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This strawberry watermelon smoothie hides a full cup of spinach behind juicy watermelon and frozen strawberries. You probably won’t taste the greens at all, only a cool, fruity, naturally sweet drink with a little ginger warmth.
It works because watermelon leads the flavor. Its mild sweetness covers the spinach, and a two-step blend leaves no leafy bits behind. Next time someone at your table side-eyes anything green, hand them this one.
Table of Contents
Why You Should Blend It
- Watermelon flavor. Its juicy, mild sweetness sits up front, so the spinach stays in the background.
- The blend order matters. First, blend the spinach with the water and watermelon. That way, every leaf breaks down before the strawberries go in.
- Ginger adds warmth. One inch of fresh ginger gives the smoothie a bright, zippy finish.
- Low calorie. This smoothie has 81 calories, 3 grams of fiber, 2 grams of protein and 13 grams of sugar. All the sweetness comes from fruit, with no added sugar.
- It’s vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free.
Strawberry Watermelon Smoothie Ingredients
Here’s a quick breakdown of why I use certain ingredients in my recipe.
- Spinach: Baby spinach tastes milder than mature leaves, and it blends silky smooth with watermelon and water.
- Watermelon: It supplies most of the liquid and sweetness, so the smoothie needs very little added water.
- Frozen strawberries: They chill and thicken the smoothie without ice, and their berry flavor leads.
- Fresh ginger: One inch adds warmth and a zippy finish that keeps the flavor lively.
- Protein powder (optional): One serving makes this smoothie filling enough to count as a meal.
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How to Make Strawberry Watermelon Smoothie
- Blend the greens first. Add the spinach, water and watermelon to your blender. Blend until no leafy chunks remain.
- Add the strawberries and ginger. Drop in the frozen strawberries and fresh ginger. Then blend again until smooth.
- Pour and enjoy. Serve it in a glass right away while it’s cold.
With a standard blender, blend a little longer so the strawberry seeds and spinach bits disappear. For the silkiest result, use one of my favorite smoothie blenders.
Substitutions and Variations
- Greens: swap the spinach for another leafy green you like. Milder greens keep the flavor fruity.
- Liquid: swap the water for coconut water if you like a light, tropical taste. The nutrition numbers use water.
- Strawberries: fresh strawberries work, too. In that case, freeze your watermelon cubes to keep the smoothie cold.
- Ginger: use a smaller piece for a milder smoothie, or skip it for a plain berry-melon flavor.
- Protein: add one serving of protein powder for a more filling breakfast.
- No greens: prefer a plain melon version? Try my Watermelon Smoothie.
Make-Ahead, Storage and Freezing
- Spinach: freeze spinach so it never wilts and stays ready to blend.
- Watermelon: cube it, freeze the pieces on a parchment-lined sheet, then store them in a freezer-safe bag. Add a splash of extra water when you blend them.
- Leftovers: this smoothie tastes best right after blending. If you have extra, store it in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Stir or re-blend before drinking.
More Smoothies With Hidden Greens
If this one wins you over, try my Spinach Berry Smoothie next. Then head to my Spinach Smoothie for another easy way to enjoy greens.
Strawberry Watermelon Smoothie
Jen HansardIngredients
- 1 cup spinach
- ½ cup water
- ¾ cup watermelon
- ¾ cup strawberries frozen
- 1 inch ginger root
- 1 serving homemade protein powder optional
Instructions
- Blend spinach, water and watermelon together until all leafy chunks are gone.
- Add in strawberries and fresh ginger root. Blend again.
- Serve in a glass and enjoy the taste of summer.
Recipe Notes
- Blend the spinach, water and watermelon first. That way, every leaf breaks down before the strawberries go in.
- Use baby spinach. It tastes milder than mature leaves and blends silky smooth.
- Use at least one frozen ingredient for a cool, thick smoothie.
- With a standard blender, blend a little longer so the strawberry seeds and spinach bits disappear.
- Swap the spinach for another leafy green you like. Milder greens keep the flavor fruity.
- Swap the water for coconut water if you like a light, tropical taste. The nutrition numbers use water.
Nutrition
Equipment
Common Questions
You probably won’t. Watermelon and strawberries lead the flavor, and ginger adds warmth. Blending the spinach with the watermelon first also removes leafy bits. If you notice a green note, use a milder green or a little less spinach.
Use frozen strawberries and keep the added water to ½ cup, since watermelon already adds liquid. You can also freeze your watermelon cubes. Then add a splash of extra water only if the blender needs it.
Cut the watermelon into cubes and freeze them in one layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Once frozen, move them to a freezer-safe bag. Watermelon is mostly water, so you may need a little extra water when blending.
Berries are my go-to pairing with watermelon. Strawberries, blueberries and cherries all work well. Açaí and lime also pair nicely with melon.
Yes, in parts. Freeze the spinach, watermelon and strawberries ahead, then blend when you’re ready. A blended smoothie keeps in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Stir or re-blend it before you drink.
Yes. As written, this strawberry watermelon smoothie is vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free. If you add protein powder, check its label first.
I was hopeful, but this one missed the mark for me. It was more like a green juice than a smoothie. There really wasn’t an ingredient to contribute a creamy consistency. The flavor was OK overall.
Sorry this one didn’t work out for you. Thanks for the feedback.