My favorite green smoothie recipe is really a tropical energy drink in disguise. With over 1,300 5-star reviews, it’s time for you to see why blending spinach into a smoothie is a tasty morning habit.

I know a green smoothie doesn’t sound (or look) very appealing at first sight, but it can be beyond delicious. I’ve blended this recipe in kindergarten classrooms (and the kids ask for seconds)! I’ve made it for my teenage daughter’s volleyball friends and they chug it down. I drink this green smoothie recipe almost every morning to boost my energy levels and nourish my body.

Best green smoothie recipe in mason jar.

Benefits of a Green Smoothie

Drinking this green smoothie is what gave me the body and energy levels to do some incredible things in my late 30’s after having two kids. I’ve run 47 miles of the Grand Canyon, rode a motorcycle across Morocco in a 7-day race, hiked Angel’s Landing and created a backyard garden for my kids.

This simple green smoothie is great for beginners because it’s naturally sweetened with fruit (no added sugars) and loaded with greens and protein. Some of the benefits I’ve noticed when I drink a green smoothie every day are:

  • More energy from the natural fruit sugars
  • Don’t get sick (my immune system is strong thanks to all the nutrients)
  • My digestive system is happy with all the fiber and hydration from a green smoothie
Woman adding spinach to Vitamix blender in a white kitchen to make green smoothie.

This daily habit has kept my kids healthy when we didn’t have health insurance, energized us in between school and sports and nourished us so we rarely get sick. And when we do, we can usually bounce back with some of my own natural remedies.

Girl drinking green smoothies in mason jar with metal straw and smiling.

My kids started drinking green smoothies when they were 2 years old. Now, they’re teenagers and still drink them. Here’s some photos of them over the years (they have no clue I put these on here!).

Teenage boy pouring green smoothie recipe from blender into glass.

When I created this green smoothie recipe, it changed my family’s life in more ways than I ever imagined. It was love at first sip for me, my two kids and 1 million others, who were intimidated by spinach (just like me!). Since them, I’ve published a best-selling green smoothie cookbook and shared my recipes live on The Doctors TV Show…twice!

Freshly cut bananas and pineapple to make a green smoothie recipe.

Best Green Smoothie Ingredients

Everything you need to make a green smoothie is found in a garden, farmer’s market or the produce section of your grocery store. The closer we eat to nature, the better we feel. This smoothie recipe is a great way to start eating healthier foods. Here’s the ingredients we’ll be blending:

  • 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.
  • Frozen pineapple: I buy frozen pineapple at Costco in bulk to make Frozen Smoothie Packs. If it’s on sale, I’ll cut up pineapple and freeze it myself.
  • Frozen mango: You’ll find this 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.
  • Fresh banana: Bananas add a creaminess to smoothies that is hard to replicate. It’s magic!
  • 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 that I keep on my countertop.

Fresh VS frozen fruit

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.

Green smoothie with spinach, mango, pineapple and banana.

How to Blend a Green Smoothie

The only equipment you need to make a green smoothie is a high-speed blender for smoothies. A juicer or food processor won’t work to get you a creamy drink you’ll want to make over and over. Once you have a blender, you can successfully make the best green smoothie recipe following the steps below.

Blend spinach with liquid base

Blend 1 cup of spinach (or another leafy greens of your choice) in a blender with 1 cup of liquid. Adding spinach to your smoothie boosts the phytonutrients and fiber, which then slows down the absorption of sugars into your body. Blend until all leafy chunks are gone.

Blending Tip

When you’re making your first few green smoothies, follow my Green Smoothie Formula to get the perfect blend. Don’t just throw spinach and kale in the blender. Chances are, it’ll taste nasty if you wing it right out of the gate.

Add frozen fruit to blender

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 be a smoothie bowl, use more frozen fruit. You can freeze your favorite fruits like ripe bananas, grapes, pineapple or berries.

Not Sweet enough?

If the smoothie isn’t as sweet as you would like, add in some natural sweeteners like bananas, mango, oranges, honey or pitted dates.

Scoop in the superfoods

Once the smoothie is nice and creamy, you can add in superfoods. Chia seeds, hemp hearts and flax seed are all great choices. You can turn any smoothie recipe into a meal replacement by adding a serving of homemade protein powder to any smoothie recipe.

Blend smoothie on high speed

In order to break down the cell walls of the plants, you need to blend on high speed. You shouldn’t have any leafy chunks in your smoothie if your blender is powerful enough.

Drink green smoothie immediately

To get the maximum amount of nutrients from a smoothie, drink it immediately after blending it. 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 smoothe 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.

Storing green smoothies in mason jars for freezer prep.

Common Questions

Can you taste the spinach in a green smoothie?

You won’t be able to taste the spinach if you use the proper ratio of fruit to spinach. This green smoothie tastes like a mango pineapple smoothie with a hint of banana flavor.

Are green smoothies healthy?

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. A kale or spinach smoothie has incredible health benefits with additional phytonutrients. What we eat can truly transform our bodies and our lives 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, vegan milks and leafy greens, typically spinach or kale. They’re loaded with iron, potassium, fiber and vitamins galore. If you’re not sure which leafy greens to use in your smoothie, check out my Ultimate Leafy Greens Guide for Smoothies.

What blender do I need to make a spinach smoothie?

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.

Can I make a green smoothie ahead of time

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.

Two mason jars filled with blended green smoothie on countertop.

More Green Smoothie Recipes to Try

If you’d like more green smoothie recipes, check out these popular ones below:

Don’t forget to rate + review this green smoothie recipe once you’ve made it. I love getting your feedback!

4.83 from 1955 votes

Best Green Smoothie

The best green smoothie recipe is a tasty tropical treat packed with iron, potassium and vitamins galore. There's no need to be scared of a spinach smoothie when it tastes like this.
Prep: 3 minutes
Total: 5 minutes
Author: Jen Hansard
Course: Smoothie
Cuisine: Plant-Based
Serves: 1

Ingredients  

  • 1 cup spinach
  • 1 cup water
  • ½ cup pineapple frozen
  • ½ cup mango frozen
  • 1 banana
  • 1 serving homemade protein powder optional

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.
  • Store: In the fridge with a lid until ready to drink.

Video

Notes

  • 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).

Nutrition

Calories: 203kcal, Carbohydrates: 51g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 38mg, Potassium: 818mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 34g, Vitamin A: 3829IU, Vitamin C: 88mg, Calcium: 63mg, Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe? Show me!Mention @SimpleGreenSmoothies or tag #SimpleGreenSmoothies!

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Comments

  1. Ok, so its cold, I’m in Victoria, BC, can you ladies also come up with a warm green smoothie? Most of my fruits and ingredients are cold from the fridge, but at this time of year I just can’t fathom a cold drink of any kind. Well, except beer, but that becomes room temp. 😉
    Love the paper straws! I’m too nervous to get a glass straw for fear of dropping it in the sink. My husband insists on the fat straws from McD’s, and well they are perfect for smoothies!

    1. We love the stainless steel straws too! Just make sure to get a straw cleaner so you get all the green gunk out. 🙂

      As far as warm, try making a green smoothie with all room temperature fruits that you normally store on the counter. I also like to use a little knitted sleeve on my mason jars, so the glass is not cold on my hands during the winter.

  2. I do a protein shake once a day, and in that shake I use a powder called ” Dynamic Greens. It is a proprietary blend of organic super fruits and vegetables. My question is ” Which in your opinion is better, the organic powder or the fresh greens and fruit.”
    thank you
    Larry Anderson

    1. Fresh is always best! But if you can’t get access (maybe you’re on the road), you can explore other options. Just listen to your body.

  3. You may be able to buy mango, blueberries, strawberries, and pineapple “frozen” at GFC, Sams club, Tesco, Cosco, or BJ’s

  4. HI, I can’t get fresh pineapple or mango at the moment, so what can I use to replace them, thanks.

    1. You can use frozen pineapple and mango (which is actually what we use all the time).

  5. I love your green moustaches. It sure “BEETS” the white ones that the movie stars display. (smile)

  6. Hi, I wondered if you can freeze the fresh spinach in bags that you but from a supermarket? I don’t have anywhere near by that sells spinach and when I do buy it I end up wasting loads as it goes off x

    1. Absolutely, Karen! You can keep all your greens in a zip bag and toss right into your blenders. You can also do it with fruits too that are about to spoil. 🙂

  7. I began one month away to start making green smoothie to add more variety and nutrients in my diet. Each time, I fall into a routine so your challenge will keep me excited 🙂 I do not use a cup but rather a handful portion, like for my green leaves or frozen stuff I simply use my hand or at leat a tbsp for chia seeds. Is you cup portion kind of similar of a handful portion?

    Thanks 🙂

    1. Hi Virginie! Not sure how many handfuls we use, probably close to 2 huge handfuls to get 2 cups of greens. And yes, at least a tablespoon of chia seeds or two is great. 🙂

  8. Hi Ladies,
    I was wondering if it would be fine to make the smoothie the night before to drink in the morning to save on time?

    1. Heck yea, Robyn! You can make them and keep sealed in a tight fitting container for up to 2-3 days. Just remember to give it a shake before you drink! 😉

  9. How often do I drink the smoothie for the 30 day challenge? Do I eat regular lunch and dinner? I can not wait to start the challenge in January 2014.

    1. Hi Vanessa! The challenge is to just drink one green smoothie a day 🙂 You can have it for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or as a snack! The rest of the day you can eat normal meals.

  10. I am going to start drinking green smoothies for breakfast before my morning workout. Since I would be using this as my breakfast would you suggest that I add anything extra to boost the protein or anything?

    1. Hi Adrienne! Why don’t you try just a normal recipe for a couple days and see how you feel during and after your workout? Leafy greens are PACKED with protein! However, if you notice that you are feeling like you’re missing some nutrients during or after your workouts, then you can try adding some protein (i.e. almonds, almond milk, hemp protein powder, nut/seed butters). Hope this helps!

    1. What if you tried using extra mango in its place for this recipe?

  11. Am I able to refridgerate the 2nd portion to have for lunch? I am very excited to get started!!

  12. So I’ve been making trying out a new green smoothie recipe everyday for the past 2 weeks and this week has just been full of unsuccessful ones so I was really hoping that today would be different. I tried out this Beginner’s Luck recipe and I was in love at first sip! It is so delicious I drank an entire mason jar of it without even realizing. Thanks for sharing this awesome recipe 🙂 I will definitely be having it again soon

  13. Hey there,
    Do y’all ever do anything with aloe juice?
    I love these recipes but I want to try getting more aloe in my diet and I wonder if it would be good in a smoothie.
    Thanks 🙂

    1. We did try it and weren’t fond of the taste, but thought that it had some pretty good nutrients. Try it out and let us know what you think! We were hesitant to recommend it to people if they weren’t going to enjoy the taste.

  14. Can I use almond milk in these smoothies?, also can I replace spinach with kale?