Miso-Peanut Butter Chocolate Shake
This one started as an attempt to fix a smoothie that wasn't quite savory enough and wasn't quite sweet enough. White miso — the kind of suggestion that sounds like it should end a friendship — turned out to be the entire answer. White miso adds a salty, fermented depth that makes the chocolate taste richer and the peanut butter taste more like itself. It's the same principle as salt in caramel: a little savory makes the sweet taste sweeter. The result is a thick, protein-packed shake that tastes like a far more indulgent version of a chocolate peanut butter cup. We put it here instead of in the Brunchy section because we knew some of you needed to see it in the context of other weird ideas before you'd believe it.
- VGT
- PRO
- ≤30
Calories ~400 · Protein ~25g · Carbs ~42g · Fat ~19g
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole milk (or any milk of your choice)
- 2½ tablespoons unsweetened cacao powder
- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder (about 25g) — this is where most of the shake's protein lives, so it's only optional if you don't need the high-protein part (whey-based powders also make it no longer dairy-free)
- 2 tablespoons natural peanut butter (smooth)
- 1 tablespoon white miso paste
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup (or more to taste)
- 1 frozen banana
- 1 cup ice cubes
- Pinch of fine sea salt
Method
- Combine all ingredients in a blender in the order listed: milk first, then cacao powder and protein powder (if using) directly onto the liquid, followed by peanut butter and miso, then maple syrup, frozen banana, and ice last.
- Blend on high for 60–90 seconds until completely smooth and thick. Blend until the clunking stops and the sound becomes a smooth, even whir — about 60–90 seconds. If you have a standard (non-high-powered) blender and the blades stall, add milk 2 tablespoons at a time to get things moving, or reduce the ice to ½ cup — the banana alone provides plenty of chill and thickness.
- Taste. If you want more chocolate, add another teaspoon of cacao. If you want more sweetness, add a small drizzle of maple syrup. If you want more of that savory depth, add just a tiny scrape more miso; but go slowly here, it's potent. Blend for another 10 seconds if you adjust.
- Pour into two glasses and drink immediately. The shake is thick enough that a wide straw is useful if you have one.
Variations & Notes
- Dairy-Free Swap: Use full-fat canned coconut milk (not the carton kind) or unsweetened oat milk in place of whole milk. Coconut milk gives a richer, more dessert-like result.
- Extra Hungry: Add a second scoop of protein powder and an extra tablespoon of peanut butter. This turns it from a snack into a legitimate meal-replacement shake that will genuinely hold you for hours.
- Substitutions: Almond butter or cashew butter work in place of peanut butter. Red miso can be used in a pinch but has a sharper, more assertive flavor: use only half the amount. Cacao nibs blended in add texture. Pre-slicing the banana before freezing makes blending easier.
- Storage: Best drunk immediately. If you must make it ahead, store in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 24 hours and re-shake or re-blend before drinking.