Last Updated on August 20, 2025 by Christin Gillespie

Upgrade your favorite Ben & Jerry’s ice cream flavor in a healthy, vegan way with this Chunky Monkey Superfood Smoothie recipe. It includes raw walnuts, rich cacao, vanilla plant protein, nutrient-rich coconut, energy-boosting superfoods, a frozen banana, & hydrating coconut water. The end result tastes like a milkshake, but it’s post-workout approved!

Chunky Monkey Superfood Smoothie in a glass with a straw in it topped with cacao nibs and shredded coconut, sitting on a white marble counter with walnuts in the background.

If you love the beloved Chunky Monkey ice cream flavor from Ben & Jerry’s, you’re going to be obsessed with this superfood smoothie version.

While the main components of this dessert tasting of a smoothie are superfoods, the end result transpires into a creamy milkshake-like consistency.

Regardless if you’re looking for a healthy alternative to a scoop of the iconic ice cream flavor or just looking to blend up a yummy post-workout recipe, this Chunky Monkey Superfood Smoothie has got your taste buds covered!

Why You’ll Love This Chunky Monkey Smoothie Recipe

Superfood-Packed: For added nutrition, without compromising the taste!
Rich, Creamy, & Dairy Free: While there is no dairy in this Chunky Monkey Superfood Smoothie, it still embodies the decadent ice cream flavor that we all love.
Milkshake Worthy: At first sip, you’ll be asking yourself, is this a milkshake or a superfood smoothie? It’s that good!

Superfood Smoothie vs. Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream

This Chunky Monkey Superfood Smoothie recipe is a healthy vegan take on the beloved Ben & Jerry’s Chunky Monkey ice cream flavor.

I will take a moment to recognize that the Ben & Jerry’s brand has definitely made some significant improvements over the years as far as nutrition goes. They’re one of the few brands that is non-GMO, utilizes cage-free eggs, practices fair trade, & responsibly sources their packaging.

Even though they have made some changes, that doesn’t give it a green light to consume. For instance, their current Chunky Monkey ice cream flavor contains natural flavors, carrageenan, & soy lecithin. Which are ingredients that I stay away from completely.

While this is all my opinion and you can certainly do whatever you want, I always find/make healthier alternatives, such as this Chunky Monkey Superfood Smoothie. That way you enjoy all the taste bud benefits without the nonsense.

Healthy Chunky Monkey Superfood Smoothie in a glass with a straw in it topped with cacao nibs and shredded coconut, sitting on a white marble counter with walnuts in the background.

Ingredients

Organic Coconut Water: The perfect liquid to get things blended. My go-to brand is Harmless Harvest. It’s just one ingredient: organic coconut water. Oh, and it’s pink. So cute!
Organic Raw Walnuts: Unsalted, please! Walnuts blend right in with the other ingredients for flavor & added creaminess.
Organic Ground Flax Seeds: Organic ground flax seeds add a great little boost of fiber & minerals.
Organic Unsweetened Coconut: Shredded or flakes, both work, as they will be blended.
Organic Extra-Virgin Coconut Oil: To add some healthy fats that keep you full, energized, & focused.
Organic Cacao Powder: It’s the perfect addition to make this blend chocolatey! To be clear, cacao powder is different from regular Dutch cocoa powder. Review this Cacao Powder 101 post to learn more!
Organic Vanilla Plant Protein: Adding a scoop of protein powder helps to keep you full & satisfied longer. When selecting a protein powder brand, it’s crucial to look at the protein content and, most importantly, the ingredients. Check out this Cleanest Plant-Based & Vegan Protein Powders post to learn what to look for, the best brands, & the recommended daily protein intake.
Organic Superfoods: More specifically, organic gelatinized maca powder, organic mesquite powder, organic lucuma powder, & organic tocotrienols. If you only have a few of these incredible superfoods on hand, use them, but if you don’t have any of these, the smoothie will still be incredible without them. If you’re super confused about superfoods, review this Superfoods 101 post!
Sea Salt: A healthy pinch of sea salt is rich in a ton of minerals & beautifully enhances the flavor.
Organic Frozen Banana: To create that ultra-thick & creamy consistency that we all love in a smoothie, we’ll be adding in a frozen banana.
Organic Cacao Nibs: Cacao nibs give the smoothie lots of texture, with a little crunch with every sip. Obsessed!

How to Make

Blend the Liquids & Powders. First, add the coconut water, walnuts, seeds, coconut, coconut oil, cacao powder, plant protein, superfoods, & sea salt to a high-speed blender. Blend these ingredients until smooth.
Blend the Frozen Banana. Next, add in the frozen banana. Blend until smooth & creamy. If needed, you can pause the blender, remove the lid, & scrape down the sides so that everything is fully incorporated. You may need to add a little more liquid depending on how thick/thin you like your smoothies.
Blend the Cacao Nibs. Add the cacao nibs & blend for 20 seconds on medium.
Serve. Pour into a chilled glass & enjoy!

Chunky Monkey Superfood Smoothie in a Vitamix on a white marble counter.

Optional Smoothie Add-Ins

Feel free to truly make this blend your own! Here are a few suggestions to amp up this Chunky Monkey Superfood Smoothie recipe:

Organic Hemp Seeds: Include a tablespoon of organic hemp seeds to provide this smoothie with even more healthy fats, protein, omegas, & minerals.
Organic Coconut Yogurt: Enhance the creaminess with a scoop of organic plain coconut yogurt.
Organic Greens: Greens are packed with so many minerals, vitamins, & antioxidants. I recommend baby spinach if you’re new to green smoothies, but kale, Swiss chard, mustard greens, collard greens, or mixed greens all work.

Tips for Making the Perfect Smoothie

Interested in how to make the best Chunky Monkey Superfood Smoothie recipe? As someone who makes smoothies daily, here are my TOP tips:

Use a Frozen Banana: Adding a frozen banana to this smoothie is the only way to go! The ice from the frozen fruits adds thickness to the smoothie.
Adjust Liquid Amount: If you find that your smoothie is too thick to blend, don’t worry! Just add a bit more liquid, blend, open the cover, scrape down the sides if needed, & blend again. When possible, always use a larger high-speed blender instead, as it will blend the ingredients much better.
How to Make: Add your liquid first & blend your powders first, before adding your frozen ingredients. This is my personal favorite way of preparing my smoothies. By blending the liquid & powders first, it ensures that your powders blend completely.
Smoothie Blending Tip: Start your blender on low to medium speed. If you blend the smoothie too quickly from the beginning, it’s really hard for the blender to properly blend the frozen ingredients, so start lower & then gradually increase the speed.
Blend Cacao Nibs Last: The reason for adding the cacao nibs last is because you don’t want them to get as creamy as the smoothie—you want them to retain their structure for texture. That makes this smoothie a bit crunchy, which I love!
Chill Your Glass: There’s nothing better than a cold smoothie or, in this case, a chunky monkey milkshake! Put your serving glass in the fridge or freezer while you’re making your blend to ensure a chilled smoothie at every sip.

Smoothie FAQs

Do I have to use a frozen banana?

The frozen banana provides a thick & creamy consistency. If using a fresh banana, be sure to add a handful of ice cubes to achieve a cold smoothie. However, if you’re looking to remove the banana altogether because you’re allergic or simply don’t like them, you can replace it with ½ cup of frozen organic zucchini, ½ cup of frozen organic cauliflower, ½ cup of frozen organic coconut meat, or ½ cup of frozen organic avocado chunks. If you elect to make this a banana-free smoothie, I recommend adding 1 organic pitted Medjool date to maintain its sweetness.

Is it healthy to have a smoothie?

I wouldn’t post something that was unhealthy. Having a smoothie full of protein, healthy fats, & superfoods for a post-workout breakfast is great because you’ll be getting essential vitamins, nutrients, & protein first thing. However, some smoothies on the market or on the web can be loaded with tons of fruit, added sugar, & nonsense, making them a less healthy option.

What is the best protein powder to use?

I used an organic vanilla plant protein powder for this Chunky Monkey Superfood Smoothie. When selecting a protein powder brand, it’s crucial to look at the protein content and, most importantly, the ingredients. Check out this Cleanest Plant-Based & Vegan Protein Powders post to learn what to look for, the best brands, & the recommended daily protein intake.

How can I add protein without using protein powder?

If you don’t have vanilla protein powder on hand, no worries! To increase the protein content, you can add a tablespoon of organic hemp seeds without changing the taste too much.

Do I have to add superfoods?

Even though this is a superfood smoothie recipe, you are not required to add them. However, I do recommend looking into them, as there are incredible benefits to consuming them regularly. And if you only have a couple of superfood powders, that’s great! Use what you’ve got! For additional superfood information, be sure to review this Superfoods 101 post!

Can I make this smoothie recipe in advance?

Totally! Feel free to make this Chunky Monkey Superfood Smoothie recipe as is or double it for later. To achieve the best results, check out this How to Prepare Smoothies in Advance post.

Chunky Monkey Superfood Smoothie Recipe in a glass with a straw in it topped with cacao nibs and shredded coconut, sitting on a white marble counter with walnuts in the background.

More Protein Smoothie Recipes You’ll Love

If you make this Chunky Monkey Superfood Smoothie recipe, please leave a review & rating below. I love hearing from you, & it helps others learn more about the blog as well. Be sure to follow along on Pinterest, Instagram & TikTok for even more healthy content!

Xoxo.

CMG.