Kale Smoothie

This energizing kale smoothie recipe is a great morning pick-me-up! Banana, peaches, and fresh ginger make it creamy, sweet, and refreshing.

Kale smoothie

This kale smoothie recipe is such an energizing way to start the day! Now that the weather’s warming up in Chicago, it’s made its way into my breakfast rotation of freezer burritos, muffins, and avocado toast. Refreshing and nutritious, it’s what I crave on mornings when the sun is shining, the air smells sweet, and it really feels like spring is on its way.

The magic of this kale smoothie recipe is that it doesn’t actually taste like kale. Don’t get me wrong, kale’s flavor has its time and place. It’s irresistible in a kale salad or pasta, but in a smoothie, it can easily become overwhelming. Here, I balance it with sweet peaches, creamy banana, and a touch of fresh ginger. The resulting smoothie is sweet, creamy, and absolutely delicious. Even Jack, a devout berry smoothie lover, happily polishes off a glass. Make it for breakfast, an afternoon snack, or anytime you’re craving a tasty, nourishing treat.

Kale smoothie recipe ingredients

Kale Smoothie Recipe Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make this healthy kale smoothie recipe:

  • Kale, of course! I often make this recipe with green curly kale, but any variety will work here.
  • Almond milk – Use your favorite brand of unsweetened almond milk, or make your own.
  • Frozen banana – It makes the smoothie sweet and creamy.
  • Peaches – For extra sweetness and peachy flavor.
  • Ginger – It gives the smoothie a delicious kick! I love how its warm flavor plays off the sweet peaches.
  • Matcha powder – I blend it into my smoothie for an energizing, antioxidant-packed boost. If you don’t have any on hand, feel free to skip it! This recipe is still delicious without it.
  • And ice cubes – To make the smoothie thick and frosty.

Add all the ingredients to a high-powered blender, and blend until smooth!

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

Leafy greens, peaches, and banana in a blender

Kale Smoothie Recipe Tips

  • Freeze the kale. I like my smoothies to be really thick and frosty, almost like soft (and healthy) ice cream instead of a drink. If you do too, I recommend freezing the kale to get an extra-thick texture. And if you’re starting with fresh peaches instead of frozen fruit, make sure to freeze them too!
  • Add the almond milk to the blender first. When you’re blending frozen ingredients, it’s important that you add the liquid to the blender first. If the blades can’t reach the liquid, they’ll stall. Frozen fruits and veggies are too icy to blend up on their own.
  • Taste and adjust. The secret to making a perfect smoothie is adjusting it to suit your tastes. After you blend it together, try a spoonful. Then, add more greens if you like it earthier, more ice if you like it frostier, more milk if you like it thinner, or a drop of honey or maple syrup for extra sweetness. Rinse and repeat until you find a balance of flavors you love!

Kale smoothie in a blender

Kale Smoothie Variations

Like all smoothies, this kale smoothie recipe is super flexible! Adjust it to suit your tastes or to use the ingredients you have on hand. Here are a few ways I like to change it up:

  • Replace the peaches. For a wintry variation on this kale smoothie recipe, replace the peaches with pears. Frozen mango would work nicely here too.
  • No banana? No problem. Instead, use a quarter of an avocado to make this smoothie thick and creamy.
  • Try different leafy greens. Fresh or frozen spinach would be a great substitute for the kale.
  • Or another milk. If you don’t have almond milk on hand, use any type of milk you do have. Homemade oat milk would be great here!
  • Give it a superfood boost. Pack extra nutrients into your kale smoothie by adding a scoop of chia seeds, flax seeds, hemp seeds, or even protein powder.

Let me know what variations you try!

Kale smoothie recipe

More Favorite Smoothie Recipes

If you love this kale smoothie recipe, try one of these smoothies next:

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Kale Smoothie

rate this recipe:
5 from 32 votes
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Serves 2
This vibrant kale smoothie is a healthy, energizing way to start your day! Matcha fills it with antioxidants, and peaches and bananas make it sweet and creamy.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup almond milk
  • 1 medium frozen banana
  • 2 kale leaves, stems removed
  • 2 to 3 small ripe peaches, frozen, or 1/2 to 1 cup diced mango, frozen
  • ½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger
  • ½ teaspoon matcha powder, optional
  • Ice

Instructions

  • In a high-speed blender, combine the almond milk, banana, kale, peaches, ginger, and matcha, if using.
  • Blend until creamy. Add a handful of ice and blend again.

Notes

Tip: freeze the kale ahead of time for a frostier smoothie.

 

 

52 comments

5 from 32 votes (24 ratings without comment)

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Rate this recipe (after making it)




  1. matt from arc4life.com
    11.09.2023

    5 stars
    Looks good! Another good way to start your day. Really it can be for any time of the day. arc4life

  2. Lisa
    09.26.2022

    5 stars
    Love this kale smoothie. My husband doesn’t like kale and he loved this. I used my own homemade almond milk and it came out so smooth.

  3. Annmarie
    01.08.2022

    How calories are in this recipe?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      01.08.2022

      Hi Annmarie, I’m sorry, we don’t calculate calories but you can plug the ingredients into a site like my fitness pal.

  4. Brooke Ashley
    08.08.2021

    5 stars
    Delicious! I added 1 tbsp flaxseed and 1/4 tsp tumeric to boost the health factor (I try to follow the Daily Dozen). Will make again.

  5. Ania
    06.15.2021

    5 stars
    I love love this smoothie! I added some protein powder with it and it was perfect! I didn’t have any ice but I did use frozen mango and a frozen banana. Definitely will be making this smoothie a few times a week thank you 🙂

  6. J sweet
    06.05.2021

    5 stars
    So great! even my picky eaters loves it !

  7. Rakhinationwide
    03.19.2021

    5 stars
    Flashing Content!! Great, keep up.

  8. Sarah Metz
    03.18.2021

    Did you mean 2 to 3 peach slices or 2-3 whole peaches?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      03.19.2021

      2 to 3 small peaches (it makes 2 big smoothies).

  9. Maddie
    03.16.2021

    I have bagged frozen kale from the grocery store, about how much I would use in this recipe?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      03.16.2021

      Hi Maddie, about 1/2 cup.

  10. Kristi
    02.03.2021

    I love your kale smoothie ideas. Your creative ideas are well balanced, flavorful, and full of nutrients that we all need. Thank you, and Fantastic Job!

  11. www.สอบ.com
    04.10.2016

    GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOG

  12. Deb
    09.18.2015

    Love your blog, love your recipes. But, this one is not my fav. The peach didn’t cover up the kale flavor as I was hoping.

  13. Lyndsay from livingwithcowsmilkproteinallergy.com
    03.15.2015

    5 stars
    This looks fab! I’m going to make this for my son and I tomorrow, thanks for sharing 🙂

  14. I have never tried matcha, but I’m motivated to get going on the smoothie for breakfast train. It’s the middle of summer, yet my body forgot it’s bikini season. Whoops.

  15. Tori from acupofcoconut.com
    07.22.2014

    What a fab combination! Some of my favourite ingredients – kale, matcha, peaches…mmm! Thanks for the inspiration, I have a bunch of kale in the fridge at the moment, so I think I will try it this week (with pears, as it is winter here in Australia!).

  16. Chelsea
    07.18.2014

    Oh, this looks amazing! Love matcha, can’t wait to try this!

  17. I would definitely add the ginger. Just because I like that spice. I am not a breakfast smoothie drinker, but I sure like them any other time. I love the color.

  18. Liv
    07.18.2014

    This looks so yummy & perfect for the heatwave here in London. I can only buy kale in bags in the store with the leaves already in small pieces. What is it equivalent to? A handful of kale???

    • jeanine
      07.18.2014

      yep, I’d start with a small handful (if you want to add more you can depending on how kale-ey you want it!)

  19. Ashley from edibleperspective.com
    07.18.2014

    Lovely! Seriously need to re-stock my matcha supply.

A food blog with fresh, zesty recipes.
Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.