Protein Shake Recipes: 10 Homemade Shakes and Gainers

The best protein shake recipes use a scoop of protein powder, a liquid, some fruit and, if you want to gain weight, a few calorie-dense extras like oats and nut butter. The 10 picture cards below give you five lighter everyday shakes of about 250 to 400 calories and five homemade mass gainer shakes of about 775 to 920 calories.

I’ve coached for more than 20 years as a NASM-certified trainer and NESTA nutrition coach. A shake is not magic, but it is one of the easiest ways to close a protein gap, and a homemade one lets you control exactly what goes in it.

How to Use These Cards

The cards are split into two groups. The everyday shakes work as a quick breakfast, a snack or a post-workout drink. The mass gainer shakes are built for anyone trying to gain weight or build muscle, whether you are a woman adding muscle after 35 or a guy who struggles to eat enough.

Each card lists the ingredients and an estimated calorie and protein count for one shake. The estimates assume one scoop of whey protein has about 120 calories and 24 g of protein. Not sure how much protein you need? Start with my protein calculator, then use the calorie calculator to set your daily target.

One Base, Two Goals

Every shake on this page starts the same way: protein powder plus a liquid. What you add next decides whether it supports a calorie deficit or a calorie surplus.

Lean Shake vs Gainer Shake

Both shakes below start with whey protein. The lean one stays light with almond milk and berries. The gainer adds whole milk, a banana, oats and peanut butter.

• Lean shake: 1 scoop whey, 1 cup unsweetened almond milk and 1 cup mixed berries. About 225 calories and 26 g protein.
• Gainer shake: 2 scoops whey, 1 1/2 cups whole milk, 1 banana, 1/2 cup oats and 2 tbsp peanut butter. About 910 calories and 73 g protein.

The takeaway: Neither shake is better. The lean one fits a weight loss plan, and the gainer fits a muscle-building plan. Match the shake to your goal.

Everyday Protein Shakes (About 250 to 400 Calories)

These five shakes are built for most days. They give you 29 to 38 grams of protein and keep calories in a range that works for breakfast, a snack or a quick meal after a workout.

Strawberry Banana Protein Shake

Greek yogurt makes this shake thick and adds a second protein source, so it has the most protein of the lighter shakes.

• 1 scoop vanilla whey protein
• 1 cup frozen strawberries
• 1/2 banana
• 1/2 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk

1. Add the almond milk and yogurt to the blender first.
2. Add the protein powder, strawberries and banana.
3. Blend for about 45 seconds, until smooth and thick.

Serves 1 | About 320 calories and 38 g protein (estimate)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Shake

This one tastes like a peanut butter cup. A frozen banana makes it creamy without ice cream, and cocoa powder adds more chocolate flavor for almost no calories.

• 1 scoop chocolate whey protein
• 1 tbsp peanut butter
• 1/2 frozen banana
• 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 3 or 4 ice cubes

1. Add the almond milk, protein powder and cocoa powder to the blender.
2. Add the banana, peanut butter and ice.
3. Blend until smooth and frothy.

Serves 1 | About 315 calories and 30 g protein (estimate)

Blueberry Spinach Protein Shake

A full cup of spinach disappears behind the blueberries. You get a serving of greens and a creamy shake that tastes like a blueberry muffin.

• 1 scoop vanilla whey protein
• 1 cup frozen blueberries
• 1/2 banana
• 1 cup baby spinach
• 1 tbsp almond butter
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk

1. Blend the almond milk and spinach for about 20 seconds.
2. Add the protein powder, blueberries, banana and almond butter.
3. Blend until completely smooth.

Serves 1 | About 400 calories and 31 g protein (estimate)

Iced Mocha Protein Shake

This is the lightest shake on the page and a smart swap for a coffee shop mocha. Cold brew gives it a real coffee kick.

• 1 scoop chocolate whey protein
• 1/2 cup cold brew coffee
• 1/2 cup 2% milk
• 1/2 frozen banana
• 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 4 or 5 ice cubes

1. Add the cold brew, milk, protein powder and cocoa powder to the blender.
2. Add the banana and ice.
3. Blend until smooth and pour over more ice if you like.

Serves 1 | About 250 calories and 30 g protein (estimate)

Banana Cinnamon Oat Protein Shake

Rolled oats make this shake more filling, so it works well as a full breakfast. Cinnamon adds a warm, bakery-style flavor.

• 1 scoop vanilla whey protein
• 1 frozen banana
• 1/4 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1. Blend the oats and almond milk for about 20 seconds.
2. Add the protein powder, banana and cinnamon.
3. Blend until thick and smooth.

Serves 1 | About 335 calories and 29 g protein (estimate)

Homemade Mass Gainer Shakes (About 775 to 920 Calories)

If you struggle to eat enough to gain weight, drinking some of your calories is easier than chewing another plate of food. These five homemade gainers use real food, and most have far less added sugar than a typical store-bought gainer powder.

Peanut Butter Banana Mass Gainer

This is the classic homemade gainer. Two scoops of whey plus whole milk push the protein past 70 grams.

• 2 scoops vanilla whey protein
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1 banana
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 2 tbsp peanut butter

1. Blend the oats and milk for about 20 seconds.
2. Add the protein powder, banana and peanut butter.
3. Blend until smooth, adding a splash of milk if it’s too thick.

Serves 1 | About 910 calories and 73 g protein (estimate)

Blueberry Almond Blast Gainer

Raisins and almond butter add a lot of calories in a small space, which is exactly what you want in a gainer shake.

• 1 scoop vanilla whey protein
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup frozen blueberries
• 1 banana
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 2 tbsp almond butter

1. Add the milk and raisins to the blender and let them sit for 2 minutes to soften.
2. Add the protein powder, blueberries, banana and almond butter.
3. Blend for about 60 seconds, until the raisins are completely smooth.

Serves 1 | About 775 calories and 42 g protein (estimate)

Strawberry Honey Oat Gainer

This one tastes like a strawberry milkshake. Greek yogurt and whey give it two protein sources, and honey adds easy calories.

• 1 scoop vanilla whey protein
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup frozen strawberries
• 1 banana
• 1/2 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1 tbsp honey

1. Blend the oats and milk for about 20 seconds.
2. Add the protein powder, strawberries, banana, yogurt and honey.
3. Blend until thick and creamy.

Serves 1 | About 780 calories and 55 g protein (estimate)

Vanilla Date Gainer

Medjool dates taste like caramel and blend into a naturally sweet shake with no added sugar at all.

• 2 scoops vanilla whey protein
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 3 pitted Medjool dates
• 1 banana
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1. Add the milk, dates and oats to the blender and let them sit for 2 minutes.
2. Add the protein powder, banana, vanilla and cinnamon.
3. Blend for about 60 seconds, until the dates are completely smooth.

Serves 1 | About 920 calories and 68 g protein (estimate)

Chocolate Cherry Avocado Gainer

Avocado makes this shake silky and adds healthy fats. Cherries and cocoa make it taste like a black forest milkshake.

• 2 scoops chocolate whey protein
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup frozen dark sweet cherries
• 1/2 avocado
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

1. Blend the oats and milk for about 20 seconds.
2. Add the protein powder, cherries, avocado and cocoa powder.
3. Blend until thick and smooth.

Serves 1 | About 840 calories and 69 g protein (estimate)

Build Your Own Protein Shake

Once you know the formula, you don’t need a recipe. Pick one item from each step and adjust the extras to fit your goal.

Build a Protein Shake in 4 Steps

• Step 1, Protein: 1 to 2 scoops of whey or plant protein, or 3/4 cup Greek yogurt.
• Step 2, Liquid: 1 cup of almond milk to keep it light, or whole milk to gain.
• Step 3, Fruit: 1/2 to 1 cup of berries, banana, cherries or mango.
• Step 4, Extras: spinach, cinnamon and ice for a lean shake, or oats, nut butter and dates for a gainer.

The takeaway: Protein and liquid are the base. The extras are where you control the calories.

Protein Shake Recipes at a Glance

Tips for Making Protein Shakes Work

1. Count your shake as food. A 900-calorie gainer is a full meal. Log it the same way you would log dinner.
2. Blend oats first. Blending oats with the liquid for 20 seconds before adding the rest gives you a smooth shake instead of a gritty one.
3. Use frozen fruit instead of lots of ice. Frozen bananas and berries make shakes thick without watering them down.
4. Choose a tested protein powder. Look for a third-party tested product, and check the label for serving size, calories and protein.
5. Use shakes to fill gaps, not replace every meal. Whole foods still matter. My protein cheat sheet has easy ways to add protein at every meal.
6. Split a gainer if it’s too much. Drink half after your workout and half before bed. The calories count the same.

Your This-Week Plan

Try this for the next seven days:

1. Day 1: Use the protein calculator to find your daily protein target.
2. Day 2: Pick one lean shake or one gainer shake based on your goal, and buy the ingredients.
3. Day 3: Make your first shake for breakfast or after a workout and log it.
4. Day 4: Try a second flavor from the same group.
5. Days 5 to 7: Keep the shake that fits your routine and see how much easier your protein target feels.

Want to go deeper? Read protein smoothies 3 ways with no powder, how much protein women really need after 35, how much protein men need to build muscle, the skinny guy bulking plan and smoothie freezer packs.

Meal Prep Tools I Use

Good containers and a couple of sheet pans make it easy to cook once and eat well all week. A food scale keeps portions honest, and an air fryer reheats leftovers without drying them out. Here is what I recommend. (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.)

Glass Meal Prep Containers (8-Pack)

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Nordic Ware Half Sheet Pans (2-Pack)

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Etekcity Digital Food Scale

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Cosori 5-Qt Air Fryer

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Want the full list? See all 11 in my Healthy Meal Prep Kitchen collection.

Quick Questions

The Bottom Line

A homemade protein shake is one of the simplest tools for hitting your protein target. Keep it lean with almond milk and berries when you are losing fat, and add oats, nut butter and whole milk when you are trying to gain.

Save these cards, pick one shake for your goal and make it this week. You’ll know in a few days whether it makes your protein target easier to hit.

This article is for general education, not medical or nutrition advice for your specific situation. Calorie and protein values are estimates and will vary with brands, recipes and portion sizes. If you have a medical condition, kidney disease, food allergy or specific dietary needs, please talk with your doctor or a registered dietitian.