra syrup to the bowl to soften the texture.

Can frozen strawberries be used?

Yes, but make sure to thaw them well before putting them in the blender. The base must absolutely be liquid and without hard chunks before going into the machine.

What is the average setting time on the Milkshake program?

Allow about forty minutes to achieve a nice thickness, but this time can vary depending on the initial temperature of your ingredients and the model used.