The Best Green Smoothie Recipe (with avocado!)

When I initially polled Instagram asking what kind of smoothie recipes you wanted to see on Ambitious Kitchen, many of you wanted some no banana smoothies, which I totally get. It seems like almost all creamy smoothies out there have bananas in them, am I right?

Well surprise all you cool cats and kittens (please tell me you get that reference), this green smoothie is proof you don’t need bananas to get a creamy and nutritious smoothie that’s still sweet enough to drink!

Since my Immune Boosting Wellness Smoothie is a favorite on Ambitious Kitchen, I decided to create another green smoothie that’s perfect for both kids and adults. It’s full of tropical flavors and is great for breakfast thanks to fruits, veggies and healthy fats to help keep you satisfied all morning.

Green smoothie ingredients

This green smoothie recipe happens to be both vegan and dairy free, making it a great choice for just about anyone plus there’s no sweeteners added. Yep, that’s right, this green smoothie is sweet enough on its own thanks to tropical fruit so there isn’t any need to add unnecessary sweeteners. Just the fruits and veggies, Mom!

Below are ingredients you’ll need for this tropical green smoothie. Of course, you can feel free to mix and match, but in general, I suggest trying to stick to the fruit and liquid ratios to ensure this green smoothie stays nice and creamy.

• frozen pineapple: did you know that pineapple is great for digestion? It contains an enzyme called bromelain which helps fight inflammation in the gut and body. I say, eat up!
• frozen mango: instead of frozen mango you can feel free to use 1 frozen banana. I do like to stick to frozen fruits as they help keep smoothies cold and frozen.
• ripe avocado: if you like your smoothies extra creamy, avocado is a great add-in. Not only does it help enhance the color of this green smoothie but it also provides healthy fats, potassium, fiber and plenty of B vitamins. Don’t worry, thanks to the tropical fruit and ginger, you won’t even taste the avocado.
• fresh ginger: this was another reader request and so delicious in green smoothies! Be sure to use fresh ginger (not powdered) and if you don’t have a high powered blender, I recommend grating the ginger ensure even blending.
• organic spinach: a great veggie to add to any smoothie. if you’re looking to get more greens in your smoothie, try adding a few cups of spinach is the perfect way to do so!
• almond milk (or milk of choice): feel free to use any milk you’d like in my smoothie recipes according to your preferences. Almond milk tends to have a neutral taste in smoothies, coconut milk will add a more tropical and creamy flavor, and regular milk will add a boost of protein.

Adding extra nutrition to green smoothies:

You can enhance any green smoothie by adding additional nutritious ingredients to really make it your own. Don’t be afraid to experiment a little! Here are a few suggestions that you can add to this green smoothie:

• matcha: if you’re a green tea lover, you can add a teaspoon of matcha to your smoothie for green color, antioxidants and earthy flavor.
• flaxseed meal: this is one of my favorite ingredients to add to smoothies for a little boost of fiber and minerals, and is especially great for nursing mamas as flaxseed can help increase milk supply. Usually a tablespoon is plenty! Here’s a brand I love.
• chia seeds: feel free to add in a tablespoon of chia seeds to your smoothie for a boost of healthy fats and fiber.
• hemp seeds: if you’ve been wondering what to do with those hemp seeds lurking in your cupboard, feel free to throw in a tablespoon into your smoothie for a boost of healthy fats, omegas and minerals.
• protein: make this a post-workout smoothie and boost the protein by adding 1/2 cup greek yogurt or 1 scoop of your favorite protein powder. I recommend Vital Protein collagen peptides or Bob’s Red Mill Plant Based Vanilla Protein Powder.
• mint: do you love minty flavor? Add a few fresh mint leaves!

Tips for making green smoothies

Have you had a chance to check out my post about prepping smoothies and how to increase their nutrition?! If not, it’s a great resource! Here are a few more tips I like to share in regards to making the best creamy, healthy green smoothie:

1. Using frozen fruit is best as it helps keeps the smoothie cold and thick. Sometimes ice doesn’t blend as well, so it’s best to skip unless absolutely necessary. If you only have fresh fruit, try adding 1 cup frozen cauliflower.
2. Don’t be afraid to add more liquid if your smoothie is too thick or won’t fully blend. High powered blenders tend to blend frozen fruit much better, so if you have a regular or personal size blender, you may need to add more milk.
3. Start the blender on low speed, then gradually increase to high to help blend all ingredients. Finally end with the blender on low speed.
4. Feel free to use kale instead of spinach if that’s what you have on hand.

More smoothie recipes you might like:

Refreshing Watermelon Pineapple Smoothie

Good Morning Coffee Smoothie

Green Goddess Smoothie

Peanut Butter Blueberry Banana Smoothie

Snickerdoodle Tahini Date Smoothie

See how to make this green smoothie

I can’t wait to hear how you like this green smoothie! And don’t forget to check out our guide on how to prep smoothies ahead of time. xo!

Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats