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Best Green Smoothie Recipe

Name: Best Green Smoothie Recipe
Prep time: 2 min
Cook time: 3 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 1 cup spinach; 1 cup water; 1/2 cup pineapple (frozen ); 1/2 cup mango (frozen); 1 banana; 1 serving Protein Smoothie Boost (optional)

By Jen Hansard | 3,121 Comments

RECIPE CARD LEAVE REVIEW

Enjoy my favorite green smoothie recipe, which is really a tropical energy drink in disguise. I've blended it in kindergarten classrooms and the kids ask for seconds, no joke! I try and drink at least one kale or spinach smoothie each day to boost my energy levels and fuel my passions.

I know a green smoothie doesn't sound (or look) very appealing at first sight, but when made right it can be beyond delicious. With over a thousand 5-star reviews, it's time for you to see why blending spinach into a smoothie is a great morning routine.

Why You'll Love It

Drinking a daily green smoothie is what helped me get the body and energy to do some incredible things, such as run 47 miles of the Grand Canyon, ride motorcycles through Morocco, publish two best-selling recipe books and create a backyard garden for my kids.

Jen adding spinach to Vitamix blender in a white kitchen with a window to make a smoothie

This daily habit has kept my kids healthy when we didn't have health insurance, energized us in between school and sports and nourished us so we rarely get sick. And when we do, we can usually bounce back with some of my own natural remedies. My kids started drinking green smoothies when they were 2 years old. Now, they're teenagers and still drink them.

children drinking green smoothies in mason jars with metal straws

When I created this recipe...it changed my life in more ways than I ever imagine. It was love at first sip for me, my two kids and over 1 million others who were scared of spinach smoothies. I've published an entire green smoothie cookbook and went on The Doctors TV Show to blend live on stage!

freshly cut bananas and pineapple to make a spinach smoothie

How to Make a Green Smoothie

The only equipment you need to make a green smoothie is a blender. A juicer or food processor won't work to get you a creamy drink you'll want to make over and over. You'll also need to get some fruit and leafy greens. The right ratio of spinach to fruit makes it sweet, as well as helps you reap all the health benefits.

Ingredients you'll need

fresh spinach
frozen pineapple
frozen mango
fresh banana
water

It's important to use frozen fruit in a smoothie to chill it down. I know a lot of people use ice, but that will dull your blender blade and not get as creamy of a result. I like to buy my frozen fruit at Costco and create Frozen Smoothie Packs. This saves me time and money, while making a healthy smoothie an easy morning routine.

best green smoothie recipe uses spinach, mango, pineapple and banana

Spinach Smoothie Blending Advice

1. Blend spinach with liquid base.

Blend 1 cup of spinach (or another leafy greens of your choice) in a blender with 1 cup of liquid. Adding spinach to your smoothie boosts the phytonutrients and fiber, which then slows down the absorption of sugars into your body. Blend well (until all leafy chunks are gone).

Tip: When you’re making your first few green smoothies, follow my Green Smoothie Formula to get the perfect blend. Don't just throw spinach and kale in the blender. Chances are, it’ll taste nasty if you wing it right out of the gate.

2. Add fruit to blender

Toss in fruit, such as frozen mango, pineapple and bananas in the blender. Blend on high until smooth and creamy. If you want your smoothie to be extra chilly or possibly even be a smoothie bowl, use more frozen fruit. You can freeze your favorite fruits like ripe bananas, grapes, pineapple or berries.

If the smoothie isn't as sweet as you would like, add in some natural sweeteners. My go-to are bananas, mango, oranges, honey or pitted dates.

3. Toss in superfoods, if using

Once the smoothie is nice and creamy, you can add in superfoods. Chia seeds, hemp hearts and plant-based protein powder are all great choices. You can turn any smoothie recipe into a meal replacement by adding clean protein and healthy fats. You can also add a serving of Protein Smoothie Boost to any of my smoothie recipes to instantly transform into a meal replacement.

Blend on high and serve immediately for maximum nourishment.

Storing spinach smoothies in mason jars for freezer prep.

Smoothie Tips & Frequently Asked Questions

Can you taste the spinach in a green smoothie?

You won't be able to taste the spinach if you use the proper ratio of fruit to spinach. This green smoothie tastes like a mango pineapple smoothie with a hint of banana flavor.

Are green smoothies healthy?

Blending spinach into a smoothie is a great way to boost your immune system and increase fiber intake, as well as naturally energize you. A kale or spinach smoothie has incredible health benefits with additional phytonutrients. What we eat can truly transform our bodies and our lives in powerful ways.

Most smoothies you buy or find online are made with just fruit and fruit juice. This makes them crazy high in sugar, which can cause inflammation and consuming excess calories. A green smoothie, on the other hand, is made with fruit, plant-based liquids and leafy greens, typically spinach or kale. They're loaded with iron, potassium, fiber and vitamins galore. If you're not sure which leafy greens to use in your smoothie, check out my Ultimate Leafy Greens Guide for Smoothies.

What blender do I need to make a spinach smoothie?

Any blender will work, yet to get the creamiest green smoothie you'll need a high speed blender. Check out The Ultimate Blender Guide, where I reviewed countless blenders to find the best ones for green smoothies. The key is to get rid of leafy chunks, blend quickly and provide tons of value for the price. Hint: not all of them cost $400.

Can I make a green smoothie ahead of time

For busy weeks, you can create Frozen Smoothie Packs that you prep on the weekend and enjoy all week, or month. It'll only take you 5 minutes every morning to have a green smoothie ready to go. You can also blend your smoothie the night before and store it in your fridge until ready to drink.