Looking for the best Green Smoothie recipe that actually tastes good? This healthy green smoothie is creamy, naturally sweet, and packed with spinach, mango, and banana, but you’d never know it from the flavor. It’s nutritious, filling, and ready in minutes!
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Green smoothies make it easy to eat your greens!
I have made dozens (hundreds?) of green smoothies over the years and have developed a few tricks to ensure your smoothie is refreshing, filling, healthy, and legitimately delicious.
It hinges on having the right mix of fruits, a “satisfaction” factor ingredient like nut butter, and picking greens that are mild enough to suit your own preferences.
Let’s talk about what makes this green smoothie recipe a win:
- You Can’t Taste the Greens. If you’ve ever searched for a green smoothie that’s healthy but doesn’t taste like grass, this is the one. The balance of fruit and greens makes it ideal for beginners and anyone trying to add more leafy greens to their diet.
- Naturally Sweet. The fruit in this recipe make it sweet enough that you don’t need to add any maple syrup, honey, or sugar to make it delicious.
- Thick and Creamy. Hat tip to the frozen banana, which gives this green smoothie a milkshake-like consistency without any dairy.
- Ready in 5 Minutes. This isn’t one of those smoothies that requires a whole bunch of chopping and measuring. Even if you’re not a morning person, you can pull it off!
Want more green smoothie recipes? I’ve got ’em! Try my Kale Smoothie, Cleansing Apple Avocado Smoothie, 4 Ingredient Mango Green Smoothie, Avocado Smoothie, and Strawberry Spinach Smoothie next.
Ingredients and Substitutions
You’ll find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below, but here are some notes to keep in mind.
- Greens. You can squeeze so many more into a smoothie than you think! If you are new to the green smoothie game, start with spinach, which is the best green for smoothies (AKA you won’t be able to taste it). Once you get the hang of it, you can move on to more assertive greens like kale or chard.
- Mango or Pineapple. You can use one of these two or a mix of both with excellent results. Pineapple is the most effective at hiding the taste of greens in smoothies, especially stronger greens like kale.
- Frozen Banana. I always recommend using frozen banana in green smoothies. It makes the smoothie creamy, thick, and naturally sweet, without the need to add sugar.
- Peanut Butter or Almond Butter. To give a smoothie staying power and make it taste satisfying.
- Liquid. I most often use unsweetened almond milk as the liquid base for my smoothies, but dairy milk, other non-dairy milks (like coconut milk or oat milk), and even coconut water will work.
- Optional Mix–Ins. Keyword: optional. You can add “bonus” ingredients like protein powder, chia seeds, hemp hearts, or flaxseed if you like; or keep things simple and enjoy your smoothie as-is.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Combine (photo 1). Add the smoothie ingredients to a blender, starting with the almond milk.
Blend (photo 2). Puree until the mixture is smooth and creamy. For an extra-thick green smoothie, blend in a few ice cubes.
Serve. Pour into a glass and add any garnishes you’d like. ENJOY!
Green Smoothie Variations
Switch things up depending on your goals or what you have on hand:
- Kale Green Smoothie. Swap spinach for kale (remove the stems first).
- Protein Green Smoothie. Add a scoop of vanilla protein powder.
- No Banana Green Smoothie. Replace banana with Greek yogurt and extra mango.
- Tropical Green Smoothie. Use pineapple and coconut milk.
- Weight Loss Green Smoothie. Skip nut butter and add chia seeds for fiber.
Make-Ahead Tips
Smoothies are easy, but there are a few ways you can streamline them even more to make your morning routine effortless.
- Prep the Banana. Peel and slice ripe bananas into chunks, then transfer the frozen fruit to a ziptop bag and freeze for up to 3 months. I do this whenever I have extra ripe bananas on hand. If you freeze your banana with the peel on, you won’t be able to remove it without thawing the banana first.
- Make Green Smoothie Cubes. Prepare the green smoothie as directed, then pour into the molds of an ice cube tray. Freeze for up to 3 months. Add the frozen smoothie cubes to a blender with a splash of almond milk for an easy smoothie on demand.
- Assemble Freezer Smoothie Packs. You can also pre-portion your fruits and vegetables for each smoothie into a ziptop bag and freeze. Then, simply toss the contents into a blender when you’re ready to blend.
Green Smoothie
Video
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Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsweetened almond milk plus additional as needed
- 2 ounces (about 2 big handfuls) fresh spinach or roughly chopped kale leaves
- ½ medium banana cut into chunks and frozen
- ½ cup frozen mango chunks or pineapple chunks
- 1 tablespoon nut butter of choice I like almond butter or peanut butter
- Ice optional
- Optional Mix-Ins: ½ scoop protein powder 1 tablespoon chia seeds, 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal
Instructions
- Place all of the ingredients in the blender in the order listed: almond milk, spinach, banana, mango, nut butter, and any extra mix-ins.
- Blend until smooth. If you'd like it a bit thicker, add in a few ice cubes and blend again. Pour and enjoy!
Notes
- If you are not using a high-powered blender such as a Vitamix, I recommend blending the spinach and almond milk first, then blending in the banana, then blending in the mango, nut butter, and any additional mix-ins.
- TO STORE: Refrigerate smoothies in an airtight jar or storage container for up to 1 day.
- TO FREEZE: Freeze smoothies in freezer-safe jars for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
This is the first green smoothie I’ve ever tried & actually enjoyed! The kale was non-existent taste wise and was so filling!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Emily! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
I made this today. The texture and all is wonderful. But I’m going to omit the nut butter next time. It was too peanut buttery for me.
Thanks, as always, Erin for your lovely recipes. I’m going to purchase your book.
Thanks for trying the smoothie, Chasity! I hope you enjoy it even more next time!
Used pineapples instead of mangoes and was amazing. The flax seeds were not as “crushed” as I would have liked but that’s probably because of the blender that I am using so I will try and soak them overnight.
You can barely taste the kale which is great for me!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Anne! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
I’m a newbie to smoothies and am anxious to make my first one tomorrow! What would adding 1/2 an avocado do to a smoothie?
Hi Ellen, it might make it thicker and creamier. Enjoy!
Delicious!!
Hi Patty! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
I love this smoothie. I’ve tried this recipe several times now. I even feel like it gives me a boast of energy in the morning which I need. I do add sweetened almond milk to mine and I don’t actually taste the spinach although I know it’s in there. I used pineapple, peanut butter and the milled flax seeds. I love it! Next I’m going to add some mango to see if it changes anything. Found online! Thanks Erin
So glad to hear you enjoy it, Kristy!
I’m absolutely obsessed with this green smoothie! The banana and peanut butter make it so creamy and rich, while the frozen mango chunks give it a fresh, fruity kick. The spinach is totally undetectable, which is exactly how I like it. It’s the perfect balance of flavors and textures, and it’s so refreshing and filling at the same time. I’ll be making this all the time!
Yay! Glad you loved it, Annie! Thank you!
I loved this green smoothie so much, it is so tasty and I believe it did give me energy like never before. I don’t eat greens much but want to get more natural vitamins and nutrients. I want to stay more healthy as I’m getting older, I would like to have more of these tasty smoothies. This one was so AMAZING!
So happy to hear, thank you Anora!
I just made this green smoothie for the first time, and I’m hooked! The natural sweetness from the fruit balances out the earthy flavor of the greens perfectly. It’s a great way to start the day, and I feel energized and healthy after drinking it!
Great to hear, Deborah! Thank you!
Made this after my workout, and it really hit the spot. It feels good drinking something that’s both healthy and tasty. My boyfriend usually avoids anything green, but he finished the rest of my glass.
So glad to hear, Alicia! Thank you!
Made this for my mom’s health kick, and she loved it. She said it was creamy and not gritty at all. I used oat milk instead of almond milk coz that’s what I had on hand, it still worked well. It’s a good basic recipe that I’ll probably tweak a little next time with some ginger or mint.
So glad to hear, Nancy! Thank you!
Made this for my partner and he loved it! He’s picky about green smoothies but said this one was smooth and tasted pretty good. It’s a nice, quick snack or breakfast that doesn’t feel heavy. Thumbs up from both of us. Thank you!
So glad to hear, Debbie! Thank you!