Adding veggies to your morning smoothie can be a great way to make sure you have at least 5 servings of fruits & vegetables that day. This pineapple cucumber smoothie recipe is a delicious option for a healthy breakfast or snack.
This sweet pineapple cucumber smoothie is just the latest addition to my collection of healthy smoothie recipes here on the blog because I love them so much! This is actually the second smoothie recipe I have with cucumber – this mango cilantro smoothie is my first. (It’s also delicious!)
Smoothies like this one are a pain-free and delicious way to include more vegetables in your diet since you can hardly taste them in the smoothie and they don’t require any cooking.
To make it a meal, I almost always pair my morning smoothie with some peanut butter toast, a handful of this yummy grain free granola, or a packaged granola bar to keep me going all morning.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- This cucumber pineapple smoothie is a quick and easy way to incorporate more vegetables into your diet – no cooking required! The high water content of the cucumbers plus the tropical fruits make this a refreshing drink for a hot summer day.
- Sweet, ripe pineapple chunks provide lots of tropical flavor which pairs well with the lime juice and cucumber.
- This recipe is vegan, dairy free, nut free, gluten free, and egg free. It’s also toddler approved. 😉
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Cucumber: for best results, try to use English cucumber or Persian cucumbers for this smoothie. These varieties have a much thinner skin and smaller seeds than regular cucumbers. If you can’t find the Persian cucumbers, just peel your cucumber before blending.
- Spinach: Fresh baby spinach is my favorite option for greens when adding to a smoothie. However, you could also use fresh baby kale or lettuce (like romaine).
- Plant-based Milk: I prefer unsweetened, plain soy milk for smoothie recipes because it doesn’t have added sugar and it is higher in protein than other plant milks like almond milk, light coconut milk, or oat milk. However, any milk that you like will work. If you don’t want to use milk, you can use coconut water, cold water, or orange juice instead.
- Pineapple: Use fresh or frozen pineapple for this smoothie. I usually have some frozen pineapple in the freezer so I typically use frozen for this creamy pineapple cucumber smoothie.
- Banana: Use fresh or frozen banana. If using both frozen banana and pineapple, you may need to add a little extra milk as it will be quite thick – almost like a frosty.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Smoothie Nutrition Boosters
- Chia seeds: adding just 2 tablespoons of chia seeds provides an additional 4.5 grams of protein and 10 grams of fiber as well as some omega 3 fatty acids.
- Hemp hearts: add 3 tablespoons hemp hearts for 10 grams protein and 1 gram of fiber.
- Ground flax seeds: add 3 tablespoons ground flax seed for 4.5 grams of protein as well as heart healthy omega 3 fats.
- Almond butter: add 1 tablespoon almond butter for an extra 3 g protein as well as heart healthy fats.
- Protein powder: add a scoop of your favorite protein powder to boost the protein content.
Step by Step
Step One: Add all of your smoothie ingredients to a high speed blender. Put the spinach in first to help it blend better.
Step Two: Blend until smooth. Add more milk if you want a thinner smoothie.
Looking for more vegan smoothie recipes created by a plant-based dietitian? Check out my roundup of 15+ delicious vegan smoothies!
Expert Tips
- Blending tip for greens: Avoid a chunky green smoothie by adding your spinach to the blender pitcher first so that the other ingredients weigh it down and push the spinach into the blade. This is really helpful when you don’t have a higher powered blender!
- Adjust thickness: Use frozen fruit if you prefer a thicker smoothie consistency. Add more milk if your smoothie is too thick.
- Add sweetness: Add an extra 1/2-1 tablespoon of maple syrup, agave or honey to add more sweetness. You can also toss a medjool date in before blending for additional sweetness.
Pineapple Cucumber Smoothie Benefits
- Pineapple and spinach are both great sources of Vitamin C which helps promote smoother skin due to its role in the formation of collagen, a structural component of our skin, teeth, and hair. It is also a powerful antioxidant that can help protect against radical damage which over time can lead to chronic disease.
- Spinach contains many beneficial plant compounds like lutein which supports eye health. It is also a good source of vitamin K which helps with blood clotting and plays an important role in bone health.
- Both pineapple and spinach contain potassium which plays an important role in managing blood pressure.
- Increase your nutrient absorption of the fat soluble vitamins in green smoothies by adding some healthy fats like chia seeds, almond butter, or ground flax seeds.
Recipe FAQs
Fresh spinach is a great option for smoothies because it blends well and has a very mild flavor. You can also use kale, Swiss chard, or collard greens but you may need to add more fruit to balance out the bitter flavor of these greens. Lettuce can also be added to smoothies – romaine or iceberg are both good options.
Sure! If you like sipping on a green smoothie with breakfast or as a pre/post workout snack, there is nothing wrong with doing that every day. Just make sure you are getting a variety of different foods in your diet at other meals.
Nope! Raw spinach has a very mild flavor that is covered up by the pineapple, lime, and banana in this smoothie recipe so you can’t taste it. My toddler isn’t a fan of cooked spinach but will happily drink a green smoothie with spinach!
More Recipes You’ll Love
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Pineapple Cucumber Smoothie
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh spinach leaves
- 1 1/2 cups frozen pineapple
- 1 cup plain, unsweetened soy milk
- 1 cup chopped cucumber
- 1 banana
- 1/2 lime, juiced
Instructions
- Add all of your smoothie ingredients to a blender and puree until smooth. Add more milk or ice if needed to change the consistency.
Notes
- Like ultra thick smoothies? Use frozen banana in addition to frozen pineapple for an extra thick & frosty smoothie.
- Don’t like banana? Use 1/2 of an avocado or 1 cup frozen cauliflower rice instead. You may also want to add a date or a little maple syrup for sweetness too.
- Don’t have spinach? You can also use fresh baby kale leaves or even romaine lettuce instead.
- Want more protein? Add a scoop of your favorite protein powder. (Use vanilla or unsweetened.) If you don’t have protein powder, you can add chia seeds or hemp hearts for extra protein.
Nutrition
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Comments & Reviews
It’s the best first time trying smoothies
Love ❤️ it
So refreshing and love the cucumber-pineapple combo! My new favorite