No juicer? No problem! Skip the pricey store-bought green juices and whip up your own version with this simple trick for how to make green juice using a blender. Plus, discover creative ways to work the nutritious pulp into your next dish.
Table of Contents
Every spring, I like to get ready for summer (aka shorts and swimsuit season!) by eating healthier and ramping up my workout routine. This year, I’m going green with a lean, mean glass of green juice loaded with kale, apples, parsley, cucumbers, celery, ginger and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Sound refreshing? It is — and it’s chock full of vitamins, antioxidants, nutrients, and other beneficial ingredients.
But when I walked into my local juice shop to get my juice fix, I was surprised to discover that a green juice cost more than $10! The sticker shock — in addition to your requests for a recipe after I posted a photo of the juice on Facebook — led to a DIY take on healthy green juice that doesn’t require a fancy juicer or special attachment. This quick and easy recipe is made in a blender, giving you the option to strain the juice for a thinner consistency, or, just start slurping, hearty pulp and all.
Blender Green Juice Video Tutorial
- Kale: For convenience, I use prewashed chopped kale that comes in a bag. Don’t worry about the bits of stems — the blender will take care of that!
- Green apples: You can use any apples you have on hand but I prefer the tangy flavor and juiciness of Granny Smiths.
- Parsley leaves: Curly or flat-leaf (Italian) parsley both work great. Again, stems are OK, as they’ll get blended in.
- Cucumber: Choose cucumbers that are wrapped in plastic; they won’t have the waxy coating that unwrapped cukes have. You’ll want to leave the skins on, as that’s where a lot of the fiber and nutrients are.
- Celery: Use a vegetable scrubber to get all the dirt that collects in the grooves of the celery stems.
- Ginger: For easy peeling, use the edge of a spoon to scrape the peel off ginger root.
- Lemon juice: To get the most juice out of a lemon, roll the whole lemon back and forth across the counter while pressing down. This will break down the membranes and help release juice.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
The beauty of blender juicing is that variations are nearly infinite. You can use my basic formula to substitute your favorite ingredients. Here are some other ingredients that work to add or sub into your green juice.
- Leafy greens: Don’t like kale? Other leafy greens that work include spinach, bok choy, Swiss chard, arugula and beet greens.
- Fresh fruit: Try peeled pineapple, peeled orange segments, peeled mango, pitted peaches, or cored pears in place of or in addition to the apples.
- Citrus: Try lime juice or grapefruit juice in place of lemon juice.
- Add water to blender. Blenders need a liquid to process the ingredients. If at any time the ingredients aren’t moving around the blender, a splash of water will do the trick.
- Add remaining ingredients. Put the leafy greens on the bottom so the other ingredients will weigh it down, forcing it to make contact with the blade.
- Blend the ingredients. Run the blender just long enough to puree all the ingredients. If you run it too long, the juice will heat up.
- Strain the juice. The juice will have the consistency of a smoothie and can be drunk as is, or strained for a thinner consistency. Use a fine mesh sieve or a cheesecloth set over a bowl to strain out the thick pulp, using a rubber spatula to press the pulp so all the juice is extracted.
Pro Tip: To clean your blender, fill it with a few inches of warm water and a drop of dish detergent, put the lid on, and blend for 10 seconds, then rinse. Do this right away — if pulp is allowed to dry on the blender jar, it’ll be more difficult to clean.
Ways to Use Leftover Juice Pulp
If you strained your juice, don’t throw away all that pulp! It’s chock-full of nutrients and fiber, and can bulk up a wide range of recipes. Stir some of the pulp into batters like quick breads, muffins or pancakes. Sneak it into cookies (it can be substituted for the zucchini in my Zucchini Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies). Or blend it with cream cheese to make your own veggie cream cheese spread. The pulp can also be stirred into soups and stews or mixed into marinara sauce for pasta.
The leftover pulp will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days, or you can portion it out using an ice cube tray, freeze it, and store the cubes in a freezer bag until needed.
- Use cheesecloth to strain. Fine mesh cheesecloth is one of the most effective ways to separate the pulp from the juice. Pour the juice into a cheesecloth set over a bowl, then lift up the corners of the cheesecloth and twist and squeeze the bundle.
- If the ingredients aren’t moving around in the blender, try adding more water or stopping the motor and scraping down the sides.
- If you’re going to experiment with ingredients in your green juice recipe, stick with leafy greens and soft, juicy fruits and vegetables or produce with a high water content. Hard, dense vegetables like carrots, beets or sweet potatoes will not liquify as well and you’ll be left with hard chunks in your juice.
Green juice is best consumed right when it’s prepared, but it will last in the refrigerator for 24 to 48 hours in an airtight container. After this time the juice may begin to oxidize.
To freeze green juice, pour it into a glass jar (a large mason jar works great), leaving about an inch of space to allow for expansion, screw the lid on tightly, and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator.
Another freezer option is to turn your juice into a green juice popsicle by pouring the blended juice into popsicle molds.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Most fruits and vegetables can be blended with their peels intact. The peels, in fact, contain a high concentration of nutrients so it’s better to leave your fruits and veggies unpeeled.
If you want a sweeter green juice, Increase the amount of naturally sweet ingredients, and use a milder leafy green, such as baby spinach or romaine. Using sweeter apples and adding fruit like pineapple, mango, or peeled orange segments will make green juice sweeter. Still not sweet enough? Try adding a little honey or agave nectar.
Blending will not destroy the nutrients in fruits and vegetables. For your green juice to be its most nutritionally beneficial, leave the peels inatact, drink it right away and don’t strain out the pulp.
- Secret Ingredient Smoothies
- Healthy Breakfast Cookies
- Freezer-Friendly Egg White Muffins
- Healthy Taco Zucchini Boats
- Green Goddess Avocado Hummus
- Quinoa Breakfast Bowls
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 2 cups kale
- 2 green apples, cored
- 1/2 cup parsley leaves
- 1 medium cucumber, quartered
- 2 celery ribs, roughly chopped
- 1 (1-inch) piece of ginger, peeled
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
Equipment:
- blender; fine mesh sieve (optional)
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients into the blender jug in the order in which they are listed. Blend the ingredients on the highest level setting, such as “liquefy,” until the juice is well-blended. (It will be the consistency of a smoothie.)
- If you want to enjoy the pulp with your juice, pour the mixture into glasses and serve. If you prefer a thinner consistency, pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve, and using a spatula, press the pulp into the sieve to extract as much liquid as possible. Pour the strained juice into glasses and serve.
Kelly’s Notes
- Cheesecloth is one of the most effective ways to separate the pulp from the juice. Pour the juice into a cheesecloth set over a bowl, then lift up the corners of the cheesecloth and twist and squeeze the bundle.
- If the ingredients aren’t moving around in the blender, try adding more water or stopping the motor and scraping down the sides.
- Stick with leafy greens and soft, juicy fruits and vegetables or produce with a high water content. Hard, dense vegetables like carrots, beets or sweet potatoes will not liquify as well.
- ★ Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Nutrition
Shoutout
Did you try this recipe?
Share it with the world! Mention @justataste or tag #justatasterecipes!
This post may contain affiliate links.
Recipe by Kelly Senyei of Just a Taste.
Very simple & tastes as good as any store bought juice.
I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Wil!
Love this recipe. If you chose to remove the pulp and strain it, don’t throw it away, never throw it away. Its full of so many vitamins. Instead put it in a jar and freeze it(not a plastic bag, they are wasteful and unnecessary) then you can put it in muffins, pancakes, oatmeal really anything, or add it to a smoothie. If you making an carrot apple orange juice then make carrot cake with the pulp. It it prevents food waste. If you really can’t do anything with it compost it. I know some people live in apartments but there are tons of ways to compost in an apartment.
Great tips! I’m so glad you’ve been enjoying the green juice :)
Just tried making this for my family and it’s amazing! Thrilled to not need a juicer to make healthy juice at home. Thank you!
You are so welcome, Destiny! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe!
Thank you so much for this recipe!
I used spinach instead of kale and it tasted just lovely (pulp included).
I actually left half in the blender and put it in the fridge overnight. In the morning I put a few ice cubes, berries, half a banana and vegan protein powder in it and reblended. Was amazing! Next time I might actually freeze 1/4 of in an ice cube tray and use in my smoothies!
Amazing! I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Janine!
How long can it last in the fridge after I blend it? Before it’s not drinkable
Hi there! It’s definitely best fresh, but you could store it in the fridge overnight.
Its a good site
I’m so glad you’re enjoying Just a Taste, Tiann!
What do you do with the pulp?
Hi Edgar! I like to whip it into cream cheese to make veggie cream cheese. :)
I’m a newbie to juicing and alkaline diet. I did omit one apple and one celery. It came out like a smoothie and not a yucky taste. I also kept it the thick consistency and plup. I need all the extra vitamins I can get.
Thank you for this simple recipe.
You are so welcome, Lydia! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe!
Can you store green juice right after blending it on Mason jars if so for long can it be refrigerated before having to dispose it?
Hi Glenda! It’s definitely best fresh, but you could store it in the fridge overnight.
May I add bok Choy?
Absolutely!
Kelly,
I have been drinking this concoction for a week now. Love it! I have been drinking it strained through my mesh colander, which gives me a bit of pulp, not full on pulp. Do yo you have any information on a caloric intake # for a 12 oz. glass, which is what I have been drinking daily.
Hi Debra! Unfortunately I don’t have specific nutritional information for a 12-ounce glass, however, you can find the estimated nutritional info for one serving by clicking on the purple button below the recipe that says ESTIMATED NUTRITION INFORMATION.
Thank you, I was looking for a simple recipe, without using a power.
Can you use frozen kale, or does fresh work better?
That should work!
Gotta grip of kale, swiss chard, and collard greens! Can’t wait to start juicing!
Enjoy!
What if I don’t have celery at the moment what is the best replacement for the celery??
Hi Brianda! You can leave out the celery as it won’t drastically change the outcome, just the flavor a bit. :)
Can I use spinach instead of kale, if so, how much?
Definitely! Use the same amount as you would kale.
Can you have this juice along with your morning breakfast or is that too many calories. I have half bowl of oatmeal w/ blueberries, walnuts, cinnamon and two scrambled eggs (1 with no yolk) diced tomatoes.
Hi Dorothy! It totally depends on your personal nutrition goals :)
Got my Mouth Watering! Looked up green juice smoothie ideas for my grocery list.
Adding celery from this recipe!
One note is I add baby spinach either Kale and the rest of the ingredients!
It is soooo delicious!! Do you have nutritional/caloric information.
Yes! You can find the estimated nutritional info for one serving by clicking on the purple button below the recipe that says ESTIMATED NUTRITION INFORMATION.
What a masterpiece! Loved It…
“Green Juice Cleanse” has become an increasingly popular morning health-enhancing drink for modern-day lifestyle over the past several decades.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
What do i do with all this wonderful pulp? Make a similar “zucchini” bread of course. My husband says its better than zucchini bread! I did add 1/2 cup applesauce since the pup has been drained of liquid.
HI! thank you so much for this post! I am a diabetic and am trying to think of healthier alternatives for breakfast. I noticed that you said this is better the “day of” however, it serves 4. Do you have a recipe for 1-2 servings?
Thank you!
Hi! You can adjust the ingredient measurements by hovering your cursor over the SERVINGS above and sliding the bar right or left.
It’s unbelievable!
Thank you.
You are so welcome! I’m thrilled you enjoyed it!
Does this recipe help for burning fat?
Can you make in advance and refrigerate?
Hi Megan! It’s definitely best if enjoyed the day of, but you could store it in the fridge overnight.
Excellent, thank you!
You are so welcome, Ellen!
I can’t have apple, what would you suggest as a replacement? Thanks
Pear would also work great in this recipe, Debbie!
I do exactly the same thing and so much cheaper than buying a juicer.
Absolutely!
Hey. How many calories in this green juice?
Hi Sarah! Just click on the purple button below the recipe that says ESTIMATED NUTRITION INFORMATION. This will give you estimated nutritional information for one serving.
Can I replace the Kale with Spinach
Absolutely!
I personally do not appreciate green smoothies at all. I have only recently added them to my diet since I have put on so much weight that I need to get rid off. But this sounds like a nice recipe which could develop some interest in me towards these nutritious drinks.
I hope you enjoy the recipe, Tara!
Love this recipe! I just made a big amount so I had enough to freeze a few bottles. How long does it last in the refrigerator? Thanks!!!
Hi Bailey! It’s definitely best if enjoyed the day of, but you could store it in the fridge overnight. Hope that helps!
Thank you for this! I’ve been craving green juice but didn’t want to spend $10 on a glass or buy a juicer. This is so helpful and valuable – really appreciate it.
You are so welcome, Kelly! Enjoy!
I love the no nonsense super easy to read simplicity & pic’s of your web site and was glad to subscribe THANK YOU!!
Thanks so much for your comment and readership, Carol!
I’ve got a great Green Juice recipe as well! And the best part is it doesn’t taste green at all!
Is there anything I can use instead of Kale? Or does it have to be kale?
Spinach would be a great substitute!
I never use it before but I’m going to
Very nice article, love the recipes, thanks a lot for sharing!!
I´ve been juicing for a while now and I gave up my juicer (centrifugal juicer) simply because the blades of those machines are so powerful that they heat the fruit or veggie you are juicing and so kill the enzymes and nutrients you were suppose to get!!
I think that the best way to juice is by using a cold press, but they are so expensive that not everyone can afford it! So I came up with a method that act like the cold press but way cheapper… I use a grater and a piece of fabric or a nutmilk bag, it will take a few more minutes to make a juice, but you know that what you´ll be drinking is the good stuff!!!
One love ;)
The recipes are quite esy and simple. They seem very tsty too. Will definitely try them.
Juicing Fasts, great way to stay healthy
A great way to stay healthy and loose weight is a Juice Diet
Can one use the pulp of the vegetables used for juice in soup for a fibre filled soup/meal?
Definitely! I use it for quickbreads or whip it into cream cheese to make veggie cream cheese.
Wow thant you, I want to prepare the green juice at home but all the ingriedent is not available for to use
This is such a great post Kelly! Hopefully more people will start juicing after they read it and realize that they don’t have to go out to buy a juicer. I find it much easier to clean my blender than my juicer too. That said I love my juicer (Omega VRT350) despite the longer cleanup time!
This was incredible till grandma recomendented and ate maize peas with it .marvel staff for bigner from kenya like it @dhedenyce
@homeblend juice cell protection.
How long is the juice good for when stored in the fridge?
Hi Brian! It’s definitely best if enjoyed the day of, but you could store it in the fridge overnight. Hope that helps!
what ideas to you have for the pulp? Can I freeze it and use it for something?
Hi Grace! You can whip it into cream cheese to make veggie cream cheese or fold it into quickbread recipes to make a veggie-packed quickbread (i.e. zucchini bread)!
Green smoothies are actually one way of making my kids consume vegetables and so I love them!
I wan’t to do a juice fast, but I want to know if the extra pulp would cause me to lose less weight? I’m fine with straining it, but I would rather keep it all in one drink if that’s possible because the added fiber would help me stay less hungry and save any extra nutrients that I would other not throw away.
Hi Joseph! I am not a nutritionist, so I cannot say whether the extra pulp would be beneficial for weight loss. Best of luck to you!
I just tried this to use some of my CSA kale. I agree it must be strained or it tastes like grass clippings (despite a healthy shot of agave). Once strained it is rather tasty! Next I will try to use the pulp in a bread of some sort.
Hi! I just tried this recipe myself and even used the parsley from my garden. Came out delicious! Do you have any suggestions on what I might do with the pulp that is left over after straining the juice? I would rather not waste all those nutrients. Thank you!
Awesome, Allysa!
I loved this recipe!
Thanks a lot for the tips.
After killing two juicers, have started using blender also. I bought some large straws marketed to kids! So I don’t have to strain. Thanks for tips and recipe because I hadn’t tried using an apple; but I will tomorrow.
Thank you for this recipe. Tried it today and turned out quite tasty and healthy :)
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Chandra!
Do you know about how many calories are in this?
Hi Le! I don’t provide the calorie count or nutritional info for any of my recipes, so unfortunately I can’t share that info.
so awesome i ran into this! ive been trying different ways to use kale and i am going to try this with a little twist tomorrow! ive been juicing for 3 days now and ive been so good so far! check my blog out! julietatavarez.blogspot.com
Hi,
This juice looks really good! I want to start and try juicing and clearly have no idea where to start :0 lol
Hows the routine like?
How many times a day?
I work so i do not have access to a blender during the day so do you have any ideas as to how i can have my juices during the day ??
sorry for the many questions, hope you can help
Thank you !!!!!! :)
Hi Stephanie! I don’t juice on a regular basis, so unfortunately I can’t weigh in on how often and to what degree you should consume juices :)
Love this recipe. I have made it three times and each time I am picking up new tips. MY blender still leaves it pretty chunky and I find when I strain and press, some solids still get into the juice. Therefore, I pass it through the strainer about 3 times and each time I clean the strainer. It get more liquidy and jucier each time! Thanks for sharing this idea. I love it.
Good recipe I didn’t have a siev but I tell you what, been on the toilet all night def recommend but don’t do this in the morning; do it at night otherwise you’ll be running to the bath room; only could do about 3/4 of a glass; saving the rest for
the next couple days but I’m not fasting yet not disciplined enough thanks for the recipe
Hi Kelly I am going to try the green juice…for I need this right away…. thanks for ALL the tips….
Your fan….
Jeannette
You’re so welcome, Jeannette!
I just made this recipe and it’s SUPER good but I ended up blending so well that I didn’t need to strain it so now I have A LOT of juice. I was wondering if anybody knew how long it will keep in the fridge?
Thanks so much, Melanie! When I’ve made double batches, I’ve kept it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. I can’t say for certainty if yours will stay fresh for that long, but that was my experience. Hope that helps!
This is awesome! I make a green smoothie every morning, but I don’t know why I have never thought to pour it through a strainer. SO much cheaper than buying a juicer haha. Thanks for this!
What kind of blender are you using?
I made this video for my friends that were starting the Gerson Therapy. This video is the exact recipe Dr. Max Gerson prescribed his patients do make during their cancer therapy. It’s a great recipe because it is so rigid in terms of the therapy. It’s so well researched and refined and tested over fifty years. I just had to make a video about it. Hope you all like it and please feel free to share it.
http://youtu.be/ONIIRMplLjo
I saw that someone asked about making the juice and then storing it for later. Although it is possible, it is actually suggested that one drinks the juice within about 15 minutes of it being made, as the nutrients begin to diminish pretty quickly as time passes. Just putting that out there. Thanks for sharing!
I’ve been juicing at home for the past week. I generally have it for breakfast and lunch with a healthy dinner. I love the energy boost you get from the juice. There is no need for morning coffee. I can’t wait to try this recipe tomorrow morning.
Of course!
Blender + Sieve = Juicer
I’ve been wanting to try juicing but didn’t want another appliance.
I bet the pulp will make me feel fuller though.
I’ll try both ways.
Thank you!
Hi Kelly,
I stumbled across your blog while searching Google for green juice using a blender! Thanks for the recipe! It will be featured on my blog (lifeislikehoney.blogspot.com) this week. I may have to purchase your book, too! Sounds interesting. :)
Sincerely,
Jessica
I am a juicer and I also blend. I have doing this for over a year now. I have a suggestion that has worked for me. Along with all your greens try adding either Coconut Water or just some pure water and try not to use celery (very stringy) replacing it with 1/2 peeled cucumber. The water will thin it down. Also pull the stems off the Kale because they are very tough, just use the leaves…
Not as pulpy and more of a smoothie consistency. Hope this helps.
Thanks for this lovely recipe. Having recently bought a blender for smoothies I was happy to expand my horizons with green juice. Your recipe delivers a fresh and appealing result. I used your cheese cloth suggestion — brilliant. I’ll be making green juice from now on! I feel healthier already.
What can you add instead of the ginger if you don’t have it?
Can you drink it without straining and still get the benefits the green juice has?
My juicer is currently sitting in a dark cabinet somewhere. I think your blender method may be the way to go. It’s the cleaning that usually discourages me in the end. The blend would be much easier to clean than my whole juicer setup.It’s amazing how much better my body feels when I go on a juicing kick. Thanks for the inspiration!!
I’ve thought about doing a juice cleanse at least five times…..but, I just don’t think I have that kind of willpower, and for price tag I can’t relaly justify it. This recipe is totally up my alley!
I can’t do juicing because I hate how you lose so much of the fiber and pulp. We make a fruit/veggie smoothie every morning and it has really increased our produce consumption.
Pulp-free juice for sure! Buying juices can be super expensive, so it pays to either learn how to make them at home or just eat raw fruits & veggies. :) We’re both big juice fans though, so they are a great treat.
This is a great idea for people who don’t have a juicer (like me!) Sounds so easy and I love green juice!
Green Juice without the blender? Finally! I have been looking for this recipe for months. Now my body can get the nurtrients it needs without a pricy juicer.
I love that you used a blender for this! I really don’t have room for a juicer, so this is a great alternative!
Brilliant to make this in the blender!
Thanks so much, Julie! Will you be at BlogHer Food? Hope to see you there!
Yyyyyyyyyyyyyes.
i’m hoping to buy a juicer soon, but in the meantime…what a great way to get your juice fix at home in the blender! delish!
The green juice looks appetizing to me. As for cheesecake, etc., bring it on!
I would be the only one drinking this yummy juice – would the extras keep in the refrigerator?
Absolutely, Rebecca! I make a big batch at the beginning of the week and just keep it in a thermos in the fridge. Enjoy!
Thank You! I have been toying with the idea of juicing but don’t have a juicer. Great to use a blender!
I love the sound of this and can’t believe that juicing with a blender is as easy as just straining. I love it!
You have my favorite ingredient in green juice – apples! I love me some granny smith apples and spinach – it’s my favorite juice! I am always amazed by how healthy it is because of how darn good it is.
Lovely pictures!
Thanks, Pamela! Love the tangy sweetness green apples add to juice.
I can’t stand seeds in my smoothies, so I blend the fresh berries I get at the Farmer’s Market, strain the seeds out, then put the juice in silicone ice cube trays to freeze, so they’re ready to go.
I LOVE green smoothies! Every time I have a housesitting assignment or I slow my travels down and have a more permanent base for a while, I try and make one every day. Although, I’m not sure I could do one of the 3-day cleanses. You’re definitely made of stronger stuff than me!
This looks so delicious and nutritious, Kelly! I love that you just used a blender and sieve too, instead of a fancy juicing machine. Excellent recipe!
That sounds awesome, I definitely want to try to start making some interesting juices like this. Great job and cannot wait to see your cheesecake post :P
Happy Blogging!
Happy Valley Chow
Life it tooootally about balance – guacamole topped everything one day and juice the next “) LOVE this! Looks great Kelly!
My hubby and I got into juicing a couple months ago. We also embarked on a juice fast. Hubby did 10 days of total juice fast, and me…who wasn’t even going to attempt it took it one day at a time and ended up with 5 full days!! Wow….I was shocked. I love food and chewing too much so I doubt I’ll do it again, but a juice is now part of our daily diet. It gives us so much energy! ;)
Denise
I’m right there with you on the chewing, Denise! I was craving something crunchy (and apparently also cheesy … and meaty … and bread-like) :)
This is such a great idea! I do not have a juicer but have always wanted to make my own juice. I never thought to just strain it! Brillant! LOL! Thanks for the recipe and idea!
Thanks, TIeghan! I much prefer the strained variety and am a huge fan of the cheesecloth technique because it yields the thinnest consistency. Enjoy!
i love juicing, hate juicer cleanup. I should really make juice in my Vita, and strain it. Because yea, juices are like $7 or so if you buy them. My hubs and I did a 3 day juice cleanse about 2 mos ago. I blogged all about it. It was hardddd for me. I had a rice cake on day 2. And that helped me get thru day 3. My husband loved it and I was pretty shocked but it seemed easier for him than me! I give you credit for your 22 hours :)
Haha thank you, Averie! I admire your willpower :)