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My Kale Smoothie is So Good!
My husband swears he hates kale. If he sees a green smoothie, his first question is always, “Does this have kale in it?” If the answer is yes, he’s out. But if it’s spinach green smoothie? No problem. So when I made this kale smoothie, I had him—and anyone else who’s skeptical about kale—in mind.
I always see kale in smoothies at those fancy smoothie cafes, and somehow, they make it work without that bitter, earthy taste. I wanted to figure out how to do the same at home. So, I took inspiration from one I tried recently and blended up kale with ginger, green apple, coconut milk, and banana. The ginger adds warmth and a little spice, the apple gives it a tart contrast, and the coconut milk and banana smooth everything out with a little sweetness.
The verdict? He side-eyed the green color but took a sip… and loved it. He couldn’t taste the kale at all, and the combo of flavors totally won him over. If you’re on the fence about kale, give this one a shot—I think you’ll be surprised. And if you’re a fellow kale skeptic, I need to hear what you think!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Kale: You can use any variety of kale you want. Curly, Lacinato kale (also called Dinosaur or Tuscan kale) works well too. Just make sure to remove the stems.
- Green apple is mt fav. But, you can use any other type of apple. Don’t worry about peeling the skin…the fiber is good for you!
- Ginger: The ginger is a surprising addition in the smoothie because it’s more often found in juices than smoothies. But it has great cleansing and detoxing qualities that can be really beneficial in a smoothie and help offset the bitter taste of kale.
- Coconut milk: You’ll need some liquid to help blend the smoothie. Coconut milk adds a creamy element and light flavor that blends well with the banana and ginger. Feel free to sub any other milk or even coconut water.
- Frozen banana: I love using frozen fruit in smoothies because it keeps it nice and chilled without the need for ice and adds a creamy texture. You can use room temperature bananas or substitute it for mangoes or pineapple.
Popular Additions
- Chia Seeds: Try just a tablespoon of chia seeds to add some fiber to the smoothie and thicken it slightly.
- Pineapple: Use ½ a cup of fresh or frozen pineapple, it actually helps balance the bitterness of the kale.
- Avocado: Use ¼ of an avocado to make it extra creamy and adds healthy fats.
- Lemon Juice: Squeeze up to 1 tablespoon into the smoothie for a brighter flavor that goes really well with ginger.
- Cinnamon: Try just a pinch of cinnamon or up to ¼ teaspoon to give it more warmth. Cinnamon has also been linked to reducing blood sugar spikes.
- Protein Powder: You can add your favorite protein powder or collagen powder to this smoothie. Vanilla or unflavored would work best. Need help picking a protein powder? Check out my protein powder guide.
How to Make My Kale Smoothie
My Best Kale Smoothie Tips
- Remove the stems. The stems are tough and can make your smoothie taste more bitter. Just hold the kale leaf by the stem with one hand and run your other hand down the stalk to strip off the leaves. You can also fold the leaf in half and slice the stem off with a knife.
- Freeze it first. Freezing kale helps break down its tough texture and mellow out the flavor. Just wash, dry, and tear the leaves into smaller pieces before freezing them in a bag. No need to thaw—just toss them straight into the blender!
- Massage the kale to remove any bitter taste. Try massaging the kale with a squeeze of lemon juice before adding it to your smoothie. This is a tip I learned from a smoothie cafe I go to and it makes a difference if you find kale to be bitter.
- Drink the smoothie as soon as you make it. The nutrients decrease once the ingredients are blended and exposed to oxygen. If you can’t drink it straight away, cover it with plastic wrap and store in the fridge. Drink within 24 hours.
- Use a high speed blender for best consistency. If you don’t have a high speed blender, blend the kale and coconut milk first and then add the other ingredients. You are less likely to end up with a lumpy smoothie this way.
- Grate the ginger if your blender isn’t strong. It’s the toughest ingredient in the bunch so grating it will help ensure you don’t drink get any chunks of ginger.
- Use frozen apples or other frozen fruits for a colder thicker smoothie. You can also add ice cubes to the blender or pour ice cubes over the smoothie after you pour it in the glass.
Recipe Help & FAQs
It’s best fresh, but if you have leftovers, you can store the smoothie in a mason jar or any airtight container and stash it in the fridge. It’ll stay good for about 24 hours, but just keep in mind it might separate a little and may need a shake before drinking.
This could happen depending on how big the apple or banana is or how much you packed in the kale. It’s hard to tell how much liquid to add based on your preference, but I recommend adding ¼ cup at a time then blend on high speed for 10–20 seconds.
If your smoothie tastes bitter from kale, check my tip above about massaging the kale with lemon juice for next time. But after blending it, I recommend just adding more frozen banana slice if you have, or sweetener like honey or maple syrup.
More Cold Drinks & Smoothies:
- Kale Coconut Smoothie
- Energizing Green Smoothie
- Celery Juice
- Strawberry Vanilla Smoothie
- Superfood Smoothie
- Pineapple Smoothie
- Chia Fresca
- Iced Strawberry Matcha Latte
- Avocado Smoothie
- Ginger Immunity Shots
If you try this Kale Smoothie recipe or any other recipe on Feel Good Foodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots, share it on Instagram so we can repost on Stories!
Kale Smoothie
Ingredients
- 2 cups kale stemmed
- 1 frozen banana
- 1 ½ cups coconut milk
- 1 green apple
- 1 tablespoon ginger grated
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients in a blender in the order of appearance.
- Blend the ingredients in a high-speed blender for 2-3 minutes until you get a smooth and creamy texture.
- Taste the smoothie, adding more coconut milk if it is too thick or adding more sweetener if it’s not sweet enough for you.
- Pour into a cup or mason jar. Enjoy cold immediately, or store in fridge for up to 24 hours.
Equipment
Notes
2 celery stalks roughly chopped
3 cups coconut water
1 green apple
1 tablespoon ginger grated
1 tablespoon sweetener
Instructions
Place all the ingredients in a blender in the order of appearance.
Blend the ingredients in a high-speed blender for 2-3 minutes until you get a smooth and creamy texture.
Taste the smoothie, adding more coconut water if it is too thick or adding more sweetener if it’s not sweet enough for you.
Pour into a cup or mason jar. Enjoy cold immediately, or store in fridge for up to 24 hours.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Why does the description states”…coconut milk”, yet the recipe ingredients lists: “3 cups coconut water”. Coconut WATER is not the same as Coconut MILK. The author should at least be consistent in the original recipe!
Thank you so much for catching this! The mention of coconut milk in the recipe description was a mistake, I have updated it to accurately read “coconut water.”
As soon as I saw you making this smoothie in your Stories, and since I have all the ingredients cut and clean, I put everything in the blender and got the most nutritious healthy smoothie.
Love ginger .