High Protein Matcha Ice Cream | Ninja Creami Recipe

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Every protein ice cream recipe I see online is some version of chocolate, vanilla, or peanut butter, and don’t get me wrong, I love all three.

But some days I want something that doesn’t taste like dessert in the usual sense, and matcha has become my answer to that.

It’s earthy instead of sweet, a little bit bitter in the best way, and it still satisfies that end-of-day craving without feeling like just another bowl of chocolate. I also just like that it’s a little unexpected — it’s not the flavor anyone assumes a “protein ice cream” is going to be.

If you’ve made any of my other Creami bases, this one follows the exact same method — just swap in matcha powder instead of cocoa or extra vanilla.

JUMP TO RECIPE

Why Everyone Raves About this Protein Ice Cream

• High in protein (24-26g) and under 200 calories!
• A genuine change of pace from chocolate and vanilla when those start to feel repetitive
• Naturally lower in sweetness, which some people who are on GLP-1 medications actually prefer – when sweet cravings feel like “too much”
• Easy to build from either a Greek yogurt or cottage cheese base
• A good source of caffeine if you want a little pick-me-up with your dessert or afternoon snack

Quick Tip:

I whisk the matcha powder with a tablespoon of warm water first, into a smooth paste, before adding it to the rest of the base. Adding dry matcha powder straight into a cold blended mixture is the fastest way to end up with green clumps instead of a smooth color and flavor.

Why I Use Culinary-Grade Matcha, Not Ceremonial-Grade

Ceremonial-grade matcha is meant to be whisked with hot water and sipped on its own — it’s delicate and expensive, and that subtlety gets lost once it’s mixed with yogurt, sweetener, and frozen. Culinary-grade matcha is made for baking and recipes like this one, has a more assertive flavor that holds up in a frozen dessert, and costs noticeably less.

Matcha Protein Ice Cream Recipe

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An earthy, creamy matcha protein “ice cream” made in the Ninja Creami. A refreshing change of pace from chocolate and vanilla, with the same high-protein base method.

Estimated Nutrition (Per Serving, makes 2 servings):

Calories: ~180 | Protein: 24–26g | Fiber: 0–1g | Carbs: 11g | Fat: 3g

(Varies depending on protein powder and milk used.)

Equipment

• Ninja Creami
• or Ninja Creami Deluxe/XL

** If you have something like a Cuisinart ice cream maker, you can definitely use this recipe, just scroll below for some extra tips and/or minor tweaks!

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk (or milk of choice)
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
• 1–2 tsp culinary-grade matcha powder
  • If you aren’t sure about culinary grade, scroll up to see why I recommend this vs ceremonial grade powder)
• 1 tbsp warm water
• 1 tbsp granulated sweetener of choice (monk fruit, allulose, or sugar)
• Pinch of salt

Optional Add-Ins

• White chocolate chips
• A swirl of honey
• Crushed pistachios for crunch
• A few fresh raspberries folded in after spinning

Instructions

Step 1: Make the Matcha Paste

In a small bowl, whisk the matcha powder with the warm water until smooth and fully dissolved, with no clumps.

Step 2: Blend the Base

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

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 30g 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

• Start with 1 tsp of matcha and taste the base before blending fully if you’re not sure how strong you want the flavor — it’s easy to add more, harder to tone down
• Make it a matcha-vanilla swirl by only blending half the matcha into the base and swirling the rest in as a paste during the Mix-In step
• No culinary matcha on hand? A strong-brewed matcha latte concentrate works in a pinch, just reduce the milk slightly
• Turn it into a London Fog-inspired flavor by swapping the matcha for a strong Earl Grey concentrate instead

Don’t Have a Ninja Creami? Make This in a Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker Instead

This protein ice cream recipe also works great with a traditional Cuisinart ice cream maker too! A few quick tips:

1. Make sure your Cuisinart freezer bowl has been in the freezer for at least 16–24 hours ahead of time.
2. Blend the base as written above, including the matcha paste — no need to freeze it first.
3. Pour the liquid base directly into the frozen bowl and churn according to your 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 your go-to when you want something different from the usual chocolate and vanilla.

Other Ninja Creami Recipes You’ll Love:

• Root Beer Float Protein Ice Cream
• Cottage Cheese Ninja Creami Ice Cream
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Ninja Creami

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