This dirty chai smoothie blends instant espresso powder into a chai-spiced Greek yogurt base. You only need four ingredients to make a delightfully creamy breakfast smoothie with perfect keto macros for weight loss!
What is Dirty Chai?
I don’t know why some recipe names stick when they sound so unappealing. Nevertheless, “dirty” is one of those terms that gets added to various recipes.
Usually, it refers to bar drinks that add olive brine to the normal cocktail recipe. (1) The Dirty Martini is one of the best examples of this in practice.
In addition to drinks, there’s also Dirty Rice, which is a popular Cajun dish. I make a low-carb version with cauliflower rice and chicken livers.
“Dirty chai” refers to the espresso drink served in coffee shops where a hot chai tea latte gets infused with a shot of espresso. (2) Sounds good, right? The tea cuts the bitter taste of the strong coffee while the steamed milk sweetens and makes it easier to enjoy for those who don’t like black coffee.
Who wants to save all that deliciousness for winter? With this chai latte smoothie recipe, you can also enjoy a creamy and fragrantly spiced coffee drink during the summer months.
In addition to being a tongue twister, my Chai Latte Chia Pudding is another yummy chai-inspired summer treat.
How to Make a Chai Tea Smoothie
Gather four ingredients and can make a chai smoothie for breakfast in just 5 minutes!
This recipe is naturally low-carb and sugar-free, which makes it the perfect keto chai smoothie!
Ingredients
I’m giving two ways to make this smoothie so you can pick the best option depending on what you have on hand.
I don’t know why, but I consistently make too much tea at one time. You’d think I’d have learned by now, but no. Having a way to reuse tea in other recipes is a great option. I also like freezing leftover chai in ice cube trays and infusing them in ice water later. The frozen tea cubes give a subtle flavor to plain water. It’s refreshing!
With brewed chai tea
Chai tea – Save leftover tea or brew a fresh cup for the base of this vanilla chai smoothie.
Greek yogurt – Pick a full-fat, unsweetened Vanilla yogurt. If you substitute with plain yogurt, add ½ tsp of vanilla extract to the smoothie.
Instant espresso powder – Here’s what makes a “dirty” smoothie and gives a caffeine boost to the recipe and your morning.
Ice – A handful of ice helps thicken the smoothie without adding a high-carb ingredient like frozen banana.
With chai spices
Say you don’t have chai tea but still want all the same warm and spicy flavors. Then, all you need to do is add a pinch of spices to the ingredient list above.
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground cardamom
- Ground cloves
Step-by-Step Directions
Add ingredients. Place all the ingredients in the blender cup.
Blend. Press the lid firmly and blend on high until the ingredients are smooth and well combined.
Serve. Divide the smoothie between two glasses and serve immediately.
The recipe yield is two servings. However, you can quickly increase the serving size by toggling the different buttons located on the recipe card. For example, pick 1x, 2x, or 3x and let the card multiply the ingredients accordingly. It’s easy!
Storing Tips It’s unlikely you’ll have leftovers, but if you do, store the blended smoothie in a small sandwich-sized ziplock bag in the freezer. Typically, smoothies don’t last long in the fridge, therefore, eat it fresh or freeze for later.
I like to lay the bag flat horizontally in the freezer. Then, once it’s frozen, move so it’s standing vertically and takes less space.
Chai Smoothie Nutrition
- 149 calories
- 4 g net carb
- 15 g fat
- 7 g protein
- 0 g fiber
- 4 g total carb
Please note that the nutritional value will change if you substitute ingredients. Use a nutrition app like My Fitness Pal to recalculate and reflect your changes.
More Keto Smoothie Recipes
Celebrate summer with more tasty keto smoothie recipes! Each flavor is a unique low-carb summer treat.
- Blueberry Avocado Smoothie
- Keto Green Smoothie
- Strawberry Cheesecake Smoothie
- Keto Blackberry Smoothie
- Keto Chocolate Raspberry Smoothie
Dirty Chai Tea Smoothie
Equipment
- Blender
Ingredients
With brewed chai tea
- ½ c brewed chai tea
- ⅔ c vanilla Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp instant espresso powder
- ⅔ c ice
With chai spices
- ½ c water
- ⅔ c vanilla Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp instant espresso powder
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp ground cardamom
- ⅛ tsp ground cloves
- ⅔ c ice
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to the blender cup.
- Press the lid on firmly and blend on high until the ingredients are smooth and well combined.
- Divide the smoothie between two glasses and serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition & Macros
To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, please calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients and amounts used, using your preferred nutrition calculator. Under no circumstances shall the this website and the author be responsible for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on the given nutritional information.
I love chai but never thought of putting it in a smoothie! Nice one!
I’ve been missing my dirty chai with milk, but this chai smoothie is the perfect way to enjoy the flavors I love without all the carbs. So good!