This easy green smoothie is a quick and delicious way to nourish your body. Packed with ingredients like mango, spinach, and bananas, it’s the perfect recipe for a healthy boost in just five minutes.

My favorite green smoothie recipe is actually a tropical energy drink in disguise. With over 1,300 5-star reviews, it’s time to discover why adding spinach to your morning smoothie is a surprisingly delicious habit.

I get it—green smoothies might not seem appealing at first glance. But trust me, they can be incredibly tasty. I’ve blended this recipe in kindergarten classrooms, and the kids always ask for seconds! My teenage daughter’s volleyball friends love it, too, and I personally start most mornings with this smoothie to boost my energy and nourish my body.

Reasons to Start Drinking Green Smoothies

Drinking this green smoothie has given me the energy and strength to achieve amazing things in my late 30s, even after having two kids. I’ve run 47 miles through the Grand Canyon, raced a motorcycle across Morocco in a 7-day challenge, hiked Angel’s Landing, and created a backyard garden for my children.

This simple green smoothie is perfect for beginners, naturally sweetened with fruit (no added sugars) and packed with greens and protein. Some of the benefits I’ve experienced from drinking a green smoothie every day include:

• Increased energy from the natural fruit sugars
• A strong immune system, keeping me from getting sick
• Improved digestion, thanks to the fiber and hydration

This daily habit has kept my kids healthy when we didn’t have health insurance, fueled us between school and sports, and nourished us so well that we rarely fall ill. And when we do, we usually bounce back quickly with some of my own natural remedies.

When I created this green smoothie recipe, it changed my family’s life in more ways than I ever imagined. It was love at first sip for me, my two kids and 1 million others, who were intimidated by spinach (just like me!). Since them, I’ve published a best-selling green smoothie cookbook and shared my recipes live on The Doctors TV Show…twice!

Green Smoothie Ingredients

Everything you need to make a green smoothie can be found in a garden, at a farmer’s market, or in the produce section of your grocery store. The closer we eat to nature, the better we feel. This smoothie recipe is a simple and tasty way to start incorporating healthier foods into your diet. Here’s what we’ll be blending:

Water: The base for this smoothie is water. Use filtered water to avoid unwanted chemicals or pollutants. I prefer using a Berkey Water Filter, which I keep on my countertop.

Fresh Spinach: Baby spinach is the mildest and easiest to find for smoothies. I recommend using organic spinach since it’s one of the Dirty Dozen. The right balance of spinach and fruit keeps the smoothie sweet while delivering all the health benefits.

Frozen Pineapple: I buy frozen pineapple in bulk from Costco to make Frozen Smoothie Packs. If it’s on sale, I’ll cut up fresh pineapple and freeze it myself.

Frozen Mango: You’ll find this in the freezer section near the ice cream. I love that it’s already peeled and cut, ready to toss into the blender. If fresh mango is on sale, you can cut and freeze it yourself.

Fresh Banana: Bananas add a creamy texture to smoothies that’s hard to beat. They’re a magic ingredient!

Fresh VS Frozen Fruit

I prefer using frozen fruit because it chills down your smoothie without using ice, which can dull your blender blades overtime. I use fresh bananas in my smoothies because I like how creamy they make it.

The Best Way to Blend a Green Smoothie

All you need to make a green smoothie is a high-speed blender. A juicer or food processor won’t give you the creamy consistency that makes this drink so enjoyable. With a good blender, you can easily whip up the perfect green smoothie by following the steps below.

Blend Spinach with Liquid Base

Blend 1 cup of spinach (or your preferred leafy greens) with 1 cup of liquid in a blender. Adding spinach enhances the smoothie with phytonutrients and fiber, helping to slow down sugar absorption in your body. Blend until the greens are fully smooth and no leafy chunks remain.

Blending Tip

When you’re starting out with green smoothies, it’s best to follow my Green Smoothie Formula for the perfect blend. Avoid just tossing spinach and kale into the blender without a plan—chances are it won’t taste great if you try to wing it from the beginning.

Add Frozen Fruit to Blender

Add frozen mango, pineapple, and bananas to the blender. Blend on high until the mixture is smooth and creamy. For an extra-chilly smoothie or to make a smoothie bowl, use more frozen fruit. You can freeze your favorite fruits like ripe bananas, grapes, pineapple, or berries to have on hand.

Sweetening Your Smoothie: Tips and Tricks

If your smoothie isn’t sweet enough, try adding natural sweeteners like bananas, mango, oranges, honey, or pitted dates.

Mix in the Superfoods

Once your smoothie is creamy and smooth, you can add superfoods like chia seeds, hemp hearts, or flax seeds. To turn any smoothie into a meal replacement, simply mix in a serving of homemade protein powder.

Blend at High Speed Until Smooth

To break down the cell walls of the plants, blend at high speed. If your blender is powerful enough, there should be no leafy chunks in your smoothie.

Drink Green Smoothie Immediately

To maximize the nutrients in your smoothie, drink it immediately after blending. The longer a smoothie is exposed to oxygen, the more it breaks down and loses nutrients due to oxidation. To reduce this effect, store your smoothie in the fridge with an airtight lid for up to 48 hours, though it tastes best when consumed within 4 hours of blending.

Green Smoothie Recipe Ideas

Swapping ingredients based on what you have on hand is a breeze. For more green smoothie recipes, check out these popular options below:

• Prepare to be amazed by the flavor of this kale smoothie—it’s a real taste bud surprise.

• My son can’t get enough of this mango orange smoothie recipe.

• Craving a tropical getaway? Try this piña colada smoothie.

• Looking to boost your metabolism? This fat-burning green smoothie is a great choice.

If you love spinach, this green smoothie is perfect for you! Give it a try and don’t forget to rate and review it once you’ve enjoyed it.