Start your morning with this Peanut Butter Banana Kale Smoothie! It’s a nutritious breakfast that actually tastes good, and it’s perfect for peanut butter lovers.
Green smoothies are good for you, but sometimes they don’t taste all that good. But I promise you this one is different. Thanks to the addition of peanut butter, the bitter flavor of kale is completely masked, and all you taste in this smoothie is the delicious peanut butter flavor.
How to make peanut butter banana kale smoothies
The Ingredients
This kale smoothie is made with 5 simple ingredients:
- You’ll get tons of vitamins, minerals and fiber from the kale, cucumber and banana.
- While the milk and peanut butter give you the needed protein to keep you full so you don’t have to worry about needing a snack before lunch time.
- Flaxseed meal is an optional superfood addition for extra nutrients.
Let’s make it
Making this peanut butter banana kale smoothie is as easy as counting from 1 to 2.
- Add all ingredients to your blender. I’m using a Ninja blender personal blender attachment.
- Blend until completely smooth, serve right away.
Tips & substitutions for green smoothie
- Don’t use the tough and fibrous kale stem in the smoothie. If you’re using pre-chopped kale, there should be no stem in the bag. But if you’re using fresh kale, just tear the leaves off the stem and wash thoroughly before using.
- You could substitute the kale with other greens such as spinach or mixed power greens.
- You could substitute the cucumber with other fruits such as green apple, pineapple or berries.
- I recommend using frozen banana and fruits to keep the smoothie extra cold for serving and avoid adding ice which will dilute the smoothie. You could chop and freeze your own mix of fruits the night before. Packing the fruits in ziploc bags into individual portions is a great way to prep ahead.
- Use less milk for a thicker smoothie or more milk for a thinner smoothie. If you want to avoid dairy, use coconut milk, almond milk, or other nut milks. Yogurt can also be substituted in place of milk.
- This peanut butter banana kale smoothie has no added sugar and is sweetened just with the banana. If you’re using other fruits, the sugar content will come from those fruits as well. But if you prefer it a little bit sweeter, you can use honey or maple syrup to avoid refined sugar.
- For extra nutrients, add superfoods like bee pollen, spirulina, hempseed, flax seeds, chia seeds, or cacao nibs.
- Add extra garnishes like coconut chips and crush nuts for crunch and texture.
- Add fresh berries as garnishing or in the smoothie for an extra boost of antioxidants.
Can I make this smoothie ahead of time?
It is best to drink this smoothie immediately. But you can save any leftover tightly covered in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
I recommend preparing the ingredients the night before, keeping the fruits in a ziploc bag in the freezer and keeping the rest of the ingredients in the single serving blender with the lid closed tight. This way, it will take you just a minute to blend it in the morning.
Enjoy this banana kale smoothie and customize your own green smoothie to your heart’s desire!
More smoothie recipes you’ll love
- Strawberry Orange Smoothie
- Mango Peach Smoothie
- Strawberry Banana Smoothie
- Pear Smoothie
- Pina Colada Smoothie
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📖 Recipe card
Peanut Butter Banana Kale Smoothie
Equipment
- Blender
Ingredients
- 1 cup kale leaf (packed)
- 1 cup cucumber (chopped)
- 1 medium banana (sliced and frozen)
- ½ cup milk (any kind you like)
- 2 tablespoon creamy peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon flaxseed meal (optional)
Instructions
- Put all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
- Pour into a glass and enjoy right away.
Notes
- You can use pre-chopped kale or fresh kale from the bunch. If using bunch kale, tear off the leaves and wash thoroughly. Don’t use the stem.
- Substitute kale with spinach or a power greens mix.
- Substitute cucumber with any fruits you like. Green apple, pineapple or berries will all work.
- Use regular milk or dairy free milk of your choice, or yogurt even.
- Add honey or maple syrup to sweeten if you desire.
- Substitute flaxseed meal with other superfoods like bee pollen, spirulina, hempseed, chia seeds, cacao nibs, etc.
Nutrition
Originally published on 9/8/2014. Post updated and republished on 1/12/2021 with prettier photos and tidier writing.
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Chelan
I also use an individual sized Ninja blender, but the recipe seems to call for more than one can hold. Am I right? Should I be halving this to fit the indiv.sz Ninja?
Trang Doan
Do you have the same size blender I have from the photos? In the process shot, it looks like the ingredients are overflowing but once blended down, it fits the blender, just like the photo shows.
Annabelle
Something made this bitter… maybe the skin of the cucumber or too much kale? I think next time I’ll do apple instead of cucumber and not pack the kale so much.
John
I make a similar smoothie
3 bananas
coconut milk
1% milk
coconut yogurt
peanut butter
kale
powdered multi vitamin
cocao
Has a nice peanut butter chocolate flavor
Trang
Thanks John, love that addition of chocolate!
April
I will be honest, I was very scared to taste this after making it, but it taste great! The peanut butter hides the veggie taste and also provides energy boosting protein. Thanks for the recipe!
Trang
Hahaha! I love your honesty April and I’m so glad you liked it 🙂
Marie
This is genius. I’ve never tried adding peanut butter to my smoothies. I’m also a big fan of kale.
Amallia @DesireToEat
wow ..this is my favorite, the great way to hide vegetable into your drinks:-).
Trang
He He thanks Amallia! It’s honestly really tasty too. In fact I’m drinking one right this moment! 🙂
Daria
I love every Smoothie!
Claudia @Breakfast Drama Queen
Ooh, this look delicious!
Trang
Thanks Claudia!