Banana Kale Smoothie

This super simple 3-ingredient banana kale smoothie is the perfect beginner green smoothie to pack in hidden nutrients while easy enough to customize to your heart’s desire! Dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan, and no added sugars plus ready in just 5 minutes!

Smoothies are a great way to pack nutrients into a sweet, creamy, almost dessert-like format. However, there’s no need to rely on super-long ingredient lists and expensive superfoods to do so. Sometimes it’s as simple as sneaking in just one nutrient-rich green, like in this easy banana kale smoothie recipe. Thank you to Roxane McNulty for developing this recipe!

With a base of just three ingredients, this simple kale smoothie recipe uses frozen bananas (how to freeze bananas) for a super simple smoothie that tastes like a banana ice-cream milkshake (and, more importantly, NOT of kale). However, it’s also super simple to prepare, ready in minutes, and very budget-friendly, for a ‘healthy habit’ that won’t feel like work to keep up.

The natural sweetness of the bananas not only masks the kale flavor but means no added sugars are necessary for a super satisfyingly thick, sweet, and creamy banana green smoothie loaded with fiber, micronutrients, and antioxidants.

This simple kale banana smoothie recipe leaves plenty of room for experimentation, too. So, not only is it great already, but you can easily boost the flavor and nutrients (including extra fiber, protein, healthy fats, etc.) with ingredients already in your freezer/pantry. You might also enjoy our recipes for a strawberry kale smoothie and kale pineapple smoothie as a simple nutrient-dense breakfast or mid-day pick-me-up!

The Benefits of Kale Smoothie With Bananas

Kale is one of the most nutrient-dense foods in the world. It has fiber and antioxidants, very little fat, and few calories, and it’s a good source of several micronutrients, including vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin A, manganese, and calcium. A cup of raw kale covers a big share of the daily value for vitamin K, and gram for gram, raw kale has more vitamin C than an orange.

Meanwhile, bananas also contain plenty of fiber and antioxidants. They’re also a good source of potassium, vitamin B6, and vitamin C. Together, this kale and banana smoothie gives you nutrients that play a part in normal blood clotting (vitamin K), healthy blood pressure (potassium), a normally working immune system (vitamin C), and digestion and feeling full (fiber). Kale’s antioxidants are also part of why it’s studied for anti-inflammatory benefits. Your liver and kidneys do the real detox work, so I think of this less as a detox drink and more as an easy, tasty way to get more fruit and greens into my day.

If you take a blood thinner like warfarin, check with your doctor about how much vitamin K-rich food, like kale, is right for you, since vitamin K can affect how those medicines work.

If you have extra kale after making this, my crispy baked kale chips are a fun way to use it up.

The Ingredients

You could also substitute some or all the banana with frozen mango or pineapple. To lower the natural sugars in the smoothie, replace one banana with ½ an avocado or about ½-¾ cup frozen cauliflower instead.

We find the bananas are often sweet enough for us. However, if not, you could add extra sweetener in the form of 1-2 Medjool dates, maple syrup, agave, or a sugar-free sweetener like swerve/erythritol.

What Could I Add To A Kale Smoothie?

We love the simplicity of this banana kale smoothie, but that also lends itself to versatility. Here are a few of our top favorite add-ins.

• Vanilla extract: ½-1 tsp for extra dessert-like flavor.
• Ginger: Add minced ginger (½ tsp, no need to peel) or ginger powder (a pinch) for a little warmth.
• Vegan yogurt: Replace some plant-based milk with dairy-free yogurt for a thicker, creamier kale and banana smoothie.
• Other fruits: One of the easiest ways to add flavor and disguise veggies is extra fruit (replace 1 banana with ½-¾ cup of other fruit). This kale smoothie pairs particularly with mango, pineapple, peaches, strawberry, blueberry, and mixed berries.
• Seed/Nut butter: Add 1 Tbsp of peanut butter, almond butter, sunflower seed butter, etc., for added rich flavor plus heart-healthy fats, fiber, and protein.
• Vegan protein powder: Add 1 scoop of unflavored, vanilla, or fruity protein powder for a kale protein smoothie.
• Oats: ¼ cup of rolled oats adds a ton of fiber for a super-filling breakfast banana green smoothie.
• Ground seeds: Add 1 Tbsp ground flaxseed, chia seeds, or hemp seeds for added fiber, plant-based protein, and heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.

How to Make a Banana Kale Smoothie?

If using a low-powered/old blender, you may need to give the machine breaks to scrape down the sides. Allowing the bananas 10 minutes to thaw before blending may help, too.

Top Tips For The Best Results

• Adjust the consistency: For a thinner smoothie, add more plant-based milk. For a thicker one, add some ice cubes.
• If using a weak blender: Always add the soft/liquid ingredients first and use small, frozen chopped banana pieces to make them easier to blend. Fresh bananas also work, but the smoothie won’t be as thick and ice cream-like.
• Tweak to taste: Experiment with various add-ins. For example, pair the base recipe with some ground seed or nut/seed butter with another type of fruit to boost the nutrients further. This will increase the fiber, protein, micronutrients, and antioxidants in this recipe for kale smoothie.
• Sweeten to taste: The bananas may be sweet enough, but if not, add your favorite natural sweetener to taste.

Storage Instructions

I always have a stash of frozen bananas and other fruits in the freezer for last-minute smoothie (and banana ice cream) needs. You can also prepare individual zip-top bags with the portioned banana and kale to tip into the blender each morning with plant-based milk. Any extra kale from the bunch is great in a strawberry kale salad or a pot of kale vegetable bean soup.

It’s best to consume the frozen kale smoothie immediately after making it. If using fresh bananas, you can store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a day (best within 4-5 hours), shaking it well before drinking.

You can also freeze leftover smoothie in Ziplock/Stasher bags (spread thin, excess air squeezed out) for up to 3 months. Leave it to thaw in the fridge overnight before shaking/stirring well to enjoy.

Alternatively, you can also use the leftovers to pour into popsicle molds as a simple, healthy frozen treat!

Banana Kale Smoothie FAQs