Pineapple Matcha Smoothie

This pineapple matcha smoothie recipe features baby kale or spinach greens, flaxseed, and vanilla Greek yogurt for a healthy and refreshing on-the-go breakfast or anytime pick-me-up.

It wasn't until I underwent orthodontic treatment that I became a "smoothie every day" kind of person. Having to clean the blender was behind my high barrier of entry, but figuring out that the best green smoothie was the G.O.A.T lunch for my issues had me rethinking that stance in a big way.

That ultra-filling version is still my go-to when it comes to smoothies, but it's important to switch things up so you don't get sick of an old standby. I started making a berry cottage cheese smoothie around that time.

If you keep culinary grade matcha powder on hand (I do for matcha macaroons), did you know you enjoy it in green smoothies, too? This pineapple matcha smoothie makes an appearance every time I have fresh or frozen pineapple in the house (or need an energy boost!).

Reasons to Love This Smoothie

• Kale's bolder flavor can be a tough ingredient to mask in a smoothie. (Same can be said for a collard greens smoothie). This smoothie leans on milder baby kale and vanilla-flavored ingredients to provide a palatable balance.
• Need a little pep in your step? Matcha blends right in to provides caffeine and tasty green tea flavor.
• This matcha smoothie recipe leans on pineapple for fruit sweetness, not banana if you're not a fan or don't have any on hand.

Recipe Ingredients

Smoothies have a lot of wiggle room by nature, so you don't have to use exactly the ingredients listed. However making this matcha smoothie a lot has led me to have stand-out preferences in the greens, yogurt, milk, etc. Hence the (bordering on overkill...) level of detail below.

• Kale: Kale can be a difficult leafy green to use in smoothies because it has a tendency to be bitter. I suggest using baby kale leaves as they have less of a strong kale flavor while still packing in all of those nutrients. Spinach (especially frozen fresh spinach) also works just fine.
• Pineapple: This is a good source of vitamin C, bromelain, and other nutritients (source). The sweetness of pineapple pairs well with the grassy, little bit bitter-leaning notes of matcha. Using frozen pineapple saves time and also eliminates the need for adding ice.
• Vanilla Yogurt: Greek yogurt is my usual as it's more protein-rich than regular yogurt. While plain would be fine to use, I find the yogurt "tang" to be a little too present in this smoothie without sweetness and vanilla flavoring. My top recommendation is a vanilla Greek yogurt in whichever milkfat percentage you like.
• Milk: While this matcha smoothie isn't dairy-free, I usually use vanilla almondmilk as vanilla pairs well with the matcha pineapple flavor.
• Flaxseed: Bumps up the omega-3s and fiber content (source), and helps the smoothie thicken up.
• Matcha: A finely-powdered green tea that is traditionally whisked with hot water to create a frothy beverage, the dry powder can be added directly to smoothies for flavor and caffeine. Be mindful that half a teaspoon of matcha (the minimum amount in one serving per the recipe card) contains around 30-35 mg of caffeine if deciding to add more.

Easy Instructions

1. Add all ingredients to a blender, ending with the pineapple. Heavier ingredients help weigh everything down for more efficient blending.
2. Blend until smooth. Add more milk, if needed, for a thinner texture.

Tips and Tricks

• Start small - I recommend starting with a smaller amount of matcha, around one teaspoon, and adding more once I taste to make sure it doesn't overwhelm the flavor or add more caffeine than I want.
• Matcha varieties - Matcha powder comes in varying levels, but you will often hear of ceremonial grade and culinary grade. Ceremonial grade is intended to be used to make a traditional preparation of matcha with water. Culinary grade is less expensive and is good to use in matcha lattes, smoothies, and other recipes that include matcha.
• Opt for spinach - If you're unsure if you'd like kale's flavor in a smoothie or are a smoothie beginner, consider using spinach. Spinach is a milder-tasting leafy green that blends into the flavors of a matcha smoothie more easily than kale.
• Extra smoothie? - Leftover portions of this matcha smoothie won't be as good as freshly-prepared, but will stay fine overnight in the fridge. Stir well before enjoying.

More Smoothie Recipes

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