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This cucumber spinach smoothie combines frozen pineapple, ripe banana, fresh spinach, cucumber, and lime juice for an easy dairy-free smoothie.
The healthy smoothie is quick and easy to make using simple ingredients. Use frozen pineapple to reduce prep work, a ripe brown-spotted banana to make the beverage creamy, and a splash of lime juice to add a pop of brightness.
For more easy smoothies with cucumber and spinach, try a pineapple cucumber smoothie with kiwi or a mango cucumber smoothie.
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Recipe features
- Vegan, dairy-free, and plant-based!
- Quick and easy to make using simple ingredients!
- An easy way to get more vegetables into your diet!
Ingredient notes and substitutions
The spinach cucumber smoothie recipe uses simple ingredients, but please see the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
English cucumber - No need to peel the cucumber, trim the ends off and slice it. I prefer using English or Hothouse cucumbers; they have thin skin and tiny seeds, so they don’t need to be peeled or de-seeded.
Garden cucumber can also be used, they are common in stores throughout North America. They are usually shorter than an English cucumber and have smoother, thicker skins. Their skins can be bitter and usually need to be peeled, but I didn’t taste a difference in the smoothie when I used an unpeeled garden cucumber. If it’s waxed, then you’ll want to peel it.
For more beverages with cucumbers, try lemon water with cucumber and mint, lemon ginger cucumber water, or cucumber apple smoothie.
Fresh spinach - We use fresh spinach for this recipe, but fresh kale can also be used. If you substitute spinach for kale, remove the kale from the stems and tear the leaves into bite-sized pieces to blend more easily.
Frozen pineapple - Frozen pineapple will create a thicker smoothie, while fresh creates a thinner consistency. If you substitute with fresh ripe pineapple, add ice cubes to chill the smoothie. Since fresh fruit will add more liquid, start with less water if substituting the frozen pineapple for fresh pineapple. If the smoothie is too thick, water can always be added back.
For more pineapple-based beverages, try a pineapple peach smoothie, a pineapple slushy, or an orange carrot ginger smoothie.
Ripe Banana - There’s no need to freeze the banana. A ripe, brown, spotted banana adds a hint of sweetness to the smoothie and also serves as a binder. To make the smoothie without a banana, add 2 tablespoons of whole chia seeds to act as a binder instead of the banana. Add them in with the rest of the ingredients and blend them into the smoothie. The banana version will be sweeter than the chia seed version.
Fresh lime juice - The fresh lime juice gives the spinach cucumber smoothie a slight tangy flavor. I enjoy adding some type of citrus for a pop of brightness to smoothies. The lime juice can be substituted with a peeled kiwi. Adjust the amount of lime juice to suit your personal preference. For another smoothie with lime juice, try a spinach pineapple banana smoothie.
Cold water - Water can be substituted with dairy-free milk, which will make the smoothie creamier. Try it with unsweetened plain almond, oat, cashew, or soy milk. Coconut water can also be used instead of plain water.
Tips
- Chop the cucumber before adding it to the blender; large pieces sometimes get stuck and don’t move down to the blades to puree.
- Peel the cucumber if you want to. I didn’t notice a difference in the taste, so I chose not to.
- If you substitute spinach with kale and your blender has trouble blending it, you can blend it with the water and cucumber first. Then add the frozen pineapple, ripe banana, and lime juice. You can also try letting the frozen fruit partially thaw to blend more easily.
- If you use all fresh fruit instead of frozen, you may want to reduce the amount of water. The smoothie also won’t be chilled if you use all fresh fruit.
- If you prefer a sweeter smoothie, try adding soft pitted dates. If your dates are not soft, soak them in the water used for the recipe for about 30 minutes.
Variations
Enjoy the cucumber and spinach smoothie as is or try a different variation.
- Use coconut water instead of water.
- Use half frozen mango and half frozen pineapple.
- Use a kiwi, an orange, or lemon juice instead of lime juice. Add to taste.
- Add chia seeds or hemp seeds before blending, they’ll blend into the smoothie. Adjust the water if it becomes too thick.
- Use kale instead of spinach. Remove the stems and tear the leaves into bite-sized pieces before adding them to the blender. You may need to add more water if you use kale instead of spinach.
- For a little kick, add freshly grated ginger.
- Make the recipe into a smoothie bowl by using less water. To make it easier on your blender to blend frozen fruit into a smoothie bowl, let the frozen fruit partially thaw before blending. This reduces the need for so much liquid to puree the frozen fruit. Then top it with oil-free granola, sliced banana, shredded coconut, fresh or thawed pineapple chunks, fresh or thawed dragon fruit, fresh or thawed mango chunks, or fresh berries.
How to make a cucumber spinach smoothie
Add the sliced cucumber, spinach, frozen pineapple, banana, water, and lime juice to a blender.
Start on a low speed and increase the speed when the ingredients start to blend.
Blend until smooth. Stop the blender if there are any air pockets, push down the ingredients, and then continue blending. If the smoothie is too thick, add more water.
Serving suggestions
Smoothies tend to be delicious but not very filling. I use them as an afternoon snack and not as a main meal. To enjoy this smoothie as a meal, try pairing it with strawberry toast, avocado tomato toast, vegan avocado toast, vegan toast, dairy-free overnight oats, or plant-based granola.
Storage
The smoothie is best served immediately, but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator and consumed within 24 hours. If there is any liquid separation, stir it back in. Leftovers can also be frozen in ice cube trays and used later to add flavor to other smoothies.
Frequently asked questions
If you’re new to adding greens to your smoothie and not sure if you’d like them, start with spinach. It has a milder taste than kale, and it’s easier to cover up with fruit. You can also try adding half the amount of greens, then slowly increasing the amount over time as you get used to them.
It depends on how well your blender can break down frozen pineapple. If it has trouble, try letting the frozen pineapple partially thaw to help the blender puree it more easily. Then start by blending the chopped cucumber, spinach, and water. Then add the banana, partially thawed pineapple, and lime juice.
To keep the smoothie banana-free, use 2 tablespoons of whole chia seeds to act as a binder. Add them in with the rest of the ingredients and blend them into the smoothie. I would add the chia seeds on top of some of the ingredients since they tend to stick to the bottom if they’re put in first. The banana-free version will not be as sweet as the banana version.
The smoothie is best the day it's made, but if needed, it can be made a day in advance. If there is any liquid separation, stir it before consuming.
If the smoothie is too thick, add more water to thin it out.
If the smoothie is too thin, add more frozen pineapple, banana, whole chia seeds, or more fresh spinach until the smoothie is thick enough.
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Recipe
Cucumber Spinach Smoothie
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This cucumber spinach smoothie combines frozen pineapple, ripe banana, fresh spinach, cucumber, and lime juice for an easy dairy-free smoothie.
Ingredients
- 1 English cucumber, sliced
- 2 handfuls fresh spinach
- 2 cups frozen pineapple chunks
- 1 ripe brown spotted banana, peeled
- 1 cup water
- ½ lime, juiced
Instructions
- Add the sliced cucumber, spinach, frozen pineapple, banana, water, and lime juice to a high-speed blender.
- Blend until smooth. Stop the blender if air pockets form, push the ingredients down, and then continue blending. If the smoothie is too thick, add more water.
Notes
Chop the cucumber before adding it to the blender; large pieces sometimes get stuck and don’t move down to the blades to puree.
If your English cucumber is very large, use ½ or ¾ of it instead.
Peel the cucumber if you want to. I didn’t notice a difference in the taste, so I chose not to.
Add lime juice to taste.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: breakfast
- Method: blender
- Cuisine: american
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