5-Minute Arugula Smoothie
Developed and tested by Robyn Conley Downs
on Dec 26, 2022 (last updated May 15, 2026) 
Made with fresh arugula, frozen pineapple, and a touch of fresh ginger, this arugula smoothie blends up into a bright, juice-bar-style green drink in 5-minutes! A tropical, lightly sweet way to start the morning or refuel between meals.
A Refreshing Green Smoothie with Arugula!
This arugula smoothie sounds like it might be a tough sell, but trust me, the spicy bite of arugula completely disappears into the tropical sweetness of pineapple and banana! The smoothie tastes light, bright, and slightly floral, more like something you would pay $12 for at a juice bar than a peppery salad green in a glass, if ya know what I mean.
Be sure to use frozen pineapple and frozen banana for the thickest, slushiest consistency; fresh pineapple works too, but throw in extra ice to make up for the missing chill. And two small details that make the biggest difference in your final smoothie. First, the fresh ginger; even just a teaspoon of grated ginger adds a warm, zippy depth that takes the smoothie from good to genuinely craveable.
A small pinch of ground ginger works in a pinch (literally), but the fresh root version is noticeably brighter. Second, do not skip the chia seeds. They thicken the smoothie into a more milkshake-like texture and turn out to be barely detectable once blended on high. If you do not have chia, ground flax works as a one-for-one swap. And for an apple-arugula version, swap in 1 chopped, cored apple in place of the pineapple, or use 1 cup of frozen blueberries for a deeper, less tropical drink.
One of my readers, Julie, added a scoop of vanilla protein powder for a more substantial morning version and reported it worked beautifully, so consider that an option, too. Pair this smoothie with my lemon blueberry muffins (the lemon flavor echoes the smoothie’s bright finish) or grab a couple of my make-ahead veggie egg cups from the fridge for a savory protein side! Notes, too, that this smoothie is best the day you make it, but it will hold for 30 minutes in the fridge with a quick re-blend before drinking.
5-Minute Arugula Smoothie
Ingredients
- 2 cups arugula
- 1 cup frozen pineapple chunks
- 1 frozen banana, broken into chunks
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, from about 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup ice
Equipment
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a high speed blender. Blend on high until very smooth.
Sounds so refreshing! And definitely spa-inspired.
Absolutely! A little self-care in a glass. 🙂
Thanks for a yummy way to use the spicy arugula from my garden. Kids liked it too. I did add a vanilla protein powder because I had it.
Julie, what a perfect use for garden arugula. Great idea to add the protein powder too! Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and for leaving a review!