15 Best Vegetables for Smoothies

Smoothies are an ideal way to sneak some veggies into your diet! The best vegetables for smoothies might surprise you. You can add everything from leafy greens to carrots and cauliflower.

Why Add Veggies to Smoothies:

Vegetables are nutrient-dense and low in calories! They’re jam-packed with micronutrients and vitamins your body needs to function and thrive.

• Antioxidants – Veggies are loaded with disease-fighting antioxidants! They protect your healthy cells from free radicals. Free radical damage contributes to several chronic diseases and cancer.
• Fiber – Fiber becomes food for the healthy bacteria in our gut!
• Vitamins – Our bodies need essential vitamins to support our immune system and help our organs do their jobs.

It’s no secret that vegetables are an important part of a healthy diet. And smoothies are a great way to up your daily intake.

I add everything from carrots and sweet potatoes to greens and broccoli.

With a high-speed blender and a few tips, you’ll be blending up veggie smoothies in no time!

Blender For Veggie Smoothies:

If you plan to add greens and veggies to your smoothies, I highly recommend a high-speed blender.

A high-speed blender is just a regular blender with a more powerful base! It’s built to pulverize frozen ingredients into a smooth consistency. Generally speaking, the higher the wattage, the more powerful the blender.

For example, the Vitamix E310 has a 1400 watt base and a Hamilton Beach Wave Crusher has a 700 watt base. That’s a big difference!

You can make a green smoothie in a regular blender BUT it won’t get as smooth. You’ll end up with tiny bits of veggies and/or greens in it.

I only recommend brands I use and love! The two brands I use right now are:

• Ninja – I’ve had my Ninja for 10+ years! It still works great and only costs me 75 bucks. Not bad for a decade of use. I give it a 7/10 for consistency. It doesn’t pulverize veggies completely smooth, but it does a good job.
• Vitamix – If you can afford it, I highly recommend a Vitamix! It pulverizes everything into a super smooth consistency. 10/10! It’s an investment for sure, but it’s worth the cost if you make smoothies daily.

Best Vegetables for Blending:

The best way to find out which veggies you like in your smoothies is to experiment! My favorites are baby spinach, baby carrots, cooked sweet potato, and herbs.

1. Dark Leafy Greens

A popular choice! You can make ANY smoothie a green smoothie with a handful of baby greens.

Baby greens are ideal because their leaves are softer than mature greens so they blend easily. They’re just as nutritious too!

Here’s a few options to try:

• Baby spinach
• Baby kale
• Swiss chard
• Herbs

Keep in mind, if you combine greens with darker fruits like strawberries, raspberries, or cherries, the smoothie will turn brown!

I don’t mind a brown smoothie so long as it tastes delicious!

2. Sweet Potatoes

You can use frozen sweet potato chunks or cooked sweet potato. In my Ninja, the frozen sweet potato won’t pulverize completely and the texture isn’t great.

If you have a regular blender, I highly recommend using a cooked and cooled sweet potato. It blends right in and adds sweetness!

Combine it with a frozen banana to thicken it up.

Try this combo:

• Frozen banana
• Cooked sweet potato
• Almond milk
• Dates or maple syrup
• Cinnamon
• Nut butter

3. Avocado

I know, I know. Avocado’s a fruit! Because it’s savory and often viewed as a veg, I included it in this list.

You can use fresh or frozen avocado, but I prefer fresh! Avocado is high in heart-healthy fats which is why it’s so lusciously creamy.

Fresh avocado blends right in to a smoothie without overpowering the flavor.

4. Cauliflower

You can use fresh cauliflower, frozen cauliflower florets, or frozen riced cauliflower.

If you use fresh cauliflower, it’s best to combine it with frozen fruit to get a thick shake-like consistency.

When I use my Vitamix, I don’t even notice the cauliflower in there. In my Ninja, it adds lots of texture and not in a good way.

I only recommend cauliflower if you have a high-speed blender like a Vitamix OR you don’t mind texture in your smoothies.

5. Carrots

Carrots are full of beta-carotene, a nutrient that gives them their bright orange hue! Our body converts it into vitamin A, which is essential for healthy eyes and skin.

I prefer baby carrots in smoothies! No peeling or prep needed. Frozen carrots work too, but I get a smoother consistency with fresh.

As always, when using fresh veggies, make sure to pair them with frozen fruit to get the right consistency.

Try this carrot banana smoothie, it’s delish!

6. Cucumber

Say whaa?! Another fruit! I included cucumber because it’s incredibly nutritious and not a typical smoothie addition.

Most people view it in the savory category like a veg, not sweet like a fruit.

I don’t eat cucumbers plain, but I LOVE them in smoothies. They add a fresh, crisp quality I can’t quite describe.

Keep in mind that cucumbers are 96 percent water so they double as a liquid base!

Add less liquid than you normally would to compensate. Otherwise, your smoothie will be too thin.

I buy English cucumbers because they’re naturally sweeter with fewer seeds. Cucumbers taste great with strawberries, mango, and pineapple.

Try this tropical cucumber pineapple smoothie!

7. Beets

You either love ’em or ya hate ’em.

I happen to adore beets. That being said, beets are strong and overpower a smoothie if you add too much. Start with 1/4 cup, then add more as desired.

You can use raw or cooked beets. Well-stocked grocery stores sell ready-to-eat cooked beets. I know Costco sells a three pack.

Use sweet juice like apple, white grape, or pomegranate to disguise the flavor of the beets.

8. Zucchini

Zucchini has a fairly mild, subtly sweet flavor which makes it great for smoothies!

You can chop and freeze it first, then use it as a thickener or just add it fresh.

Fresh zucchini is similar to cucumber in that it doubles as a liquid base! It’s 94 percent water so you won’t need as much liquid.

It tastes great in fruit, chocolate, or green smoothies!

9. Broccoli

Broccoli is packed with vitamin C and bioactive compounds that reduce inflammation.

And it totally works in smoothies! You can use fresh or frozen broccoli florets. That being said, you need a high-speed blender like a Vitamix to get a smooth texture!

Pair broccoli with sweeter fruits like pineapple and mango to overpower the earthy flavor of the broccoli.

Try this broccoli mango smoothie!

10. Pumpkin

Canned pumpkin is a simple and delicious addition to smoothies! It’s creamy and smooth so you don’t have to worry about undesirable textures.

One cup of canned pumpkin boasts 7 grams of fiber! It’s also a good source of Vitamin E, folate, and iron.

Combine it with frozen banana, cinnamon, and dates for a pie-flavored smoothie.

Try this pumpkin pie smoothie!

11. Ginger root

Ginger root is a root vegetable with a spicy, peppery kick to it. You can find it in the produce aisle near the peppers.

It’s a nutritional superstar! It boasts anti-inflammatory properties, aids digestion, and contains gingerol, a powerful antioxidant.

A little bit goes a long way in smoothies! Start with 3/4 teaspoon of freshly grated ginger, then add more as desired. Or you can buy ginger paste.

Try this green detox smoothie with ginger!

12. Celery

Celery adds a super fresh quality to smoothies. It’s 95 percent water, which means it doubles as a liquid base. Decrease your liquid a little bit to compensate.

It’s full of immune-boosting vitamin C, beta-carotene, and flavonoids. It’s been shown to reduce inflammation and aid digestion.

Celery tastes great with apple, banana, spinach, pineapple, oranges, orange juice, peaches, and pears.

13. Herbs

I live for herbs! Their vibrant green color and intense aroma can’t be beat. Not to mention, fresh herbs are a good source of antioxidants!

Here’s a few herbs to try in your next smoothie:

• Basil
• Mint
• Cilantro (One of my faves!)
• Parsley

Start with a small handful, then add more as desired. If you add too much, it can make the smoothie bitter.

Try this cilantro smoothie!

14. Yellow Squash

Similar to zucchini, yellow squash is mild and subtly sweet in flavor. You can use fresh, sliced squash or you can freeze it first.

Frozen squash will help thicken a smoothie and fresh squash will thin it out. Just be sure to use other frozen ingredients if you use fresh squash.

15. Butternut Squash

They sell frozen butternut squash chunks at well-stocked grocery stores.

That being said, you won’t get a smooth consistency unless you have a high-quality blender like a Vitamix. Even my Ninja can’t pulverize it completely.

You can also use cooked and mashed butternut squash. Just be sure to let it cool first! It adds natural sweetness.

16. Bell Peppers

Bell peppers have a stronger flavor than squash and greens. They’re harder to disguise in a smoothie.

Make sure to pair them with sweet fruits! You can add juice or citrus for even more flavor.

I don’t recommend bell peppers unless you have a high-speed blender. Otherwise you’ll end up with little chunks of bell pepper throughout your smoothie.

Green Smoothie Recipes:

• Green Passion Smoothie – Panera Copycat
• Blueberry Banana Spinach Smoothie
• Coconut Water Smoothie
• Cold Fighting Smoothie