The Only Green Smoothie Recipe You’ll Ever Need

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This vibrant green smoothie with spinach, banana, mango and pineapple is a refreshing way to start your day. The spinach blends in seamlessly without overpowering the sweet tropical flavors. Banana gives the smoothie a creamy texture, while mango and pineapple bring natural sweetness and a bright, sunny taste.

Recipe image of Green Smoothie
Credit:

Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless.

  • Spinach adds nutrients like folate to support heart health. 
  • You can easily substitute the fruit in this smoothie and use what you have on hand.
  • Chia seeds offer fiber and plant-based protein and also help thicken the smoothie.

Our Green Smoothie is the best way to start your day and leaves you feeling good inside and out. This smoothie gets its vibrant green color from spinach, which is packed with chlorophyll. Using frozen mango and pineapple keeps this smoothie chilled without using ice, and adds beta carotene and vitamin C—great for skin health. Potassium-rich bananas add thickness, and chia seeds add omega-3s. It’s all blended together with smooth, creamy almond milk. Keep reading for our expert tips on how to layer this in your blender for the best results, delicious ingredient substitutions and more. 

Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen

These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too! 

  • We appreciate the convenience of using prewashed, prepackaged baby spinach for this smoothie. However, you can also use frozen baby spinach leaves as an alternative. When using 100% frozen produce, be sure to add extra liquid when blending to avoid a smoothie that is too thick.
  • Extra-ripe bananas provide excellent sweetness. Whenever you have overly ripe bananas, peel them, break them into two or three pieces, and freeze them in freezer-safe bags so you always have them on hand.
  • We add the liquid to the blender before most of the other ingredients. This way, the liquid settles at the bottom, helping to pull the other ingredients downward and ensuring a well-blended smoothie. Keeping the frozen items at the top helps prevent them from getting stuck under the blades.

Nutrition Notes

  • Spinach is a tender green with numerous health benefits. It is a source of folate, which is important for heart health, but also important to prevent neural tube defects during pregnancy. Spinach is a source of plant-based iron, called non-heme iron, which is absorbed better when you pair it with a vitamin C source, like pineapple. 
  • Pineapple is rich in vitamin C, which is necessary for optimal immune function and great for skin health. It also contains an enzyme called bromelain, which has been shown to lower inflammation and may help relieve bloating. 
  • Bananas are a staple fruit that is inexpensive and accessible. Bananas are touted for their potassium content, which is useful in helping to remove excess sodium from the body; this can help maintain good blood pressure. The starches in bananas convert to sugar as they ripen, so using a ripe banana can help you reduce the need for added sugar in your dishes. 
  • Chia seeds help thicken this smoothie. When chia seeds are exposed to liquid, they expand to a gel-like substance. This expansion can help keep you full. They also contain fiber and protein to aid in satiety.
Ingredients for a green smoothie featuring spinach banana milk and small bowls of pineapple and mango

Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless.

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Ingredients

Original recipe (1X) yields 1 servings

  • 2 cups packed baby spinach

  • 1 cup unsweetened plain almond milk

  • 1 small very ripe banana

  • ½ cup frozen mango chunks

  • ½ cup frozen pineapple chunks

  • 1 tablespoon chia seeds

Directions

  1. Combine 2 cups spinach, 1 cup almond milk, 1 banana, ½ cup frozen mango, ½ cup frozen pineapple and 1 tablespoon chia seeds in a blender; process until smooth, about 1 minute. Pour into a large glass and serve immediately.

    Ingredients in a blender including banana pineapple and spinach prepared for making a smoothie

    Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What vegetables are typically used in a green smoothie?

    We chose spinach for this green smoothie because its flavor is mild enough that it’s virtually undetectable. However, you can also use kale, beet greens, romaine lettuce, Swiss chard, collard greens or any other leafy greens.

  • Can I use any kind of fruit?

    You can use any frozen fruit you like, but be sure to keep the quantity to 1 cup to maintain a similar consistency to this recipe. Additionally, keep in mind that if you opt for darker fruits, your smoothie may be a brown color instead of green, but it will still taste delicious.

  • What if I don’t have an overly ripe banana?

    You can use a less-ripe banana if that’s all you have, although it won't add as much sweetness as a very ripe one. To ripen bananas more quickly, one effective method is to place them in a closed paper bag at room temperature. To speed up the process even more, you can add an apple or a tomato to the bag as well.

  • Can I use the smoothie as a base for a smoothie bowl?

    Absolutely! To achieve a nice and thick consistency, use less liquid or add more frozen fruit.

  • What’s the best way to store a Green Smoothie?

    For the best flavor and texture, it’s best to drink the smoothie immediately after making it. Generally, smoothies don’t store well because as the frozen fruit melts, it becomes diluted, and the ingredients start to separate. If you need to store it, transfer the smoothie to an airtight container and refrigerate it overnight. Give it a good shake before drinking.

EatingWell.com, August 2025

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

356 Calories
8g Fat
71g Carbs
8g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 1
Serving Size about 2⅓ cups
Calories 356
% Daily Value *
Total Carbohydrate 71g 26%
Dietary Fiber 11g 38%
Total Sugars 50g
Added Sugars 0g 0%
Protein 8g 15%
Total Fat 8g 10%
Saturated Fat 1g 3%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Vitamin A 444µg
Vitamin C 66mg 73%
Vitamin D 3µg
Vitamin E 10mg 63%
Folate 194µg
Vitamin K 295µg
Sodium 240mg 10%
Calcium 676mg 52%
Iron 4mg 24%
Magnesium 154mg 37%
Potassium 1182mg 25%
Zinc 1mg 13%
Vitamin B12 0µg
Omega 3 2g

Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate.

* Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.)

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.

Additional reporting by
Sarah Pflugradt, Ph.D., RDN, CSCS
Sarah Pflugradt

Sarah Pflugradt is a registered dietitian who holds a Ph.D. in Health and Human Performance and is a certified strength and conditioning specialist. Her extensive background in dietetics has made her a sought-after expert in family and youth sports nutrition.

and
Linda Frahm
Linda Frahm has been a copy editor and fact checker working with food and nutrition content for the past 30-plus years for consumer print and online publications.