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. Hello ladies, I just started my smoothies and I m loving it, very good and gives me something to focus on regarding my health. I m placing one meal with smoothies and even cutting back on my meat and bread intake. So I m on my way to a healthier me!!

  2. Good morning Simple Green Smoothies,
    I drink a greenie every morning. During the 30 day challenge am i supposed to replace each meal with a greenie? Not sure I understand the tactics of the
    Challenge. Help.
    My daily greenie includes: 2C kale, 2 celery, parsley, one green apple, 1/2 cuke, and either 1/2 c of pineapple, mango, or banana.

    1. Hi Susan!
      The challenge is all about drinking ONE green smoothie per day for 30 days. If you do that, then you can consider yourself a rawkstar 🙂 You can replace your breakfast with a smoothie, add one for a snack, or even replace a different meal. It is totally up to you when you would like to drink your smoothie!

    1. Yep 🙂 You can always switch up the liquids if you would like!

  3. I am a big fan of green smoothies, been drinking them for breakfast for over a year. I love experimenting with different fruits and veggies. Baby spinach is my favorite greens to add. When going ‘off the wagon’, binging on the wrong things, I replace dinner with a smoothie a day for 3 days to get back on track.

  4. Thank you so much for actually including a shopping list for a week! You have no idea of helpful that is to me. It has been a bit overwhelming getting on with green smoothies without feeling like I have to go buy everything in stock. This is a great starter recipe.

  5. Hello All!!! Thank you for all of your wonderful information for those of us who are newbies!!! I never was good at starting anything out slow!!! I’ve spent the last couple of days reading up on this, so I’ve had some ideas swimming around in my head….Today I may my very first green smoothie!!! Yowzer is it ever DE~LISH!!! So I wanted to share my concoction!!!

    I’m soooo pleased with the outcome of my very first ever attempt at green smoothies!!! This is DELISH!!!

    Kale 3 “stalks” chopped, stems and all

    Baby Spinach approx a cup (I measured by the handful then added about another dozen leaves)

    Parsley just a small bunch, probably about 6 “stalks” chopped

    Celery 1 large stalk, leaves and all, chopped

    Avocado 1/2 (would probably be better with a whole one, but I already had this one cut, I ate the other half for lunch lol)

    Carrot 1 Large-grated

    Banana- 2 (1 frozen)

    Strawberries about 4 total berries (frozen chunks are hard to determine how many berries lol)

    Coconut milk, approx 2 cups (started with 1 cup to break down the greens then added a little at a time until I reached desired consistency)

    DE (Diatomaceous Earth) 1/4 c.

    Honey approx 3 TBSP to slightly sweeten, use to taste.

    I blended all greens (except avocado) with 1 cup coconut milk first, then added carrots, blended, then added banana, avocado and strawberries, blended till smooth, then added DE…blended and found needed more coconut milk as it got too thick, added milk until desired consistency, then blended in honey until desired level of sweetness…mostly to remove any hint of bitterness.

    Yields approx 2 Qts. or one entire blenderful

    May ALL things GOOD come to YOU in ABUNDANCE!!

  6. I was looking for something to lose weight with that was healthy and natural. I am over weight and have a young one who i would love to play with more, but i need more energy! I’m taking a step and giving it a shot and i’m very excited (shouldn’t be too hard since smoothies are yummy!! I have heard nothing but good things.

    1. Jessie–Thank you for sharing with us! You can do it 🙂 It may not be a walk in the park, but we are here for encouragement if you ever need it!

  7. It says 2 serves for 5 day does that mean it makes 10 drinks and thats all u have each day is to drinks? We are starting this Sunday PLEASE HELP US

    1. Hi John and Wendy! If you buy everything on the shopping list above with the correct quantities, then you can make 2 servings (16oz in each serving) of Beginner’s Luck smoothie on 5 different days. We do not suggest just drinking 16oz of green smoothie a day and not eating anything else. We want you to add a green smoothie each day to your food intake–eat normal the rest of the day. Hope this helps!

  8. Started my 30-day challenge on Monday. I have more energy than I have had in months and months. The smoothies taste great (even though everyone looks at me funny when I am drinking this electric-green smoothie). I am really excited to see where this challenge takes me and my body.

    1. Uh-oh. I’ve been having the whole blender full each day!! Is there a limit?

  9. As much as I was enjoying drinking my green smoothies and they are great! I think I’m going to have to stop drinking them because they cause me a severe stomach ache that lasts about 1-1 1/2 hours after I drink it. I’ve been drinking them for about two weeks now around 16 ozs but no more than that. But it’s almost every single time and it’s not getting any better. I guess my stomach is just too sensitive to it. 🙁 I’ll just have to eat fruits in the morning and then maybe have a spinach salad for lunch.

    1. This can be a common symptom if your body is not used to drinking or eating lots of fiber. Green smoothies are high in fiber which is great for digestion, but the high fiber can shock your body. Make sure you drink lots of water to help flush things out. I hope this helps 🙁 We don’t want your body to be angry with you!

  10. I’m try the green smoothies for the first time on tomorrow. My only question is I see that all smoothies require water. Can I use bottle water or what.

    1. You can use bottled water, tap water, filtered water, coconut water, etc. 🙂

  11. Well, the Green Smooothie was delicious the next day too! I even got my dad to drink it!! He loves it. I can’t believe you can’t taste the spinach. I think I’ll try strawberries next!! Thanks!

  12. I finally got the chance to drink my first green smoothie. It was good, but I expected a better tasting one. I didn’t have the mango, so I added an orange, an extra banana and some blueberries too (just to make it more purple). Did I use too much fruit? Should I be varying the types of fruit I put into a green smoothie? And how often? Or should I use the same ingredients?

    1. Hi Lori! Not sure if you used too much fruit–it depends on how much you used of each fruit 🙂 Personally, we think that you can use too many types of fruits in a smoothie and the taste will not be as good. We try to stick to combinations that we know are yummy and that we love, but are also good for our health. Varying fruits is a good idea, because you want to give your body access to a variety of nutrients. Different fruits have different nutrients that your body craves. You can check out our recipe page for inspiration:
      https://simplegreensmoothies.com/recipes