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If you’re new to green smoothies—or just want one that actually tastes good—this is the recipe to start with. This simple green smoothie blends spinach with banana, mango, and pineapple to create a naturally sweet, tropical drink that comes together in minutes. It’s proof that healthy can be easy, delicious, and something you’ll actually want to make again tomorrow.
Table of Contents
What is a Green Smoothie?
A green smoothie is a blended drink made with leafy greens, like spinach or kale, and naturally sweet fruit such as bananas, berries, or tropical fruit. The fruit balances the flavor of the greens, creating a smooth, refreshing drink that’s easy to enjoy. Green smoothies are a quick and simple way to add more fiber, vitamins, and minerals to your day in one glass.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Everything you need to make my favorite green smoothie recipe is found in a garden, farmer’s market, or the produce section of your grocery store. I’ve found that the closer we eat to nature, the better we feel. This green smoothie recipe is a great way to start that journey.
- Fresh spinach: Baby spinach is the most mild version to use in smoothies, and also the most easy to find. I suggest using organic spinach because it’s on the Dirty Dozen List.
- Pineapple: I buy frozen pineapple at Costco in bulk to make Frozen Meal Prep Smoothie Packs. If it’s on sale, I’ll cut up pineapple and freeze it myself.
- Mango: You’ll find frozen mango next to the ice cream in the freezer section. I love how it’s already peeled and cut for you and ready to add to the blender. If fresh mango is on sale, you can always cut the mango and freeze yourself. Check out my guide on how to cut mango.
- Fresh banana: Bananas add a creaminess to smoothies that is hard to replicate. It’s magic! You can also freeze bananas to use them in green smoothies, yet the best results come from blending with a fresh, ripe banana.
- Water: The liquid base in the smoothie is water. Use filtered water to avoid any unnecessary chemicals or pollutants.
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How to Make a Green Smoothie
The only equipment you need to make this green smoothie recipe is a blender for smoothies. A juicer or food processor won’t work to get you a creamy smoothie.
- Blend 1 cup of spinach in a blender with 1 cup of liquid. Blend until all leafy chunks are gone.
- Toss in 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 turn it into a smoothie bowl, use more frozen fruit. (You can freeze your favorite fruits like ripe bananas, grapes, pineapple, or berries.)
- Add in superfoods once the smoothie is nice and creamy. Chia seeds, hemp hearts, and flax seeds are all great choices.
- In order to break down the cell walls of the plants, you need to blend at high speed. You shouldn’t have any leafy chunks or weird texture in your smoothie if your blender is powerful enough.
- Drink immediately. To get the maximum amount of nutrients from a smoothie, drink it immediately after blending it.
Recipe Tips
- Following a simple smoothie method in my How to Make a Smoothie guide helps balance greens, fruit, and liquid for a smooth, great-tasting blend. Tossing in random greens can lead to bitter flavors or a thin texture.
- Frozen fruit makes smoothies thick and creamy without ice, which can dilute flavor and strain your blender. I use a fresh banana for creaminess, plus frozen mango and frozen pineapple for sweetness.
- Invest in a high-speed blender for smoothies if you plan to make green smoothies a daily habit—it makes blending faster, smoother, and easier to stick with.
Ingredient Swaps
- Banana: You can substitute it with a quarter of an avocado.
- Mango: Swap with frozen pineapple, red apple or peaches for a fiber-rich alternative.
- Pineapple: Swap with a naval orange to get that juicy citrus flavor.
- Water: Use oat milk, almond milk, coconut water or orange juice depending on your health goals.
- Spinach: Swap for kale, Swiss chard, beet greens, or any leafy greens of your choice.
How to Store a Green Smoothie
Store your green smoothie in the fridge with an air-tight lid (ex: mason jars are great) for up to 48 hours, yet I think it tastes best if consumed within 4 hours after blending. The longer your smoothie is exposed to oxygen, the more it breaks down and the nutrients deteriorate (aka: oxidation).
Green Smoothie Add-Ins
- Protein powder: You can turn any green smoothie recipe into a meal replacement by adding a serving of my Homemade Protein Powder to the blender.
- Natural sweeteners: Increase sweetness by using more natural sweeteners like honey, maple syrup, bananas, or dates. A smoothie can taste like dessert without any refined sugars.
- Chia seeds: A simple way to add more healthy fats and protein is to add 2 tbsp chia seeds. It won’t alter the taste, but drink fast or it will congeal. Some recipes suggest adding almond butter, yet that’s disgusting in a tropical green smoothie
- Collagen: Unflavored collagen is a simple way to add additional protein and support gut health.
- More vegetables: Try adding 1/4 cup frozen cauliflower for a fiber boost without altering the flavor.
More Green Smoothies
Once you try the recipe below, you’re gonna want more green smoothie recipes. It happens every day in my inbox! I love it! Here’s some of the most popular ones on my blog to try next:
- My son is obsessed with this Mango Orange Smoothie recipe.
- This Simple Kale Smoothie will surprise even the pickiest smoothie drinkers.
- I love this Glowing Green Smoothie with spinach and romaine lettuce for digestive support.
- Escape with this tropical Detox Island Green Smoothie to heal from within.
Dietary Adjustments & Substitutions
Need to accommodate a food allergy? Click the button below for tailored suggestions just for you:
Best Green Smoothie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup spinach
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup pineapple frozen
- ½ cup mango frozen
- 1 banana
Instructions
- Measure: Tightly pack spinach in a measuring cup.
- Add: Put spinach to blender with water. Blend together until all chunks are gone. (Should resemble green water when blended well).
- Toss: Pineapple, mango and banana to blender. I like to use frozen pineapple and mangos to chill the smoothie down and save time cutting and prepping. It’s a win-win!
- Blend: It all together until smooth and creamy. Depending on your blender, this could take as little as 30 seconds or as long as 2 minutes.
- Pour: Into a glass and serve immediately.
Video
Helpful Tools
Notes
- Try adding a serving of Homemade Protein Powder, it’s super clean and easy to make.
- Not a fan of bananas? Swap it for 1/4 avocado, additional 1/2 cup mango or 1/2 cup peaches.
- You can use 1 cup pineapple if you’re out of mango.
- Frozen fruit is recommended to chill the smoothie (and save time cutting and washing).
- Store in the fridge with a lid until ready to drink.
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review for a chance to win signed copies of my cookbooks!Common Questions
You won’t be able to taste the spinach if you use the proper ratio of fruit to spinach (1½ : 1). This green smoothie recipe tastes like a mango pineapple smoothie with a hint of banana flavor.
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.
Green smoothies are the healthiest fast food out there. Blending spinach and fruit into a smoothie is a great way to boost your immune system, increase fiber intake, and boost your energy levels. Adding kale or spinach in a smoothie has incredible health benefits with additional phytonutrients. What we eat can truly transform our body 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 and leafy greens, typically spinach or kale. They’re loaded with iron, potassium, fiber and vitamins galore.
Any blender will work, yet to get the creamiest green smoothie you’ll need a high speed blender. Check out my Best Blenders for Smoothies 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.
I like to think of this smoothie recipe (which I’ve made a few times now) as a basic recipe adding or substituting other items that I might might have on hand, such as fresh ginger or cinnamon, other fruits or berries and, of course, collagen or protein powder. It’s always good and healthy. Thanks!
This is the smoothie that made me a convert! Such a simple way to start on the healthy track.
This is really good but I’m going to try it with avocado next time.
See how different it is.
I enjoy this recipe, it’s just really hard to make. My blender has a hard time with frozen fruits and leafy greens. My workaround is to blend everything one step at a time, it comes out lumpy, but yummy.
I love this recipe. It’s so simple to make. and it tastes delicious.I had a friend visiting who had never had a green smoothie before. She said she couldn’t believe that something so healthy could taste so good. I will certainly make this smoothie again. Thank you!
Love this recipe. Refreshing and filling.
Is this where I comment to be in the Vitamix drawing?
GREAT way to start the green smoothie habit! The tips to blend the greens & liquid (I usually use coconut water for a nutritional boost) before adding the fruit makes getting that s-m-o-o-t-h texture much simpler! Adding frozen fruit makes my green smoothies a cold, thicker consistency that pleases my palate. YUM!
So simple – so GOOD!!!
This recipe is so easy j- i have everything i need in the fridge! that is the best part – make it simple. thanks!!!!
Just watched the video. You did great. I love your recipe book. I have bought several as gifts. Thank you for the chance to win the give a way!! Pam Brockett
Love this recipe and the cute smoothie mustaches on the kiddos
Jen!! You did an amazing job on the video! You are so funny and relatable! It’s because of you that I started drinking green smoothies and the beginners luck is still my all time favorite! Keep up the great work!!
Belinda B.
Loved your video! Good to see you have a channel! Your 7-day challenge on was great! Looking forward for more!
LOL Jen! You do great on the videos! I have never noticed the little quirks you mentioned (hands, lip, words). I just see a friendly gal showing everyone how Simple (ahem) Green Smoothies are to whip up. Beginner’s Luck is truly one of my favorites – fragrant and delicious! You’ll find them in my freezer all summer long! xx
So excited about this recipe! What a great way for your kiddos to get their greens!
I love this recipe I subsitute pineapple with papaya because I’m allergic to pineapple.
I’ve done the 7 day challenge over a month ago I’m now hooked I do a green smoothie everyday energy level up and I’m feeling a whole lot better
I love this idea, but don’t you need protein, too? I’ve always been told to balance protein and carbs to avoid blood sugar issues.
Hi Renee,
We love adding protein to our green smoothies + yes it can be a great addition, especially if you’re planning on using your green smoothie as a meal replacement. We leave it out of this recipe, because this is our go-to beginner recipe and we wanted to keep it as simple as possible. Some of my favorite protein sources are almond butter, oats, and chia seeds. Learn more about our favorites here…
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/plant-based-protein-powder
This is a quick and delicious recipe. It’s hot in Texas, and a smoothie is my favorite way to start the day. My home was finally repaired after Harvey, so…I started fresh with an empty freezer. Well, thanks to Jen and her book- the first thing I did was restock frozen spinach and fresh fruit! (I picked over 40 pounds of fresh blueberries in June!!) You won’t find room for much more than what I need for smoothies. Thanks for fast forwarding the blending. Blending is one habit you will never apologize for:)
Hello Jen
Lately I’ve been experiencing a lot of inflammation pain due to arthritis. My diet consists mostly of starches (cultural), I eat rice sometimes twice a day, pasta, potatoes, bread are staple in my meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner). I now have to ween myself from eating so much of it. I was just speaking to my husband today (in Afghanistan) and he’s been telling me that I should start drinking green smoothies, so I googled how to make green smoothies and came to your site. I see that everyone loves this recipe and since I am the most finicky person on the planet, I was happy to see how much every has commented on your creation. I am going to get the ingredients to make this shake in the morning more to follow…………………….Joanne
Awwww! I love hearing this Joanne!!! I hope you enjoyed your first green smoothie with us— and I am sure it won’t be your last. 🙂 If you’re experiencing arthritis pain, I’d recommend you do our Summer Reset. For 7 days we will remove the most common inflammation triggers (gluten, dairy, sugar, etc) and give our body a reset. We will be drinking lots of green smoothies and eating lots of fresh tasty meals too. You can learn more here: https://simplegreensmoothies.com/cleanse
Can i substitute water for unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk or coconut water?
Absolutely! You can also swap the bananas for avocado for those that aren’t fans of banana.