Sure, I know a spinach smoothie doesn’t sound that appealing, but when made right it can be beyond delicious. With hundreds of 5-star reviews, it’s time for you to see why this is the best green smoothie recipe.
Are you wondering why anyone would be excited to drink something as green as this? I hear ya— I’ve been right where you are. And so have 1 million+ others who’ve blended this smoothie in our free 7-day smoothie challenge.
Drinking this daily smoothie is what helped me get the body and energy to do some incredible things, such as run 47 miles of the Grand Canyon, ride motorcycles through Morocco, publish two best-selling recipe books and create a backyard garden for my kids. 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 don’t need to take vitamins.
When I created this green smoothie recipe…it changed my life in more ways than I ever imagine. It was love at first sip for me, my two kids and over 1 million others who were scared of spinach smoothies.
I’ve published an entire recipe book on Simple Green Smoothies, and then went on The Doctors to blend a few green smoothie recipes live on stage! I was nervous with all the cameras and lights, but I knew I had to share green smoothies with the world! They truly are magical for your health.
Are green smoothie recipes healthy?
What we eat can truly transform our bodies and our lives in powerful ways. Especially with this smoothie recipe as I’ve seen in the lives of so many of my friends, family and community online. Blending spinach into a fruit smoothie is a great way to boost your immune system, as well as naturally energize you.
Most smoothies are made with just fruit and liquid, which is high in sugar and can cause inflammation. A green smoothie, on the other hand, is made with fruit, plant-based liquid and leafy greens.
This recipe is full of iron, potassium and vitamins galore— and tastes like a tropical treat from all the island fruit. Yet the best part is how simple as well as quick it is to make! You only need 4 ingredients and all of them can be found at your local grocery store (they don’t cost a fortune either!). As I say all the time— I’m all for making healthy eating affordable so it’s sustainable.
A green smoothie can taste just as good as a regular smoothie, and also have incredible health benefits.
How to make a spinach smoothie
All you need to make a tasty green smoothie is a blender, fruit and leafy greens. The right ratio of spinach to fruit makes it sweet, as well as helps you reap all the health benefits of a green smoothie. The key is to use recipes that actually taste good and follow my simple tips below.
Ingredients you’ll need:
- fresh spinach
- frozen pineapple
- frozen mango
- fresh banana
- Blend 1 cup of spinach (or another leafy greens of your choice) in a blender. Adding leafy greens to your smoothie boosts the phytonutrients and fiber, which then slows down the absorption of sugars into your body.
- Next, add 1 cup of liquid and blend well (until all leafy chunks are gone).
- Toss in fruit, such as frozen mango, pineapple and bananas in the blender.
- Next, blend again until smooth and creamy.
- Serve smoothie immediately for maximum nourishment.
- Looking to turn your smoothie into a meal replacement? Adding clean protein + healthy fat does the trick. I realized that none of the protein powders on the market were what I wanted when it came to pure protein with no weird gums or fillers. So I made my own! The result is my Protein Smoothie Boost -with only organic hemp + chia + flax seeds, in a perfectly smooth, smoothie worthy powder. Give it a blend and see what you think!
Can you taste spinach in the smoothie?
You wouldn’t be the first to look at this recipe and say “No way!” Green! Spinach! Yuck! Yet don’t walk away! These bright green smoothie recipes will actually delight your taste buds. You’ll even have an extra pep in your step when you realize how great you feel!
Even kids LOVE this green smoothie recipe! I started blending this smoothie in my daughter Clare’s kindergarten class four years ago. Now every year, I visit her school to blend this recipe with each new class. That’s how delicious this recipe is!
Not sure if your blender can handle the greens? I’ve created The Ultimate Blender 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+. 🙂
Top 5 Smoothie Blending Tips
- Follow the 60/40 formula. When you’re making your first few green smoothies, don’t just throw things in the blender. Chances are, it’ll taste nasty if you wing it right out of the gate. To save you a few smoothie-fails, bust out those cute lil’ measuring cups to learn how to make your own green smoothie.
- Blend in stages to avoid leafy chunks. Chewing your green smoothie is no fun! To get a “smooth” green smoothie experience, blend up your leafy greens and liquid-base first. Then add your remaining fruits and blend again.
- Ditch the ice and freeze some fruits. Want your green smoothie to be extra chilly? Freeze your favorite fruits like ripe bananas, grapes, pineapple or berries. You can also freeze your leafy greens in a freezer-safe bag. Just make sure to add your frozen greens straight to the blender.
- Use raw natural sweeteners. Add naturally sweet fruits to any smoothie that tastes bitter or a bit too “green.” My favorite naturally sweet fruits are bananas, mango, apples, pears or pitted dates.
- Make smoothies ahead for the perfect fast food. Life is crazy busy— especially in the morning. That’s why we think green smoothies are the healthiest fast food for people who are constantly on the go. You can smoothie prep, or even blend the night before and store it in your fridge.
More healthy smoothie recipes
- My son is obsessed with this Mango Orange Smoothie recipe
- Try this tropical Pina Colada Spinach Smoothie to head to the beach asap
- Want to boost your metabolism? Then this is a great fat burning green smoothie recipe
- This kale smoothie will surprise even your taste buds
If you have any questions about the green smoothie world, feel free to join the Smoothie Challenge Support Group.
Best Green Smoothie Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh spinach
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup pineapple, frozen
- 1/2 cup mango, frozen
- 1 banana
- 1 Protein Smoothie Boost, 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 because it's easy and chills the smoothie.
Can i just use frozen mangoes without adding the other fruits? And soymilk instead of water? Thanks!
Of course! That sounds really good 🙂
Since I’m on the keto diet, 34 grams of sugar is totally unacceptable for me.
Donna— you can double up on the spinach and cut down on the fruit here. I hope you try it so you can give your body tons of vitamins and minerals that it needs to thrive. Also, eating a plant-based diet can immensely help with long term weight loss, energy and longevity— and allow you to enjoy a fruit smoothie. Check out my plant-based meal planner if you’re at all interested: https://simplegreensmoothies.com/meal-planner
Thank you for suggestion replacing. Banana with avacado. I don’t like bananas so wasn’t able to make many smoothies they all have the ingredient. Will try it.
Avocado to the rescue! Hope you enjoy it— and you can also swap with frozen peaches. They seem to help make the smoothie creamy and not alter the taste too much. 🙂
So good! You can’t taste the spinach at all.
I know!!! Isn’t that awesome?! I love drinking my greens. 🙂
Can I use frozen spinach instead?
Hey Erin! You can def use frozen spinach, just check the label to make sure it contains just spinach and no salt, preservatives, or other yucky additives. 🙂
Delicious! (Did it with 1/2 avocado instead of the banana) So good that my 13-year old son made one for himself and now my picky eater has had all kinds of good greenage today!
That’s awesome, Holly! 🙂
Is it healthy to use OJ instead of water to add some Vitamin D and up the Vitamin C?
Could you please let us know how much vitamin A is supplied? Thanks.
Gail, the amount of vitamin A in one serving of this smoothie is 191% DV based on a 2,000 calorie diet. If you need the exact amount of mg, I believe there are websites and apps that will help you find that information. 🙂
I need to get more greens in my diet. I grabbed the spinach and threw it in the smoothie and added the fruit & water. This is delicious and I would definitely make it again!
Woo hoo, Ashley!! If you liked this smoothie, you should def give our free 7-day green smoothie challenge a go. 😀
I just used the Vitamix blender link you have posted above. There is no Vitamix blender on that page for under 300.00. Yours is listed for 500.00.
Hi Susan! Our apologies, that’s an old deal that is no longer valid. But stay tuned because we love partnering with Vitamix and often do promotions with them! If you are looking to order a blender sooner rather than later, I suggest checking out their page of Certified Reconditioned blenders. They are still amazing Vitamix machines but at a reduced price. Here’s the link: https://www.vitamix.com/us/en_us/shop/certified-reconditioned-series. 🙂
Is this enough for breakfast? What are your thoughts on having fat/protein in a smoothie? I have tried using protein powders but they upset my stomach.
Hey Adrianne. If you want to turn a green smoothie into a meal, make sure to add a healthy fat + a plant-based protein. We have a great article on it here: https://simplegreensmoothies.com/recipes/meal-replacement-smoothie
Also, if you’re looking for a protein boost for your smoothie, we have *just* the thing for you. We recently rolled out our SGS Protein Smoothie Boost and it’s been a huge hit. It’s made from three simple ingredients, has no added sugars, and doesn’t have that chalky texture/taste. I’m betting it won’t upset your stomach. You can learn more about it here: https://simplegreensmoothies.com/smoothie-boost
Starting out with smoothies I used to drink this one all.the.time! It is seriously so good and so refreshing!
It totally is! 😀
I have read most fruit & veggies don’t mix with the exception of appls & pears. What’s your opinion about that? Thanks.
Hey Deborah. I believe you’re referring to the food combining philosophy. To be perfectly clear, there is absolutely no scientific basis for adopting rules about food combining. In fact, the food combining hypothesis was thoroughly debunked almost 80 years ago, there is absolutely zero scientific evidence to support it, and no credible scientists or doctors support food combining today.
Supporters of the food combining approach to eating believe that fruit should only be eaten on its own and on an empty stomach. Furthermore, they promote eating food groups separately to help optimize digestion rather than confuse your digestive system. But your digestive system isn’t easily confused. In fact, it’s efficient and powerful, and it isn’t necessary to eat fruits on their own or to avoid eating fruits and vegetables together.
When you eat, your digestive system sends out all types of enzymes at once into your stomach and small intestine. It doesn’t send out specific enzymes that digest only fruits or just vegetables. All of the enzymes and stomach acid do a good job of working together to break down whatever food is eaten.
The bottom line is: Your digestive system can handle different types of foods at once. The most important thing is to make sure you’re eating enough fruits and vegetables to get all the nutrients you need.
Hi what would you suggest I add if I don’t have any mango?
You can sub peaches, nectarines, papaya, or apricots. 🙂
Super easy and delicious! I added a protein powder for an after workout smoothie!
This was a great introduction to the world of green smoothies, looking forward to a whole new adventure each new day.
Very tasty although I did tweak it a bit with additional spinach and used 4 Vitamin C booster cubes and less pineapple and mango. When I made my booster cubes I couldn’t get papaya so I used yellow bell pepper. The bell pepper adds a small bit of savory to the smoothie!
OK you literally just saved my green smoothie career!! I just thought my blender wasn’t strong enough to blend greens, little did I know the order of blending makes all the difference! Thank you for that invaluable tip!
You’re welcome! 🙂
This is our all-time favorite smoothie! So sweet and simple!
Very tasty. I liked the combination of the pineapple, mango, and banana. I drank it down quickly.
This was a really good smoothie that I will make a lot.
51.2grams of carbohydrates is crazy! I think Americans like sugar too much and that’s the problem. If you want to make a smoothie and lose weight I can’t beleive you’d do it with all that sugar, natural or not. In fact, I think that much sugar everyday could put on weight! If you want high nutrient content, but low sugar, try frozen blueberries and if you want things a little sweeter try adding some raspberries or pineapple, but only a small amount. I love my Vitamix and make a smoothie for breakfast everyday so maybe my perspective is different.
Many of us in the SGS community love drinking a green smoothie every day. The best thing about our smoothie recipes is you can tweak them to fit your needs. This is a “beginner” smoothie in that is has spinach (a mild-tasting leafy green) and tropical fruits- flavor profiles many people enjoy. It’s meant to introduce folks to the wonderful world of green smoothies and often, after drinking green smoothies for a while, they will increase the amount of leafy greens + veggies and decrease the amount of fruit when making their smoothies. We also offer many recipes using low-glycemic fruits for those who have concerns about blood sugar levels and the like.
This smoothie was amazing! It was perfectly blended into this creamy, smooth deliciousness! I am so glad I came across your challenge. It is helping me to get back on track with my nutrition and as a bonus I’m using my Vitamix more!
That’s awesome, Dee-Ann! 🙂
FaceTime making this! I was wondering do you remove the stems off the spinach? Also do you use canned or fresh pineapples before freezing it? Used canned pineapples then froze it into chunks
You don’t have to remove the stems from spinach but I’d recommend removing the stems from kale when you use that in a smoothie. And we prefer to use either fresh or frozen pineapple as canned pineapple often contains added sugars and the bromelain (responsible for the anti-inflammatory properties in pineapple) is neutralized during the canning process.
This smoothies was really good. I wanted another one but didn’t have time to make it. So tonight I will make it leaving out the mango and using a lemon. That will be my nightcap. I like to be in these challenges, they are fun.
This recipe is out of this world amazing!!!! It was super easy to make and so refreshing!! I got my hubby to try it and at first he was like ‘ugh..it’s green! I’m not going to like it!’. I made him try a sip and then he said…’um this is delicious! Can you please make me my own?!’. Honestly best smoothie ever!!!!! It will not disappoint!
[email protected]_saragetsfit_lsf
Very quick, easy, and delicious! Sometimes I like to add some chia seeds and cinnamon to this for a little extra fiber and zip.
Very delicious ! Smoothies are how I start my mornings and as a Mom of three young boys I need a good kick start. This recipe is going to be added to my favorites.
Loved it! My all time fav and go to smoothie! Easy to make and tastes great!
Loved it! Have to sub kale for spinach due to food sensitivities.
This Smoothie is DELICIOUS!!! I’ve never had one taste this good! I’ve attempted in the past and they weren’t tasty at all. I could drink this smoothie every day and never grow tired of it because it’s just that good!!!
Refreshing
Delicious!! A perfect way to get both a good meal and your vitamins in. I’m a generally picky eater, but I loved this recipe!
That’s awesome, Caitlin! So glad you loved it. 😀
I love this blend, it really is possibly the best green smoothie ever. Today I boosted mine with avocado and it makes for such a creamy and smooth consistency. So delicious I may have to make it again for my afternoon snack.
This really is my favorite green smoothie!! If this is the only green smoothie you ever drink, you won’t be disappointed!!
We love it, too! Thanks for the glowing review! 😀
What about the high sugar in the resize from the fruit
Is that not bad for you?
Thanks for reply
Anne
Hey Anne! If you don’t want as much natural sugar in your smoothies, you can flip the ratio of greens to fruit. So you could use 2 cups of spinach, 1/4 cup each of pineapple and mango, and half a banana. Another way to make smoothies with less sugar is to use low-glycemic fruits. You can read about that here–> Low Sugar Fruits for Smoothies. Happy blending!
I have a quick question to ask: is it healthy to take the smoothies 3times daily?
It’s not unhealthy but three is a lot of smoothies in one day. 🙂 I generally drink a smoothie for breakfast and maybe one for lunch or an afternoon snack, so 1-2 a day. If you’re looking to use them as meal replacements, you’ll def want to add a healthy fat + a plant-based protein. This post can help you with that-> Turn Your Green Smoothie Into a Meal!
Do you have just one a day?
Hi Joe! Yes, most of us drink one green smoothie a day. Some folks will have one for breakfast and a second one for lunch, dinner, or a snack. It’s really up to you + your personal preference. 🙂
This looks so refreshing and delicious. Very healthy
Scared of the green smoothies this was the perfect starter !!! My curious son who tries nothing new tastes it and loved it !!!
So so delicious can’t wait for more refreshing treats ❤️
Tasty!
OMG this has to be one of my favourites !
My first ever green smoothie and now I can see why people are hooked !!! Cannot taste leafy greens at all , so so delicious ❤️
Followed the recipe but also added a few scoops of protein! So yummy and kept me feeling full. The spinach adds great flavor to the smoothie! And if you blend it up before adding the fruit like she suggests, you don’t have any chewy pieces in it.
Not a huge mango fan but love all the recipes to give variety.
Wonderfully fresh tasting. Love this one.
Day 9 Berry Blast this was really good used a power berry mix and added raspberries and strawberries to it as well. Really liked this smoothie.
Day 9 Berry Blast – used mostly strawberries and it was a very good smoothie, next time I will vary more blue and blackberries – I just used what I had.
Day 5 Mango madness – omg loved this so much I made a second batch! It’s a tropical delight.
Day 4 Very Berry wasn’t really one I liked. I think the Orange took over the flavor in this one. Will try it again with half the amount of orange.
Loved loved the avocado in Cream Machine! Made this almost ice cream like. Difiniyelt a keeper.
Day 8 Carrot cooler was surprisingly good. I added cinnamon and used rainbow baby carrots. Boosted it with protein powder and coconut oil. It was really tasty.
Day 1: What a great starter smoothie. Very tropical flavor with this combo. A winner!
Rating as a 5, only 1 star had shown when first posted.
Day 8 Carrot cooler really enjoyed this smoothie and the coconut water was totally not noticeable in this one.
I never expected that I would like a smoothie that has a base of spinach. And one that is not also based with a juice. I am really impressed with how un-earthy like this smoothie is. I think I will like the addition of green smoothies to my diet.
Good, but not my favorite
Day8-Carrot Cooler- Another day when this smoothie is not at all what I expected. If I decide to do this one again I will definitely add more carrots. It isn’t bad but it isn’t that great either. #simplegreensmoothie
#10daysmoothiechallenge
#carrotcooler
Day 7 Peach Dream I added kale and spinach to this one but I think it was too much with the kale and coconut water. Not a huge fan of coconut water either and peaches are out of season so this one had too much green taste of that makes sense. Maybe in the summer when peaches are in season and have some flavor it may be a good time to try this one again.
Made with cherries not grapes (both round, right?). Thick and delicious!! Thank you.
Like this one! Can’t have coconut water so I replaced it with water. Added pea protein and chia seeds.
I loved this combination as it was so tropical! The drink was light, delicious & I really enjoyed it. Marking this one as a favorite!
Day 7 Peach Dream – Since I don’t like peaches I knew I wouldn’t like this & I was right. Could only finish half but one of the grandkids volunteered to finish the rest. He gave it a thumbs up!
This is one of my standard smoothie minus the banana, I subbed for an avocado,
Hand down one of the top five of the best smoothies ever!! If anyone is scared, start off with this one and fall in love with green smoothies for life!
Day 6 Cream Machine this was delicious who would of thought putting avocado in a smoothie would make the texture smooth. Really enjoyed this smoothly.
Adjusted the recipe, as I have anaphylaxis to avocado. So I used 1 TBSP ground flax seeds and some peaches instead. It was a delicious experience.
Tasty and easy.
I enjoyed Beginners Luck. The smoothies are not as sweet as I would like, but it is sweet enough. I recognize that this is all part of retraining my taste buds to not require as much sweetener. I enjoyed it!!
Not my favorite; but not bad.
Tried this one a couple of years ago. It was quickly a favorite and is still high in my favorites list. So good and refreshing.
The whole family loves this smoothie! Picky kiddos included! 🙂
Day 1 – Beginner’s Luck was my very first taste of SGS in the very first challenge I took part in. Loved it then & still love it now. It’s tasty.
I’m confused about using whole oranges. I made the very berry recipe and the whole navel orange made it bitter because of the skin and the pith. Don’t mean to be a novice but should I be using a thin-skinned variety or peeling the orange first?
Claire, no worries at all- if you’re new to green smoothies, you aren’t expected to know! You will want to remove the skin from your oranges, they’re what made your smoothie bitter. If you can, leave as much of the pith on as possible. It contains more vitamin C than the fruit itself!
The taste was just the right sweet, and I did not taste spinach.! Easy with prepped fresh fruit.
Pineapple Dream was very flavorful and sweet. The ingredients went together well and the results were amazing. Overall, the best smoothie so far.
I enjoyed the Beginners Luck. It had a great taste to it, for the most part, it just needed to be sweeter. Overall, it was yum!
I enjoyed the Pink Flamango. It had a great taste to it, for the most part, it just needed to be sweeter.
day 5 of the smoothie challenge is going great!
Very delicious, smooth and has a nice balance of flavors. If I could, I might say 4.5 as I would have appreciated a bit more brightness in flavor. Thank you!!
Day 5 Mango Madness, I bought coconut water even though I don’t really like coconut water hoping it would give the smoothie a coconut taste. However, I am as wrong I remember why I don’t like coconut water again now, wish I’d made it just with water. Next time I’m defiantley skipping the coconut water for plain water and maybe I’ll like this one a bit more. Not terrible but not my favorite with coconut water.
I’m behind again day 4 Very berry, not my favorite so far, not sure why, it was ok maybe more strawberries next time.
If you’re new to green smoothies, beginner’s luck is a great way to start! It’s the right blend of a green veggie with fruit!
Day 5 – Mango Madness
Yummy!!! Tried the chia pudding last night and wasn’t a huge hit with me. Only had a bite or two. Probably a good thing since I’m also doing Weight Watchers and it is SUPER high in points!!!
#simplegreensmoothies
#10daygreensmoothiechallenge
#mangomadness
A great simple smoothie! Look forward to day #2!
So tasty and easy!! I make this one probably once a week. So glad it was in this challenge!
I’m actually y rating the Day 4 Very Berry smoothie. For some reason I can’t get to that blog (I can be technically challenged!) THIS ONE IS MY FAVORITE! I love the berry flavor. I also added hemp hearts
I need to go shopping, but I remade the second smoothie. Yummy!
Allergic to pineapples and bananas, so I sub’d dragon fruit and avocado….. Yuck. Added an orange and it helped immensely. I didn’t blend the orange enough though. Pure determination got me through this smoothie.
This was a great smoothie to start. Just the right mix of flavours!
I had to rotate through the smoothies because of my bananas’ ripeness. So I am little disoriented LOL.
The beginner’s luck is a really good smoothie. Totally simple & delicious.
This one is a classic and always delicious. Love it.
Day 4 Very berry.. love it I used more blueberries since don’t care for bananas in my smoothies.
Day 4 Very Berry… Love it. I added extra blueberries since I don’t care for bananas in my smoothies.
Tart, bright and clean! Love the orange to bring this smoothie to life!! Also added 2 TBSP flax seed meal just to beef it up some. Delicious!! Love it and many thanks!!
Day 4 . Mmmmm. Very Berry! I really liked this smoothie! It was just sweet enough… but packed with berry flavor. This is one I will make again!
Delicious but very very sweet! Like a dessert actually so maybe I will start treating myself to this after dinner!
I love this recipe so much! It’s such a great way to start the challenge and new year right!
Day 3 Pineapple Dream, again I added more spinach and less fruit this time as well, I’m learning to customize to my dietary needs.
Day 2 Pink Flamingo wasn’t so pink, I used extra spinach but it still tasted great.
Day 1 Beginners Luck was a great way to start of the challenge, super yummy.