13 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
Pear Banana Green Smoothie
This pear banana green smoothie is a delicious and nutritious breakfast or afternoon snack, flavored with fresh ginger and cinnamon. It takes just 5 minutes to make and everyone will love it! As a Registered Dietitian, I love to make smoothies that pack in a ton of healthy ingredients and nutrients. Most of the smoothies
Pineapple Matcha Green Smoothie
Make this vegan pineapple matcha green smoothie for a healthy breakfast or pick-me-up snack in the afternoon when you need a boost! You need just five nutritious ingredients. A healthy smoothie that fills you up AND gives you a boost of energy? Count me in! This pineapple matcha green smoothie has simple, nutritious ingredients and
Ginger Green Smoothie
This ginger green smoothie is so refreshing with the creamiest texture. It’s packed with nutrients thanks to healthy ingredients like spinach, chia seeds, and almond butter. You’ll love this easy green smoothie recipe! As a Registered Dietitian, I’ll always encourage you to get your greens in! One of the easiest and most delicious ways to
Almond Butter and Jelly Smoothie
Sip on this delicious and healthy almond butter and jelly smoothie for a refreshing breakfast or snack. Made with 5 simple ingredients and done in just 5 minutes! The temperature is warming up and I’m craving all things light, cool, and refreshing! This almond butter and jelly smoothie TOTALLY hits the spot, if you are
Simple Strawberry Banana Kiwi Green Smoothie
This simple strawberry banana and kiwi smoothie takes just a few minutes to make for a healthy breakfast or snack! You need just six nutritious ingredients and a blender to whip up this refreshing smoothie for one. This healthy fruit smoothie is a simple and refreshing breakfast or snack. It is naturally sweetened with strawberries,
Pina Colada Smoothie
This healthy and refreshing pina colada smoothie will transport you to a tropical island with each sip. Ready in 5 minutes, it’s loaded with delicious and nutritious ingredients. Feel like being transported to a tropical island without leaving your home? Whip up this pina colada smoothie for a cool, refreshing treat! Unlike traditional pina coladas,
Vegan Chocolate Cherry Smoothie
This vegan chocolate cherry smoothie is a delicious and easy breakfast or snack recipe that tastes like a milkshake! Made with just eight simple ingredients, it’s ready in under five minutes. Chocolate and cherries is a totally underrated food combination. I would easily be happy with chocolate covered cherries over chocolate covered strawberries any day!
Vegan Golden Milk Smoothie
This golden milk smoothie is a refreshing breakfast or snack that is packed with nutritious, anti-inflammatory ingredients. You’ll love this nourishing smoothie recipe! When I want a healing, nutrient-packed drink, I’ll make myself a golden milk latte. Filled with warming spices including turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, and black pepper, it’s both comforting and satisfying. For something
Creamy 2-Minute Pineapple Papaya Smoothie
This thick & creamy healthy smoothie recipe is bursting with tropical flavors thanks to papaya, pineapple, banana, and fresh ginger. Pineapple and papaya smoothie features healthy ingredients like chia seeds, flax, and frozen zucchini to add nutrition benefits (dietary fiber, healthy fats, plant-based protein, and more)! Just put all your ingredients into a blender, blend, and pour!
Birthday Cake Batter Smoothie (Vegan, Gluten Free)
When you’re craving CAKE for breakfast, make this birthday cake batter smoothie! It’s filled with nutrient dense ingredients and classic birthday cake flavor. What do you do when you have a giant bag of leftover sprinkles? Put them in everything, of course! That’s how this birthday cake batter smoothie was born, and you are going
Red Velvet Smoothie
This red velvet smoothie is packed with chocolatey flavor like your favorite cake. Made with simple, nutritious ingredients and ready to sip in 5 minutes. I love the chocolatey richness of a slice of red velvet cake. It’s so much more fun to eat than regular chocolate cake, because of the pretty color, right? As
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!
Print13 Healthy Smoothies with Vegetables: Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: serves 1 or 2 1x
- Category: smoothies
- Method: Blender
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
These healthy and delicious smoothie recipes all have vegetables in them for added nutrition! Plus, get the recipe for the tastiest chocolate peanut butter banana smoothie.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk
- 1 frozen banana
- 1 cup frozen zucchini
- 2 tbsp creamy peanut butter
- 1 heaping tbsp cocoa powder
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a blender in the order listed.
- Blend for 30 seconds – 1 minute on high, until smooth and creamy with no chunks.
Notes
Substitution ideas
- Use almond butter instead of peanut butter
- Try a different frozen vegetable, such as cauliflower or spinach
- Omit the cocoa powder if you want a peanut butter banana smoothie
- Add more protein by using regular milk or soy milk in place of almond milk. You can also add a scoop of chocolate protein powder to add more protein.
Keywords: smoothies with vegetables, chocolate peanut butter banana smoothie, zucchini smoothie, vegan smoothies