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Blending fresh herbs into smoothies is a great way to get additional nutrients and amplify the flavor in your green smoothies. This cilantro smoothie is bright, refreshing, and surprisingly familiar—like sipping a glass of homemade limeade with a clean, herbal twist. The fresh cilantro blends smoothly and never overpowers, adding a light, cooling note that pairs perfectly with tangy lime.

Table of Contents

Two cilantro smoothies topped with lime slices.

Ingredients You’ll Need

If the idea of a cilantro smoothie makes you pause, stay with me. This one tastes bright, citrusy, and refreshing—more like a homemade limeade than a “green drink.” The cilantro blends smoothly with lime, banana, and ginger to create a light, clean flavor that’s surprisingly craveable.

  • Spinach: Adds nutrients and fiber without changing the flavor. It keeps the smoothie green while letting the limeade vibe shine.
  • Fresh cilantro: Brings a light, herbal freshness that tastes clean and cooling—not soapy or overpowering. It’s what gives this smoothie its signature flavor.
  • Water: Keeps the texture light and drinkable, similar to a juice or limeade rather than a thick smoothie.
  • Banana: Adds natural sweetness and creaminess to balance the tart lime and fresh herbs.
  • Lime (peeled): The star of the show. Lime gives this smoothie its zippy, limeade-like flavor and keeps it bright and refreshing.
  • Fresh ginger: Adds a subtle warmth and gentle spice that wakes everything up without stealing the spotlight.
  • Chia seeds: Provide fiber and omega-3s while slightly thickening the smoothie to help it feel more satisfying.

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Ingredients for a citrus cilantro smoothie including banana, ginger, and lime.

How to Make a Cilantro Smoothie

Making a cilantro smoothie is simple and takes just a couple of minutes. Start by adding the spinach, cilantro, and water to your blender and blend until completely smooth. This step helps break down the greens so the texture stays silky. Next, add the banana, peeled lime, ginger, and chia seeds, then blend again until creamy and bright, tasting like a refreshing limeade. If your new to smoothies, check out my full guide to learn how to make a smoothie.

Blending Tips

  • Start by blending the spinach, cilantro, and water first until completely smooth. This helps break down the greens so the final smoothie stays silky, not leafy. Then add the banana, lime, ginger, and chia seeds and blend again until creamy. If you want it colder, toss in a few ice cubes or freeze bananas ahead of time.
  • To save time, pre-prep the ingredients and follow my frozen meal prep smoothie packs guide.
  • If you don’t have a high-powered blender, I highly recommend picking up one of these smoothie blenders for perfect, smooth blends every time.
Two citrus cilantro smoothies with banana, ginger, and lime.

Why I Love Cilantro In Smoothies

  • It tastes fresh and citrusy, not savory. When blended with lime or lemon, cilantro adds a clean, bright flavor that feels more like limeade than a green smoothie.
  • It pairs beautifully with fruit. Cilantro balances sweetness from banana or pineapple and adds a light, refreshing finish without overpowering the smoothie.
  • It brings variety to your greens. Using cilantro is an easy way to rotate leafy green vegetables, keeping smoothies interesting while still delivering nutrients and fiber.

More Cilantro Recipes to Try

If you grabbed a big bunch of cilantro for this smoothie, here are a few easy ways to use up the rest—no wilting herbs left behind.

  • Spicy Cilantro Pesto is bold and flavorful, perfect for tossing with pasta, drizzling over roasted veggies, or spreading on sandwiches.
  • Green Goddess Hummus turns cilantro into a creamy, herby dip that works for snacks, wraps, or bowls.
  • Vegan Avocado Crema blends cilantro with avocado into a smooth, tangy sauce that’s amazing on tacos, grain bowls, or roasted potatoes.

If you make this cilantro smoothie, I’d love to hear how it turned out in the comment box below. Your feedback helps me and all the readers in this community. And if you’re interested in more plant-based recipes (and exclusive content), sign up for my weekly recipe newsletter.

Cilantro smoothie topped with a lime slice.
4.50 (4 votes)

Cilantro Smoothie

Bright, zesty, and ultra-refreshing, this cilantro smoothie tastes like a glass of homemade limeade with a clean herbal finish. Fresh lime brings the tang, banana adds gentle sweetness, and cilantro blends in smoothly for a light, crisp flavor that’s cooling, balanced, and surprisingly craveable.
Print Pin Rate
Prep: 3 minutes
Blend: 2 minutes
Total: 5 minutes
Serves: 1
Author: Jen Hansard

Ingredients 

  • 1 cup spinach fresh
  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro fresh
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 banana
  • 1 lime peeled
  • ½ inch ginger root fresh
  • 2 tablespoon chia seeds
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Instructions 

  • Blend spinach, cilantro and water until smooth.
  • Next add the remaining fruits and blend again.

Helpful Tools

high-speed blender
smoothie blender

Notes

  • Freeze the bananas ahead of time for a cold, slushy smoothie treat.

Nutrition

Serving: 16 oz | Calories: 240 kcal | Carbohydrates: 41 g | Protein: 6 g | Fat: 8 g | Saturated Fat: 1 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1 g | Trans Fat: 0.03 g | Sodium: 43 mg | Potassium: 758 mg | Fiber: 12 g | Sugar: 15 g | Vitamin A: 3187 IU | Vitamin C: 29 mg | Calcium: 202 mg | Iron: 3 mg

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Common Questions

Does a cilantro smoothie taste soapy?

No. When blended with lime and banana, cilantro tastes bright and citrusy, not soapy. The fruit balances the herb, creating a clean, limeade-like flavor.

Why use cilantro instead of another leafy green?

Cilantro adds a fresh, cooling flavor that feels lighter than kale or spinach alone. It keeps this smoothie crisp and refreshing instead of earthy.

Can I skip the ginger if I don’t like spice?

Yes. Ginger adds gentle warmth, but the smoothie still tastes bright and refreshing without it. Start small or leave it out completely.

Is this cilantro smoothie good for digestion?

Yes. Cilantro, ginger, and chia seeds support digestion, while lime helps stimulate digestive enzymes. It’s light, hydrating, and easy on the stomach.

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4.50 from 4 votes

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Rating




Comments

    1. Julie, the recipe makes enough for two servings. So one serving would have 1 1/2 bananas but if that’s still a bit too much for you, you could use 2 bananas (or 1 per serving).

  3. I love this smoothie! The first time I made it, I found myself thinking, “this is okay, but I don’t know if I could drink another one of these.” And then I started absolutely craving them! I don’t really love banana-based smoothies but the lime, cilantro and ginger really take over the flavor. I would recommend being a little careful on the ginger, because if you add too much it’s very bitter. Start with a bit, taste, and then add more if needed.

    Reply

    1. I could understand you, I do not like combination banana+water, that’s why I always add almond milk ! This smoothy is fantastic! Thank you!

  4. you sent me this smooties do i take it all week i am doing the 30 day smootie s wit you,

    Reply

    1. Hi Lily,

      Thanks for reaching out! Our next 30-Day Green Smoothie Challenge kicks off on October 1st. Until then, we love sending our community delicious recipes to try!

      Can’t wait until October? Check out our 30-Day Green Smoothie Challenge E-Guide in our shop!

      https://simplegreensmoothies.com/challenge/

  5. Can this recipe all be frozen into a smoothie freezer bag? Minus the liquids of course 🙂

    Reply

  6. I loathe bananas, that being said…I LOVE this smoothie.
    I wanted to try it once as written before changing anything.
    It’s fabulous. I am looking to get potassium and magnesium and I can’t take supplements due to the medicines that strip me of those needed elements…do you have any suggestions to boost them?
    Thank you for the recipe, thank you for your time. Have a Smoothie-tastic day!

    Reply

    1. Hi Katherine!

      Thanks so much for reaching out! So happy to hear you tried this smoothie and ended up loving it :). Sometimes our taste buds can surprise us!

      Leafy greens are a great source of magnesium, and bananas are high in potassium. However, since we are not health care professionals, we recommend speaking with your doctor to help determine what would be the best way for you to boost those nutrients :).

      Take care!

  7. This is great! I only used 2 bananas and half the lime peel. It is so flavorful & refreshing. I have to admit I absolutely love ginger and cilantro, but never thought to combine them in a smoothie. I really enjoy the subtle spice combined with the sweet creaminess of the banana in this recipe. I also added a teaspoon of chia seeds! yum!

    Reply

    1. So happy to hear you enjoyed it! And love the idea of adding chia seeds to this. I’ll have to try that next time!

      Thanks so much for blendin’ with us!

  8. Wow. This is so delicious. Made an entire blender full and I’m still not sure that it will be enough. (smile) My body is so happy with this that I may have to make another blender full. Dontcha just love guilt free?

    Reply

    1. Hi Andrea,

      Thank you so much for taking the time to reach out + share your love for our Cilantro Limeade Green Smoothie!

      Cheers to health, happiness, + leafy greens!

  9. Im diabetic can i have banana in the smoothie, as banana, chi cook and mango are to be avoided

    Reply

  10. To make this smoothie (and most others) a meal replacement can you add protein powder to the mix? I have a vegan pea protein that is wonderful.

    Reply

  11. Just a tip for the ginger… I buy usually a whole pound or 2 of ginger root and put it in the juicer and then put it in a glass jar in my fridge so I have fresh ginger juice thru out the week and can put it in my hot tea, my cold beverages or just hot water and get a good boost. Or use it in my salad dressing. It saves time and its so much easier. Don’t have to peel the ginger, just wash good and in the juicer and voila. Enjoy

    Reply

    1. Hi Yvonne,

      Thank you so much for reaching out + sharing! We love learning about the different ways members of our community add ginger to their smoothies + diet!

  12. hi! i did my first ever blog post about if green smoothies were worth the craze, in fact i used only your recipes. i would really appreciate it if anyone wants to check it out. btw i gave your amazing website credit so dont worry!

    Reply

    2. Hi Rosa,

      YAY!! We love that you gave green smoothies a try and love even more that you wrote about it in your blog. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your website with us!

      We hope you will continue blending!

      Cheers to health, happiness, + leafy greens! 🙂

  13. Talk about a hit of energy! I made this green smoothie this morning and I felt like I had a shot of expresso… I have to get use to the taste a bit, but will be making it again.
    Thanks for the recipe!!!

    Reply

    1. Hi Yesenia,

      YAY!! Cheers to a natural energy boost free of caffeine!

  14. Ginger is good for cooking, for tea, for blending. However, according to Chinese culture and eating habit, Eating ginger is healthy only in the morning! Do not over eat, nor eat a large amount in the evening because it produce toxin in your body, and it’s bad combination with starchy fruit such as banana. Good luck blending, and drink safely with smoothies with ginger!

    Reply

    1. Hi Noela,

      Thanks for reaching out + sharing your insight. While we’re not professional nutritionists, in all of our research we haven’t come across any information against combining banana + ginger, or enjoying ginger late at night (besides a potential energy boost). If you have an article, we would love if you shared your findings with us.

      Thanks again for sharing.

  15. I have just recently been diagnosed with CML (Chronic Mylogenous Leukimia) so I am try to drink a lot of immune boosting smoothies. I just made this one this morning & I added some OJ in place of the water & I also had a “green juice” that had other ingredients in it & added that also. It tastes pretty good, just don’t quite taste enough lime but I will add more until I get the right flavor. Thanks so much for this!!!

    Reply

    2. Hi Robin,
      Im sorry to hear about your diagnosis. Have you considered taking Juice Plus as well. It is full of the phytonutrients and antioxidants our bodies require to build immune systems, oxidize the blood and much more. Please check out my website for further information.
      I wish you all the best with your recovery.

  16. I have ginger as a spice but have never bought fresh ginger. Is it easy to find? Do you just cut it into 1/4?

    Reply

    1. Hi Dana,

      We love blending with fresh ginger! You can find it in the produce section of your local grocery store. Simply peel your ginger, you can even use the back of a spoon, and add a 1 inch section to your blender. Have an older blender, try grating your ginger prior to blending.

      Hope this helps! 🙂

  17. Made this twice so far and really liking it. It’s so resfreshing and don’t mind it’s a little thinner than the smoothies I usually make. I just add a little ice to cool in down more.

    I did add a quarter of an avocado to add a little fat and collagen peptides for extra protein. Will also try adding some cucumber next time too.

    Reply

    1. Hi Nicole,

      YAY! Thanks for sharing the leafy love! We especially love your idea of adding avocado to this recipe!

    1. Hi Michelle,

      Yay!! Thanks for reaching out + sharing the leafy love! Which recipe are you thinking about trying next?

    1. Hi Emily,

      We love blending the entire lime. Start small with the peel, as it packs a powerful flavor punch!

  20. I did *not* expect to like this smoothie but was prepared to choke it down for the health benefits. Color me green with surprise! I was blending romaine the first time I made this and so used that rather than spinach. I also subbed coconut water for the regular stuff. I only used one banana and still found it delightfully refreshing, not at all bitter, and totally worth revisiting with an open mind to play further with ingredients. Thanks again, rawkstars!

    Reply