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Whenever I buy a big bag of kale, my goal is simple: use every last leaf. That’s when I start freezing kale and getting creative with my green smoothies. This Kale Banana Smoothie is a great way to turn leftover kale into something crave-worthy.
It blends a mix of fruits—almost like a fruit salad—to soften kale’s bold flavor while still delivering plenty of fiber. I also add collagen to boost protein and support my body at this stage of life, because nourishing well now matters more than ever.
Table of Contents
Kale Banana Smoothie Ingredients
- Kale: This leafy green vegetable is the nutrient backbone of the smoothie. It adds fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, and antioxidants while blending smoothly when paired with enough liquid and fruit.
- Almond milk: A light, non-dairy milk that helps everything blend easily without overpowering the flavors. It keeps the smoothie creamy while staying low in calories. Check out the best almond milk brands to buy.
- Banana: Adds natural sweetness and a creamy texture that balances kale’s slightly bitter edge. It also contributes potassium for muscle and hydration support. You can also use frozen bananas.
- Frozen pineapple: Brings bright, tropical sweetness and a touch of acidity to keep the flavor fresh. Using it frozen helps create a cold, thick smoothie without ice. You can cut pineapple and freeze yourself, or buy it frozen.
- Frozen strawberries: Add natural sweetness, vitamin C, and antioxidants, plus a subtle berry flavor that pairs well with pineapple and banana.
- Collagen peptides: Boost protein content to make the smoothie more filling and supportive of muscle recovery. Using an unflavored option keeps the fruit flavors front and center.
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Recipe Swaps
- Swap the kale with baby kale or spinach for a milder flavor that blends smoothly while still providing fiber and nutrients.
- Swap the almond milk with water, coconut water, or oat milk for a lighter texture or subtle sweetness.
- Swap the banana with ½ an avocado or frozen mango to keep the smoothie creamy with less natural sugar.
- Swap the collagen peptides with an unflavored protein powder to keep protein high without altering flavor.
How to Make Kale Banana Smoothie
- Start with the liquid. Pour the almond milk into your blender first. This helps everything blend more easily.
- Add the greens and soft fruit. Add the kale and banana next. Blending these first helps break down the kale so you don’t get leafy bits.
- Add frozen fruit. Toss in the frozen pineapple and strawberries for natural sweetness and a cold, thick texture.
- Finish with collagen. Add the collagen peptides last so they blend evenly.
- Blend until smooth. Start on low, then increase to high and blend until creamy. Add a splash more almond milk if needed.
Recipe Tips
Even though this smoothie is balanced and uses whole foods, the fruit can still be high in natural sugar. If you are sensitive to natural sugar, there are a variety of ways to help your body process those tasty sweet fruits:
- If you don’t have a smoothie blender, blend the kale and liquid first to fully break down the greens and create a smooth, grit-free base.
- Use frozen fruit instead of ice to keep the smoothie thick, cold, and naturally sweet without watering it down. Learn more ingredient tips in my how to make a smoothie guide.
- Balance the flavors with enough fruit or a squeeze of citrus to soften kale’s bitterness and keep the smoothie refreshing.
- Decrease sugar by swapping half the banana for a quarter of an avocado (or 1 whole banana with 1/2 an avocado). Your smoothie will be less sweet, but also lower in sugar.
If you’ve got extra kale after making this smoothie, don’t let it go to waste. Try blending it into other favorites like an tropical kale smoothie, kale mango smoothie or a refreshing coconut water smoothie for easy, flavorful ways to use it up, and if you love banana in your green smoothies, my banana smoothie roundup has plenty more.
Common Questions
Yes! Wash the kale well, and massage the leaves while you wash it (this tenderizes them). De-stem before adding to your blender to cut down on the bitterness.
Massaging kale is an easy way to cut down on bitterness. You can also pair kale with a citrus fruit (like pineapple or lemon) to counteract the bitterness.
It’s important to have a balanced smoothie, so swap the collagen with another protein source like protein powder, chia seeds or silken tofu.
Kale Banana Smoothie
Jen HansardIngredients
- 1 cup kale
- 1 cup almond milk
- 1 banana
- ½ cup pineapple frozen
- ½ cup strawberries frozen
- 1 serving collagen peptides
Instructions
- Pour the almond milk into a blender. Add the kale and blend on high until smooth.
- Add the banana, pineapple and strawberries and blend on high until smooth, 45 to 60 seconds, adding a splash more almond milk if it’s too thick.
- Add the collagen and blend on low just to combine. Pour into a glass and serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
- Kale Tip: Remove the kale stems before blending to cut the bitterness. Baby kale, spinach or another mild leafy green makes a gentler swap.
- Lower Sugar: Swap half the banana for 1/4 avocado, or the whole banana for 1/2 avocado.
- Vegan Swap: Collagen peptides aren’t vegan. Use a serving of plant-based protein powder instead.
- Storing: Best fresh, but it keeps in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Shake before drinking.
This Kale Banana smoothie is not my favorite out of the whole week. I can taste the bitterness that I can only assume is from the kale. I can taste the banana but not the strawberries. But, it’s not horrible and will drink it again because it’s good for me. I probably will try a little less kale or maybe a different variety. I feel like some of these smoothies, you need to play with them to meet your taste buds.
Sorry to hear that this smoothie was not your favorite. I like how you are going to try different ingredients to make it your own! Let me know if you find what works for you!
Ok but not a favorite. The banana overpowered the other flavors. Will try again with 1/2 the banana
Trying half of the banana is a good idea! Hopefully it will taste great for you!
Made this much earlier today and loved it!!
So glad you enjoyed the smoothie! Thanks for the review!
Great smoothie. As always, I made changes. I used oat milk for my liquid. Used 1/2 banana and 1/4 c pineapple so it wasn’t a super sweet drink. I love the taste of kale,but it wasn’t noticeable in this smoothie.
Thank you for the review. I love how you make the smoothie to your tasting. Rawk on!
Love the high protein and fiber in this one. Keeps me feeling full all morning. Pineapple is amazing and freezing it prior to blending is a perfect way to keep is chilled without adding ice.
So glad you enjoyed this smoothie. Great tip if you are using fresh pineapple!