Lemon Smoothie (Sunshine in a Bottle!)
This Lemon Smoothie is like sunshine in a bottle! With over a half million page views, this recipe with yogurt, lemon, honey, ginger and turmeric has energized a lot of people over the years.
“I’m not a huge lemon person AND this smoothie is one of my absolute favorites! It truly is sunshine in a bottle- the taste is so bright and refreshing. Dang tasty. I make it in big batches, pour it into individual jars, freeze them, and then thaw a jar when I want a tasty drink.”
—MPW
“Just tried this lemon smoothie! WOW! Love it! Love all the ingredients, too. Great combination. Sunshine in a bottle is a perfect name.”
—Cynthia
Creamy Lemon Smoothie Is Bright, Zesty, And Hard To Stop Sipping
You know those mornings where coffee just isn’t cutting it? We often find ourselves craving something that feels like sunshine in a glass, and this lemon smoothie recipe is the answer. It’s creamy, it’s zippy, and it’s just the right amount of sweet with a little surprise kick of ginger and turmeric.
It’s one of those “how is this so simple?” recipes that brings major flavor with minimal effort. No kale in sight, either, just bright, happy ingredients doing what they do best.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe For Lemon Smoothies
- Big lemon flavor – Between the juice and zest, this smoothie brings serious citrus energy.
- Just the right amount of sweet – Honey balances the tartness without overpowering.
- Aromatic with a twist – Ginger and turmeric add depth and just enough complexity to keep things interesting.
- Quick and blender-friendly – Toss it all in, hit blend, and it’s ready in under 5 minutes.
Easy Lemon Smoothie Recipe Ingredients
A full recipe card, including exact ingredient amounts, appears at the bottom of this post.
- French vanilla yogurt – adds creaminess and a subtle vanilla note that plays so well with the lemon. Either lowfat or full fat yogurt works here.
- ice cubes – for chill and texture.
- fresh lemon juice – zest that lemon first, then juice it. No skipping!
- honey – natural sweetness to balance all that citrus.
- grated fresh ginger – adds warmth and a little “what is that?” intrigue.
- grated lemon zest – because more lemon is always the right choice.
- ground turmeric – enough for color and a hint of earthy spice in this lemon and ginger smoothie.
How To Make A Refreshing Lemon Smoothie
1. COMBINE. Throw everything into your blender: yogurt, ice, lemon juice, honey, ginger, zest, and turmeric.
2. BLEND. Blend until the mixture is silky smooth.
Lemon Smoothie Recipe Home Chef Tips
- This smoothie also makes a fun afternoon refresher.
- If you’re into a little extra zing, try freezing cubes of lemon juice and ginger to toss in whenever the mood strikes.
How To Store Lemon Smoothies
This drink is best consumed right after you make it. Keeping in the fridge is not ideal, but you can if you have to for a day or so.
Can You Freeze A Lemon Smoothie?
Sure! Freeze in ice cube trays for an easy smoothie anytime. Just toss the cubes into a blender and pulse until it is the texture you prefer.
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Lemon Smoothie Recipe FAQ
Can This Recipe Be Made Vegan?
This lemon ginger smoothie is so easy to make vegan! First of all, get rid of the dairy by simply using a non-dairy yogurt alternative (such as yogurt made with almond milk or soy milk) in place of the yogurt.
Then, since honey is not considered vegan, you can substitute maple syrup or agave nectar to add sweetness and keep it vegan.
Can I Make A Lemon Smoothie Without Yogurt At All?
We strongly prefer this smoothie WITH the yogurt. Without the yogurt, you’re basically going to be left with a blended lemonade. The yogurt is what gives the smoothie body and makes it filling.
But, an alternative to yogurt would be a banana. This will add creaminess and body to the smoothie.
What If I Can’t Find Fresh Ginger?
We almost always have fresh ginger in our fridge, but if you don’t normally have it or can’t find it, we have an alternative.
While the flavor won’t be quite as bright and fresh without fresh ginger, ground dried ginger can be used in place of fresh ginger in this recipe. 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger will do the trick.
Can I Make A Lemon Smoothie With Spinach?
This is one of my favorite tricks to get more veggies into our diet! We’re willing to add a handful spinach to just about any kind of smoothie we make, and we’ve added spinach to this lemon ginger smoothie recipe quite often.
Of course, the smoothie will become a vibrant green color instead of the sunshine-y yellow you see here, but we don’t find that the taste changes all that much. The bright flavors of the lemon and the ginger cover up the spinach flavor, in our opinion.
If you’d like to add blueberries, check out our Blueberry Lemon Smoothie.
Can I Make One Serving Of This Lemon Ginger Smoothie?
Sure! The lemon and ginger smoothie recipe is written for two servings, and you can also double or triple this recipe and include it as part of a Brunch Menu.
But we also make a single serving on occasion. If you want to make one serving, simply halve the ingredients like this:
- 1/2 cup yogurt
- 1/2 cup ice cubes
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1-1/2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- pinch of ground turmeric
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Lemon Smoothie
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Ingredients
- 1 cup low fat French vanilla yogurt
- 1 cup ice cubes
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice be sure to zest the lemon first!
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
- ⅛ teaspoon ground turmeric
Instructions
- In blender, combine all ingredients; blend until smooth.
- Serve immediately.
WOW! I made this and it’s a burst of sunshine in the morning. I love it.
I modified the recipe slightly. I used lemon yogurt instead of plain. I used agave syrup instead of honey. I found the honey sticks to the blender because of the cold ice. Agave syrup mixes in really well and gives it a bit of sweetness; even though not really needed.
This is now my morning smoothie.
So glad you liked it, Jackie!
This is straight up the best summer treat of all time – PEFECT lemon smoothie!
Thanks so much, Steph!
I’m curious what you could do if you don’t have fresh ginger? I never buy it.
1/4 teaspoon dried ginger will do the trick!
It was delicious! I used lemon flavored Oui yougurt, and it was soooo good!
I’m so glad to hear that, Lisa!
Lemon is my favourite flavour too, this is so tempting, excellent photographs..
I’ve been tinkering with smoothie recipes and thought I had created the ultimate lemon smoothie until I tried yours. The tumeric wasn’t on my radar at all and really adds a nice note. I used maple syrup instead of the honey for a little different taste. I also pop the yogurt in the freezer the night before and don’t use ice, lube the blender with a small touch of almond milk. The ratio of all the things is completely on point.
Hi Christine – so glad you loved it! I think the turmeric really is the magical ingredient. Love the idea of freezing the yogurt first – so smart!
Hi there. I will make this smoothie tomorrow morning but will use Kefir Milk that I make instead of the yogurt.
Regards Frances from Sunny South Africa
I saw this on your Instagram last week and I finally found time to make it. It’s so delicious and refreshing!!!
I am so glad to hear that, Helen! Thanks so much for stopping by 🙂
Hi Lola – I don’t offer nutritional information for my recipes. I would recommend plugging the ingredients into an online calculator such as My Fitness Pal.
Hi, Lori. I finally found the time and made your incredible smoothie to the whole family. It was an absolute hit, incredible. Can’t wait for your next recipes, thanks.
I’m so glad it was a hit, Sara. Thanks so much for letting me know 🙂
I’m an absolute lover of smoothies, but have never tried lemon smoothie before. I guess it’s a must for me now. Next weekend is the lemon smoothie weekend! (:
Awesome! Enjoy, Sara!
I am swimming in lemons over here and this is a great way to use them! I am doing a round up! Can I use a photo in a collage that links back here?
Hi Jacqueline – As long as it’s a photo a linkback (and not the full text of the recipe), I’d love to be included. Thanks!
Yum! I have lemon trees and this winter I have had more lemons than I know what to do with. I like finding creative ways to use them and this sounds like a neat way to squeeze some lemon (pun intended) into breakfast/snack time. Thanks for the recipe!
Sooooo jealous of your lemon trees, Melanie!
A lemon smoothie?!? Why didn’t I think of this? Must try soon 🙂
Haha, thanks Megan!
This looks delicious! I’m such a smoothie girl but have never thought of making a lemon smoothie! It’s genius and I can’t wait to try it!
xx, Caitlin
Thanks Caitlin!
Oh yum, this looks and sounds delicious!! This winter has been so strange – just when I think spring is around the corner, we get a string of cold, dreary days. Luckily this smoothie looks like it can counteract even the dreariest of days!
I think Spring IS just around the corner…finally. Let’s hope 🙂