Smoothie King Caribbean Way Recipe

This strawberry smoothie is a copycat recipe of Smoothie King’s Caribbean Way! It features bananas, strawberries, turbinado, and white grape juice. It’s cost-effective to make it at home and easy too!

Why You’ll Love it:

Caribbean Way is one of Smoothie King’s most popular smoothies! It’s a strawberry smoothie with banana, strawberries, turbinado, ice, and juice.

It’s refreshingly sweet and omits feel-good summer vibes. And it costs a fraction of the price to make it at home!

Before I make a Smoothie King copycat recipe, I always pick one up so I can compare them side by side. This Caribbean way recipe tastes just like the original.

It should dazzle your tastebuds, but feel free to customize it. It’s your smoothie and you da boss!

Key Ingredients:

Banana – I LOVE bananas in smoothies! They provide an ultra-creamy texture and plenty of natural sweetness. Be sure to use a yellow, ripe banana! Underripe, green bananas taste chalky and slightly bitter.

Frozen strawberries – I buy my frozen strawberries in bulk at Costco. If you make smoothies daily, it’s worth it! Be sure to use frozen fruit for the right texture. Fresh fruit is comprised of mostly water which means it just turns to pulpy juice when blended.

Ice – Smoothie King uses a combination of frozen fruit and ice in their smoothies. I don’t typically add ice to my smoothies, but I use them in copycat recipes to get the texture right!

Turbinado – Turbinado is a form of sugar with large golden brown crystals. You probably know it by the brand name Sugar In The Raw. It’s still sugar and provides little nutritional value to smoothies. I don’t think it needs the extra sugar so I listed it as optional.

Juice – Smoothie King uses a papaya juice blend in Caribbean Way. Papaya juice is difficult to find, so I used white grape juice instead. If you can find papaya juice, feel free to use it!

How to Make Smoothie King’s Caribbean Way:

This Caribbean Way smoothie is a summer breeze to make! Pun intended.

Combine ingredients: In the pitcher of your blender, combine the banana, frozen strawberries, ice, turbinado, and juice. Add the banana first. Placing the soft ingredients closest to the blades gets everything moving!

Blend: Start the blender on low speed, then increase the speed to high. If you’re using a blender with a tamper, use the tamper to move the fruit toward the blades. Blend until smooth.

Taste: Taste the smoothie. If you love it, you’re done! If not, adjust to your liking. For a sweeter smoothie, add turbinado. For a thinner smoothie, add a splash more juice, etc.

Serve: Pour the smoothie into two small glasses or one large one. Enjoy immediately!

Recipe Tips:

• Order matters. While most people will tell you to add the liquid first, it isn’t necessary. The liquid sinks to the bottom no matter when you add it. However, it is important to add the soft ingredients first. It gives the blades something to catch and prevents the ingredients from getting stuck.
• Use a high-quality blender. I highly recommend a high-speed blender with a powerful motor, preferably at least 900 watts. Most brands carry high-speed models. I use a Vitamix and a Ninja. I love both, but the Vitamix can blend anything with ease!
• Start the blender on low speed. If you start the blender on high, the mixture is more likely to get stuck. Start on low, then gradually increase the speed to high.
• Use your tamper if necessary. If you’re using a blender with a tamper, you can use it to keep the mixture flowing.

Variations:

This strawberry smoothie is easy to customize! Here’s a few simple variations:

• Less sweet – Omit the turbinado and swap half of the juice with unsweetened almond milk or water.
• Yogurt – Add 1/4 cup of Greek yogurt for some high-quality protein!
• Chia seeds – Add one tablespoon of chia seeds for texture and omega 3 fatty acids.
• Greens – Add a handful of baby spinach to for a boost of iron and manganese. You won’t even know it’s in there!
• Fruit – Mix and match with frozen fruit. Swap half of the strawberries with mango, peaches, pineapple, or raspberries.

Storage:

Smoothies are best enjoyed fresh and frosty! It only takes 5 minutes to make so there’s no downside. Most blender pitchers are dishwasher-safe. Check with the manufacturer to be sure.

If you want to make it ahead of time, pour it into a vacuum insulated cup and refrigerate up to 24 hours.

Or try my favorite storage method – smoothie pops! Pour any leftover smoothie into popsicle molds, add popsicle sticks, and freeze overnight. My kiddos love smoothie pops!

Smoothie King Copycat Recipes:

• Smoothie King Daily Warrior Recipe
• Smoothie King Peanut Power Plus Recipe
• Smoothie King Banana Berry Treat Copycat
• Smoothie King Island Impact Recipe