Enjoy a glass of this 10-minute blender green juice with ginger, spinach, apple, cucumber, and lemon and reap the benefits of vitamins A and C as well as cancer fighting phytochemicals. Fresh juice made at home is so much tastier than what you can buy at the grocery store.
This post was originally published in August 2015; updated March 2024.
If you read my juice vs. smoothie post last week, you knew this recipe was coming! Green juices can be a way to incorporate an extra dose of the healthy nutrients from fruits and vegetables into your diet. Since you are removing the fiber, you drastically decrease the volume so you end up with a concentrated source of the nutrients from the fruits and veggies.
A lot of people think that they need to invest in an expensive juicer to start making green juices at home, but that isn’t the case! Living in a city condo with a small kitchen means we don’t have the room to store a fancy juicer. Luckily, you can easily make a delicious juice using a high-powered blender, a few simple ingredients, and some cheese cloth or a nut milk bag.
Also, if you want to keep the fiber – you don’t have to strain the juice at all. Another reason to love this blender juice is that it’s a great way to use up veggies that are about to go bad.
Ingredients for Green Juice (in a Blender)
- Spinach: use fresh spinach rather than frozen spinach for the best flavor. If you don’t have spinach, you can also use kale instead. For those that aren’t a fan of dark leafy greens, you could use romaine lettuce instead.
- Ginger: I love the peppery flavor of ginger in homemade juice recipes like this one. If you aren’t a fan, you can omit the ginger.
- Cucumber: use English cucumber if you can find it since the skin in much thinner and purees better. If your cucumber has a thick skin, you can peel it before blending if you prefer.
- Celery: like cucumber, celery also has a high water content. This hydrating vegetable adds that characteristic “green” flavor to this homemade green juice.
- Apple: any variety of apple can be used for this juice recipe. For a sweeter juice, use a red apple variety; for a more tart juice you can use green apple.
- Lemon: add some brightness to this juice by adding some fresh squeezed lemon. Use fresh vs packed lemon juice for the best flavor.
- Parsley: herbs like parsley are packed with antioxidants so we love to throw some into our healthy green juice recipe. It adds nice flavor as well as color.
- Water: water helps the ingredients move around the blender so that they can break down into a juice. You can also use coconut water for a boost of extra electrolytes if you prefer.
Variations and Substitutions
Make it sweeter: if you like your green juice on the sweeter side, try using 2 apples in this recipe instead of one. You could also sweeten it by adding a 1/2 cup of chopped pineapple (both fresh and canned work well) or mango.
Use a different citrus: we usually have some lemons on hand so we most often use them in this juice, but you could also use a different citrus like lime, grapefruit, or orange. Orange juice will give you a sweeter juice.
Try different herbs: we love parsley in this easy green juice recipe, but you could also use other herbs in a green juice recipe like this one such as fresh mint or basil.
How to Make Green Juice in the Blender
Puree: Roughly chop the apple, celery, and cucumber and add to the blender with the spinach, parsley, ginger, lemon juice, and water. Puree in a high-speed blender until it’s the consistency of a smoothie.
Strain: Line a fine mesh strainer fitted over a bowl with some cheesecloth OR use a nut milk bag. Pour juice mixture from the blender into the cheesecloth (or bag) and squeeze out the juice. Serve! Save the leftover pulp in ice cube trays in the freezer for smoothies or muffins.
Health Benefits of Green Juice
- Rich in Vitamin K: green veggies like spinach, kale, and parsley are rich in vitamin K. You probably don’t hear much about this vitamin but it plays an important role in maintaining healthy bones – just like calcium and Vitamin D.
- Packed with Antioxidants: fruits and vegetables like spinach, cucumber, and apples are rich in compounds that act like antioxidants as well as vitamin C. Eating foods rich in antioxidants helps reduce the oxidative damage that occurs to our cells which can increase the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease and cancer.
- Anti-Inflammatory: Ginger gets its distinctive peppery-sweet flavor from the active compounds in the root called gingerols which also offer potent anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative benefits. In fact, in some clinical trials, patients with osteoarthritis who regularly consumed ginger reported a significant reduction in joint paint and swelling.
What to Serve with Green Juice
As a registered dietitian, I don’t recommend using green juices as a meal replacement. Instead, incorporate them into your regular diet as a way to get a boost of extra plant-based nutrients like antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. I like to sip on a green juice with my breakfast in the morning or as a refreshing beverage for an afternoon pick-me-up. Pairing your juice with a meal or snack containing protein helps stabilize your blood sugar.
Here are some suggestions for what to serve with this simple green juice recipe: vegan spinach quiche, carrot cake oatmeal, banana baked oatmeal, or this homemade vegan granola.
Storage
How long does green juice last? Store any leftover juice in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1-2 days. I like to store it in a large mason jar with a lid, but you can store in a pitcher as well. There is some evidence that juice may lose a minimal amount of nutrients as it sits – so plan to drink it soon after you make it.
Can you freeze green juice? To freeze any leftover green ginger juice, pour it into an ice cube mold and freeze until solid. Transfer to a freezer bag and store for up to 3 months. Thaw in a pitcher overnight in the fridge or puree the frozen juice cubes in a blender to make a frozen green juice.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Green juice is packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants – although it does lack beneficial dietary fiber. Green juice is also not a miracle food like many claim. We recommend green juice as an addition to your diet, rather than a meal replacement. **Note that due to its vitamin K content, people on certain medications should discuss whether it is ok to add green juice to their diet with their healthcare team.**
There’s no evidence to support any additional benefits from drinking a green juice in the morning vs another time of day. Honestly, drink a green juice when it’s most convenient for you – no matter the time of day!
No, green juice does not replace all the benefits of eating green leafy vegetables because it’s missing the dietary fiber. Fiber is important for not only digestive health – it provides a whole host of health benefits like better blood sugar control and lower cholesterol to name a few. Bottom line – try your best to eat your greens, but there’s no harm in sipping on a green juice too.
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10-Minute Blender Green Juice (No Juicer Needed!)
Ingredients
- 2 cups spinach
- 1/2 cup parsley
- 1 apple, cored and quartered
- 1 small cucumber, quartered
- 1 in fresh ginger root, peeled
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 2 cups water
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients in your blender and puree until smooth.
- Pour the pureed greens into a cheesecloth layered over a strainer set over a bowl and wrap up the four corners of the cheese cloth and twist to seal. (See above.)
- Twist and squeeze the cheesecloth with your hands to release all the juice leaving just the pulp behind in the cheesecloth.
- Serve with or without ice in a glass. This recipe should make about 40 ounces worth of juice.
Notes
- For a sweeter juice: use 2 apples or add 1/2 cup pineapple or mango.
- Storage: store leftover juice in a mason jar in the fridge for up to 1-2 days. You can also freeze it in ice cube trays to store for up to 3 months frozen.
Nutrition
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