Can You Use Frozen Spinach in a Smoothie – Answered! Plus 9 Healthy Smoothies Recipes

Spinach leaves are one powerful veggie that can be added to smoothies, giving them that wonderful green colour. It’s rich in fibre, zinc, vitamins B, A, C, calcium, and more! Providing you with that electrifying boost you need every morning, or perhaps before an intense workout. But can you use frozen spinach in a smoothie?

Table of Contents

• What Does Spinach Taste Like?
• Adding Spinach to Smoothies
• Does Spinach Alter the Taste in Smoothies?
• Frozen Spinach vs Raw Spinach
• Is Frozen Spinach Good for Smoothies?
• Is It Safe to Freeze Spinach?
• Can You Freeze Raw Spinach for Smoothies?
• Can You Use Frozen Fruit in Smoothies?
• How to Make a Spinach Smoothie?
• Other Healthy Green Smoothies
  • Green Smoothie
  • Breakfast Smoothie
  • Avocado Smoothie
  • Green Goddess Smoothie
  • Kale Smoothie
  • Green Smoothie Bowl
  • Green Rainbow Smoothie
  • Kiwi Fruit Smoothie
  • Spinach Smoothie
• So Can You Use Frozen Spinach in a Smoothie
• FAQs

What Does Spinach Taste Like?

Raw spinach has a mild, slightly sweet taste that is particularly refreshing when added to salads. While its flavour becomes a tad acidic and bold when cooked. Unlike lettuce, which provides a bitter and profound crunch when bitten, Spinach leaves aren’t crunchy as you would assume. Spinach can take on a bitter flavour when wilted, which is why many prefer to use fresh spinach leaves in salads, and smoothies.

Adding Spinach to Smoothies

Spinach is a power-packed veggie, that is fantastic when added to smoothies, it has a pretty neutral flavour and doesn’t remove the sweetness from your smoothies. Spinach is rich in vitamins and antioxidants, providing that powerful, yet refreshing boost we all require from our early morning smoothies.

Does Spinach Alter the Taste in Smoothies?

Essentially, you could add spinach to almost anything, because the taste is perfectly neutral, allowing you to enjoy the brilliant nutrients it provides, without an overpowering potency. You can appreciate the sweet flavours of the fruits added to your smoothie, whilst your body can appreciate the benefits coming from the few spinach leaves.

Frozen Spinach vs Raw Spinach

Frozen spinach is a great way to add greens to smoothies. It’s more convenient than raw spinach, and it’s also more affordable. Frozen spinach has a more robust flavour than raw spinach, so you don’t need as much of it in your smoothie. This means that while frozen spinach costs less than fresh or organic baby spinach, you get the same nutritional punch with less money spent on ingredients.

The amazing part about having frozen spinach is that you can blend it in your favourite recipes, for a nutrient-packed punch, or use it to make savoury recipes like soups or stews. Additionally, if you’re looking to add more greens to your diet, then using frozen spinach in your fruity smoothies is a great way to do this. Frozen spinach is much easier to blend than raw spinach, meaning that it won’t leave large leafy remnants behind when blended.

Is Frozen Spinach Good for Smoothies?

Yes, you can use frozen spinach in your morning smoothies. Freezing the spinach doesn’t change the taste, or remove the nutrients present in the leafy veggie. The high fibre content of frozen spinach makes it an excellent weight loss food, as it helps reduce the appetite by making you feel full for longer periods. Frozen spinach is quite convenient since its already cleaned, chopped and frozen, and much cheaper than fresh spinach, especially if you buy it in bulk.

Alternatively, if you’ve used some fresh spinach, and have a little leftover, you could freeze the rest for the next day, so that it remains fresh, and doesn’t wilt, or turn watery when kept in the fridge.

Is It Safe to Freeze Spinach?

You may be under the impression that frozen spinach is a poor substitute for fresh, though this is a misconception. In fact, frozen spinach can be just as good for your smoothies as fresh. The nutrition found in raw spinach, is in no way eliminated when the spinach is frozen.

Can You Freeze Raw Spinach for Smoothies?

When planning to freeze raw spinach you should opt for the best quality you can find. Wash and dry it thoroughly before chopping it up and placing it in a freezer bag or container. Simply remove the stems, then chop the leaves into smaller pieces, seal them in a freezer bag, and pop them in the freezer, ready for your smoothie.

Can You Use Frozen Fruit in Smoothies?

Using frozen fruit in smoothies can be a great way to make your smoothies thicker, creamier and less watery. Though frozen fruits are brilliant for smoothies, you do have to be mindful about the ratio of frozen to fresh ingredients. You’ll also want to ensure that your frozen fruit doesn’t overpower your other ingredients, like greens that tend to pack their own set of potent flavours. For instance, if you’re using kale or spinach as one of your main ingredients in a green smoothie, apples and bananas won’t do anything other than enhance their flavour and cause your drink’s temperature to rise dramatically, which isn’t so great during the hot summer days.

How to Make a Spinach Smoothie?

If you’re planning to use frozen spinach in your smoothies, you shouldn’t thaw the spinach before blending, as the extra moisture will dilute the taste of your smoothie.

To make this green spinach smoothie, you only need 4 ingredients: spinach, pineapple, kiwi, and your choice of milk. You could use frozen fruit and spinach for this recipe, in order to keep the same thick consistency. Furthermore, the frozen ingredients will create a cold, refreshing beverage, perfect for the warmer days.

To make the smoothie, add the spinach and fruit, then top it with milk. You could use half milk and half water instead, but the choice is yours. Blend this mixture of high speed for 40 to 60 seconds until the smoothie is thick and creamy.

Other Healthy Green Smoothies

The great thing about green smoothies, is that they are quick, easy and delicious. You can make them instantly without having to think so hard. You can start with any fruits you like, whether its strawberries or bananas. If you’re feeling more experimental, then you might want to add avocado, or coconut water instead of plain water. Then go ahead and add some spinach leaves, or kale for extra nutrients. Here are some green smoothies for you to try:

• Green Smoothie
• Breakfast Smoothie
• Avocado Smoothie
• Green Goddess Smoothie
• Kale Smoothie
• Green Smoothie Bowl
• Green Rainbow Smoothie
• Kiwi Fruit Smoothie
• Spinach Smoothie

Green Smoothie

This sweet smoothie is loaded with plentiful, nutritious ingredients, such as spinach, flaxseeds and banana, with an optional spoonful of maca powder for a natural energy boost. Enjoy this smoothie instantly, on the way to work, or during the late evening. You might choose frozen ingredients, in place of fresh ingredients, depending on the type of consistency you wish to achieve. Here’s what you’ll need:

• 250ml milk of your choice
• 1 tbsp flaxseed
• 1 tsp maca powder
• A pinch of ground cinnamon
• 1 date
• 1 small ripe banana
• A handful of Spinach
• 1 tbsp almond butter

Pour the milk into a blender, then add the ground flaxseed, maca powder, and the cinnamon. Add the remaining ingredients then blend until smooth. Pour into glasses and serve.

Breakfast Smoothie

Try this blend of healthy, nutritious and delicious ingredients for an energy-boosting breakfast. Using unsweetened rice milk, laced with calcium and vitamins making it more nutritious. For this recipe you’ll need:

• 1 handful of spinach
• 100g broccoli florets, roughly chopped
• 2 celery sticks
• 4 tbsp desiccated coconut
• 1 banana
• 300ml rice milk
• 1/4 tsp vegan protein powder

Blend these ingredients using a food processor or blender, until smooth.

Avocado Smoothie

An easy, creamy deliciously vibrant smoothie, gets its brilliant green colour from avocado, cucumber, spinach and kale. Combine these ingredients in a blender with pineapple and coconut water, for a spectacular energy-boosting smoothie.

• 1/2 avocado peeled
• Handful of spinach
• Handful kale
• 50g pineapple chunks
• 10cm piece cucumber, roughly chopped
• 300ml coconut water

Put the avocado, spinach, kale, pineapple, and cucumber in a blender, then top with coconut water and blend until smooth.

Green Goddess Smoothie

Have a go at this tasty breakfast smoothie to begin your day. Pair these sweet fruits with nutritious spinach and avocado for a boost of beneficial nutrients and fibre. Here’s what you’ll need:

• 160g ripe strawberries
• 160g baby spinach
• 1 small avocado, halved
• 150ml yoghurt
• 2 small oranges, juiced, plus 1/2 tsp finely grated zest

Place all the ingredients in a blender and whizz until completely smooth. If it has a thicker consistency than desired, then add some drops of chilled water and blend again. Pour this chilled smoothie into some glasses and drink instantly.

Kale Smoothie

Give yourself a dose of vitamin C before your morning tasks have begun. With a hint of zesty lime and pineapple, this smoothie will surely provide you with the extra kick you need, to feel energised in the day.

• 2 handfuls kale
• 1/2 avocado
• 1/2 lime juice
• Frozen pineapple chunks
• Medium chunk of ginger
• 1 tbsp cashew nuts
• 1 banana

Throw all the ingredients into a smoothie maker, add a large splash of water, adding more until you’ve reached the desired consistency. Then blend until smooth and enjoy!

Green Smoothie Bowl

A fruity, yet colourful breakfast is the best way to start the day. With blended avocado spinach and nut butter, topped with fresh fruit and seeds.

• 2 bananas, sliced
• 1 ripe avocado peeled
• 1 small ripe mango chopped into chunks
• 100g spinach
• 250ml milk
• 1 tbsp unsweetened almond or peanut butter
• 1 tbsp clear honey
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 1 tbsp linseeds
• 4 tbsp pumpkin seeds
• 4 tbsp sunflower seeds
• 4 tbsp coconut flakes
• 4 tbsp flaked almonds
• 1/4 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tbsp clear honey, agave or maple syrup
• 175g mixed fresh fruit chopped

Slice the bananas and arrange them over a small baking tray lined with parchment. Freeze them for 2 hours until solid. For the seeds. heat the oven to 180C and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Tip the seeds, coconut and almonds into a bowl, add the cinnamon and drizzle over the honey, agave or maple syrup. Toss until everything is well coated, then scatter over the baking tray in an even layer. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or so, until the seeds are lightly toasted.

Put the avocado, mango, spinach, milk, nut butter, frozen banana slices and honey in a blender and whizz to create a thick smoothie consistency. Plop this into a bowl, and arrange the fruits on top, scattering the seed mix over each bowl. Devour instantly.

Green Rainbow Smoothie

A breakfast bowl of vibrant, green smoothness that keeps your body happy throughout the entirety of the day, complete with blueberries, and avocados.

• 50g spinach
• 1 avocado
• 1 ripe mango
• 1 apple
• 200ml almond milk
• 1 dragon fruit
• 100g mixed berries

Put the spinach, avocado, mango, apple, and almond milk in a blender, and blend until smooth and thick. Divide between two bowls and top with dragon fruit and berries.

Kiwi Fruit Smoothie

A simple kiwi, mango and pineapple fruit smoothie, makes an excellent morning treat. An easy way to pack in the vitamins and give yourself that quick boost.

3 peeled kiwi

1 mango peeled

500ml pineapple juice

1 banana

Place all the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth, then pour this delicious beverage into two tall glasses.

Spinach Smoothie

Blend this delicious spinach smoothie, complete with creamy avocados, sweet mangoes, and milk in no time. If you have any leftovers, you can try freezing them in lolly moulds, for an easy dessert.

• 2 chunks frozen spinach
• 1/2 avocado
• 1 fresh or frozen mango
• 1 banana
• 500ml milk

Blend the frozen spinach with the avocado chopped mango, banana and milk in a blender until velvety smooth.

So Can You Use Frozen Spinach in a Smoothie

For a smoothie with a thick, creamy consistency, using frozen ingredients like frozen fruits, kale or spinach is great. Especially if you want your smoothie to hold a smooth consistency, with no visible bits of green leafy spinach! Frozen spinach has no flavour, rendering your smoothie entirely delicious, and complete with vital nutrients.

FAQs