My 3-Ingredient Blueberry Smoothie Has a Secret Ingredient

One summer when I was a teenager, my family joined a fancy fitness club so we could get healthier and improve our tennis game. I’m no jock, though, so while I did spend every day at the gym, I never set foot on the tennis courts. Instead, I hung out around the pool enjoying the snack bar’s stellar blueberry smoothies.  

Served in a goblet, the sweet, thick, and creamy concoctions had a pronounced blueberry flavor that has haunted me for decades. I drank one every day, and while my backhand never improved, my love of blueberries increased exponentially. 

I have tried to recreate that blueberry magic from my “summer of smoothies” many times. I nailed the creamy, freezy texture but never discovered the secret to giving smoothies the intense blueberry sweet-tartness I remember. That is until a recent “aha” ingredient moment in the juice aisle of the grocery store. Now that I've cracked the code, I’m never going back to pale, bland smoothies again. 

Amping up the Deep Purple Flavor 

I recently discovered that Pom Wonderful makes not only pomegranate juice, but also a pomegranate-blueberry blend. One morning, I added a little to my regular blueberry-yogurt smoothie instead of milk. I wound up with a deep, delicious blueberry flavor that transported me back to the gym smoothies of yore. 

While this juice is not cheap ($4 for a 16-ounce bottle), a little goes a long way. Just 1/2 cup juice in my morning smoothie and I’ve got purple perfection, so it’s worth every penny. 

Balance Is Key 

I’m something of a “jazz cook,” so I often improvise without following a recipe or measuring. But I’ve learned that for the perfect smoothie, I have to measure to get the balance of creamy yogurt, frosty blueberries, and intense juice just right. Too much juice, and the smoothie will be too tart and thin. Too much yogurt, and the berry flavor is diluted. Too many blueberries, and it’s hard to suck up in a straw. 

Measuring also helps with portion size. I get the just right amount of smoothie in my glass, no extras hanging around in the fridge where they never get drunk.

How To Make My 3-Ingredient Blueberry Smoothie

For 1 to 2 servings you’ll need:

• 1 cup frozen blueberries (preferably wild blueberries)
• 3/4 cup vanilla yogurt
• 1/2 cup Pom Wonderful Pomegranate and Blueberry Juice

Put the blueberries, yogurt, and juice in a blender. Blend on high speed until fully blended, stopping once or twice and breaking up the ingredients with a rubber spatula if they seize up. The mixture will be very thick. Pour into a glass and drink with a reusable straw. 

Be Choosy With the Yogurt and Blueberries 

There are tons of vanilla yogurts out there and I’ve tried them all. For my smoothies, I settled on Tillamook Good and Creamy low-fat vanilla yogurt. It has just the right amount of sweetness, a pronounced vanilla flavor, and velvety-smooth texture.

As for blueberries, I buy them at farmer’s markets when they are in season, freeze them on sheet trays, and store them in zip-top bags in the freezer. When the summer bounty is used up, I buy frozen wild blueberries because they have more flavor than conventional fruit, so I get the deepest, purple-est blueberry smoothie.

Swaps and Additions 

• Make the smoothie dairy-free by using vegan yogurt (I like Forager cashew and coconut-based probiotic yogurt).
• For a less sweet smoothie, use plain yogurt.
• Add two tablespoons of hemp seeds or ground flax seeds for a fiber boost.
• Add a few tablespoons of plain collagen powder or a spoonful of tahini for more protein.