It doesn’t get more tropical than this starfruit smoothie recipe! Made with fresh starfruit, mango, lime, and frozen strawberries, it makes any morning paradise-perfect, no plane tickets required!
I’ve been making homemade drinks for over 10 years, and happy hour tends to take center stage. But, morning beverages are just as worthy of the spotlight, and smoothies are one of the best ways to enjoy homemade drinks early in the day! As a busy recipe developer, it’s important to take a moment to stop and eat, even if it’s a liquid breakfast.
Seven years ago, I bought and planted a starfruit tree. It took years (and years), but the little tree finally started pumping out fruit. Like…over 100 fruits to be exact. 😳 I hit a recipe-development wall after making this starfruit simple syrup and a few infused liquors. Then I came across a seasonal starfruit smoothie by Tropical Smoothie Café. It looked so good I decided it was the perfect drink to recreate at home!
Starfruit can seem indulgent, if only because of its price tag. Oftentimes, the fruit retails for $5 – $7 a fruit! When you’re spending that kind of money on one piece of fruit, you kind of want to make it count. It’s sometimes considered a very exotic fruit, because not many people use it in the United States. However, it’s super popular overseas, where it’s known as carambola fruit.
🛒 ingredients
- starfruit – starfruit is the…well…STAR of this smoothie, so use fresh fruit if you can find it! Opt to use a ripe fruit that is deep yellow in color opposed to bright yellow or green ones that can be sour or tart.
- frozen mango – frozen fruit has a dual purpose in smoothies. It flavors the drink and it thickens it, so you don’t need to add ice. Mango amps up the tropical flavor of the starfruit, too!
- frozen strawberries – like the mango, frozen strawberries help to thicken and flavor this smoothie. The berries also add some sweetness as well while playing up the flavor of the starfruit.
- lime juice – lime juice adds a burst of zesty flavor and a bit of liquid to help things blend together. Use fresh juice if you are able to, since it’ll taste better than shelf-stable concentrate.
- filtered water – smoothie shops use concentrates, so they rarely add water, but in homemade mixes you need a bit more liquid for mixing. Since there are two kinds of frozen fruits in this blend, you’ll need a little water to help the mix incorporate in the blender.
See the recipe card for the exact quantities.
🍳 instructions
1: Wash and slice your starfruit, and remove the seeds.
2: Juice half a lime and add the lime juice to the blender.
3: Add the filtered water to your blender.
4: Add the starfruit to your blender.
5: Top with frozen mangos.
6: Finally, add the frozen strawberries last.
7: Blend until all ingredients are incorporated.
8: Pour into a glass and serve immediately. If desired, you can also garnish the glass with a slice of starfruit.
Hint: Removing the seeds from the starfruit is technically not necessary because you’re blending everything up, but some people don’t like the flavor the seeds add, so I like to take them out.
💡tips & tricks for getting it right
ℹ️ troubleshooting tips
- bland – if your smoothie is bland, it’s likely because you are used to frozen drinks with more sugar in them. Many smoothie shops add sugar or use fruit that has been packaged in tropical syrups. You can add 1 ounce of starfruit syrup to play up the starfruit flavor, or you can add a bit of another sweetener like honey or sugar, 1 teaspoon at a time.
- too thin – if your smoothie is too thin, you may have added too much water. If you’re using a high powered blender like a ninja, blendtec, or vitamix, you can get away with adding less water. To thicken up your smoothie you can add ice or more frozen fruit.
- too sour – if your drink is sour, your limes could be acidic or your starfruit might not be ripe enough. You can add a few drops of a homemade saline solution to balance out the taste.
🔆 top tip
When it comes to starfruit, you can eat the whole fruit without needing to peel it. You may want to remove the seeds though, as they can add flavor and texture to the smoothie.
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♻️ substitutions & variations
♻️ substitutions
Missing an ingredient? No problem. Check out these tried-and-true substitutions, or comment below with your question. I’m here to help you troubleshoot!
- starfruit juice, puree, or concentrate– if starfruit is out of season, you can use store bought or frozen starfruit juice or concentrate. Just be sure that starfruit is the main or only ingredient in your juices.
- fresh mango or strawberries – if you only have fresh fruit, you can use it and add a handful of ice to get the classic cold and thick smoothie taste!
🎛️ variations
Feeling like a rebel?! 😈 Feel free to stray from the recipe card using these variations, or leave me a comment with your own!
- smoothie bowl – serve your smoothie in a bowl and top it with some chia seeds or hemp hearts and homemade granola for a more filling breakfast.
- green smoothie – add in a handful of spinach or kale for a green smoothie but be warned: skip the strawberries. Red + green = brown. If you are wanting a smoothie with green vegetables added, you can use pineapple instead of strawberries!
🧰 equipment needed
🧰 tools needed
- high-powered blender – one critical piece of equipment for any successful smoothie is a high-powered blender. I love using my Ninja Foodi for single serve smoothies. I have a Blendtec for larger batches, but honestly when it’s time to replace it I will be getting this Vitamix as it is a better shape for creating a funnel when blending. That is KEY for mixing ingredients properly without needing a ton of liquid. 🤓
- cutting board & pairing knife – a small cutting board is the perfect size for the job of slicing starfruit and limes! In addition to a cutting board, you’ll need a lil knife for slicing your fruits.
- kitchen scale – if you want precise smoothies, use a kitchen scale to make consistent-tasting results every time. Truthfully, though…I like to play it fast and lose and generally dose my smoothie ingredients by the handful. 🤣
If you make this recipe, please leave a review in the comments and a star rating!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I read every single comment! I also love connecting on social media, so snap a pic and hashtag it #myrecipeforfun and tag me on Instagram, TikTok, or pin this recipe on Pinterest!
Starfruit Smoothie (with Star Fruit and Mango)
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Equipment
- 1 high-powered blender
- 1 pairing knife
- 1 cutting board
- 1 citrus juicer can also use a citrus press or reamer
- 1 drinking glass
- 1 straw
Ingredients
- 130 g starfruit 1 medium fruit
- 95 g frozen mango about 2/3 cup, heaping
- 95 g frozen strawberries about 2/3 cup, heaping
- 1 tbsp lime juice freshly squeezed
Instructions
- Wash and slice your starfruit, and remove the seeds.
- Add the starfruit to your blender.
- Top with frozen mangos and frozen strawberries.
- Juice half a lime and add the lime juice to the blender.
- Add the filtered water to your blender.
- Blend until all ingredients are incorporated.
- Pour into a glass and serve immediately. If desired, you can also garnish the glass with a slice of starfruit.
Notes
Nutrition Information
The information provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition facts calculator and actual nutrition facts may vary.
🧯food safety & other information
Food safety is an important ingredient in any recipe for success! Here are some tips to keep you safe in the kitchen!
- Always use caution when operating appliances like high-powered blenders, and be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions closely.
- Use caution when handing knives and make sure to keep your knives properly sharpened! Contrary to popular belief, dull knives cause more accidents than sharp ones.
Yum! What a fun idea for star fruit! I never know what to make with it, but can’t wait to try this recipe!
Thanks, Maria! It took me FOREVER to think of ways to use starfruit, but this smoothie has become a favorite! 😉