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There are so many ways to make a delicious (and healthy!) green smoothie recipe — but did you know that you can combine almost any leafy greens and fruit with one basic formula?
Today I’m sharing some words of wisdom by fellow (real) foodie Jen Hansard, who co-founded the website Simple Green Smoothies, plus some additional green smoothie recipes and tips for you to try!
Table of Contents
- Why I Love This Simple Green Smoothie Recipe
- Guest Post: How to Make a Simple Green Smoothie
- 5 Green Smoothie Tips to Get You Started
- Easy 3 Ingredients for a Green Smoothie
- This Green Smoothie Recipe with Spinach, Pineapple, Banana, and Mango Is Perfect for Beginners
- More Easy Recipes for Homemade Green Smoothies
- FAQs for a Perfect Green Smoothie
Why I Love This Simple Green Smoothie Recipe
Not only does Jen have some great tips for green smoothie beginners, but she is also sharing her magic formula for fruit and vegetable ratios so you can change the recipe to suit your taste, dietary needs, or whatever you have on hand.
This green smoothie recipe is perfect as a homemade healthy snack, quick “fast-food” meal, or even as a way to cool off on a hot day.
Guest Post: How to Make a Simple Green Smoothie
by Jen Hansard
We have a super simple and healthy recipe we’ve been itchin’ to share with you!!! As a crazy-busy passionate mom, I’ve been known to fuel my body with processed junk. Like those days when we found ourselves at Starbucks twice in one day…or driving through Taco Bell for dinner (again).
I was starved for time, low on energy and just….overwhelmed.
Can you relate?
Well, I discovered something that quickly changed our lives— green smoothies. This blended drink of fresh fruits and dark leafy greens gave us energy, a fast healthy meal, and transformed our bodies from the inside out.
No joke. And we made this healthy habit really stick for the past 2 ½ years... and going strong. Now we have over 500,000 people from all around the world hooked on the green smoothie lifestyle too. I hope you’ll join us!
5 Green Smoothie Tips to Get You Started
Before we share our most popular green smoothie recipe, we need to welcome you into the world of green smoothies with a few important tips...
1. 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 and follow this simple formula: 60% fruits to 40% leafy greens.
2. 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.
3. Ditch the ice and freeze some fruits.
Want your green smoothie to be extra chilly? Freeze your favorite fruits like ripe bananas (peel first), grapes, pineapple or berries. This is also a great way to not waste ripe fruits (like those brown bananas on your counter). You can also freeze your leafy greens in a freezer-safe bag. Just make sure to add your frozen greens straight to the blender (don’t defrost these fragile lil’ guys).
4. Use raw natural sweeteners.
Add naturally sweet fruits to any smoothie that tastes bitter or a bit too “green.” By sticking with naturally sweet fruits like bananas, mango, apples, pears, or pitted dates, we avoid artificial sweeteners and processed sugars.
5. Make smoothies ahead for the perfect fast food.
We know life can get 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 blend your green smoothie the night before and store it in your fridge (up to 2 days). Use an airtight lid to limit oxidation and keep it as fresh as possible. When ready to drink, give it a good shake before you open.
If you follow these five green smoothie tips, we pinkie promise your green smoothies will be love at first sip!
Now, here’s a favorite recipe we make for friends and family who’ve never tried a green smoothie before...
You May Also Like
- Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie
- Hot Pink Smoothie
- Strawberry Kale Smoothie Bowls
- Raspberry Breakfast Smoothie
- Green Vegetables
- Healthy Shamrock Shake
If you enjoyed this healthy green smoothie recipe, please leave a rating and comment! For more inspiration, check out my Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. For 5 free weekly meal plans and more free resources, sign up to receive my free newsletter! Check out these Breakfast Recipes for more delicious recipes.
Perfect Green Smoothie
Ingredients
- 2 cups spinach
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup mango
- 1 cup pineapple
- 2 bananas (Use at least one frozen fruit to chill your smoothie. We often use frozen mangos and bananas our green smoothies.)
Instructions
Notes
Nutrition Facts
If you made this recipe or have a favorite of your own, we’d love to hear about it in the comments below (we’ll read every one).
Try a 10 Day Green Smoothie Challenge
If you want more recipes, green smoothie tips, and a 10-day challenge to kickstart your smoothie habit, check out our Simple Green Smoothies book! You'll get tasty plant-based smoothie recipes, shopping list and community support. #kaleyeah
Whether you're passionate about raising an awesome family, traveling the world, reading new books, creating the latest fashion trend, starting a new job or something totally different... we want to make sure you're able to go after that as best as possible. You need LOTS of energy and nutrients to fuel you passions.
Lisa here again! Here are some more green smoothie recipes to try :)
Easy 3 Ingredients for a Green Smoothie
The basic smoothie recipe only has three ingredients — so easy! You just combine your favorite leafy green vegetable, fresh or frozen fruit, and a liquid (to help it blend).
You can also include other healthy ingredients such as chia seeds, coconut oil, peanut or almond butter, hemp seeds, flax, cocoa (for a chocolate smoothie), cinnamon, acai powder, or even protein powder in your smoothie for extra benefits or flavor.
1) Leafy Greens
Almost all leafy green vegetables (that are not lettuce) are perfect smoothie ingredients. I love pulling mine from the garden or grabbing in-season vegetables at the farmer’s market. You can use a single ingredient, or combine more than one leafy green veggie; just make sure it equals two cups.
Spinach, which is what this recipe calls for, is probably the most popular leafy green for smoothies. Mainly because it’s inexpensive, freezes easily, and has a mild taste.
Kale is also commonly found in smoothies, some might think it has a bitter taste, but it’s definitely one of the healthiest options.
Besides spinach and kale, you can also add bok choy, swiss chard, collards (also known as collard greens), and even dandelion greens!
2) Fresh or Frozen Fruit
This is where you get the most of your sweetener and flavor, so it’s important to use fruit that you like. Just like with the greens, almost anything goes when it comes to adding fruit to your smoothie — and you can use any combination, as long as it equals 3 cups.
If you’re making the green smoothie recipe below you’ll need a cup of mango, a cup of pineapple, and two bananas.
Tip: Use frozen fruit to make a cold smoothie. You can freeze one of the bananas, and/or use frozen mango instead of fresh. To save time and money, you can also make green smoothies with fruit that is only frozen.
For a sweeter smoothie, use ripe (or even overripe) fruit that has strong flavors such as banana, mango, berries, orange, and pineapple. If you prefer a more “green” taste, stick to milder fruit such as pear, apple, and avocado.
Of course, that all depends on your own preferences and taste; you may need to experiment with different combinations to get it just right.
3) Water or Other Liquid
Last, but definitely not least, is water. You can use plain water, or try coconut water, coconut milk, almond milk, or any other liquid base of your choice.
Like with the other green smoothie ingredients, you can also use a combination of liquids as long as it totals two cups.
If you're really into smoothies and would like a copy of the 5 best smoothie recipes here on 100 Days of Real Food, you can grab it from our Free Membership Area (under the "recipes" section)!
- Lisa Leake
This Green Smoothie Recipe with Spinach, Pineapple, Banana, and Mango Is Perfect for Beginners
Calling this a “spinach, pineapple, banana, mango green smoothie” sure is a mouthful, so I prefer to say “perfect beginner smoothie” instead. Which is exactly what I love about this recipe; it’s the ideal combination for beginners.
When we started our real food challenge, cutting out sweet treats (and training our taste buds) was one of the hardest parts. If you’re not used to eating a lot of leafy green vegetables, and tend to gravitate towards sugary drinks, you might not like the taste of green smoothies at first.
I didn't want to share some recipe that you’d have to choke down — real food should taste good! And I find that this recipe in particular, which includes mild-flavored spinach as the leafy green and deliciously sweet fruit like mango, pineapple, and ripe bananas is a delicious start to get anyone (including kids!) loving green smoothies.
More Easy Recipes for Homemade Green Smoothies
If you liked this green smoothie recipe, but aren’t quite ready to make your own flavor combinations, you can try some of these options.
First, if you want a tasty treat for fall, try this Pumpkin Pie Green Smoothie that my kids love. Or, if you’d prefer something more refreshing, you have to try this Peachy Pineapple Green Smoothie. Finally, check out my Pina Colada Green Smoothie for a tasty vacation-inspired treat.
You can also check out some more delicious green smoothie variations using the 60/40 formula (or only a few extra ingredients) below.
Glowing Green Smoothie
The Glowing Green Smoothie was actually created by Kimberly Snyder as a healthy breakfast idea. I simplified her recipe and adjusted the measurements to (mostly) fit with our simple green smoothie ratios.
Ingredients for a Glowing Green Smoothie:
- 2 cups baby spinach (packed)
- 1-2 celery stalks
- 2 cups water
- Whole apple, cored and halved
- Whole pear, cored and halved
- 1 banana
- ¼ of a lemon, peeled
Island Green Tropical Smoothie
An Island Green Tropical Smoothie is another sweet and delicious smoothie variation. It’s identical to the basic beginner smoothie with greens that Jen shared, but with one difference: you use coconut water instead of regular water.
The coconut water adds an extra tropical flavor and sweetness; give it a try!
Monster Green Smoothie (High Protein)
This Monster Green Smoothie is really good, especially if you’re looking for an easy breakfast smoothie or healthy post-workout snack.
Monster Green Smoothie Ingredients:
- 2 cups spinach
- 1 ½ cups milk
- ½ cup plain yogurt
- 2 tablespoons natural peanut butter
- 1 cup chopped mango
- 1 avocado, peeled with pit removed
- 2 bananas
If this recipe comes out too thick add more milk to the blender until you reach your desired consistency. You can also add chia seeds for additional protein.
FAQs for a Perfect Green Smoothie
This is a common question because frozen spinach tends to be packed more densely than fresh spinach. The simple answer is yes, green smoothies can be made with frozen spinach and substituted at about a 1:6 ratio. So if your smoothie calls for 2 cups of fresh spinach, use about ⅓ cup frozen instead.
Don’t defrost frozen spinach that you use for smoothies; instead toss it right into the blender. You can buy frozen spinach in a bag or freeze your own in ice cube trays for ease of use.
First, make sure you’re measuring your ingredients correctly. Fruit can sometimes be difficult to measure, especially if you’re working with large pieces.
Second, I suggest using fruit that’s as ripe as possible. For bananas, that usually means once they’re browning.
Third, consider using milder leafy greens. Spinach is usually on the sweeter side, but if you don’t like the taste try substituting with romaine lettuce instead.
Finally, if you still find your smoothie on the bitter side you can adjust the fruit and veggie ratios so there’s a little more fruit and fewer greens.
Anytime! Although a lot of people swear by drinking them in the morning, you’ll benefit from drinking smoothies at any time during the day.
A lot of people like to drink green smoothies in the morning as a breakfast alternative, which is great if you’re busy and would normally turn to a less-healthy option. Green smoothies are also fantastic pre or post workout drinks!
Like with anything, health is relative, but green smoothies can definitely be a healthy part of your day. I believe healthy foods include real food ingredients and this green smoothie recipe is made with 100% real food.
One thing I love about green smoothies is that you can adjust the recipe for your dietary needs or to avoid allergens.
Green juice is made by extracting the liquid (juice) of several ingredients using a juicer — removing most of the fiber in the process — whereas green smoothies are made by combining whole ingredients, plus water, in a blender.
While they can have the same ingredients added to them, green juice and green smoothies are two different things and have different levels of nutrients.
I usually just add additional ingredients such as a handful or two of spinach or another banana if I want to make a thicker smoothie. You can also add greek yogurt to thicken a smoothie, if you like.
If your smoothies are consistently turning out too thin, reduce the amount of liquid in your recipe.
Honestly, it’s all about personal preference and your budget. Blendtec and Vitamix blenders are both great options, especially if you want a multi-purpose appliance that will thoroughly blend your smoothies.
It’s tough, if not impossible, to get perfect smoothies without a blender but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a smoothie when there’s no blender available. To make a smoothie without a blender: cut the recipe in half and add all ingredients, plus two ice cubes, to any cup or jar with a lid, then shake vigorously.
Blender containers made for protein powder work especially well as blender alternatives if you want smoothies on the go.
Elsabe says
I've been making this smoothie recipe for a few years ... with a few tweaks of course . I add a spoonful of coconut oil and/or plain whole milk Greek yogurt to increase the fat and protein content. I throw in some chia seeds for fiber and top it w some whole blueberries for a crunch. YUM!!! I miss it so much when we eat out!
Joan Disney says
Have just started on smoothies. Have been having a hard time with solid good so this has been a life saver. Still experimenting with different smoothies. I'm diabectic so I'll be watching my sugar. Thanks for the rec green smoothie. ms diz
Michael says
Yum! I tried out the beginner's luck smoothie and it was fantastic!
KEN SHER says
I need some help. I have 2 problems. I 'm on warfarin and I have a kidney problem. So, I can't have veggies or fruits that are high in vitamin K and I can't have veggies or fruits that have hi salt, potassium and phosphorus or least very small quantities of all of these. Also I have to stay below 3 ozs of protein at any one sitting. Do you have a recipe for a smoothie that's good for my my system?
Lucy says
My husband is also on warfarin and green leafy veggies which are high in vitamin k are not forbidden to him. They key is to be consistent and eat the same amount every day while collaborating with your health care professional. If you can't have potassium then leave out bananas. Use water instead of milk to avoid protein. Avoid nut butters and Chia, flax, and hemp seed to avoid protein.
Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says
Thanks for the help on this one, Lucy.
Kathryn Savage says
Absolutely right. I also am on warfarin. My doc says its easier for him to make a adjustments to my warfarin dose than to deal with kidney failure due to diabetes being of control
Susanne, RD says
Hi Ken,
Good observations. I'm a renal dietitian. Given what you've posted, I'm presuming you are pre-dialysis...probably Stage 3 or 4 kidney disease. I would suggest that you meet with a Registered Dietitian (RD) specializing in nephrology (like me) who can blend all of your diagnosis, medications and labs to safely recommend how you should proceed.
Kidney disease is very complex and many dietitians won't even take on a renal patient because of it. Consulting a renal specialist is very important to your health, well being, and safety.
Best wishes,
Susanne, RD
Brian says
Thanks, great way to manage my high blood pressure.
Marie says
Hi :)
Funny thing. I decided an hour ago I would quit my high blood pressure meds because I cant bare the side effects anymore.
Has this smoothie truly helped?! Do you drink it daily?
Cheers,
I hope you kicked that ridiculous condition in the teeth!
Marie
Dayle says
Can we freeze it?
Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says
You can. I will say that I do not like the texture of banana in a smoothie after it has been frozen.
Eli Whitney says
My understanding is that our body absorbs the nutrients better when things are blended...
Brianna says
Hey, I've been making a kale, spinach and berry smoothie that I absolutely love. As I have been drinking them for a while I put in a little more greens than berries, but it would be good with less greens! All it is is 1 cup Kale, 1/4 cup spinach, about 1 tablespoon of Italian Parsley leaves, 1 cup mixed berries, the juice of 1 lime and a mixture of almond milk, coconut milk and water to fill my single serving smoothie maker (about 1-1 & 1/2 cups). I love them and thought I would share!
Karen says
My teen daughter and I made this together. It was our first green smoothie and we loved it! A refreshing drink for a hot day here in California. We used frozen mango and pineapple chunks (purchased that way) and fresh spinach and ripe banana. Look forward to making more and experimenting with ingredients. Thanks!
Mira Hernandez says
Will definitely try this smoothie
William says
Thanks, made my first Green Smoothie. Enjoyed very much.
Bruce Lussier says
Allergic to Mango what would be a good substitute?
Micki says
More pineapple? Pear? Apple?Probably almost any fruit you'd like but if you want to stick with the "green" smoothie theme then you'd probably need to stick with a light colored fruit or you'll end up with a brown smoothie..which I've done and they aren't bad either....lol..just not so appetizing
Lori says
Great for people with MTFHR too!
Tonya Altizer says
Can you use Chia Seed in t? If so how much would you recommend in this recipe ?
Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says
Sure. I have used about a tablespoon per serving.
victoria Mccaulley says
Just tried and really enjoyed t! My new go to! Thank you!
Jazmine says
Thank you Jen and Team, you're making this world better! <3 <3 <3
Sara says
Fantastic, I've never eaten so many veggies in my life! I freeze my smoothies - I like the slushy quality it has. Your guidance really took out the guesswork of smoothie making. I'm already experimenting with chard and dandelion! It's also been great for my veggie hating 10 year old. Thanks for helping me change my life!!
JDM says
If you use frozen fruit does the amount required changed. We noted the amount of spinach decreased if it was frozen
Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says
No. It should stay the same.
Alice says
How tightly do you pack greens into the cup? Do you have an approximate weight for each cup of greens? That would help, as some cups could be packed with twice the greens as another, depending on packing style. :)
Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says
Hi there. It is a flexible recipe but I do not pack the greens tightly.
Jerry Dreesen says
I'm 79 and just prepared my first green smoothy using spinach, almond milk and mango. Amazing to me that I didn't taste the spinach at all. My daughter bought me a emmersion blender for Christmas and I put it to use. I think I'm on to something here Jerry Dreesen, Arcadia, IN
Esha says
Thank you so much for great tips.. For how long can you freeze the fruits? Can I freeze fresh fruits and for how long?
TIA
Esha
Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says
Hi. I think you will find this very helpful: http://www.stilltasty.com/.
Andrea Wilby says
How much of the boost items do you recommend adding? 1TBSP or so?
Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says
Yep, 1-2 T is my standard boost. :)
Lou says
How many calories do you think is in this smoothie? Thanks!
Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says
Hi there. We do not provide nutritional details and this is from the Simple Green Smoothies website: http://simplegreensmoothies.com/healthy-living/calories-vs-nutrients.
Terri says
Thank you! I am hoping for a new me with help from your healthy recipes
Rebecca says
Do you have the weight of a cup of each of the ingredients, please?
Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says
Here is a conversion chart but you do not have to be super precise. These combinations are very forgiving. http://www.goodtoknow.co.uk/recipes/531168/cups-to-grams-converter
Patty says
Hi everyone. I use green apple granny smith, banana, frozen strawberries vallina yogurt little honey, spinach, orange juice, carrots ice if u want i like everything very cold.
I.have been making all different kinds for 3 year's i.try a little bit of everything personally I love the green smoothies. I have tried green bean's not bad don't use to much then I go crazy & mix all the vegetables & fruit i like & see what I come up with all tastes good.
Gaylene says
Hello, I have been drinking your green smoothies for awhile. I don't change my recipe cuz it is easier to do the same. Is that a bad thing. Also I freeze my bananas which is perfect. Anyway....the questions I have are: why was pineapple not one of your natural sweaters? Why vegetarian protien? Thank you so much.
Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says
Hi. Pineapple is for sure a naturally sweet fruit. The above list was not meant to be exhaustive. Those vegetarian protein picks keep the smoothie clean and green. :)
Kerstin says
hi everyone, just found this site and like what i read. i just lately started making smoothies and i am excited. here my idea i really love: 1 green cucumber (delivers enough liquid, no water or ice is needed), 2 small carrots, 1 root pre-cooked red beet, 1 apple, 1/2 inch piece of ginger, 1 inch piece of fresh turmeric, juice of 1 lemon, 3 table spoons of raw honey, 10 sunflower sprouts, few flakes of black pepper, some flakes of cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon of any healthy oil (instead of oil add 1/2 avocado if handy). the color in the end is red and not green because of the beets but it was delicious from the first try and you can feel the health you are eating. it also boosts your metabolism! enjoy! ";"
mel says
is anyone concerned on the level of sugars in this smoothie? I try to reduce sugars and while I am sure anything with 2 bananas, 1 cup of mango and 1 cup of pineapple tastes great, is shoving 67 grams of sugar in your body (even if natural) a great idea in the morning? Sugar spikes my insulin and makes me more hungry. It also adds a lot of calories. Just something to keep in mind. I tend to use Granny Smith apples and berries, much lower on the sugar index, but realize you are going to taste "health" in your shake then!
TJ says
Thanksfor pointing that out, Mel! I was thinking something along the same lines, myself...
Kezia says
Hi I added 1 cup of home made yoghurt and a dash of vanilla and a tablespoon of honey and skipped pineapples as I was out of them...yummy..tried your simple green smoothie too...tastes great..am a big fan of green moothies now..thanks
Natalia Araneta says
A cup of chopped Spinach, 3 Strawberries, half a Mango, half an Apple, some Fresh Orange Juice and half a Banana is the best combo that I've made so far. Oh I forgot that I added some ice cubes! I'm going to try to freeze some of my Orange juice instead!
Kara says
Will this freeze well? How many servings will this recipe make?
Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says
Hi there. Lisa often freezes smoothies for a frozen treat. The above recipe serves two.
Ann says
Just made my first smoothie. 2 cups spinach, 1 cup mixed frozen fruit, 2 T coconut oil, 2T hemp powder and about 1/2 iced Passion tazo tea. Not bad but could be a little tastier...any thoughts? Is there enough nutrition in this to replace breakfast or lunch?
Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says
Hi Ann. My favorite additions are bananas and nut butters. You just have to experiment to find what combos you like best.
Terry says
Try kale instead of spinach and unsweetened almond milk instead of tea.
Nick says
Made a great smoothie with spinach, frozen four berry mix, one tablespoon flax seeds, and water. Followed the simple green smoothie formula, but cut it in half because it is just for me. Turned out good, but had too much of a spinach-y taste. Might use 3/4 cup next time instead of 1 cup.
Jamie says
Is adding a protein powder ok to make it a meal replacement?
Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says
Hi Jamie. If I drink a smoothie as a meal, I usually add a nut butter but a clean ingredient protein powder (I like Garden of Life) works, too.
Lorrayne says
Sounds delicious! Do you know the macros for this?
Kate | HappyForks.com says
I have checked nutritional values in online anylizer (https://happyforks.com/analyzer). One serving provides 203 kcal | Protein 3.3g | Fat 0.9g | Carbohydrates 51g | Fiber 6.2g | Sugars 33.9g, and loads of Vitamin C, Vitamin A & Vitamin K! Yey!
Nancy A. Saenz says
Stick with less loosening fruits like peaches, prunes, or plumbs and eat
more banana, starch and starchy veggies at meals to avoid diarrhea as much.
Dan Connelly says
I don't know if this was already mentioned but the "beginner's luck" recipe is not a 6:4 ratio, but rather 2:1, of fruit to greens (by volume).
Vania says
Can I freeze the greens in a zip block bag for weeks worth? just to be prepare
Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says
You can freeze them but you might find that the texture changes.
Carrie says
is the chart at the beginning for two servings ?
Amy Taylor (comment moderator) says
Hi. Yep, it yields 32oz and serves two.