This fresh and tasty Detox Island Tropical Green Smoothie has all the appeal of the popular smoothie chain version. It’s easy to make at home and more affordable too. You also get to easily customize any superfoods you want to add. It’s gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan as well as packed with leafy greens. Fresh tropical fruit flavors with a hint of vanilla make this smoothie a treat.
Tropical flavors are probably my #1 favorite when it comes to green smoothies. There’s just something about this particular combination that really gets me. And I know I’m not the only one since some form of this flavor combo is on every smoothie chain menu.
Watch how to make Detox Island Tropical Green Smoothie
It’s probably because pineapple is such a strong flavor, that it makes a great pairing for extra greens. It’s also my first recommendation to anyone new to green smoothies. Next up would probably be my Pink Grapefruit Green Smoothie which has always been my other obsession!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Pineapple, as mentioned above, is the star ingredient! I prefer fresh for a couple of reasons. First of all, I have yet to get a bag of frozen pineapple where we live that tastes very good. And secondly, I love having fresh pineapple around for my Pineapple Facial and Pineapple Body Treatment – both are amazing for super soft glowing skin.
- Mango, I most often buy this ingredient frozen because good fresh mangoes come and go here. Also, it’s very important to have 1 or more frozen ingredients to make the best smoothie.
- Banana, which is important for the creaminess factor, and adds a bit of extra sweetness that really helps if you’re new to green smoothies. This one can be added in fresh or frozen.
- Liquid, I like to use a mix of coconut milk and around half of a peeled orange in mine. Oranges add lots of liquid to the mix along with Vitamin C, and coconut milk adds that extra tropical flavor and creaminess.
- Greens, I have spinach pictured here, but kale is great too. Lacinato kale is my favorite in smoothies, and you might give it a try if you’ve found the other types of kale to be too ‘grassy’ in flavor.
How to make this recipe step by step
Step 1: Start by adding the pineapple, then frozen mango chunks, and banana. Add the liquid of your choice, vanilla, and the spinach.
If both your pineapple and mango are frozen, you may need a bit more liquid to get the smoothie blending well.
Step 2: Blend the smoothie starting at low speeds and working up to high speed. Blend until completely smooth, about 1 minute, and enjoy right away.
Best superfoods to add to this smoothie
- Hawaiian spirulina – which is a blue-green microalgae that’s packed with nutrients. It’s very high in both Vitamin A and Vitamin B12. It’s important to find Hawaiian spirulina because not all algae powders are created equal. I’ve had my fair share of bad experiences where my smoothie ended up tasting like the ocean smells. But that’s not the case with Hawaiian spirulina!
- Flax meal or chia seeds – I like to add a tablespoon or 2 to my smoothies of either of these for the added fiber and other benefits like omega 3’s in flax meal, and antioxidants, omega 3’s, iron, and calcium in chia seeds. I go back and forth to mix things up from day to day.
- Protein powder or collagen – I usually add a scoop or 2 of collagen to every smoothie I make for both protein and because I hope all the gut health claims being made are true!
Ways to serve this
- Serve this as a ‘pre-breakfast’ boost of fruits and veggies followed with my Sausage Hash Brown Breakfast Bake. Or try it with my Veggie Scrambled Eggs and Air Fryer Sausage Links.
- My favorite way to serve this smoothie is as a mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack.
- This smoothie also seems to be a big hit with kids. I made it when my 3 nephews and niece were staying with us, (a little while back now). I served it right away in the morning followed by scrambled eggs and my Paleo Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins, (which are also a hit with kids incidentally) and they all drank it down with no problem!
FAQ’s
No, this smoothie is packed with nutrition from the fruits and veggies even without the superfoods. Feel free to customize it to your liking!
Try using kale instead of spinach, but just be careful how much you add because kale has a stronger flavor.
Storing leftovers
- To store – this smoothie is best served right away, but you can refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to 4 hours. After 4 hours the banana flavor will continue to intensify.
- Make ahead – prep the ingredients ahead, or try making my Freezer Smoothie Packs to shortcut the time on this recipe.
Tips & Tricks for the best green smoothie
- Start small and work up with the greens – when I first started drinking green smoothies, I didn’t add very many greens because I didn’t find them palatable. But over the years, I’ve worked up to more than 4x the amount greens I used to put in!
- Invest in a good blender! This is absolutely everything if you’re going to be drinking smoothies often. My first green smoothie was made in a very cheap blender, and it was terrible, to say the least. I had made a recipe with berries and loads of greens. Not only was it gritty, but it tasted so terrible, I couldn’t manage to drink it. It was a while before I tried making smoothie at home again, but my next try was with a Vitamix. They’re very pricey, but they’re worth every penny and then some. I’ve had mine for about 15 years now, and it’s still going strong. I use it multiple times a day, and I’ve only had the container replaced once within the warranty period from overusing it to make nice cream, (I now use my food processor for that and have never had a problem since). Also, I have to say there’s just something about that super smooth texture that makes drinking a green smoothie so much better!
Smoothie Resources
More Green Smoothie Recipe Inspiration
I really hope you enjoy this Detox Island Green Tropical Smoothie! If you do get a chance to make this recipe, I’d love to hear from you in the comments.
Detox Island Tropical Green Smoothie
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup fresh pineapple chunks - or frozen
- 1 ripe banana - peeled and cut into chunks
- 1 cup frozen mango cubes
- 1 cup orange juice - coconut water, or coconut milk for a creamy option
- 4 cups baby spinach - or a mix of spinach and kale start with less if you’re new to green smoothies
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Optional Superfood extras choose 1-2:
- 1 small slice of ginger
- 3-4 tbsp flax meal or chia seeds
- 2 servings Hawaiian spirulina
- 2 servings protein powder or collagen - or vegan option
INSTRUCTIONS
NOTES
nutrition facts
This recipe was originally published in 2020 and updated in 2024 with more tips, step-by-step photos, and video.
used coconut milk instead of orange juice, but it is delicious!
Coconut milk is a great option, so creamy and perfect with pineapple, so glad you enjoyed it!
Very good!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I want to try it
I sure hope you get to try it soon, it’s definitely a super tasty green smoothie!