12 Healthy Smoothies with Vegetables

These healthy and delicious veggie smoothie recipes all have vegetables in them for added nutrition! Vegetables add tons of micronutrients and dietary fiber to smoothie recipes, with undetectable taste. Plus, get the recipe for the tastiest chocolate peanut butter banana smoothie.

Are you trying to add more vegetables to your diet? Try a smoothie! Smoothies are a perfect vehicle for all kinds of nutritious ingredients, including some of your favorite vegetables. As a Registered Dietitian, I love finding creative and delicious ways to eat more veggies. These vegetable smoothie recipes all have fruits and vegetables, plus many other nutritious ingredients.

Why add vegetables to smoothies?

Vegetables are some of the healthiest foods on the planet. All vegetables are considered nutrient-dense foods, meaning they have a lot of vitamins and minerals in relation to their weight. Vegetables are key sources of various micronutrients, including:

• Folate
• Vitamin A
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin E
• Potassium

Vegetables are also an important source of dietary fiber. Diets high in fiber have many health benefits, such as:

• Weight management
• Digestive regulation
• Gut health
• Lower cholesterol levels
• Blood sugar control
• Reduced risk of certain chronic diseases

Current guidelines recommend consuming 25-35 grams of fiber per day for women and 38 grams a day for men, from fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, and whole grains. Adding vegetables to smoothies helps increase the nutrition of your blend, and adds to your vegetable consumption for the day!

Best vegetables to add to smoothies

Some vegetables are better suited for smoothies than others. Vegetables that have a more neutral, mild flavor blend up well with the other smoothie ingredients without imparting too much (or any) detectable flavor. Some of the best vegetables to add to smoothies are:

• Leafy greens: spinach, kale
• Cauliflower
• Beets
• Zucchini
• Carrots
• Cucumber
• Sweet Potato
• Pumpkin or winter squash

Are fresh or frozen vegetables best for smoothies?

Besides leafy greens, I actually prefer to use frozen vegetables for smoothies. Frozen vegetables can replace ice in smoothie recipes to add a desirable thick texture and refreshing cold temperature. Frozen vegetables are just as nutritious as fresh vegetables, but are usually less expensive.

You can buy pre-frozen vegetables to keep in your freezer, or freeze some yourself. Note that it’s important to blanch fresh vegetables before you freeze them. Blanching helps preserve nutrients, color, and texture of the vegetable.

This all being said, you can absolutely use fresh vegetables in smoothies, too! Add ice to your blend as desired to make your smoothie thicker if using fresh vegetables.

Perfect healthy smoothie formula

One of the best parts of making a smoothie is you don’t necessarily need a formal recipe. When I’m making a smoothie off the cuff, I use this smoothie formula to ensure it tastes good and packs a ton of nutrition:

1-2 servings of fruit + 1-2 servings of vegetables + 10-20 grams protein + 1-2 tbsp healthy fats

Blend your smoothie up with liquid of choice, such as almond milk. I usually add 1-2 cups of liquid. More liquid makes a runnier smoothie, and less liquid makes a thicker smoothie or smoothie bowl.

This smoothie formula is pretty much foolproof when you don’t have a recipe! It ensures your smoothie will not only taste good, but is also nutritionally balanced. Your smoothie will have plenty of dietary fiber, protein, and healthy fat to keep you full and give you sustained energy.

Healthy protein sources to add to smoothies: Greek yogurt, hemp seeds, protein powder, peanut butter, milk or soy milk, cottage cheese, kefir, or silken tofu.

Healthy fats to add to smoothies: Nut butters, walnuts, cashews, almonds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, flax seeds, or avocado.

Now, onto the recipes! Which healthy smoothie recipe are you going to try first?

11 Healthy Smoothie Recipes with Vegetables

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie (recipe below)

This chocolate peanut butter banana smoothie is so creamy and delicious – almost like a milkshake! It packs a nutrition punch with the addition of frozen zucchini. You can’t taste the zucchini at all – just chocolatey, peanut butter goodness! This smoothie is vegan and gluten free.

Let me know if you love these smoothie recipes by leaving a comment or star rating below, and check out Instagram and Pinterest for more healthy lifestyle inspiration. Thanks for stopping by!

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