High Protein Ube Ice Cream | Ninja Creami Recipe

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I’ll admit, this one started because I thought it would just be fun to make something purple.

But once I tried ube, I understood why it’s become such a popular flavor — it’s naturally sweet, a little nutty, almost like a cross between vanilla and sweet potato, and it doesn’t taste like anything else in my Creami rotation so far.

Ube is a purple yam that’s a staple in Filipino desserts, usually turned into a jam-like spread called ube halaya before it’s used in cakes and ice cream. For this recipe, I use ube extract and ube halaya (or ube jam) together to get that same distinctive flavor and color without needing to track down and cook fresh ube root.

If you’ve made any of my other Ninja Creami bases, the method here is exactly the same — this one’s really about the flavor, not a different technique.

JUMP TO RECIPE

Why This Protein Ice Cream Recipe is a Crowd Pleaser

This ube ice cream is a hit in my house thanks to the vibrant purple color (the kids love it!). Here are a few reasons why I love it:

• High in protein (23 to 25 grams) and under 200 calories, so it works perfectly for my high protein GLP-1 diet plan
• Naturally sweet, so it needs less added sweetener than a lot of other flavors
• Visually fun — the color alone makes it feel like a treat, not a “diet dessert”
• A genuinely different flavor experience when chocolate and vanilla start to feel repetitive
• Easy to build from a Greek yogurt or cottage cheese base

Quick note:

I use both ube extract and a spoonful of ube halaya (ube jam) rather than just one or the other. The extract carries most of the flavor and all of the color, while the halaya adds a little bit of that traditional jammy sweetness and texture that makes it taste like the real thing.

Why I Use Ube Extract Instead of Fresh Ube

Fresh ube root can be hard to find outside of Filipino or Asian grocery stores, and it takes real effort to peel, boil, and mash before you can even start on the ice cream itself. Ube extract and ube halaya (jam) are shelf-stable, widely available online, and get you the same flavor and color with a fraction of the effort.

If You’re Looking for Variety in Your GLP-1 Routine…

Many of our Building Better Health readers are on a GLP-1 medication like Zepbound or Wegovy, so we always like make sure our recipes are GLP-1 friendly! Eating protein shakes and chicken breasts gets old quickly, so we are here to help you mix things up.

I’ve said this before with my matcha version, but it’s worth repeating: the “safe” foods that work well on GLP-1 medications can start to feel repetitive fast. Trying something genuinely new, even in a small way like a dessert flavor, has helped me feel less like I’m just eating the same five things on repeat.

This one’s become a bit of a conversation starter, too — people are always curious what makes it purple.

Ube Ice Cream: High Protein Ninja Creami Recipe

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A naturally sweet, vividly purple ube protein “ice cream” made in the Ninja Creami. A genuinely unique flavor that’s easy to build from the same base method as my other Creami recipes.

Estimated Nutrition (Per Serving, makes 2 servings):

Calories: ~190 | Protein: 23–25g | Fiber: 0–1g | Carbs: 14g | Fat: 3g

(Varies depending on ube halaya brand and protein powder used.)

Equipment

• Ninja Creami
• or Ninja Creami Deluxe/XL
• A freezer bowl-style ice cream maker (jump to special instructions below)

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk (or milk of choice)
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
• 2 tbsp ube halaya (ube jam)
• 1/2 tsp ube extract
• 1 tbsp granulated sweetener of choice (monk fruit, allulose, or sugar), or to taste
• Pinch of salt

Optional Add-Ins

• Toasted coconut flakes
• A drizzle of sweetened condensed milk (or a sugar-free alternative)
• Chopped macadamia nuts or cashews
• A few pieces of mochi folded in after spinning

Instructions

Step 1: Blend the Base

Add the almond milk, Greek yogurt, protein powder, ube halaya, ube extract, sweetener, and salt to a blender. Blend until completely smooth.

Step 2: Taste and Adjust

Taste the base and adjust sweetness or add a touch more ube extract if you want a deeper color and flavor.

Step 3: Freeze

Pour the mixture into your Ninja Creami pint container and freeze flat for at least 24 hours.

Step 4: Spin

Remove the frozen pint and run it on the “Lite Ice Cream” or “Protein” setting. Re-spin once more if it looks crumbly.

Step 5: Add Mix-Ins (Optional)

Use the “Mix-In” function to fold in any add-ins after the base has spun smooth.

Step 6: Serve

Scoop and serve immediately for the best texture.

Optional Protein Boost

Want to push this past 28g of protein per serving? Use a full scoop and a half of protein powder, or swap the Greek yogurt for cottage cheese for an even bigger protein bump.

A Few Easy Tweaks

• Can’t find ube extract? Some brands sell pre-made ube flavoring paste that works the same way — just adjust to taste
• No ube halaya on hand? You can use ube extract alone, though the flavor will be a bit less rich and the color a bit lighter
• Make it a coconut-ube version by using coconut milk instead of almond milk
• Turn it into an ube-macapuno flavor by folding in a spoonful of sweetened shredded coconut strings (macapuno) as a mix-in

Don’t Have a Ninja Creami? You Can Use the Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker Instead

If you have a freezer-bowl style ice cream maker like, the Cuisinart, this recipe also works! Here are a few quick tips:

1. Make sure your Cuisinart freezer bowl has been in the freezer for at least 16–24 hours before starting on the protein ice cream recipe.
2. Simply blend the base as instructed above — no need to freeze the base first.
3. Pour the liquid mixture directly into the frozen bowl and churn according to your ice cream machine’s instructions, usually 20–25 minutes, until it reaches a soft-serve consistency.
4. Enjoy immediately as soft-serve, or transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for 2+ hours for a firmer, scoopable texture.

Hope this becomes one of your favorite ways to try something a little different.

Other Protein Ice Cream Recipes You’ll Love:

• Matcha Protein Ninja Creami
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Ice Cream – Ninja Creami Recipe
• Vanilla Protein Ninja Creami
• Cottage Cheese Ninja Creami Ice Cream

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