Pineapple Green Smoothie

(40)

Use ripe bananas for this creamy Greek yogurt, spinach and pineapple smoothie. Chia seeds add healthy omega-3 fats, fiber and a little protein for an extra nutritional boost.

Active Time:
5 mins
Total Time:
5 mins
Servings:
1
Yield:
1 serving
  • Here's a green smoothie packed with the right fruits and vegetables, so it tastes fantastic.
  • This smoothie is loaded with vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants derived from the fruits and veggies.
  • The secret to achieving a thick smoothie is to use frozen produce. Buy it prepackaged or freeze it yourself.

Our Pineapple Green Smoothie is a green smoothie that actually tastes great (because, let's face it, not all of them do!). Antioxidant-rich pineapple, bananas and spinach are whirred together with almond milk and creamy protein-rich Greek yogurt. Chia seeds go to work to bring all the ingredients together. Keep reading for our expert tips, including how to ensure your smoothie blends together more easily.

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! 

  • Frozen fruit is essential for creating a thick smoothie. When preparing fresh pineapple for freezing, start by cutting it into chunks. Spread the chunks on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze them for about 30 minutes. Then, transfer them to a zip-top bag for the freezer. Break the peeled banana into pieces before freezing, making it easier to blend later.
  • Purchase prewashed baby spinach and frozen pineapple chunks to save time.
  • This recipe is flexible and allows for substitutions. However, we suggest you try it and then experiment. For example, you can replace chia seeds with nuts or hemp seeds, use baby kale instead of spinach or use coconut water instead of almond milk or another plant-based milk.
  • For this recipe, we have you add the ingredients in a specific order before blending. This step is important for achieving thick, creamy results. Start by adding the milk, yogurt and spinach first.

Nutrition Notes

  • Pineapple brings a tropical vibe to this smoothie and adds bromelain, an enzyme that helps your body more easily digest protein, including the protein in the Greek yogurt. All the fruits and veggies in this smoothie—banana, pineapple and spinach—contribute fiber, antioxidants and a wealth of vitamins and minerals for overall good health and disease prevention.
  • Almond milk is a great non-dairy replacement for those who can't drink or don't like cow's milk. It's high in vitamin E, which also acts as an antioxidant. One caveat with almond milk is that while it provides calcium, it doesn't provide protein like cow's milk does. And while the Greek yogurt adds some, if you want more in your smoothie, feel free to add a scoop or two of your favorite protein powder.
  • Chia seeds are tiny nutrient-dense powerhouses packed full of fiber, plant protein and healthy fats. Chia seeds are a plant-based source of omega-3s, which have been shown to reduce disease-causing inflammation.

How to Make Pineapple Green Smoothie

This is no ordinary pineapple smoothie. This tropical-flavored drink goes green with a handful of vitamin-rich baby spinach added to the mix. Spinach is an excellent source of folate as well as plant-based iron and vitamins A and C. Combined with chia seeds, which offer omega-3 fats and fiber, this pineapple smoothie will start your day off right. Here are a few tips for success:

Pineapple spinach smoothie getting poured out of blender into a glass

Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hausser, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall

Use Ripe (Frozen) Bananas

This smoothie relies primarily on the sweetness of the fruit to flavor it. That's why we recommend using ripe, frozen bananas. Underripe bananas are less sweet with a chalky texture, and while overripe bananas are sweeter, their best use is in banana bread. The flavor and color of an overripe banana can overpower the other ingredients in the smoothie.

Add Liquid to the Blender First

Ever made a smoothie that just won't blend? It's probably not your blender. It may be because you added the ingredients in the wrong order. Adding chunks of frozen fruit before the liquid creates air pockets around the blade, making it more difficult to blend. With the liquid at the bottom, the blades can spin and pull the ingredients in from the top down. (Looking for a better blender? We can help! Check out the best blenders according to our Test Kitchen.)

Plant based milk getting poured into a blender

Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hausser, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall

Taste Before You Add Sweetener

You may (or may not) want your smoothie a little sweeter. Since both bananas and pineapple can vary in sweetness, we recommend keeping the added sugar optional and adding it only after you're sure your smoothie needs it. After all, it's easier to add sugar than it is to take it away! Start with a teaspoon, and add more to taste. We recommend adding liquid sweeteners like pure maple syrup or honey.

Ingredients for the pineapple spinach smoothie recipe

Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hausser, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall

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Ingredients

Original recipe (1X) yields 1 servings

  • ½ cup unsweetened almond milk

  • cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt

  • 1 cup baby spinach

  • 1 cup frozen banana slices (about 1 medium banana)

  • ½ cup frozen pineapple chunks

  • 1 tablespoon chia seeds

  • 1-2 teaspoons pure maple syrup or honey (optional)

Directions

  1. Add ½ cup almond milk and ⅓ cup yogurt to a blender, then add 1 cup spinach, 1 cup banana, ½ cup pineapple, 1 tablespoon chia seeds and 1 to 2 teaspoons sweetener (if using); blend until smooth.

    Two glasses filled with pineapple spinach smoothie, garnished with a pineapple wedge and a green and white striped straw

    Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hausser, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall

To make ahead

Freeze the banana and pineapple in portions, ready for the blender. Measure the spinach and have it ready—don't wash it until you're ready to make the smoothie.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • How do I choose a ripe pineapple?

    Choose a pineapple with a golden yellow skin, gives slightly when pressed and the bottom of the pineapple smells sweet and fruity.

  • How can I tell the difference between a ripe banana vs. overripe?

    A ripe banana will have some brown or black freckles on its skin. The fruit will be slightly more fragrant and softer than an unripe banana, but it shouldn't be mushy. When a banana is overripe, the skin will be completely brown, and the fruit may leak liquid. At this stage, it may have a rotten smell.

  • What kind of maple syrup is best for Pineapple Green Smoothie?

    It's a personal preference. You can choose golden, amber, dark or very dark syrup—the darker the syrup, the richer the flavor. However, you may not want maple to overpower your smoothie.

  • How should I store Pineapple Green Smoothie?

    Smoothies are best enjoyed when freshly made. Over time, they may separate, lose color and become less thick. However, if you don't mind these changes, you can store smoothies in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours.

  • How can I use up a bag of chia seeds?

    There are so many great ways to use chia seeds. Try them in our Chia Seed Pudding, Low-Carb Seeded Quick Bread, Bircher Muesli, Super-Seed Snack Bars or make a quick No-Added-Sugar Chia Seed Jam for your breakfast toast.

EatingWell Magazine, September/October 2014; updated November 2022

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

297 Calories
6g Fat
54g Carbs
13g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 1
Serving Size about 1 1/2 cups
Calories 297
% Daily Value *
Total Carbohydrate 54g 20%
Dietary Fiber 10g 35%
Total Sugars 29g
Added Sugars 0g 0%
Protein 13g 26%
Total Fat 6g 7%
Saturated Fat 1g 3%
Cholesterol 4mg 1%
Vitamin A 3216IU 64%
Vitamin C 61mg 68%
Folate 113mcg 28%
Sodium 145mg 6%
Calcium 297mg 23%
Iron 3mg 14%
Magnesium 126mg 30%
Potassium 1038mg 22%

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
Carrie Myers, M.S.,
Carrie Myers
Carrie Myers is a portfolio entrepreneur with more than 30 years of experience in the health and wellness space. As a writer and editor, Carrie has worked for both consumer and trade print and online publications. She's been quoted in several articles as a health and fitness expert. Carrie is also a certified life and wellness coach and exercise physiologist, and the founder of CarrieMichele Co., a lifestyle company that helps women create lives they love where they can be authentic.
Hilary Meyer,
Hilary Meyer
Hilary Meyer is a recipe developer, tester, and content creator. After graduating from culinary school, she started working the EatingWell Test Kitchen in 2006, developing and testing recipes.
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.