The Only Seven Protein Shakes You’ll Ever Need

As a protein shake enthusiast, you know that a well-crafted shake can be a game-changer for your health and fitness goals. However, even the most experienced shake-makers can fall into the trap of creating chalky, watery, or unappetizing blends.

In this guide, we’ll share expert tips and recipes to help you take your protein shake game to the next level.

To begin, every protein shake recipe ever created fits nicely into one of these types. So if you’re looking for motivation about what kind of protein shake to make, choose from one of these:

Vanilla Shake (pie and bakery variations)

Classic vanilla flavor with optional pie and bakery-inspired variations for a delicious, dessert-like treat.

Easy Vanilla Shake recipe: Cake Batter Shake

• 1 ¾ cups (420 ml) milk of choice
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
• ¼ cup (22 g) rolled oats
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
• 1 frozen banana, peeled, halved
• 1 ¼ cups (262 g) ice cubes

Variations: Add apples and cinnamon for an Apple Pie Shake, pumpkin for a Pumpkin Pie Shake, or peaches for a Peach Pie Shake, or cherries and cocoa for a Red Velvet Shake.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Shake

Rich chocolate, creamy peanut butter, and sweet banana combine for a satisfying, nutrient-packed shake.

Easy Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Shake recipe:

• 1 cup (240 ml) milk of choice
• 1 Tablespoon peanut butter
• 1 Table spoon cocoa powder
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
• ¼ cup (22 g) rolled oats
• 1 frozen banana, peeled, halved
• ½ cup (105 g) ice cubes

Variations: Swap the cocoa for vanilla for a Vanilla Peanut Butter Banana Shake.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Shake (no banana)

Nostalgic PB&J flavor in a protein-packed shake, perfect for those who prefer to skip the banana.

Easy Peanut Butter and Jelly Shake recipe:

• 1 cup (240 ml) milk of choice
• 1 Tablespoon peanut butter
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
• ½ cup (75 g) frozen blueberries
• ½ cup (75 g) frozen strawberries

Related: This protein shake is our secret veggie delivery vehicle we employ on family movie night.

Strawberry Banana Shake

A timeless combination of sweet strawberries and creamy banana for a refreshing, fruity protein shake.

Easy Strawberry Banana Shake recipe:

• 1 cup (240 ml) milk of choice
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
• ¼ cup (22 g) rolled oats
• 1 banana, peeled
• 1 cup (150 g) frozen strawberries

Unique variation: Strawberry Chocolate (no banana): Swap banana for 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder.

Blueberry Shake

Antioxidant-rich blueberries and creamy banana create a delicious, nutritious shake with a vibrant color.

Easy Blueberry Shake recipe:

• 1 cup (240 ml) milk of choice
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
• ¼ cup (22 g) rolled oats
• 1 banana, peeled
• 1 cup (150 g) frozen blueberries

Unique variation: Rhubarb Blueberry Smoothie (The Blubarb)

Coffee Shake

Energizing coffee meets rich chocolate and creamy banana for a protein shake that doubles as a pick-me-up.

Easy recipe:

• 1 ½ cups (360 ml) strong coffee
• ½ cup (120 ml) milk of choice
• 1 scoop chocolate protein powder
• 1 frozen banana, peeled, halved
• 1 cup (210 g) ice cubes

Green Shake

Nutrient-packed spinach blends seamlessly with vanilla protein and banana for a delicious way to get greens.

Easy recipe:

• 1 cup (240 ml) milk of choice
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
• 1 frozen banana, peeled, halved
• ¼ cup (22 g) rolled oats
• 1 cup (30 g) baby spinach
• ½ cup (105 g) ice cubes

A System for Freestyling Your Protein Shakes

This step-by-step system is from the NFL’s Washington Football team’s nutrition team. Follow these five steps for a well-rounded protein shake that will help you achieve your goals.

1. Liquid on the bottom

Either water or milk of choice for hydration.

2. Nut butter or avocado or seeds

In case you’re new to this or would benefit from a reminder: Incorporating healthy fats from nut butter, avocado, or seeds into your protein shakes not only enhances the creamy texture but also provides a range of health benefits:

• Heart-healthy fats: These healthy fats, found in ingredients like almond butter, avocado, and chia seeds, can help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease.
• Omega-3 fatty acids: Seeds such as chia, flax, and hemp are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which have anti-inflammatory properties and may help reduce the risk of chronic diseases like arthritis, cancer, and heart disease.
• Fiber: Nut butter, avocado, and seeds provide dietary fiber, which aids in digestion, promotes feelings of fullness, and supports healthy gut bacteria.
• Vitamins and minerals: These ingredients are also packed with essential vitamins and minerals. For example, avocados are high in potassium, which supports healthy blood pressure levels, while sunflower seeds are a good source of vitamin E, an antioxidant that protects cells from damage.

The more the merrier here: In addition to sunflower, chia, hemp, and flaxseeds are all great additions.

3. Protein powder

One scoop, placed in the middle, for muscle repair.

4. Frozen fruit and veggies

Bananas, berries, greens for energy.

Frozen bananas are the singular best ingredient to add to protein shakes. They make them creamy and cold and give them a tasty ice cream-like texture. Frozen strawberries and blueberries are good here, too. Even frozen mango is great with vanilla protein powder. Consider adding some spinach, kale, or other greens to your protein shakes. A little bit goes a long way (and you cannot taste them).

5. Ice on top

Adding ice last will help push down ingredients helping the blender run most efficiently and add a bit more hydration.

How to Prevent Stalling While Making Shakes

Even with the very best blender, you may sometimes experience your blender stalling. The air pocket between ingredients and the blade causes it to spin endlessly without actually mixing the ingredients. This can happen for a few reasons, all of which can be prevented by trying the following:

Slowly ramp up blender speed: Starting your blender on high speed can cause the ingredients to get stuck around the blades, preventing them from blending properly. So slowly ramp up from low to high speed to avoid stalling and ensure a smooth blend.

Use the tamper: A copious amount of frozen ingredients Without a little The tamper helps push ingredients down towards the blades

Add liquids: If there’s not enough liquid in the blender, the ingredients may not be able to move freely leading to stalling.

Use the Wiggle Test: With the right ratio of liquids to solids, your blend will have the perfect consistency — not too thick or too thin. A little hack to see if the ratio is right before you blend is to do The Wiggle Test. Give your container a wiggle before blending to check the liquid-to-solid ratio. You should hear some movement of the ice and other frozen ingredients. But if there is too much movement, your shake may turn out too thin. Add liquid if there’s no movement. Add frozen if there’s a lot. Here’s a short video showing “The Wiggle Test” in action: