Iced Matcha Latte Banana Smoothie

If you like matcha and smoothies or shakes, you will fall in love with this cool and sumptuous matcha latte banana smoothie – a mix of earthy and slightly bitter taste of matcha with latte i.e. milk and ripened banana, blended to make a luxurious and healthy drink.

What is matcha?

Matcha is green tea in very fine powder form that can be dissolved in water by whisking and consumed as a whole. The art of making matcha is thousands of years old that originated in China and then spread to parts of East Asia, specifically Korea and Japan. In Japan, matcha became part of traditional tea ceremonies and culture, several hundred years ago. The taste of matcha is often described as earthy, grassy, umami and slightly bitter, depending on the cultivar and grade of the matcha powder. Matcha is consumed as hot green tea, matcha latte, in smoothies, desserts, cakes, cookies, and much more.

What is matcha smoothie?

Matcha smoothies are a blend of fruits (berries, banana or others), milk, matcha, a sweetener of choice, hint of vanilla extract, ice and could be made more indulgent with Greek yoghurt or ice cream. This iced drink is filled with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants and if care is taken to not over dose on sweetener or indulgent ingredients, then matcha smoothie is one of the most healthy and satisfying drinks to have while relaxing or on the go.

Which milk to use for matcha smoothie?

While the most common option for latte is normal dairy milk, matcha drinks go very well with vegan milk varieties like Almond, Oat, Coconut, or others. Matcha usually is a good combination with Oat milk because the grassy and slightly bitter taste of matcha balances with the slightly sweeter and creamier taste of oat milk.

Which matcha to use for smoothie?

Matcha comes in two main types – ceremonial and culinary. Both types of matcha could be organic or non-organic and may have a few grades within them ranging to premium to normal depending on maturity of tea leaves when harvested, harvesting season, whether the stems and veins of leaves are removed, country of origin, manufacturing process, and other factors. If you are new to matcha, read our ‘Frequently asked questions on matcha’ for more information.

For smoothies, if you are using a sweetener, then culinary matcha is a good choice because it is cheaper and slightly bitter and gives an enhanced taste of matcha in the smoothie. If you intend to use minimal or no sweetener, then ceremonial grade is recommended as it has a subtle earthy or grassy taste. Ceremonial grade matcha is more expensive but has a richer and brighter colour and a bit more luxurious matcha taste. From the range of matcha products offered by us, the following types of matcha could be used to make a smoothie – Organic Ceremonial Matcha, Organic Culinary Matcha, or Sweet Organic Matcha. If you are using our sweet organic matcha powder, there may be no need to add sweetener, as it comes ready as instant mix for smoothies, lattes, cookies, cakes, and other desserts.

Ingredients in matcha smoothie

Use the following ingredients to make an matcha latte smoothie.

Ceremonial or Culinary Matcha– 5g or one teaspoon. If using our Sweet Organic Matcha, then use 1.5 to 2 teaspoons
Warm water – 25ml (80 degrees C or 175 degrees F)
Vanilla extract – 1 tablespoon
Banana – 1 ripe banana
Cold milk –250 ml. Vegan milk, especially oat milk goes well with matcha
Sweetener to taste – try and avoid sugar and instead use honey, maple syrup or stevia
Ice

Matcha smoothie recipe

Sift matcha powder into a wide cup or bowl. Sifting makes sure there are no lump in the powder, but if you have fine, high quality powder, then sifting may not be required
Pour warm water into the bowl and whisk vigorously in a Z shaped pattern to create a smooth foamy matcha tea with tiny uniform bubbles
Separately blend cold milk, banana, sweetener, and vanilla extract until a smooth and uniform shake is formed with no banana lumps
Take a tall glass or tumbler and fill half with ice
First pour the banana shake into the glass on top of the ice
Then pour whisked matcha on top of the shake and watch the beautiful and vibrant matcha flow down through the iced banana shake
There you have it – cold, irresistible banana matcha smoothie!

Additional Tips

For a bit of indulgence, put a scoop of ice cream on top. Instead of vanilla extract, vanilla ice cream could be blended with banana and cold milk
Enhance your experience with a sprinkle of dark chocolate powder or cinnamon on top
It is recommended to use honey, maple syrup or stevia for sweetener. Or if you insist on sugar, use rapadura sugar
Garnish on top with a pair of mint or basil leaves

Relax and enjoy nature and nature’s true gift – matcha!