5-Minute extra creamy Tahini Date Banana Shake with unsweetened almond milk and a dash of cinnamon. Perfect as a power breakfast smoothie or an afternoon treat. So rich and delicious, you’ll think you’re having dessert! Vegan & Gluten Free.
When I started writing this post, I kept going back and forth on the name. Should I call it a “banana smoothie” or “banana shake”?
Technically, there is no ice-cream involved here, but still, this tahini banana date shake deserves the title 100%!
You don’t need ice-cream to achieve a creamy, rich, and decadent smoothie (our mango smoothie and green smoothie recipes are further proof!). In this date shake recipe, the combination of ripe frozen bananas and rich, nutty tahini takes care of the richness and creaminess without using heavy cream! (You already know how much a fan of tahini I am, and I’m super excited to share a new way to use it)!
Whether you’re looking for an easy nutrition-packed breakfast smoothie or an afternoon pick-me-up, this tahini banana shake is so worth a try. It’s so delicious, I think of it as a feel-good dessert.
Tahini Date Banana Shake: A Mediterranean Inspiration
Mediterranean fresh markets in places like Alexandria, Egypt or somewhere like Tel Aviv, Israel, are made up of busy narrow streets that are brimming with merchants of every kind. Fresh produce and fruits including bananas, plums, and dates fill the air with bright and sweet aromas.
Within those bustling streets, you will find several small stands and little cafes dedicated to fruit juices, smoothies, and shakes using the market’s fresh bounty. This simple banana shake, featuring nutty tahini and sweet Medjool dates, which are two prized Middle Eastern ingredients, is similar to something you might be served at a Mediterranean market.
Let’s dig into what’s in this breakfast shake…
Ingredients for This Banana Shake
1- Frozen Bananas
I used 2 ripe frozen bananas here. Frozen bananas, as opposed to fresh bananas, provide that extra creamy ice-cream-like texture without adding ice cream! It’s best to use bananas that are more on the ripe side here for extra sweetness. (See how to freeze bananas below.)
2- Medjool Dates
Medjool dates are a familiar Middle Eastern treat, where they’re often served as a snack. One medjool date provides a small amounts of over 16 nutrients including numerous B vitamins, potassium, manganese, calcium, magnesium and fiber!
Considered nature’s candy, medjool dates are the perfect way to add natural sweetness to shakes and smoothie. (By the way, they’re great for baking like in this healthy banana bread!)
3- Tahini Paste
Ah, this is the secret ingredient you didn’t expect! Many people are familiar with something like peanut butter or even pistachio butter in smoothies and shakes, but if you haven’t tried tahini paste, you are in for a treat!
Tahini paste is a creamy, rich vegan paste made by finely grinding roasted sesame seeds until buttery smooth. I personally prefer its taste over peanut butter (I like peanut butter fine, but tahini wins my heart!) Did you know that tahini is loaded with nutrition? Loads of protein (more than milk and most nuts!) It’s also a rich source of vitamin E, B vitamins–which can give you a great energy boost and help brain function–and important minerals, such as magnesium, iron and calcium!
4- Almond Milk
I chose un-sweetened almond milk here for a Mediterranean diet, vegan-friendly option that is also good for lactose intollerant people. I have no problem using cow’s milk in this shake on occasion, but the majority of the time, I will use almond milk. I also like it’s taste.
And if you’re worried about the fact that almond milk does not offer enough protein, tahini provides a good amount to take care of that!
5- Pinch of Cinnamon
For just a little pizzazz and flavor, a pinch of cinnamon goes a long way. I love adding some in the shake and also as a garnish. It gives a little wake-me-up touch, while helping boost immunity!
6- Crushed Ice
I almost consider crushed ice here optional. I use only 1/4 cup of crushed ice in this shake intentionally. While I want to help the texture of the shake, I don’t want a watered down drink.
How to Freeze Bananas for Breakfast Smoothie or Shake?
I learned the hard way that you do not want to freeze whole bananas with the peel on; the peel will totally turn black in less than 1 hour in your freezer!
There is a much smarter way to freeze bananas, and I would advice that you freeze more than the two bananas needed for this recipe, so you can use them as needed.
Here is how to freeze bananas:
- Peel the bananas and slice them into 1 to 2-inch slices (If you have a heavy-duty blender like a Vitamix)
- Arrange the banana slices in one layer on a large sheet-pan lined with parchment paper.
- Freeze for 1 to 2 hours, or until the banana slices are totally frozen.
- Once frozen, you can transfer the frozen banana slices to a freezer safe bag or container. Close tightly and store for later use.
Can I Make this Tahini Banana Date Shake Ahead of Time?
While making this date shake takes about 5 minutes in a good blender , some of us may want to s prepare it in advance for a quick grab-n-go breakfast. You can totally do that!
This recipe makes two good-size banana shakes. Once you blend the ingredients to make the breakfast shakes, simply pour into mason jars and close tightly.
Store the shakes in the fridge for 1 to 2 nights. Separation may occur after the first night, but you can just give the shakes a stir and enjoy, totally fine!
And if you want to make a larger amount of these banana breakfast shakes to freeze, you can! It requires a little more planning, freezer-safe mason jars, and enough freezer space. Once you prepare the smoothies or shakes, simply pour in freezer-safe mason jars. Tightly close the lids and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Take frozen shakes out of the freezer and thaw in the fridge one night before you plan to have them. Or, for quick defrost, leave at room temperature for a few hours.
You may also like these breakfast recipes:
- Creamy Mango Smoothie
- Homemade Granola (with Olive Oil and Tahini)
- Make-Ahead Breakfast Egg Muffins
- Healthy Banana Walnut Bread with Dates
- Mediterranean Breakfast Toasts with Hummus
Looking for Mediterranean diet friendly recipes? See our collection of Mediterranean diet recipes here.
VISIT OUR ONLINE SHOP FOR QUALITY OLIVE OILS, ALL-NATURAL SPICES AND MORE
Print
Tahini Banana Date Shakes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 3 cups 1x
Description
5-Minute, creamy and delicious tahini banana date shake with unsweetened almond milk and a dash of cinnamon!
Make it ahead of time for a nutrition-packed, dairy-free breakfast shake, or use as an afternoon pick-me-up. It’s so tasty, you’ll think you’re having dessert! (Vegan & Gluten Free)
Ingredients
- 2 frozen bananas, sliced
- 4 pitted Medjool dates (if they’re too big, you can chop them up a bit.)
- 1/4 cup tahini (I used Soom tahini)
- 1/4 cup crushed ice
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk
- Pinch ground cinnamon, more for later
Instructions
- Place the sliced frozen bananas in your blender, add the remaining ingredients. Run blender until you achieve a smooth and creamy shake.
- Transfer the banana date shakes to serving cups and add pinch more ground cinnamon on top. Enjoy!
Notes
- Tips for How to Freeze Bananas: peel ripe bananas and cut into 1 to 2 inch slices. Arrange the slices on a large baking sheet lined with parchment or wax paper. Freeze for 1 to 2 hours. Once frozen, transfer the sliced bananas to freezer safe bags or containers and return to freezer for later use.
- Need A Little More Sweetness? This banana shake is just the right amount of sweet, but if you feel you need a little more sweetness, add a drizzle of quality honey and blend again.
- Prepare Ahead Storage Instructions: Pour into mason jars or freezer-safe mason jars, cover tightly and refrigerate for 1 to 2 nights or freeze up to 3 months. After 1st night, the shake may naturally separate, go ahead and give it a stir before drinking. If you do make extra to freeze, thaw in the fridge one night before.
- Visit Our Online Shop to browse ingredients, spices and extra virgin olive oils for Mediterranean cooking.
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Blender
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Revised comment: Delicious! This recipe makes up to 2- 12OZ Mason Jars Full.
Delicious! This makes two 8 oz Mason Jars full. Double up for more servings.
I didn’t have bananas, so I used a frozen berry blend. It was so delicious!
Loved
So simple yet so delicious!
Hi Suzy, I am so happy to meet Tahini lovers just like me and liked all your recipes with Tahini. I usually make no bake energy balls using Tahini, dates, jaggery and nuts but your recipes are very good and I am going to try each one of them.! Keep posting more!
What a great idea, Lopa! Thanks for sharing!
Hi Suzi, I am so happy to see your Tahini passion just like me…. 😊👌And loved almost all the recipes including Tahini.. I have usually make no bake balls or laddooes out of Tahini, dates, jaggery and nuts but seriously got lots of other new varieties.. I am gonna try each one of them soon..!
Awesome! Thanks, Lopa!
I couldn’t blend the dates well, until I tried soaking them in hot water for a few minutes after halving and pitted them. Works a charm! Also I like to add a few drops of vanilla to it. Delicious smoothie. I find myself going back to this recipe again and again
Thanks so much for the tips, Joshua!
A tip for those having problems blending the dates from a resident of the Middle East –
Before blending soak the dates in boiling water for 10-15 min. This will soften them and they will then blend better and easier.
Thanks for the tip!
This shake is delicious even though I have only used tahini in hummus, never had almond milk or dates. I didn’t know to take out the date pit and wondered why my blender sounded like it was grinding up rocks. After googling dates, I discovered it’s not recommended to grind them or eat the pits. Could you please include in the ingredient list to use pitted dates or date paste for inexperienced date users? I’ll be making this again as a breakfast staple!
Hi, Brenda. Ooops! The ingredient list actually already states to use 4 pitted dates. So glad you still found the shake delicious, though!
How many calories are in this recipe?
Hi, Carole. The nutrition facts, including the calorie count, is located at the bottom of the recipe card. Just scroll down towards the end of the post.
I LOVE this smoothie recipe!!!
Thank you so much for sharing and thank you so much for your website here, I feel good when I cook your recipes and they are so tasty. I am so happy to introduce and hopefully encourage my children to grow up eat healthier for a better life and be open and inviting to other culture’s foods! Food can be a start to new friendships, thank you❤️
Aww! Thank you, AJ!
Kind of obsessed with this one at the moment. 😀 I think this is super flexible. I have subbed all sorts of things. Don’t really like tahini so I’ve used peanut butter (peanut butter is more of a take over type thing) or almond butter and usually use cow’s milk as it is what I have. Btw, for folks who can’t blend up dates–yep, I can’t either. I got some date paste. It’s just pure dates and use a bit teaspoon full (looks like size of date). It’s a little pricey though. But I think you can find at Mediterranean grocery as well as Amazon. This is an excellent and filling breakfast.
Hi, Jay! Thanks for all the great suggestions. This recipe is a fun one to play around with.
Finally a delicious smoothie I found on Pinterest. Soo very good, easy to make and something my husband would actually like. Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it, Michelle!
Are the dates fresh or dried?
They are dried.
I have to comment so that everyone out there knows how much of a lifesaver this “shake” has been for me. My infant son has some food sensitivities and I have been on a no dairy, no nuts, no egg diet per his pediatrician (breastfeeding). I am a huge lover of ice cream and was feeling really deprived this summer…but then came this recipe. Thank you so much for this! It has been such a treat for me to enjoy on these hot summer days and I can’t thank you enough for this, and all of the many other recipes of yours I have been enjoying for years!
Awww! Thank you so much, Jana!