This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I can earn a small commission from items you purchase (at no cost to you).
When I score a BOGO deal on kale, I end up making two things: this tropical kale smoothie recipe and my famous kale caesar salad. Kale is a great way to rotate your greens and boost your fiber intake. Now, I know most kale smoothies taste like… kale. This one is different. The citrus cuts the bitterness and lets the fruit shine, so you get all the benefits of leafy greens without feeling like you’re drinking sludge.
Table of contents
Ingredients You’ll Need
This kale smoothie looks (and tastes) like something from a fancy juice bar, , but the secret’s out: you can make this at home with simple ingredients you can find at most grocery stores. Here’s what you’ll need to blend it up:
- Kale: Fresh curly kale or lacinato kale (also called dinosaur or Tuscan kale) adds an earthy base and bright green color. Look for crisp leaves in the produce section without yellowing or wilting.
- Orange: This adds natural sweetness and a boost of vitamin C. Pick up a fresh orange from the produce aisle (any variety works, but organic is best!).
- Pineapple: Frozen pineapple gives the smoothie a bright, tropical flavor and helps create that frosty texture. If you’re using fresh pineapple instead, check out my quick guide on how to cut pineapple for easy prep!
- Mango: Frozen mango adds body and mellow sweetness, helping round out the flavor of the kale. If using fresh mango, here’s a simple guide on how to cut a mango.
- Chia seeds: A tablespoon adds healthy fats, fiber, and thickness to your smoothie. Look for chia seeds in the baking or natural foods aisle.
Save this Recipe for Later!
Enter your info below and I’ll send it straight to your inbox to save for later.
How to Make a Kale Smoothie
Making a kale smoothie is as simple as blend, sip, repeat. Here’s exactly how I do it to get that perfectly balanced texture every time:
- Wash and de-stem the kale leaves, peel your orange, and measure out the frozen pineapple and mango.
- Pour the water into your blender base. Starting with liquid helps blend the greens evenly.
- Add the kale and blend until smooth, scraping down the sides if needed.
- Toss in the orange slices, frozen pineapple, frozen mango, and chia seeds.
- Start on low speed and gradually increase to high. Blend for about 45–60 seconds or until the mixture is completely smooth.
- Give it a quick sip—if it’s too thick, add a splash more water. Pour into your favorite glass and enjoy immediately!
Why I Remove Kale Stems
The stem of kale is the most bitter part of the kale—strip the stems by pulling the leaves off with your hands, or lay the leaf flat and use a knife to slice the stem out. This results in a tastier kale smoothie.
Recipe Tips
- Kale is tougher than spinach, so give your blender a little extra blend time to break it down completely or invest in a high-powered blender, like a Vitamix.
- Kale smoothies taste best right after blending, but you can refrigerate leftovers in an airtight jar for up to 24 hours.
- Add in extra banana or honey if you need additional sweetness to mask the kale taste
- Add in veggies like frozen cauliflower, spinach and sweet potato for additional nutrients.
Free 5-Day Smoothie Reset
Get my smoothie recipes to boost energy, fight inflammation and kickstart weight loss—in just 5 minutes a day.
Recipe Swaps and Add-Ins
One of my favorite things about this kale smoothie is how easy it is to customize. You can keep the tropical vibe or switch things up based on what you already have on hand:
- Liquid base: Swap water for coconut water to boost natural sweetness, or use unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk for a slightly creamier blend. Check out the best almond milk brands to use.
- Fruit options: No pineapple? Frozen peaches, pears or extra mango bring that same bright, tangy sweetness.
- Protein boost: For a more filling smoothie, add a scoop of my homemade protein powder, Greek yogurt, peanut butter, or a tablespoon of one of homemade almond butter to make it more filling.
- Seeds and superfood boost: Chia adds thickness, but flax seeds, hemp seeds, fresh ginger root or a pinch of spirulina work well, too.
- Sweeteners: If your fruit isn’t fully ripe, blend in a date or a small drizzle of maple syrup.
Dietary Adjustments & Substitutions
Need to swap an ingredient or accommodate a food allergy? Click the button below for tailored suggestions just for you:
Kale Nutrition Spotlight
Kale is one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet. It’s loaded with vitamins A, C, and K, plus fiber, calcium and antioxidants that support your immune system and digestion. Even a small handful adds a powerful nutritional boost to your day, and it’s a great way to sneak more greens into your diet without feeling like you’re eating a salad.
More Kale Smoothies You’ll Love
If you’re loving the bright, refreshing flavor of this simple kale smoothie, here are a few more kale smoothie blends that bring tropical vibes:
- Mango Kale Smoothie blends sweet mango and hearty kale for a smooth tropical drink.
- Kale Citrus Smoothie mixes zesty orange and grapefruit with kale for a bright, tangy sip.
- Kale Banana Smoothie gives you a creamy, dessert-like texture with potassium-rich banana.
- Pineapple Green Smoothie is tropical and tangy, balancing sweet pineapple with hearty kale for the ultimate feel-good sip.
If you make this kale 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.
Tropical Kale Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 cup kale
- ½ cup water
- 1 orange peeled
- ½ cup pineapple frozen
- ½ cup mango frozen
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
Instructions
- Blend kale, orange and water until smooth.
- Add remaining fruit and blend again.
Helpful Tools
Notes
- Prep ahead: Wash and trim your kale the night before to save time in the morning.
- Blending tip: For a smoother texture, blend the kale and liquid first before adding fruit.
- Adjust sweetness: You can sweeten your smoothie naturally with a Medjool date, half a banana, or a drizzle of honey (if not strictly vegan).
- Massage your kale. A quick 30-second rub with a few drops of lemon juice or oil helps soften the leaves and reduce bitterness.
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review for a chance to win signed copies of my cookbooks!Common Questions
Yes, absolutely! Raw kale is safe to eat and blends beautifully into smoothies. It’s packed with fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins A, C, and K. Just make sure to remove the thick stems and blend it well for a smoother texture. If you’re sensitive to kale’s bitterness, try baby kale or massage the leaves briefly before blending.
Kale pairs best with naturally sweet and juicy ingredients that balance its earthy flavor. Think mango, pineapple, banana, apple, or citrus fruits like orange or grapefruit. For extra creaminess, you can add avocado, chia seeds, or almond milk.
Yes, a smoothie with kale can be a healthy daily habit as long as you enjoy them as part of a balanced diet. Kale is rich in nutrients and antioxidants that support detoxification and immune health.
Just vary your greens (like spinach or romaine) every few days to keep your diet balanced and avoid too much of one specific nutrient.
Tropical fruits like mango, pineapple, and banana are kale’s best friends, they naturally sweeten its bold flavor. Citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, or limes also brighten the taste, while apples and grapes add a crisp, refreshing touch.
This smoothie was amazing. I’m not a fan of kale, so I subbed half spinach and the rest of my greens consisted of green butter and red leaf lettuce.
This one is another easy traditional flavor smoothie. Refreshing and tasty.
This smoothie is delicious as we use a sweet variety of kale!! All your recipes are good!!
Silly me didn’t put a star rating on the past two smoothies. I would have rated them 5 stars. So if you can correct my comments for both of those I would appreciate it.
I really like eating kale and didn’t mind putting it in my smoothie today. I add kale to my stir fry dishes, soups and fried rice all the time. We even grow it in our garden. I ended up adding 1/2 a banana to the kale smoothie today to add a little sweetness to it because the original recipe ended up a little sour. This smoothie ended up a little thicker and loved the consistency.
I found this to be refreshing. I used a power blend of greens instead of kale and I also substituted flax seeds for chia seeds.
This was a refreshing smoothie. I did swap out the kale for a power blend of greens and I used flax seed instead of chia seeds.
Smoothie was really good, I used spinach since I cannot stand kale. Tried kale over the year and just cannot get used to texture. The smoothie was thick, tasty and very smooth.
I don’t mind kale, & yes I already blend it with spinach
I have been growing kale & spinach in my veggie patch 4 easy access every morning
Kale can have a bitter taste but when u blend it with everything else plus some ginger or mini it is quite nice
I enjoyed this smoothie this morning
Absolutely delicious. Used spinach instead of kale (still working on acquiring the taste for kale). Added clementines, pineapple, mango, passion fruit, a small banana Jane chia seeds. Nice and refreshing drink
I think the orange and pineapple do a good job of mellowing the bite of the kale. I used hemp hearts instead of chia. This was a nice refreshing smoothie after a walk with my dogs!
Kale goes excellent with the tropical fruits. Loved it and plan to make it again.
I love pineapple and orange together. I did. use baby kale because the older kale is hard on my stomach. The chia seeds were okay but I really like the greens and the fruit blends the best. I am not saying these was a bad mix, I am just saying I prefer the fruit / veggies mixes more. I also. liked. the coconut water. in the mix. Over all it was a nice surprise.
The first time I had kale was last year. I put it my smoothies and had salad recipe for it. I thought I never would get through all the kale. Kale is okay.
Yum! I added 1 Tbsp hemp hearts for a phosphorus boost, but followed the recipe otherwise. I packed the cup with kale, which I like, but had never eaten raw before. I used 2 very small homegrown navel oranges, which are extremely sweet and juicy. The smoothie was a little tart, but not objectionably so, which I suspect was from the frozen pineapple. Overall, it tasted quite tropical. I look forward to enjoying this on a hot summer day!
I just found out that I do not like kale in my smoothies
This is exactly as described – like the “warm Californian sunshine” (I’m in Southern California)
A simple and tasty recipe. I found the mango stood out for me and I loved it!!