Can You Use Frozen Spinach in a Smoothie?

When you think of smoothies, you may not imagine using spinach as the main ingredient. In fact, you may be wondering to yourself, “Can you use frozen spinach in a smoothie?” The answer might shock you, but the truth is, you can!

Spinach is a beloved vegetable, not only for its taste, but also for its amazing health benefits. Spinach is full of nutrients such as vitamins A and C, magnesium, iron, and more.

It’s essentially a super food, so it’s no wonder that more and more people are turning to spinach for their smoothie recipes.

can you use frozen spinach in a smoothie

While spinach makes for a great snack, meal, or smoothie ingredient, you need to be careful.

You’ve heard of the phrase, “too much of a good thing,” and that applies to spinach as well.

Here are a few of our favorite smoothie recipes that use frozen spinach:

- Tropical Green Smoothie
- Simple Green Smoothie
- The Best Green Smoothie
- Smoothie Freezer Packs (this is a great idea!)

How to freeze spinach for your smoothie

Now that we've answered the question, can you use frozen spinach in a smoothie, you're probably wondering how to freeze spinach.

If you prefer to do it yourself instead of just buying frozen spinach, rest assured it's pretty easy.

First you need to wash and dry your spinach, and remove the stems. Put it in a Ziplock bag and make sure you remove as much air as possible. Place the bag in the freezer. And voila! You have frozen spinach for your next smoothie.

Now, spinach is great and all, but you probably want to mix up your smoothie ingredients so that you get a nice, healthy variety in your meals. Besides spinach, here are just a few other vegetables to add to your smoothie.

Sweet potatoes

When you think of smoothies, you might not consider sweet potatoes as a preferred ingredient. However, did you know that sweet potatoes will give your smoothie a slightly sweet and creamy taste?

Not only that, but sweet potatoes are excellent for post-workouts because they help refuel and recover your body thanks to its carbohydrates. Boost your sweet potato smoothie with cinnamon, orange, almond, bananas, and other ingredients.

Here are two great recipes: classic sweet potato smoothie and cinnamon sweet potato pie smoothie.

Carrots

Like spinach, carrots are another superfood full of such minerals and vitamins as Vitamin C, potassium, iron, copper, fiber, and vitamin A. If you’re tired of using spinach in your smoothies, give carrots a try.

As for taste, you can expect a carrot smoothie to be much more potent due to the stronger flavor found in carrots. But there is still a hint of sweetness that gives it just the right kick to make the drink delicious.

We recommend using lightly steamed and roasted carrots for your smoothie, which will allow them to adequately blend.

Looking for inspiration? Try this carrot ginger turmeric smoothie or this mango carrot smoothie recipe.

Cauliflower

Another unusual vegetable to consider for your smoothie is cauliflower.

Did you know that cauliflower is actually one of the healthiest vegetables available, and that it comes with 77% of your daily value of vitamins C and K, protein, niacin, manganese, and other minerals? 

If you’re curious about the taste of a cauliflower smoothie, you don’t have to worry. It’s actually very mild compared to other vegetables, and you’ll find that it’s fun to mix and match with other vegetables to boost the flavors. 

Not quite sure about this one? Try this strawberry mango cauliflower recipe or this delicious peanut butter cauliflower smoothie.

Zucchini

Zucchini is a favorite vegetable among smoothie fans. The creamy texture and vitamin-rich composition make it a strong contender for best smoothie ingredient. 

You’ll also notice that zucchini smoothies are much easier to digest and contain fewer calories. Zucchini will add a high amount of antioxidants, vitamin C, fiber, riboflavin, and other minerals to your palate.

Give it a try with this blueberry zucchini smoothie or this chocolate zucchini option.

can you use frozen spinach in a smoothie

Squash

Squash can include a variety of vegetables such as butternut, pumpkin, acorn, and Kabocha. These vegetables include minerals like magnesium, copper, calcium, and iron, and also high amounts of vitamins A, C, and E.

Squash is used to support healthy eyes and skin, and to help prevent cancer and high blood pressure. Curious about the taste? A squash smoothie will taste slightly sweeter, but with a smoother and creamier texture.

Not sure where to start? Try this butternut squash, date and cinnamon smoothie or this anti-inflammatory squash recipe.

Cucumber

Cucumbers are an excellent addition to smoothies because of their hydrating abilities. Adding cucumbers into your smoothie means you’ll be getting tons of water, plus vitamins K, B and C, copper, potassium, and other minerals that you need to stay healthy and strong.

Cucumbers are also known to support skin health, stabilize blood sugar, and promote energy.

Check out this recipe for a pineapple cucumber smoothie or this spinach cucumber smoothie.

Final thoughts 

Including vegetables in your daily meals (especially your smoothies) is not only recommended, it’s necessary.

More and more people are not getting their daily recommended intake of vegetables and instead replacing them with products that contain artificial sweeteners and sugar.

Thankfully, the aforementioned vegetables will help you diversify your meal while also improving your overall health. Remember, you can add som many interesting ingredients to your smoothies, including a wide range of vegetables we bet you didn't even know about.

Olivia Watts

Set designer assistant Olivia was a meat-and-potatoes girl until one of her hipster co-workers on the latest superhero film handed her a lunch that came in a cup with a fat straw. With one life-changing sip of that fruit smoothie, Olivia tossed away her hammer, started up her own business, and now manages six smoothie franchises.