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Enjoying a smoothie after a long sweaty run or a spin class is honestly one of the most satisfying things. I usually don’t have much of an appetite after cardio, but I’m always thirsty—so a smoothie is the perfect compromise. I’m sharing a great post-workout smoothie to help you make the most of that hard work.
Check out my pre-workout smoothie recipe for ideas on how to fuel up before your run.
Table of Contents
Ingredients You’ll Need
While protein shakes and sports drinks have been popular choices for post-workout nutrition, smoothies are a lighter, nutritious alternative. Packed with vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients, smoothies can help restore and refuel your body after a strenuous exercise session.
- Kale: This may surprise you, but kale has 4 grams of protein per serving! It is a powerhouse leafy green vegetable containing calcium, vitamins A, B6, C and K, potassium and manganese.
- Coconut water: While regular water works great as a liquid base, coconut water contains natural electrolytes. This is something you definitely want to replenish after an intense workout, especially if you sweat.
- Orange: Oranges are 86% water, making them a great food option to help rehydrate. I love bringing them along with me on a long run or blending them into a smoothie.
- Pineapple: While pineapple is higher in natural sugar, that sugar contains the energy boost you need after barre class. Learn how I cut pineapple if you’re using fresh instead of frozen.
- Blueberries: I use blueberries as a low-sugar fruit addition with antioxidants.
- Chia seeds: One of my top superfoods— its an easy way to add protein, healthy fat and fiber to any blend, and it’s pretty much tasteless.
- Protein powder: Pairing protein with carbs (like fruit) helps refill glycogen stores and improves recovery even more. I like to use Isopure protein powder in this post-workout smoothie recipe because it has 25 grams protein and doesn’t alter the flavor. Plus, whey protein isolate is gentler on the stomach than traditional whey. If you’re vegan, swap with a plant-based protein powder.
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How to Make Post-Workout Smoothie
Did you know it only takes about five minutes to blend a deliciously creamy smoothie? I’ve got a no-fail, two-step process that gets me a smoothie I can enjoy, with ingredients that my body will love:
- Blend kale and coconut water until smooth. You don’t want any leafy chunks left.
- Add the remaining ingredients and blend again until smooth.
The reason I blend twice (even if using one of my recommended blenders for smoothies) is to give the kale time to break down because I don’t want to drink chunks. It doesn’t take a lot of extra time and lets me enjoy this smoothie that much more.
Is Protein Important After a Workout?
Yes—protein is important after a workout, especially if you want to recover well and feel strong the next day. After exercise, your muscles have tiny tears. Protein provides the amino acids your body needs to repair and rebuild muscle, which supports strength, endurance, and overall recovery. It also helps reduce soreness and can prevent that “wiped out” feeling later in the day.
More Workout Smoothies
If you love this recipe, be sure to check out my other smoothie recipes along with some healthy workout snacks. Here’s a few smoothies recipes to start with:
- Vanilla Protein Shake: the smoothie I turn to when I need a meal after an intense run or gym session.
- Coconut Water Smoothie: a warm-weather electrolyte smoothie that’s better than Gatorade.
- Pineapple Ginger Smoothie: the smoothie pro athletes are drinking!
If you make this post-workout recipe, 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.
Post-Workout Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 cup kale
- ½ cup coconut water
- ½ orange peeled
- ½ cup pineapple frozen
- ½ cup blueberries frozen
- 2 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1 serving protein powder
Instructions
- Blend kale and liquid until smooth.
- Add remaining ingredients, and blend until smooth.
Helpful Tools
Notes
- Use at least one frozen fruit to enjoy a chilled smoothie (or pour over ice).
- Swap kale with another leafy green vegetable of your choice.
- Vegan? Try my homemade protein powder to boost this smoothie by 10 grams of protein as well as healthy fat.
- Swap coconut water for regular water.
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review for a chance to win signed copies of my cookbooks!Common Questions
Smoothies are a great post-workout beverage. They can help refill your body with key nutrients you burned while working out as well as refuel your energy faster. Choose one that is filled with whole food ingredients and plants so that it won’t weigh you down.
My go-to smoothie has kale, coconut water, orange, pineapple, blueberries and plant-based protein powder. This way I get to replenish my electrolytes and protein and gain energy through the natural fruit sugars.
The faster you can replenish electrolytes and energy after a workout, the better! I like to prep my smoothie before I work out so it can chill in the fridge and be ready to consume immediately after the workout is over. It also contributes to hydration, which is a bonus.
Hi there,
I am just wondering if these recipes need to be consumed straight away or can they be stored ?
Great question! Consuming right away is best, yet you can totally blend and consume later that day or freeze if it will be longer than that.
I have a question about this recipe – does this smoothie really use 11 cups of kale for 1 serving?
TIA
Hi Sonja! The recipe calls for 1 cup of fresh kale. 🙂
I didn’t have the protein boost of chia seeds but this was very tasty. Usually I use spinach but the Kale was a nice change.
So glad you liked it, Lori!
With all of the fruit, surprisingly this smoothie was not my favorite. Seemed bitter. Maybe it was my bagged kale.
Sometimes I find that bagged kale tastes a little on the bitter side. How much pith from the orange did you use? That could have done it, also. This one is really good, you should def give it another chance. 🙂
I bought the recipes but lost them when I retired- being on my work computer. Is there a recovery process? I bought them twice, in fact.
Thank you,
Debra
Debra, reach out to our team at hello@simplegreensmoothies.com. Explain what happened and they will be able to help you retrieve your recipes. 🙂
Yummy!
It is! 🙂
This smoothies was satisfying. loved the pineapple and somehow it came out purple; usually when I throw blueberries into a green smoothies it turns a grayish color, but this recipe worked!
I love when the color of the smoothie surprises us. Makes it even more fun to drink your greens!! 🙂
These smoothies have been great! And preparing them ahead of time has been a life saver with my crazy schedule! Thank you for coaching me to a healthier, healing lifestyle!!!
Jill
Hey Jill!!! Way to go, that is so awesome you were able to add a smoothie into your daily life. That is not an easy task. We are so happy we were able to help you along this journey!
Great after a 5mile walk a thon to raise money for missions. I had the Pumpkin spice smooth before and I was very energized for the walk. I even passed up all the donuts they had for breakfast! Thanks for a good week of new recipes!
Thank you for doing that! We love hearing about what our Rawkstars are doing in their communities.
Great taste very thick with chia. Loved it!
I love the chia in this recipe!
Very good.
Glad you liked it, Rachel!
This was a yummy
smoothie. I have not been disappointed yet!
Love hearing the Kelly!!!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks for rating it, Phyllis! 🙂
So yummy!
Thanks Phyllis!!!
This ended up little thick for me. The chia seeds soak up liquid fast!
Feel free to add more liquid if it’s too thick for your liking. 🙂
I make my smoothies the night before, but I cannot wait to try this recipe!! I love chia seeds in my smoothies and I always forget to add them. Not this time… THANKS!!!