Mango Spinach Smoothie (with Protein!)

This healthy mango spinach smoothie tastes like a refreshing, tropical treat but is secretly packed with protein and a generous serving of greens. Just 5 minutes and a handful of ingredients (fresh or frozen) are all you need to make this for breakfast or a quick snack anytime!

Jump to:

• 🥭 Reasons to love this recipe
• 🍋 Ingredients you need to make it
• 💭 Top tips
• 🍍 Add ins & variations
• 🍨 How to make a smoothie bowl
• 💬 Answering your smoothie FAQ’s
• 🧊 Storage & freezing tips
• 🥛 More easy smoothie recipes
• Mango Spinach Smoothie (with Protein!)

🥭 Reasons to love this recipe

Easy healthy smoothie recipes are my go-to breakfast, especially on busy mornings or really anytime I don’t feel like cooking (which let’s be honest, is almost ALWAYS).

They’re quick, convenient, and packed with everything I need to start the day off strong - a delicious combination of protein, fiber, and healthy fats.

And this fruity, mango spinach smoothie recipe packs an extra punch of protein and leafy green goodness to fuel you up.

I love that it’s creamy, refreshing and filled with bright tropical flavors from the juicy mango, sweet banana, and lemon juice.

And since you can make it with fresh or frozen mango, you can enjoy this sweet treat all year round!

The best part about using spinach in a smoothie is that you can’t even taste it - it blends so easily and gives your glass the most vibrant, beautiful color. Getting your daily dose of leafy greens never tasted so good!

🍋 Ingredients you need to make it

Mango: You can use fresh or frozen mango chunks for this protein smoothie recipe. I like using frozen for the convenience (no peeling or chopping required), ability to find it year-round, and because of how thick and creamy it makes it. 

Banana: I love the natural sweetness and the thick & cream texture that frozen bananas add to smoothies, but you can also use a fresh banana instead.

Baby spinach: I used fresh spinach but you could also use frozen spinach in its place. Or you could swap spinach for baby kale to make a kale smoothie.

Lemon juice: If you ever feel like your smoothies are a little bland or one-note try adding some citrus juice. Bottled lemon juice is super convenient to have on hand to make smoothies but you could also use fresh squeezed lemon or lime juice instead.

Water: I used water for this hydrating smoothie because it helps the tropical flavors really shine and delivers the most vibrant green color. But you could also use milk to make it creamier, coconut water for more electrolytes, or tropical fruit juice to make it sweeter (like pineapple juice, passionfruit juice, orange juice or a blend of fruit juices).

Vanilla protein powder: I like adding plant-based protein powder to my smoothies, it makes them thicker, creamier and gives them extra staying power than an all-fruit smoothie. You can use any type of vanilla protein powder, just be sure to use one you like the taste of. You can also use Greek yogurt in its place for a whole food source of protein instead.

I don’t know about you but I’m a big fan of the mango a go go smoothie (external link) from Jamba Juice! This recipe is a naturally sweetened version inspired by those punchy flavors (but without the sugary sherbet & juice, and with added greens & protein).

💭 Top tips

Whenever possible, use frozen fruit instead of ice: Frozen ingredients make your smoothies thick and satisfying without watering down the flavors the way ice can. Bonus points that if the smoothie warms up, it’ll still maintain the same great taste and thick, creamy texture.

If using fresh fruit, you can add ice for a thicker texture: This smoothie can be made with fresh or frozen fruit, so feel free to add ice cubes to the blender if you want it to be thicker and colder.

Ways to adjust sweetness: In testing this recipe, I didn’t find it needed added sweetener. But feel free to adjust to taste by blending in a bit of honey, maple syrup, pitted dates or liquid stevia drops (especially if your bananas aren't super ripe).

For a vegan smoothie: This smoothie is already naturally dairy free and gluten free, but be sure to use a plant based protein powder for a vegan version.

For a paleo smoothie: This smoothie is also already naturally grain free and refined sugar free, but be sure to use a paleo friendly protein powder for a paleo smoothie. 

🍍 Add ins & variations

For a boost of fiber & healthy fats: Add in 1 tablespoon of chia seeds or ground flaxseed, or ¼ of an avocado.

Without banana: If you want to make this recipe without banana, you can double up on the mango, add more ice, or try using frozen riced cauliflower or zucchini instead (it doesn’t add any flavor and is a great low sugar banana substitute in smoothies).

With Greek yogurt: For an extra boost of protein (or to use in place of protein powder) add ½ cup of plain unsweetened Greek yogurt.

With coconut water: For an even thicker & more hydrating smoothie, try substituting coconut water in place of plain filtered water.

With milk: To make an even creamier smoothie, substitute coconut milk or almond milk in place of water.

With pineapple: To make a pineapple smoothie add ½ cup frozen pineapple chunks, or use pineapple juice in place of water.

With berries: Add ½ cup of frozen strawberries, blueberries, cherries or raspberries.

With peaches: Add ½ cup of fresh or frozen peaches.

With oranges or orange juice: Substitute orange juice in place of water, or simply add some fresh orange slices to the blender.

With ginger: I love adding ginger to smoothies - it’s warming and it pairs really well with mango. You can either grate some fresh ginger into the blender cup or if you have a high-powered blender just drop a small chunk of it in (peel and all!).

🍨 How to make a smoothie bowl

You can turn almost any smoothie recipe into a thick and delicious smoothie bowl just by reducing the amount of liquid you’re using.

To make a mango spinach banana smoothie bowl, reduce the amount of water down to ¾ cup and be sure to use frozen mango and frozen banana. 

You can use any toppings you like, but here’s a few that go really well with this smoothie:

• For texture and crunch: coconut flakes, granola, sliced almonds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, bee pollen
• For fresh fruit: pineapple, banana, mango, kiwi, passionfruit, strawberries, blueberries
• Fun extras: honey, coconut butter, almond butter, peanut butter, coconut cream

💬 Answering your smoothie FAQ’s

What fruits and flavors go with mango?

• Fresh or frozen mango adds a sweet, slightly tart fruit flavor and a natural creaminess to smoothies. So it pairs well with a variety of fruits (especially tropical flavors) - including banana, pineapple, peach, strawberry, blueberry, orange, avocado, coconut and kiwi. And is easily blended with greens (like spinach & kale), whole nuts and seeds & nut/ seed butters, water, yogurt and milk. 

Can you put raw spinach in a smoothie?

• Raw (fresh or frozen) spinach is an easy, affordable way to make a healthy green smoothie at home. It blends very easily and is virtually tasteless in fruit smoothies. I try to add about 1-2 handfuls per smoothie.

Is spinach still healthy in a smoothie?

• Spinach can be an easy, healthy addition to green smoothies and adds additional fiber & nutrients that you’d miss out on with an all-fruit smoothie or green juice.

Is it okay to drink spinach in a smoothie everyday?

• A green smoothie can be a great addition to your daily routine but you can’t rely on smoothies alone to meet all your nutritional needs. It’s generally recommended to aim for a diverse and balanced diet consisting of a wide variety of foods including healthy fats, carbohydrates, protein, and fiber (from whole grains, lean meats, anti-inflammatory oils, nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables, etc).

🧊 Storage & freezing tips

Of course, smoothies are at their best when enjoyed right after blending and you can always prep them in advance with these make ahead freezer bags. Here's a few ways I've stored leftovers in the fridge and freezer. 

If you want to enjoy it within the next day or two, you can store it in the fridge in a tightly sealed lidded container (or pop cling wrap or beeswax wrap on top of your smoothie glass).

If you plan to enjoy it past a few days, you can pour the leftover smoothie mixture into an ice cube tray to make smoothie cubes and freeze them for up to a month.

There may be some separation for either method but you can reblend it again, and even add ice, chia seeds or more frozen mango to thicken it back up again.