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On our Thanksgiving cruise, one of our stops was the Dominican Republic, and it turned into one of my favorite travel memories. We hopped on an open-air bus and rode through the windy roads of the countryside, taking in the views, the breeze, and the everyday rhythm of life beyond the port.
As we drove, we passed fruit stands bursting with color—piles of ripe mangoes, bunches of bananas, and papayas stacked high and glowing in the sun. It felt like everything was flourishing. I remember thinking this was a smoothie girl’s paradise, the kind of place where fresh fruit is so abundant you can almost taste it in the air. That moment is what inspired this papaya smoothie—simple, tropical, and full of fresh flavor.
Table of Contents
What Is Papaya?
Papaya is a tropical fruit with soft, coral-colored flesh and a naturally sweet, mellow flavor. Fresh papaya is rich in vitamin C, vitamin A, and digestive enzymes like papain, which help support gut health.
In smoothie recipes, papaya blends incredibly smooth and adds gentle sweetness without overpowering other ingredients. It pairs well with greens, citrus, ginger, and even warm flavors like vanilla, making it a versatile base for green smoothies.
Why You’ll Love It
- Quick to make: This recipe takes about five minutes from start to finish.
- Simple equipment: A high speed blender delivers the smoothest texture, but any blender will work.
- Fresh, tropical taste: Papaya and pineapple balance the greens with bright, juicy flavor.
- Naturally nourishing: Papaya supports digestion, while spinach adds fiber and leafy-green nutrients to help you feel satisfied.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Fresh papaya: Look for fruit with yellow-orange skin and a slight softness when pressed. Frozen papaya also works.
- Cucumber: Choose firm cucumbers with smooth skin. Peel if desired (I don’t).
- Spinach: Baby spinach blends easily and keeps the flavor mild.
- Celery: Adds freshness and natural liquid for blending.
- Frozen pineapple: Creates a thick, cold texture without needing ice cubes.
- Fresh ginger root: Use a small piece for gentle warmth and zing.
- Lime juice: Freshly squeezed adds brightness and balance.
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Optional Add-ins
- A splash of vanilla for warmth
- A drizzle of honey if you prefer extra sweetness
- A few ice cubes if your fruit isn’t frozen
Tip: Wash produce well and leave edible skins on when possible for extra fiber.
How to Make a Spinach Papaya Smoothie
- Place the spinach, cucumber, fresh papaya, and celery into your blender. Blend until mostly smooth. The cucumber usually provides enough liquid, but add a splash of water if needed.
- Add the frozen pineapple, ginger, and lime juice. Blend again until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy.
- Taste and adjust. Add vanilla, honey, or ice cubes if desired, then blend briefly.
- Serve immediately or store in jars with tight-fitting lids in the refrigerator for up to two days.
Recipe Tips
- Add in 2-4 tablespoons yogurt or protein powder to make it more filling and balanced.
- Blending greens first helps prevent leafy bits.
- Frozen fruit gives better texture than ice cubes alone.
- A high speed blender creates the silkiest smoothie, especially with fibrous ingredients like ginger and celery.
Spinach Papaya Smoothie
Ingredients
- ¾ cup papaya
- ½ cucumber peeled if desired
- 1 cup spinach
- 1 stalk celery
- ¾ cup pineapple frozen
- 1 tablespoon fresh gingerroot fresh
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
Instructions
- Place spinach, cucumber, papaya and celery into blender. Blend until smooth. The cucumber should provide enough liquid, but if not, add a little water.
- Add the pineapple, ginger, and lime juice. Blend again until completely smooth.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate in jars with tight-fitting lids for up to 2 days.
Helpful Tools
Notes
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review for a chance to win signed copies of my cookbooks!Common Questions
Yes. Frozen papaya works great and helps make the smoothie thicker and colder. You will probably need extra liquid to blend with frozen papaya.
Usually no, but you can add honey or vanilla if your papaya isn’t very ripe.
Yes. Papaya contains enzymes that support digestion, and the fiber from spinach and cucumber helps keep things moving.
You can. Just blend longer and chop ingredients smaller for a smoother mixture.
I made this into a juicer for my 3 day detox and it definitely helped my digestion
Glad to hear it! 🙂
Yum!!! Trying fresh papaya was refreshing! The ginger gives a nice zing!
So glad you loved this recipe, Dawn!
Hi I’m planning to do this smoothie for morning routines can I add my 2 scoop of protein collagen powder? And for how many days do you recommend drinking this smoothie??
Hi Anaceli! You can def add your protein powder to this smoothie. You could drink this every day if you want to but many people like to mix it up a little. It’s really up to you!
hi there! keen to try this smoothie. could you please recommend the best time to have it? for breakfast? or after breakfast? or later in the day?
thanks 🙂
Jamie, you can drink your smoothie any time during the day that works for you! Many of us love to gulp our smoothie with or for breakfast.
It’s 2019, I’ve been feeling stuffed from eating my heart out last few days after Christmas #noregrets. Just made this and literally sipping this as I type. Made some for mom too. Our bodies were screaming for something healthy with debloating properties. Will see if my tummy deflates. But I can certainly currently attest that it is delicious and refreshing.
Really glad you like it!
i usually have belly bloating a week before my periods, what can i do to help me
I know exactly how you feel! Have you tried any of the suggestion above yet? I would suggest starting with the herbal teas, drinking enough water, and taking a probiotic if you don’t take one already!
I have been drinking vegetables and fruit extract for almost 2 years now. I still have bloated after drinking them. I extract collard green, curly kale, spinach and other dark green kale, cucumber , lemon ,ginger , turmeric, beet and one granny smith apple , cilantro .
I wonder what should I drink or eat whether before or after to stop the bloating. I do not take any supplement . I do not believe the supplement will do any good for my health in the long run. I depend on fruits and vegetables and seeds and nut daily for optimal health . Even though it causes the bloat after drinking them. I have to find the way to get rid of the bloat by reading around any suggestion from those have the same my condition , but did over it. Any suggestion please ! Thank you very much
Hey Michell,
For you to have so much bloat even after you are consuming all the right things, I would see if your body has a sensitivity to any of the foods that you are consuming.
Where doses the sodium 127 comes from that’s very high I understand the sugar even tho it’s high
Hey There,
The sodium amount comes from the celery and the pineapple.
Hope that helps!
I suffer from bloat often, could I make Popsicles with this recipe and still get the full benefits? Because this occurs often I’yd like to have it ahead.
Hi Tracey,
You totally can! We love turning our favorite green smoothie into popsicles. Make sure + check out our blog post right here…
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/homemade-popsicles
Is this ingredient list for one serving?
Hi Kate,
Good catch. It should say it up there, looking into adding that now. But in the meantime, this recipe is for 2 servings!
Hi Lindsey, nice recipe, I showed my wife this she said mixing fruits & veg is not a good idea, hope to hear from you soon, CUZ I’d like to roin the green smoothie revolution but need my Wifes support. (: 🙂
Hi Yasir,
I am not a professional nutritionist, but all the research we have done suggests that blending fruits and veggies together is no different than eating fruits and veggies together–like a salad. We also view green smoothies as nature’s vitamin and believe it’s the best way to get in all those vital nutrients without taking a synthetic supplement. We lean towards fresh and plant powered and feel amazing. Hope this helps!
Hi – I am on three different heavy duty antibiotics – for an entire year or longer! I haven’t had a bloating problem yet but it’s only been three weeks. I am taking probiotics and also thinking this drink every day may prevent bloating – any other suggestions? Thanks!
Summer
I’m a newbie to smoothies! I like to start the day with one. I don’t get enough fruits and veggies and thought this would be a great way to get more nutrition. I like to have protein in the morning, but read that protein and fruits and veggies don’t digest well together. Is that true? I was doing kale, avocado, nonfat greek plain yogurt, frozen berries, 1/2 banana, and almond milk. I feel bloated. Are there food combinations that should be avoided?
Thank yo!
Love your smoothies! One question, though, when you say a big cucumber, do you mean a big regular cucumber or the long one usually sold in plastic, I think its called english cucumber?
Hi Andreea,
I usually reach for a traditional cucumber, but you can use an english cucumber too. You may just find that they add a little extra sweetness to this recipe.
Love the Nutrition info format
Yeah! I’m so glad you find it helpful. Eating well is easier to stick with when you understand all the health benefits to it. Hope you try this recipe and love it!
Pineapple and papaya is one of my favorite smoothie combinations, looking forward to trying your version!
Rawesome! Make sure + check back in. I’d love to hear what you think! 🙂
You are gonna LOVE this recipe then!!!