Get your 5-a-day in one glass with this delicious, quick and easy smoothie. Filled with lemon, ginger and pineapple flavors so you won't even taste the broccoli. Make it with fresh or frozen broccoli - just use what you have.
Yes, a Broccoli Smoothie Can Be Delicious!
I don't love veggies, so instead I try to hide them anywhere I can. This bright green smoothie will sort of give it away with its color, but it definitely doesn't taste like a veggie smoothie.
What you do taste is the sweet, tart & spicy mix of pineapple, ginger and lemon - all while getting your "5 a day" and lots of fiber.
This smoothie is 100% fruit & veggies. Naturally sweetened by pineapple and carrot, and made creamy with avocado. Just the way it should be, in my mind!
Just fruit & veggies!
I recommend using a very ripe avocado for the creamiest smoothie, and at least one frozen ingredient (broccoli or pineapple) for a cold drink. If you don't have anything frozen - don't worry, just mix in an ice cube or two instead.
Make It Your Own
You can make this smoothie in a million ways! Below are some suggestions for swaps and what you absolutely should make sure to include.
Broccoli can be fresh or frozen. You can use both the broccoli florets and the stalk. Just peel the stalk, as the outside can be a bit tough. You can also swap the broccoli for more spinach or other leafy greens.
Spinach is good for you but doesn't add lot of flavor. It can be switched for kale or other leafy greens, or skipped entirely in favor of more broccoli.
Carrot can be skipped. The flavor will however be slightly different and a little less sweet.
Avocado is mostly used to make it creamy. You can swap it for a banana or 1 tablespoon of coconut oil.
Lemon adds nice acidity. It can be switched for lime, or swap the avocado and the lemon for Greek yogurt.
You need something sweet & tasty. Pineapple is delicious, but it can also be substituted for fresh or frozen mango or passion fruit, or another type of fruit or berries. What's important is that it's a flavorful fruit with enough sweetness. And not red, because that will make the color very unappetizing!
Water is great, but coconut water is even better.
Just Mix & Enjoy
Making this smoothie is super easy. Just mix and enjoy! What's important is to not add too much liquids at first, to ensure all the veggies blend really well. After they are well blended, go ahead and add as much liquid as needed to get your desired consistency.
Top Tips for the Smoothest Smoothie
- Make sure your blender is up to the job. You need a high-speed blender to mix tough veggies like these. Even more so if you opt for adding a few ice cubes!
- Add just half the water first. This helps the fruits and veggies blend well. If you add too much water to start, you risk ending up with chunks.
- Use at least one frozen ingredient. This helps keep your smoothie cold. You can also add an ice cube together with the fruit and veggies.
- It' easy to adjust the consistency. Just add more or less water!
Looking for more tips & tricks for making the best smoothies? Look no further - this guide to healthy smoothies has everything you need.
More Super Smooth Smoothie Recipes
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Recipe
Broccoli Smoothie with Carrot & Pineapple
Print RateIngredients
- ½ cups broccoli fresh or frozen, florets and/or stem
- 1 handful spinach
- ½ carrot optional
- ½ cups frozen pineapple or fresh + 1 ice cube
- ½ ripe avocado peeled and pitted
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger organic or peeled
- ½ lemon juiced; or lime
- 1 cups water divided; or coconut water
Instructions
- Add all ingredients except lemon and water to a blender. Squeeze over the lemon juice and pour in half the water.½ cups broccoli, 1 handful spinach, ½ carrot, ½ cups frozen pineapple, ½ ripe avocado, 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, ½ lemon, 1 cups water
- Close the lid tightly and mix for 1-2 minutes, until smooth. Then add the rest of the water and mix again for about 30 seconds. Check the consistency and adjust if you like by adding more water. Then pour in a glass and serve!1 cups water
Equipment (may contain affiliate links)
- Measuring cups (metric or US)*
Video
Notes
- Broccoli can be swapped for more spinach or other leafy greens
- Avocado can be substituted for a banana or coconut oil
- Pineapple can be substituted for fresh or frozen mango or passion fruit
- Spinach can be switched for kale or other leafy greens, or skipped entirely in favor of more broccoli
- Make sure your blender is up to the job - you need a high-speed blender to mix tough veggies
- Add half the water first to help the fruits and veggies blend well
- Use at least one frozen ingredient to keep your smoothie cold
- If nothing is frozen, add an ice cube together with the fruit and veggies, to keep the smoothie cold
- Adjust the consistency by adding more or less water
- Store leftover smoothie in the fridge for up to two days - it might change color a bit and separate, but will still be delicious. Just mix it up a bit before drinking.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is approximate and automatically calculated, and should only be viewed as an indication.
Recipe FAQ
No, it's better to add raw broccoli to smoothies. Raw vegetables have a higher nutritional content, and it's also easier not to cook it first.
That being said, you can cook the broccoli first if you prefer. To preserve as much of the nutrients as possible you can cook it in the microwave.
You can also use leftover cooked or steamed broccoli.
If you do use cooked broccoli, don't add any water to start, as cooked broccoli will release more water than raw. Always make sure the broccoli has cooled down before adding it.
To make a broccoli smoothie taste good you need to add some sweetness and other flavorful ingredients. For this recipe pineapple adds sweetness and lemon juice and ginger mask the broccoli flavor while complementing its earthiness.
Athena
I made this one today, I didn't have avocado so I subbed with banana. I also did mango instead of pineapple. It was surprisingly good. I wasn't sure about the broccoli but the flavors all went well together! Definitely adding this one to my rotation!
Kaine
Gorgeous smoothie. Have these a lot. Prepare yourself for some horrific farts though.
Emmeline Kemperyd
😂😂😂 You might be right about that 😉
Neha
I was looking for a new smoothie recipe and luckily I have all the ingredients needed to make this in my refrigerator. Totally trying this one out!
Emmeline Kemperyd
Looking forward to hearing what you think, Neha!
Jen
I love smoothies and I’ve had a hard time incorporating some of my favorite vegetables - but you’ve taken care of that with this one! Thanks so much for a delicious smoothie recipe.
Emmeline Kemperyd
Thanks Jen happy to help! 😀
Laura
I searched "broccoli spinach pineapple recipe" thinking I'd find a salad to make with what's in the fridge tonight, and it was a wonderful surprise to see this lovely smoothie at the top of the results! I substituted ripe banana for avocado and found it the perfect amount of sweetness. I broke the banana and pineapple into small chunks and put it on a baking sheet to freeze while I prepared the rest of dinner. It was the perfect silky cold texture and the ginger just makes your mouth come alive. Fun note: I make smoothies for a living and this is as good as anything on our menu! What a great way to eat veggies.
Emmeline Kemperyd
Hi Laura! Thank you for your awesome comment! So happy you enjoyed it 🙂 /Emmeline
Toni Dash
I loved it! The flavor combination is so good!
Emmeline Kemperyd
Thank you Toni!
Angela
Such a great way to get a shot of veggie! It was a great smoothie.
Emmeline Kemperyd
Thanks Angela!
Pavani
We have tried a number of smoothie combinations but never made one with broccoli. Sounds so nutritious and looks delicious.
Emmeline Kemperyd
Yes it's a bit different but soo yummy!
Sara Welch
Have been looking for ways to start my new year off right, and this was spot on delicious! A great way to kickstart my healthy journey, indeed!
Emmeline Kemperyd
Happy to hear that, Sara! Thank you for commenting!
Dannii
What a great way to get some extra greens in your diet. It looks delicious.
Emmeline Kemperyd
Thank you Dannii!!
Anita
The pineapple and lemon totally makes the green smoothies so much more agreeable to kiddies. They don't hate green smoothies now. 🙂
Emmeline Kemperyd
It sure makes all the difference! Happy to hear they don't hate them anymore!
Jessica Formicola
I made this smoothie for breakfast yesterday, and it was incredible! Definitely adding it to my regular rotation!
Emmeline Kemperyd
Thank you Jessica, so happy to hear that!
Demeter
This is exactly what I need to star the new year and put the holidays behind me. Love the flavor combination.
Emmeline Kemperyd
So happy to hear that, Demeter!