This Collard Green Smoothie is dairy-free and vegan, and full of nourishing ingredients. Cocoa powder adds a chocolate taste, and covers any flavor from the greens. 

collard green smoothie served in jar with metal straws

Why You Need This Recipe

Collard greens are such an under-appreciated vegetable. They are part of the cruciferous vegetable family, meaning that they are incredibly nutritious and health-promoting. 

All of these ingredients together make for a super green smoothie that is both highly nutritious and delicious. Let dive deeper into each ingredient to see how it acts as a superfood for both energy and vitality.

Key Ingredients

Collard green smoothie labeled ingredients

Collard greens

If you aren’t familiar with collard greens, you should look for them in the produce section of your local grocery store. They are traditionally used in Southern style cooking in the United States, but they are great in this smoothie.

Collard greens are a cruciferous vegetable that are naturally high in calcium. You can also use kale in this healthy green smoothie (or check out my Chocolate Weight Loss Kale Smoothie).

Hemp seeds

Hemp seeds come from the Cannabis sativa plant but they have no mind-altering effects. Hemp seeds are incredibly nutritious and are a great plant-based source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids.

These healthy little seeds support both healthy energy levels and smooth skin with all of their nutrition. I recommend buying organic hemp seeds

Cherries

Frozen cherries are a great addition to this Collard Greens Smoothie because they are anti-inflammatory and full of nutrition. You can use frozen strawberries if you prefer, but I would highly suggest finding frozen sweet cherries for this recipe.

Carrot juice

You can either make your own carrot juice for this smoothie (see my Carrot Juice Recipe), or buy it in a bottle. I almost always buy it for the convenience factor. Carrot juice is full of beta-carotene which is an antioxidant that is great for skin

Cocoa powder or cacao powder

Both cocoa powder and cacao powder are high in antioxidants. You can use them interchangeably. Both products will help with energy levels and mood due to the naturally-occurring theobromine.

Both cocoa powder and cacao powder taste like chocolate and are absolutely delicious in a smoothie. I like to buy organic cacao powder that is also fair-trade.

Pineapple

Pineapple is incredibly nutritious and full of natural sugars and enzymes, which makes it perfect for our superfood smoothie. You don’t need too much pineapple to add brightness to a smoothie. 

smoothie blended in vitamix

Recipe Steps

Step One

This Collard Greens Smoothie recipe is actually quite easy to make. The most time-intensive steps include washing the collard greens, removing the leaves from the stems, and gently steaming them. 

Steaming the greens is an optional step, but it’s one that I recommend for people who are sensitive to oxalates

Step Two 

The next step is to combine all of your ingredients into the base of a high-speed blender, like a Blendtec or a Vitamix. This will ensure that your smoothie is super creamy. 

Step Three

The last step is to blend the smoothie. This will take between 30-45 seconds. Serve your Collard Greens Smoothie immediately for the best flavor. You can store any leftovers in a covered container for up to 48 hours in the refrigerator. 

Please see the recipe card at the end of this post for the exact ingredients and measurements.

greens smoothie with cherries, hemp seeds, and collard greens in the background

More Smoothie Recipes You Might Like

Don’t miss my other healthy green smoothie recipes, including:

I hope you make this recipe! If you do, please leave a comment and a starred review below.

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collard green smoothie in glasses

Collard Greens Smoothie (Dairy-Free & Vegan)

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5 from 1 review

This Collard Greens Smoothie is dairy-free and vegan, and full of nourishing ingredients. Cocoa powder adds a chocolate taste, and covers any flavor from the greens. 

  • Total Time: 16 minutes
  • Yield: 2 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 large bunch of collard greens
  • 2 cups carrot juice
  • 1/4 cup hemp seeds
  • 1 cup frozen sweet cherries or any frozen berry
  • 1/2 cup frozen mango chunks
  • 1/4 cup frozen pineapple chunks
  • 1 tablespoon cocoa or cacao powder

Instructions

  1. Prep the collard greens by washing each leaf and removing the stems from the leaves. Discard the stems and place the leaves in a steamer basket. Steam the leaves for 3 minutes. You can also steam the greens by placing them in a microwave-safe bowl, adding a tablespoon of water, covering with plastic wrap, and microwaving for 45 seconds.
  2. In the base of a high-speed blender, pour in the carrot juice and hemp seeds.
  3. Add the cherries, mango chunks, pineapple, steamed collard greens, and cocoa or cacao powder.
  4. Put the lid on tightly and process for 60-75 seconds. The smoothie should be well combined and creamy. Stop and scrape down the sides, if necessary, to make sure the smoothie gets completely blended with no chunks.
  5. Pour into two glasses and serve immediately.

Notes

  1. It is not necessary to steam the collard greens, but doing so will help reduce the oxalate content and make them more easily digestible. Steaming also helps reduce any bitterness of the flavor.
  2. You can add your choice of unsweetened protein powder to the smoothie to help add more protein, if you wish.
  3. You can store any leftovers in a covered container for up to 48 hours in the refrigerator. 

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
  • Calories: 301
  • Sugar: 27.2 g
  • Sodium: 161 mg
  • Fat: 10.9 g
  • Saturated Fat: 1.3 g
  • Carbohydrates: 47.4 g
  • Fiber: 7 g
  • Protein: 10.9 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

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About the Author: Carrie Forrest has a master’s degree in public health with a specialty in nutrition and is studying to be a holistic nutritionist. She is a top wellness and food blogger with over 5 million annual visitors to her site. Carrie has an incredible story of recovery from chronic illness and is passionate about helping other women transform their health. Send her a message through her contact form.