Spinach Smoothie

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Boost your GREENS intake the easy way! Fresh spinach, banana, and pineapple make for a super simple, totally delicious Spinach Smoothie. Add Greek yogurt or your favorite protein powder to stay full all morning long.

2 glasses of Spinach Smoothie with ingredients nearby.


 

I love a good spinach smoothie. In fact, I’ve been known to add an entire block of frozen spinach to my smoothies and drink it all at once!

But if drinking a cup of blended spinach doesn’t thrill you, fear not! You’ll taste nothing but the tropics thanks to plenty of banana and pineapple in this smoothie.

Grab your favorite protein powder or some Greek yogurt to boost the protein. Add a few spoonfuls of flax seeds (or chia seeds) for extra fiber and good fats, too! This is a delicious, balanced smoothie that will keep you full all morning long.

Recipe ingredients

Labeled ingredients for spinach smoothies.

At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.

Ingredient notes

  • Pineapple: To substitute fresh pineapple (peeled, cored, and chopped), add ½ cup ice or more to the blender.
  • Spinach: To take your spinach over the top, substitute a 10-ounce block of frozen spinach, thawed, for the 2 cups fresh. It’s intense but amazing!
  • Protein powder: You can use either Greek yogurt or protein powder in this smoothie. Protein powder is never a one-size-fits-all solution, but I wrote extensively about the Best Protein Powders for Smoothies because it’s something I care about. If you don’t currently have a favorite, you might be able to find one in the list.
  • Flax or chia seeds: Add 2 tablespoons of flax seeds or chia seeds for an extra boost of protein, fiber, and healthy fats. You can soak the chia seeds in water for 5 to 10 minutes if desired, but it’s not required. Bob’s Red Mill is my favorite brand for these.
  • Honey: Taste the smoothie before adding any sweeteners, then start with a teaspoon of honey or maple syrup. If you use a vanilla-flavored protein powder, you probably won’t need anything.

Step-by-step instructions

  1. In the bottom of a blender, add water, banana, pineapple, spinach, protein powder or Greek yogurt, and flax seeds.
Ingredients for spinach smoothies in a blender.
  1. Blend until smooth. Taste and add honey if desired.
Ingredients for spinach smoothies in a blender.

Recipe tips and variations

  • Yield: This recipe makes about 2 cups of smoothie, enough for 1 serving.
  • Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Some separation may occur, so shake or stir to combine before enjoying.
  • Caribbean Passion Smoothie: This Jamba Juice copycat is sweet and refreshing and easy to make at home. It tastes EXACTLY like the real thing!
  • Carrot Smoothie: You’ll love the flavors of mango, bananas, and orange juice in this colorful, vibrant smoothie starring a secret ingredient: frozen carrots.
  • Mango Smoothie: This simple smoothie is flavored with mangoes and bananas with Greek yogurt for protein and milk for creaminess.
  • Pumpkin Smoothie: All your favorite fall flavors blended together: real pumpkin, pure maple syrup, and Greek yogurt or your favorite protein powder. 
  • Strawberry Citrus Ginger Smoothie: Quench your thirst with this refreshing and fruity treat perfect for crushing your sweet cravings.
2 glasses of Spinach Smoothie with ingredients nearby.

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2 glasses of Spinach Smoothie with ingredients nearby.

Spinach Smoothie

Boost your GREENS intake the easy way! Fresh spinach, banana, and pineapple make for a super simple, totally delicious Spinach Smoothie. Add Greek yogurt or your favorite protein powder to stay full all morning long.
Prep Time 1 minute
Cook Time 1 minute
Total Time 2 minutes
Servings 1 smoothie
Course Drinks, Smoothies
Cuisine American
Calories 413
4.90 from 28 votes

Ingredients 

  • 1 cup water or almond milk
  • 1 small banana
  • 1 cup frozen pineapple chunks (about 4 ounces, see note 1)
  • 2 cups fresh spinach (see note 2)
  • 1 scoop protein powder or ½ cup Greek yogurt (see note 3)
  • 2 tablespoons flax seeds (see note 4)
  • Honey to taste, optional (see note 5)

Instructions 

  • In the bottom of a blender, add water, banana, pineapple, spinach, protein powder or Greek yogurt, and flax seeds. Blend until smooth. Taste and add honey if desired.

Notes

  1. Pineapple: To substitute fresh pineapple (peeled, cored, and chopped), add ½ cup ice or more to the blender.
  2. Spinach: To take your spinach over the top, substitute a 10-ounce block of frozen spinach, thawed, for the 2 cups fresh. It’s intense but amazing!
  3. Protein powder: Use either your favorite vanilla protein powder or ½ cup Greek yogurt.
  4. Flax or chia seeds: Add 2 tablespoons of flax seeds or chia seeds for an extra boost of protein, fiber, and healthy fats. 
  5. Honey: Taste the smoothie before adding any sweeteners, then start with a teaspoon of honey or maple syrup. If you use a vanilla-flavored protein powder, you probably won’t need anything.
  6. Yield: This recipe makes about 2 cups of smoothie, enough for 1 serving.
  7. Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Some separation may occur, so shake or stir to combine before enjoying.

Nutrition

Serving: 1smoothieCalories: 413kcalCarbohydrates: 56gProtein: 32gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 50mgSodium: 113mgPotassium: 1129mgFiber: 12gSugar: 31gVitamin A: 5867IUVitamin C: 105mgCalcium: 242mgIron: 6mg
Did you make this recipe?Tag @culinaryhill on Instagram so we can admire your masterpiece! #culinaryhill
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Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.

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Comments

  1. So for the next three months I am doing two smoothies a day because I am trying to get wedding dress ready. LOL. I needed a switch up between my normal go to’s. I was skeptical about this one and it is actually really good. I use make more of this one in the future.5 stars

  2. Thank you so much for the great information and recipe to try! My husband and I both love making juices and smoothies any time of year. For us it is a great way to get all our fruits and veggies in a delicious way, as well as all those beneficial nutrients you mentioned. I love smoothies because I’m on a very strict diet for my health, and most smoothies are packed with nutrition and free from foods that trigger my condition. An added bonus is that they are also somewhat “predigested,” which helps my tummy. My husband prefers to eat vegan, and he also juices (he’s followed Joe Cross’s method from Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead) and drinks smoothies for weight loss. He’s had great results using these methods, and he is always on the hunt for new recipes to add to our growing arsenal of healthy juice and smoothie recipes. We are so glad we found this totally yummy recipe, too! Four thumbs up from us. Thanks again!5 stars

  3. Hi there Meggan,

    Thank you for your contribution to improving people’s health with your amazing content, please keep it up. I probably speak for many when I say we are really loving what you create!

    Warm regards,
    Leah5 stars

  4. Hi, I just made this smoothie using my nutribullet.. It is soo good! I mostly get my fruits and vegetables from smoothies because I have gastroparesis. I was wondering though, because I do weight watchers would anyone know how many weight watcher points it is?5 stars

  5. I used to blend it raw, until I learnt about oxalic acid. Now, when I say “spinach”, it is strictly those in the amaranthaceae group, because there are greens that people call spinach, but aren’t exactly spinach, like the malabar spinach. Some say that baby spinach and spinach used as micro-greens are okay to consume raw. Some also believe that eating spinach raw once or twice in a month or so is fine. Blanching is something you should really consider if you consume spinach regularly. Please read more about oxalic acid. Women especially need to know thoroughly about this as they are the ones who usually suffer from calcium build-up in the joints.

    1. Thank you for this info. I eat spinach everyday. I had no idea it caused joint issues, which O have in my knees. I only purchase organic in the clear plastic boxes. Do you think the organic spinach is also harmful raw? I was about to make this recipe. Thanks for the education, I’ll be looking it up in DuckDuckGo!

  6. I don’t know what kind of spinach you use, but it is always a good idea to blanch spinach before eating (or drinking) it due to its oxalic acid content. Oxalic acid binds some nutrients (mostly calcium) in some greens, especially spinach, and preventing them from being absorbed by your body and instead of getting dumped out they build up in places in your body where they don’t belong. Blanching spinach helps reduce oxalic acid. I hope this info is useful.

    1. Hi Dalih, does this mean you never eat spinach raw? On a salad, for example? Definitely useful info! Thanks for your help.

    2. I’ve been making these for many years. I often add a chunk of ginger or lime. My understanding is that the enzyme bromelain in raw pineapple makes blanching the spinach unnecessary, and making the iron in the spinach more available. Not sure where I picked that up, though. I know when I did too much of the spinach/kale in smoothies I got kidney stones. I used Stone Free from Source Naturals, and cut back on the spinach and kale a bit and they have not returned in 4 years. For what it’s worth. My 2¢…5 stars

  7. Any idea what the carb content is?  Looks pretty low on the face of it. Just the pineapple I assume.  Diabetic and this looks amazingly good.

    1. Hey John, sorry about that! Every recipe should have a nutrition label but this post slipped through the cracks. I’ve added it now. You can take a look if you want, but it shows 31.3g total carbs. Within that there are 9.7g dietary fiber and 17g sugar. Not sure if that works for you, but you can always reduce the amount of pineapple if you want to. Thanks John!

  8. Yum. Just pinned it. I love avocado and pineapple together in smoothies. We use lot of pineapple during flu season. Saw some other great smoothie recipes on site too.

  9. Just made this yesterday. I was nervous that it would taste weird with the avocado, but it didn’t. So delicious! I made it for my two-year-old and she thought the color was fun. I’ll be making this often! :)

    1. So great to hear, thanks Courtney! My kids love this one too. :) I don’t know anything about freezing avocados, but I’m sure it would work just fine (provided your blender is strong enough to blend it). Sounds like a great idea!

  10. Hi there,
    How much does your recipe yield? Want to try it. Also, is it a good way to start the day or more of a lunch? I’m not that into smoothies but I love pineapple and this sounds too good to pass up. Thanks!

    1. Hi Alli, this recipe makes 2 servings. I think it is more of a snack than anything simply due to the lack of protein. I think it’s great at breakfast if you pair it with other foods, and same with lunch. But I think if you had ONLY this for a meal, you’d be hungry after a while. I know I would! The avocado does make it slightly more filling, but you want protein if you’re going to have it take the place of a meal. You could add a scoop of protein powder to solve that (personally I don’t care for protein powder). I hope you get a chance to try it! It’s definitely delicious and so sweet.

    1. The good news is… it tastes better than green slime! I mean, unless the green slime is super delicious!

  11. This was delicious and was actually very filling.  I usually make a berry smoothie and am starving 10 minutes later.  This one kept me pretty full until lunchtime.  Not sure if it was the avocado… I really loved this smoothie. This recipe is definitely a keeper.  Thanks!!!5 stars

    1. That’s so great to hear, Deborah! Might be the avocado. I think I’ve had a similar experience with berry smoothies. They are so great but I’m starving 10 minutes later! Or is it 10 seconds later… :) Glad you liked this one! 

  12. Love your blender photo as well! Printed the recipe but realized I used the last avocado I had today in a smoothie – I’ll have to buy one tomorrow. Looking forward to blending this!

    1. Thanks Brent, I hope you like the smoothie! It’s really so very very good. Yes, I was taking blender photos right after I bought mine. I was so excited about that thing! LOL Have a great day!

  13. I love your picture with the blender and the labels in it, Meggan … and it goes without saying that I love the idea of this ‘basketball juice’, too. Nice little trick there!
    As I love all the ingredients in this, you wouldn’t need to trick me into downing one, though. Yummy!5 stars

    1. Thank you, Helen! We have to pull all the stops out with Calvin to eat his veggies sometimes, but they just taste like fruit anyway. :)

  14. Meggan, after all the sweets I’ve been eating, I totally need a sweet and fruity green smoothie like this! love!!

    1. Thank you, Alice! Honestly if I have a “bad eating” day and start to feel crummy in my tummy, one of these really helps. Maybe if everything is blended my body can absorb it faster??? ;)

  15. Ohh… I need this!! I love avocado and smoothies, but never I have tried the two combined. I’m going to try this recipe soon. Pinned!5 stars

    1. The avocados add a nice creaminess but you probably won’t taste them (which makes my husband happy). Thanks for the pin!

  16. My husband was just saying he wants more veggie based smoothies – and here it is, a fabulous recipe that’s bright, vibrant, and delicious! Love the avocados! :)

  17. I hate to answer your question but I’d say no! The green smoothie is so delicious and I believe it’ll be my best solution :) And I need a fancy blender like this!

    1. But really who gets enough fruits and veggies? It’s so hard! They are expensive (sometimes), they spoil quickly, they don’t taste like chocolate… the deck is stacked against us. :)

    1. The avocado adds a lovely creaminess! I add it because it’s the only way to get my husband to eat avocado. I always deny it’s in there until he’s done and then I’m like… PS You just ate avocado. ;)

  18. Love this smoothie and make a similar one, but no avocado. Need to try this version! And I do have the same blender, it took me a while to decide between Vitamin and Blendtec, but chose Blendtec and love it :)

    1. Yay, another Blendtec friend! I love mine too. So worth the price, isn’t it? There are a million variations on this smoothie of course, and they are all good!

  19. Meggan, your timing on this recipe couldn’t be better, because apart from liking smoothies, I am about to invest in a Blendtec blender. I’m curious to know which model you got, if you don’t mind sharing that information.

    1. I don’t mind at all, Susan! Of course. I got the Blendtec TB-621-20 Total Blender. It’s the same one that I have linked to above. I paid $325 for it on Black Friday (at that time the regular price was $380, so it is cheaper now at $350). I spent a lot of time reading about the differences between Vitamix and Blendtec and I think they are both amazing blenders and each one has just a few bonus points over the other. For me, the huge wide mouth of the Blendtec was a key factor, and also the lower price. Vitamixes, as you probably know, are on average $100 – $150 more than a Blendtec and for me there are no features that warrant the higher price tag. Anyway, sorry to ramble on about my blender. People don’t ask me about it nearly enough. ;) Good luck and if you buy one, I’d love to hear what you think!

    2. Thanks for the info, Meggan. For reasons I can’t figure, Vitamix has always turned me off. Not so the Blendtec. I’m looking at going whole hog and getting either the Designer 725 or 675. Probably the latter. No, I’m not rich, but I spend enough time in the kitchen that it’s worth the splurge. I’m tired of half-baked appliances. I will definitely let you know how I like it.

    3. It amazes me how lousy half-baked appliances can be. I spent $90 on an Oster blender and it was the most worthless piece of garbage you can’t even imagine (and it was $90!!!!). I had to actually thaw frozen fruit before I could blend. And that is just the beginning of a long list of grievances. So when you look at it that way, spending more on a blender is the only sane thing to do! I’m not rich either, but you can’t put a price on things like finding a way to permanently eat healthier foods. It really is a game-changer! I did find a good cheap toaster for under $20 which toasts better than more expensive models I’ve tried in the past, but that is probably an anomaly. ;)

    4. Hi Meggan,
      Just wanted to let you know that I got my Designer 675 Blendtec and so far I love it. There is a learning curve to it, as with all such appliances. But I am enjoying it. It has great features, and one of my favorites is the cleaning cycle. I’m looking forward to seeing what the Blendtec does with green smoothies and ones with pineapple, which have never worked well in previous blenders.

    5. Hi Susan, I am so excited you got a Blendtec! I am sure you are going to love it. It pulverizes the daylights out of anything green, and certainly pineapple too. I do try to always clean mine immediately because then everything comes right off. Of course, when you spend that much on a blender, it is incredibly motivating to keep it sparkling clean. :) Happy blending! Keep me posted too! I have a few more blender recipes on deck, I’m just trying to spread them out. :)

    6. I’m looking forward to more recipes for my Blendtec. I got in the habit of making sure my blender parts were well-rinsed with the Ninja I bought, so that makes it easy to remember with the Blendtec. I love having something that works very well and is easy to clean. I’ll probably even get rid of my food processor now that I have the Blendtec…

  20. I have to admit, I drink smoothies to get as many servings in as I can. I do not eat spinach but I do put it in the smoothie too. I actually prefer it when my smoothie is green for some reason. I love your recipe and I love your blender :)5 stars

    1. You need this blender. Seriously. And there is an affiliate link above. ;) JUST KIDDING!!! Yes if your smoothie is green, you know it is healthy.