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I’ve been blending smoothies almost every day since 2011—and let me tell you, this green smoothies is the best one. If you’re looking to feel more energized, curb those mid-morning cravings, and sneak more leafy greens into your life (without it tasting like a salad), this is the best green smoothie to start with. The combo of juicy mango, sweet pineapple, creamy banana, and fresh spinach creates a tropical, feel-good blend that’s both delicious and nourishing.
It takes just 5 minutes to make (and 1 minute to clean up!), and it’s the easiest healthy habit I’ve ever stuck with. This recipe has been a favorite for over 1million people who’ve done my free Smoothie Challenge— which you should totally join!
Whether you’re rushing out the door, recovering from a workout, or just need a snack that won’t leave you feeling blah, this smoothie’s got your back. Give it a blend—you might just become a daily smoothie drinker, too.
Health Benefits of a Green Smoothie
Green smoothies are a delicious and convenient way to improve your health. Packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber, a green smoothie offers a wide range of benefits. Here’s a few of the benefits I’ve experienced:
- More energy from the natural fruit sugars that are easily absorbed
- I rarely get sick—my immune system is stronger thanks to the vitamins in the ingredients
- My digestive system is happy with all the fiber from the spinach and fruit, plus I’m hydrated
- My skin is glowing. Adding spinach to a smoothie boosts the phytonutrients and fiber, which then slows down the absorption of sugars into your body and makes it officially a “green smoothie”.
- My kids are growing strong and healthy (they’ve been drinking green smoothies since they were little as you can see from the photos below).
I’m in my early 40’s and have two teenagers— so life has worn me down a bit. 😜 Green smoothies keep me energized and fueled so I can still go after my bucket list adventures, like:
- Run 47 miles across the Grand Canyon Rim to Rim (I’ve done this 5 times now)
- Complete a 7-day motorcycle adventure race in Morocco (I slept in floors in random houses each night)
- Hike Angel’s Landing in Zion National Park with my family (that was intense!)
- Complete a 4-day backpacking trip with my son in the Rocky Mountains last summer (my toenail still hasn’t grown all the way back)
I don’t share my adventures to brag. I share them to help you see what is possible when you nourish your body with fruits, vegetables and the best green smoothie recipe that we’ll get into now.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Everything you need to make this 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 one of the Dirty Dozen. The right ratio of spinach to fruit makes it sweet, as well as helps you reap all the health benefits of drinking green smoothies.
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 and ripe banana.
Water
The liquid base in the smoothie is water. Use filtered water to avoid any unnecessary chemicals or pollutants. I like using a Berkey Water Filter or reverse osmosis system for my drinking water.
Should I use Fresh or frozen fruit in a Green smoothie?
I prefer using frozen fruit because it chills down your smoothie without using ice, which can dull your blender blades overtime. I use fresh bananas in my smoothies because I like how creamy they make it.
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 (or other leafy greens of your choice) 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 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.
Can You Drink an Oxidized Smoothie?
The longer your smoothie is exposed to oxygen, the more it breaks down and the nutrients deteriorate. This is called oxidation. To minimize this, you can store your smoothie in the fridge with an air-tight lid for up to 48 hours, yet I think it tastes best if consumed within 4 hours after blending.
Beginner Blending Tip
When you’re new to making green smoothies, follow my Smoothie Formula to get the perfect blend. Don’t just throw spinach and kale in the blender. Chances are, it won’t taste as great if you wing it right out of the gate.
Best 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: If you are wondering how to make a smoothie sweeter without processed sugar, explore my list of natural sweeteners like honey, maple syrup, bananas, or dates.
- 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.
- Collagen: Unflavored collagen is a simple way to add additional protein and support gut health.
- Banana swaps: Don’t care for bananas? You can substitute it with a quarter of an avocado.
- Mango swaps: If you don’t have any mango, a full cup of frozen pineapple or peaches will work.
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!6 More Green Smoothie Recipes
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.
- Try this vitamin-C packed Blueberry Spinach Smoothie to recharge the body.
- Boost your metabolism with these Fat-Burning Smoothies For Weight Loss.
- 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.
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.
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.
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 aren’t inherently fattening. They’re packed with nutrients and fiber. A basic blend of spinach, mango, pineapple, banana, and water has about 203 calories per serving. To keep them light, avoid added sugars and high-calorie extras like sweeteners or full-fat dairy. Stick to whole fruits, veggies, and water for a healthy, balanced drink.
I been drinking smoothies for years. I came across your challenge on Facebook, decided to sign up l’m excited to start the challenge today and try different fruit and veggies. Today smoothie with the oranges was awesome I never put oranges in my smoothies before but it tasted delicious.
Thanks Maxine!!
I am so happy to hear that you found our smoothie challenge and decided to go for it! That is why we love this challenge because you try so many new ingredients that you never would before and really find what you like and don’t like.
Hello, I love the smoothies and your book is amazing! 🙂
One thing that I don’t understand why the sugar percentage is not available on the nutrition list?
Thanks Maxine!!
I am so happy to hear that you found our smoothie challenge and decided to go for it! That is why we love this challenge because you try so many new ingredients that you never would before and really find what you like and don’t like.
Such a yummy smoothie! I love it even more with half an orange tossed in. This was the first green smoothie I tried and one I continue to come back to.
Yay Kristin!
I am so excited that you fell in love with this recipe!! It is one of my favorites and my kids always beg me for more
I’m excited to try these delicious smoothie recipes!
super easy and tastes great!
This is the easiest (honestly though, they are ALL easy!) And the yummiest. Who doesn’t love mango pineapple and banana? You’ll be hooked immediately and so will the kids! They’ll be yelling for more so make a double batch! Or be adventurous and simlly add whatever fruit you have in your kitchen, just use the same ratio Jen uses. Its ALL delicous and healthy.. Wish I thought of this,when my kids were young!
Hey Diane,
Yay!! We absolutely love hearing that! My kids always drink their smoothie plus trying to sneak some sips from mine as well. It’s so great to know that I am giving them nursing fruits and veggies at such a young age.
Being adventurous with your smoothie puts a smile on our face!! Keep rawkin’!!!
Best smoothie i have ever had.
That is music to our ears!! 🙂
The PERFECT first smoothie to try. I had tried a few before this but always with a milk or juice base because I swore I could never drink one with water… Then Jen made this for a group of friends and I was shocked that it actually tasted good! I recommend this first to anyone trying smoothies for the first time.
This is seriously one of the easiest and tastiest smoothie recipes there is! Enough sweetness to satisfy your sweet tooth but still refreshing enough to feel like and KNOW you are treating your body well! This is even one of my go-to smoothies when I feel like I need a mini one-meal cleanse. In fact, I just made one a few days ago – delicious!
Always love this recipe!!! We’ve made it for the kids the last 7 year and they still ask for it!
Absolutely love the recipes and easy to make!
Hey Fiona,
I have to agree this one is delicious and so simple! It’s a win win!!!
Can I make my smoothie and then have it a few hours later or does it have to be drank right away. I want to make it, go to the gym, go to work and have it for breakfast.
Hey Cheryl,
You can totally drink it later. What we like to do is seal it in a glass air-tight container and stick it in your fridge. You can keep it in your fridge for up to 3 days.
Enjoy!! 🙂
I would like to try smoothies for awhile for cancer provention. On meds that allow me to eat ..but can cause cancer infortunatley. Although i have been on the meds for 10mths i am still too scared to try citrus fruits. Are there any fruits that offer the same punch as citrus fruits that i can use in a smoothy.
Hey Sarah,
Have you checked out our recipe specifically for cancer prevention? You can check that out here: https://simplegreensmoothies.com/pineapple-ginger-smoothie
If you have any questions just let us know!
Absolutely love this smoothie. I tried several of your smoothie recipes the last few days and love every single one of them. Thank you very much for sharing 🙂
Yay Philipp!!!
So happy to hear that you love our recipes so much 🙂
I just wanted to say I am a 49 year old woman who suffers from chronic pain and am on meds. I suffer from certain side effects as constipation and low energy. I decided to try your green shake and am so pleased. I now don’t have to take anymore additional otc medicine to help with side effects. I take your green smoothie but I put kale and spinach (both because where I live is small town & doesn’t carry just plain kale), pineapple, banana. I don’t like mangos so sometimes I substitute other frozen fruits or add extra pineapple. I can’t explain enough how your smoothie has changed my life. I know, silly for saying a drink will do this but it did. I have more energy and have found myself losing weight, which I could do to lose 45 lbs. God bless you, your family and business. I hope others will see this and believe your green shake does work. And, No, to the disbelievers, I do not work for them or got paid for my comment.
Hello, could I substitute frozen spinach for raw? Seasonally tough to get hands on raw. If so, any quantity suggestions? First time mom newly post-partum and needing some immune system and health boosts! Thanks!
Hey Ames,
Absolutely! Frozen spinach will also make your smoothie cooler which is an added bonus.
Cheers!