Kale Smoothie – That Actually Tastes Good!

A Kale Smoothie that actually tastes amazing! The perfect healthy on the go breakfast, with no bananas and full of protein (but no protein powder needed). Vegan and naturally sweetened.

Want more delicious and healthy smoothie recipes? You’ll love my Mango Smoothie, Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie, Vegan Protein Shake and Vegan Green Smoothie.

For a long time, I couldn’t stand the taste of kale in a green smoothie. I always felt like I could taste it too much, so I stuck with spinach most of the time.

But I finally came up with the perfect blend of ingredients that mask the kale SO WELL, you can’t even tell it’s there! Plus it’s full of protein, fiber and basically all good-for-you ingredients that will keep you full until lunch.

Why this is my favorite smoothie ever

• It tastes like mango ginger lemonade, in smoothie form. You would never guess there’s a full 2 cups of kale in there!
• You’ll stay full until lunch time. With 20 grams of protein and a hefty dose of fiber, you’ll be satisfied all morning.
• No bananas needed. Not that I have anything against bananas, but sometimes I tire of the taste in smoothies, and it seems like they are always called for. If you don’t enjoy bananas in everything, you’ll love this banana-free green smoothie!

Tools Needed 

• High Powered Blender: I can’t recommend a high powered blender enough, I use my Vitamix every day for smoothies, salad dressing, soups, vegan cheese and more! A regular blender will leave small pieces of greens in your smoothie, so it really is not a great option.
• Glass or stainless steel straws. I have both and love them for smoothies and other beverages.
• A reusable to go cup with a lid and straw, especially if you like taking smoothies with you to work.

Ingredients for Kale Smoothie

• Kale: I get pre-chopped and bagged organic kale at Trader Joe’s, and usually I stick a whole bag in the freezer for smoothies. I often use this kale for my 3 Minute Instant Pot Kale, one of my other favorite ways to eat kale! No need to wash, strip and chop kale, easy peasy.
• Frozen Mango: My favorite fruit for this smoothie, but you could also use pineapple, peaches, blueberries, or frozen bananas.
• Medjool Dates: I use 2 and don’t recommend leaving them out, they help cover up the kale taste and provide sweetness.
• Hemp, Chia or Flax Seeds: For added protein and healthy fats.
• A Lemon: Squeeze the juice from 1 lemon and add to the smoothie. This is so good, don’t leave it out! It seriously helps mask the kale.
• Fresh Ginger: If you don’t like ginger, you can leave this out, but I love it. Plus, it helps with digestion! It makes the smoothie taste a bit like ginger lemonade.
• Water: For blending, can also use non-dairy milk for a creamier smoothie.

How to make a Kale Smoothie

It’s so easy! Just add all the ingredients, starting with 1 cup of water, to a blender and blend until smooth and creamy.

If it’s too thick, add the extra 1/2 cup water. If it’s too thin and runny, add a handful of ice or more frozen fruit. Serve immediately!

Can I make this the night before?

You could, technically, but it’s definitely better right away. If you need to prepare it the night before, make sure to store it in a container with a lid and as little air as possible. In the morning, give it a stir.

You can also make smoothie packs by adding all the ingredients to individual baggies (except the water and lemon juice). Then in the morning, just dump in the blender, add the liquid and blend!

Low sugar green smoothie

If you need a lower sugar green smoothie, leave the dates out entirely and use 1/2 or all frozen blueberries instead of mango.