A Green Smoothie is a great pick me up when you need a green veggie boost. An easy sweet smoothie that is packed with spinach and easy to adapt with other ingredients. Just 5 ingredients and ready in minutes, this post will show you how to make a green smoothie with lots of variations. I have been drinking a green smoothie almost every day for a while now and I feel SO much better for it.
Despite the vibrant green colour, this spinach smoothie is actually really sweet. The green colour comes from the spinach, which although doesn't add any flavour, adds a whole lot of nutrients. Kids will love it (ours call it a superhero smoothie) and have no idea that they are drinking a glass of spinach.
If you are looking for some other recipes that are packed with spinach, then why not try our 10 Minute Chickpea and Spinach Curry, Spinach and Ricotta Pasta Bake or Spinach and Mushroom Gnocchi.
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Why you will love it
- Nutrient dense - There is so much goodness packed into this green smoothie. It's a nice little pick me up if your energy levels are low.
- A great way to get kids to eat more greens - Most kids love smoothies, and this is full of spinach and a good way to get kids to have more greens.
- Easy to adapt - Feel free to adapt it with your favourite fruit and vegetables and to use up what you already have.
- Can be vegan - Use a plant based milk in this spinach smoothie to make it vegan.
Ingredients needed
- Banana - This adds some natural sweetness to a vegetable smoothie, as well as thickening up the smoothie. If you don't like banana, then you can use avocado for thickness, and extra honey to sweeten.
- Spinach - This is what gives the green smoothie the green boost. You could swap it for kale.
- Blueberries - We think all smoothies should have berries in them. You can swap blueberries for raspberries or strawberries. Use frozen berries to make the smoothie really cold.
- Milk - You have got a few options when it comes to what milk to use in this healthy smoothie, and we have written about them below.
- Honey - This is what helps to sweeten the smoothie. You could leave it out, or even swap it for maple syrup if you want this smoothie to be vegan.
- Almond butter - This helps to thicken the smoothie, and give it a protein boost.
A full ingredients list with measurements is in the recipe card below.
How To Make a Green Smoothie - Step by step
One: Put all the ingredients into a blender.
Two: Blend until smooth.
What fruit to use
There are so many options here when it comes to what fruit to use. We kept it simple with banana and blueberries. Use a frozen banana if you want a super cold smoothie, or you could just add some ice cubes if your banana isn't frozen.
Any kind of berries work in this, and we also like to add strawberries, cherries, raspberries and blackberries. Bear in mind that the fruit you use can effect the colour of the smoothie. Darker fruits like berries will make the smoothie more of a brown colour, but tropical fruits will keep it green.
If you want more of a tropical flavour to this smoothie, then use pineapple and mango. Try to make sure these are frozen too, and you will have yourself a super refreshing smoothie.
Using frozen fruit means that you can make this green smoothie all year round and use fruits that might not be in season.
What greens to use
You need to use a lot of greens in this green smoothie recipe to get that super green colour. We have just used spinach in this recipe, but you could swap some of the spinach for kale, or use all kale. You could also use Swiss chard, pak choi (bok choy), romaine lettuce or even the green carrot tops, which is a great way to reduce waste.
What milk to use
You have lots of options when it comes to the milk used in this recipe. We used standard whole milk, however you could make this a vegan smoothie by using a plant based milk like almond, cashew or oat.
To make this smoothie creamier and add some extra flavour, swap 50ml of the milk for coconut milk. This will really help to thicken the smoothie too.
You could use water instead of milk, however I wouldn't recommend doing that because it would make it really thin.
Variations
The great thing about a smoothie, is that they are so easy to adapt. We added a spoonful of almond butter (although you could use peanut or cashew butter) which gives it a protein boost, but you could add some chia seeds which will do the same too. You could also add some protein powder if that's your thing.
You could add a little flavour with some cinnamon, or give it a chocolate twist with some cocoa powder - this would definitely turn the smoothie brown, but delicious all the same.
Storage
You can store any leftover smoothie in the fridge for 1-2 days. The ingredients may separate, but this is normal. Just give it a quick stir before drinking. It's always best to make this smoothie fresh - luckily it is really quick to make.
FAQ
No, you can't taste the spinach in this smoothie. It just adds lots of colours and vitamins. You need to make sure you use really ripe fruit, then all you should be able to taste is the fruit. If you used kale instead of spinach, then you would probably be able to taste that as it has a stronger flavour.
Green smoothies taste best when they are made fresh, however if you would like to do some of the prep in advance, you can put the fruit and spinach in the zip lock bags and then keep them in the freezer. Then, when you are ready to make the smoothie, just empty the bag in to the blender and add the milk and anything extra. Why not try our Make Ahead Smoothie Bags?
We used honey to sweeten the smoothie, however if you want it to be a vegan smoothie then swap it for maple syrup. The riper the fruit used, the sweeter it will be naturally. You don't have to use any added sweetener at all.
I think bananas are kind of essential in this smoothie. Not only to they add lots of sweetness, but they thicken it too. If bananas aren't your thing, then you could use avocado instead. This will help with the green colour too. Fruits like mango would help to thicken it also.
More smoothie recipes
If you’ve tried this super green smoothie recipe, or any other recipe on the blog, then let us know how you got on in the comments below, we love hearing from you!
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - we love sharing photos when people make our recipes. You can use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.
Recipe
Green Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 medium frozen banana
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 20 g blueberries
- 30 g spinach
- 250 ml milk
Instructions
- Put all the ingredients in to your blender.
- Blend until smooth.
Notes
- To get a super smooth smoothie, blend the liquid and greens first and then add the fruit and continue blending.
- If you don't have frozen fruit, then you can add ice cubes to the blender instead.
- Try to make the smoothie from fresh. However if you want to prep it in advance, then you can put everything except the liquid in a freezer bag and freeze until you need it.
- The general rule of making a green smoothie is 1 cup greens, 1 cup liquid and 2 cups of fruit.
lori @ TheHealthMinded.com
I drink smoothies a lot and they are a mini-meal for me quite often. I made one the other day with almond milk, dash of vanilla, frozen pineapple, mashed sweet potato, a bit of coconut oil, a dash of turmeric. Really good!
Dannii
Yum! That sounds good.
Ceara @ Ceara's Kitchen
This is a winning green smoothie combo! I love my green smoothies in the morning and recently got my mom hooked on them as well! They are usually my first breakfast in the morning followed by something a little bit more substantial! :)
Dannii
I am not sure my mum would be a fan haha
Renee @ Two in the Kitchen
I need more smoothies in my life. Especially ones that have spinach. This looks fantastic!! :)
Dannii
Do it! It's the way forward.
Michele @ Two Raspberries
this sounds deliciously healthy and refreshing! yum ;-)
Dannii
It definitely gives you a boost in the morning.
Kirtley [email protected] The Gist of Fit
I just went to the green smoothie girl conference! It was so cool how much more nutrients did for her--it saved her life!!
Dannii
I have heard a couple of bloggers mention that. I hadn't heard of it before.
Rosie
I swear by 2 apples, 2" chunk of cucumber, handful of spinach, a stick of celery & if I've got it some pineapple blitz it up it's so sweet & lovely with ice as a quick fix!! X
Dannii
That sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing :)
Louisa
I must be one of the few people to have not actually braved a green smoothie YET but funnily enough I nearly did yesterday. Maybe today's the day. I have half a fridge of kale to use and lots of kiwis. Not much else other than an orange or two. So it'll definitely be green!.
Dannii
That sounds like a super green smoothie.
Claire
Hi. I too have a Nutribullet and absolutely love it!!! They are worth every penny as they are so easy to use and clean, I make at least one green smoothie every day and from start to finish (clear kitchen side included) is about 5 minutes.
My two current favourites are spinach with half a frozen banana, half a cup of mango, 1 tablespoon of coconut oil, almond milk and a tablespoon of oats. I also sometimes chuck in ground flaxseed and maca powder for extra oomph. The other is spinach, two clementines, 2 tablespoons of cacao nibs and almond milk with some ice. Kind of like a chocolate orange smoothie. Yummy!
I tend to add in either oats or chia seeds if I am having it instead of a meal as they will keep me full till the next mealtime (and I am the world's worst snacker!).
Love your website by the way. Very inspiring :-).
Dannii
Those smoothies sound great! I totally agree about how easy it is to clean. That is what has put me off other juicers or smoothie makers before, that I have sen bad reviews of what a nightmare they are to clean. This one is so simple.
Morgan @ Peaches, Please!
The first time I saw a green smoothie was when Rene Russo drank one several times in the remake of The Thomas Crown Affair. Everyone kept wrinkling their noses at it, so I waled away from that movie with a negative view of green smoothies. Now I'm with you and I add spinach to a lot of my smoothies! Although I tend to add a dollop of yogurt in as well...
Dannii
There definitely seems to be a stigma attached to them.
Janice Pattie (@FarmersgirlCook)
Very healthy indeed!
Dannii
And delicious as well!
Sheri
I jave had this every day last week since seeing your post. What I love about this smoothie is it has no juice/milk/yogurt so it is really low in calories but still tasty. I love smoothies but the calories can add up quickly when adding juice or dairy. Like you, I have an egg (boiled) and it keeps me full until lunch. I put my smoothie in an insulated cup and sip on it all morning at work.
Dannii
I am happy that you enjoyed it :)
Choclette
This sounds really good and I'm quite attracted to the green colour. I keep meaning to try greens in my smoothies, but I suspect my blender might not be up to it.
Dannii
If you use something like kale, then you need a good blender.
Tina @ The Spicy Pear
I've started to move away from my regular porridge to smoothies but I would never have thought to add spinach to the berries. Will have to try it. Good tip about adding eggs to the breakfast, as I too find myself starving an hour after my smoothie.
Dannii
Yes, a smoothie is definitely not enough for me for breakfast
Nayna Kanabar (@citrusspiceuk)
The colour is off putting but I am a sure flavour is good.
Dannii
I love the green colour :)
Jacqueline Meldrum
I love smoothies, including green smoothies. I really like the way you showed the ingredients pre-whizz. Nice!
Dannii
Well, some people would be instantly put off by the colour ;)
Tamzin
I love a green smoothie but this post reminds me it's been ages since I treated myself to one! I think a combo of blueberries, tahini, spinach, ice and vanilla rice protein is a favourite of mine : )
Dannii
Oooh, I love the addition of tahini.
Lisa
I add active yogurt and apples yummo.
Dannii
Sounds good!
London Unattached Lifestyle and Travel
I've tried so hard to like smoothies. I think the problem is I prefer them hot (soup!). Glad you enjoyed!!!
Dannii
They are definitely more enjoyable when (if?) we have warmer weather.
Janie
Love a green smoothie, it makes you feel all virtuous for the rest of the day :)
Janie x
Dannii
It really does!
Heidi Roberts
My favourite is mango, banana, strawberry and Total Greek Yoghurt. I would love to try that Nutribullit!
Dannii
Sounds delicious.