This Simple Green Smoothie recipe is made with just 5 ingredients and is perfect for a healthy breakfast or snack. If you’re new to green smoothies, this recipe will convert you into a green smoothie-lover!

Two glasses with green smoothie in them topped with chia seeds

Green Breakfast Smoothie

Whether you’re new to veggies in smoothies or have been drinking them for a while, this Simple Green Smoothie recipe will be your go-to. I’ve done a lot of testing when it comes to green smoothies to find the perfect balance of greens, fruits and flavour.

There are definitely some green smoothie recipes out there that taste…well, a *tad* too green. So for this recipe I’ve made sure to keep it tasting sweet and fruity.

Green Smoothie Benefits

There are so many amazing benefits of drinking a green smoothie! This simple green breakfast smoothie can:

  • Boost immunity
  • Improve digestion
  • Help you get your daily serving of veggies
  • Glowing skin
  • High in many vitamins & minerals
  • Great morning detox
a flat lay of mangos, almond milk, spinach, chia seeds and banana

Green Smoothie Ingredients & Substitutions

  • Banana: this makes a great base for the smoothie and really covers up the taste of any greens. It’s best to go for frozen bananas to create a really thick and creamy smoothie. Sub out bananas for frozen avocado or coconut meat.
  • Mango: this is another one of my favourite ingredients to use in smoothies. Again, using frozen mango can help to give your smoothie a creamy texture. Mango is also packed with vitamins and the perfect fruit to enjoy in the morning! Substitute with pineapple or frozen cauliflower
  • Spinach: the greens! Spinach is the simplest go-to green to use for a green smoothie. It doesn’t have a strong or overpowering taste and blends up easily.You can swap this out for kale if you prefer
  • Chia seeds: You know I’m a big fan of chia seeds for all their amazing health benefits! Chia is great to add to a smoothie for some omega-3s and fibre. Chia also helps keep you feeling full. You can sub the chia seeds for flax seeds.
  • Almond milk: If you can, go for some homemade almond milk for the best taste. You can also substitute any type of plant-based milk you love. My other favourite to use is coconut milk!

How to make this easy Green Smoothie

You know the drill!

  1. Add all the ingredients to your blender
  2. Blend on high until smoothie and creamy
  • fruits, spinach and almond milk in a blender
  • A white blender with a green smoothie in it

Breakfast Smoothie Recipe Add-ins and Swaps

This 5 ingredient Simple Green Smoothie recipe works as a great “base” that can be modified to suit your diet or needs. Here are some great add-ins you can use to amp-up the nutrition in this smoothie!

For more protein:

  • Protein powder: 1/2 scoop-1 scoop per smoothie
  • Yogurt: 1/4-1/2 cup per smoothie
  • Hemp seeds: 1-2 tbsp per smoothie
  • Nut butter: 1-2 tbsp per smoothie

For more Fibre

  • Flax seeds: 1/2-1 tbsp per smoothie
  • Whole grain oats: 2-4 tbsp per smoothie
  • Sunflower seeds: 1-2 tbsp per smoothie

Flavour boosters

  • Vanilla extract: 1/2 tsp per smoothie
  • Cinnamon: 1/4 tsp per smoothie
  • Herbs (cilantro, mint, parsley): 2 tbsp per smoothie
  • Medjool dates: 1 per smoothie

Can you add oats to a smoothie?

Absolutely! Adding oats to a smoothie is a great way to add some more fibre and healthy carbohydrates to your smoothie. Oats will also help to thicken a smoothie and add some creaminess. The best types of oats to use are quick oats or rolled oats.

What are the healthiest things to put in a smoothie?

Smoothies should be made with primarily fruits and vegetables and blended with unsweetened milk or plant-based milk, fresh juice or water. From there you can start playing around with some healthy add-ins to make your smoothie even more nutritious. Here are some great options:

  • Chia seeds
  • Hemp seeds
  • Flax seeds
  • Nut butter
  • Superfood powders (maca powder, acai powder…etc.)
  • Cacao
  • Cinnamon

What Greens to Put in a Smoothie

Here are some of the typical greens you can add to a smoothie to make a green smoothie:

  • Spinach
  • Kale
  • Collard greens
  • Cucumber
  • Parsley
  • Cilantro

How to make a Green Smoothie for weight loss

Smoothies are a great breakfast option if you are looking to lose some weight. They are light and fresh and loaded with healthy ingredients. The only problem is some smoothies can be loaded with a ton of sugar and some smoothies you buy at a smoothie shop are way oversized, so you want to make sure your green smoothie is well balanced.

  • To keep sugar to a minimum, try adding less than 1 cup of fruit in total to your smoothie.
  • Use ingredients like frozen cauliflower or frozen zucchini to help bulk up your smoothie.
  • Then for the liquid, avoid adding juice which has a ton of extra sugar, and instead opt for some sugar-free nut milk or water.

How to make a Green Smoothie taste good

The question everyone asks when it comes to green smoothies…”Can you taste the greens?”

When you’re making a green smoothie, you want to be careful with how much veggies you add to it. If you add in too much spinach or kale, you may end up with a smoothie that tastes like…well, spinach or kale!

I generally add about a handful of spinach or kale to my green smoothies, which I find is the perfect amount. Another trick to making a green smoothie taste good is to use tropical fruits like mango or pineapple! (if you prefer pineapple, feel free to swap it out in this smoothie, or try this green smoothie recipe.)

Expert Breakfast Smoothie Tips

  • Use frozen banana or frozen mango, or both for this smoothie. Having at least one type of frozen fruit will help the smoothie blend up into a thick and creamy smoothie. If you use all fresh fruit, the smoothie will have a thin texture.
  • If you prefer a sweeter smoothie, use a riper banana. If you prefer a less sweet smoothie, use a less ripe banana. (tip: I like to freeze a batch of bananas when they reach the level of ripeness that I prefer)
  • Always add liquids to your blender first, followed by seeds, then greens, then the fruit on top. This will allow the blender to blend more easily.

Healthy Breakfast Smoothie FAQ

Is it healthy to have a smoothie for breakfast?

Yes! Having a green smoothie for breakfast is great because you’ll be getting in a serving of greens plus essential vitamins and nutrients first thing in the morning. If you want to make your breakfast smoothie a little more filling, you can add a scoop of protein powder to your smoothie.

Are green smoothies actually good for you?

Homemade green smoothies where you can control the ingredients are good for you. Some store-bought smoothies are loaded with tons of fruit, added sugar and sometimes very little greens, making them a less healthy option.

Is it healthy to drink green smoothies every day?

Sure! You can incorporate a green smoothie into your daily diet.

What does a green smoothie do to your body?

Green smoothies are a great source of vitamins and minerals so they can help increase your energy, improve your digestion and keep you hydrated.

Can I batch make this breakfast smoothie recipe?

I wouldn’t recommend batching this smoothie because the chia seeds will thicken the smoothie too much as it sits in the fridge for the week. The smoothie is best enjoyed freshly made with fresh ingredients.

Try these smoothies next

If you tried this Simple Green Smoothie or any other recipe on the blog let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment/rating below! Be sure to follow along on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook for even more deliciousness!

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Healthy Green Breakfast Smoothie

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review
  • Author: Jessica Hoffman
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 2 servings 1x
  • Category: Breakfast
  • Method: Blend
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan
Print Recipe

Description

This Simple Green Smoothie is made with 5 healthy ingredients for an easy and delicious breakfast!

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1 cup almond milk (or more if needed to blend)
  • 1 tbsp chia seeds
  • 1 cup spinach (not packed down)
  • 2 bananas, frozen
  • 1 cup mango (fresh or frozen)

Instructions

  1. Add all the ingredients to the blender 
  2. Start the blender on low, then blend on high for about 20-30 seconds until smooth. 
  3. Divide between 2 glasses and serve. 

Equipment

Notes

Depending on whether you use all frozen fruit or some fresh fruit, you may need more or less almond milk to blend. Adjust as needed.

If you prefer a sweeter smoothie, use a riper banana. If you prefer a less sweet smoothie, use a less ripe banana. (tip: I like to freeze a batch of bananas when they reach the level of ripeness that I prefer)

Always add liquids to your blender first, followed by seeds, then greens, then the fruit on top. This will allow the blender to blend more easily.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 smoothie
  • Calories: 210
  • Sugar: 25g
  • Fat: 4g
  • Carbohydrates: 43g
  • Fiber: 8g
  • Protein: 4g