I have put a lot of microgreens into a lot of smoothies over the past few years. Some combinations were excellent. Some were drinkable. A few were genuinely terrible — I once blended a full cup of mustard microgreens into a berry smoothie and the result tasted like someone put hot sauce in a milkshake. That kind of experimentation is how you learn what works, and I want to save you from the mistakes I already made.

At Wholly Water Farms, we grow a dozen microgreen varieties. Only five of them belong anywhere near a blender. Here they are, ranked by how well they work in smoothies, with specific fruit pairings, nutrition highlights, and the quantities that produce the best results. For our full collection of smoothie recipes using microgreens, check out our From Our Kitchen series.

What Are the Best Microgreens to Put in Smoothies?

The best microgreens for smoothies are pea shoots, sunflower, wheatgrass, broccoli, and kale — in that order. The ranking is based on three factors: flavor compatibility with fruit, blending texture, and nutritional contribution. Mild-flavored microgreens rank highest because they complement fruit rather than competing with it. Strong, peppery varieties like radish and mustard rank at the bottom because they overpower everything else in the glass.

Why Are Pea Shoot Microgreens the Best for Smoothies?

Pea shoot microgreens are the number one smoothie microgreen because they have the mildest, sweetest flavor of any variety we grow. They taste faintly of fresh peas — a clean, green sweetness that disappears entirely behind fruit. In a blender, pea shoots break down into a smooth, uniform consistency with no fibrous chunks or gritty texture. They are the only microgreen I can add to a smoothie in large quantities without any detectable change in flavor.

Best fruit pairings: Banana and mango is the classic combination. The banana provides creaminess and the mango adds tropical sweetness that makes the pea shoots completely invisible. Mixed berries also work beautifully — the anthocyanin pigments turn the smoothie a deep purple that masks the green color. Pineapple and coconut water is another winner.

Nutrition highlight: Pea shoots deliver approximately 10 milligrams of vitamin C per ounce, along with meaningful amounts of beta-carotene, folate, and plant-based protein. They are one of the more nutrient-dense microgreens per calorie.

How much to use: One packed cup per 16-ounce smoothie. You can push this to two cups without flavor impact if your fruit base is strong enough. Start with one cup and adjust upward.

How Do Sunflower Microgreens Work in Smoothies?

Sunflower microgreens are the most versatile variety we grow, and they work nearly as well as pea shoots in smoothies. The flavor is nutty and mild with a slight green freshness — think of it as the microgreen equivalent of adding a tablespoon of sunflower butter to your smoothie. That nuttiness actually enhances certain fruit combinations rather than hiding behind them. The texture blends smooth with a high-speed blender, though you may notice slight fibrousness in a lower-powered blender because sunflower stems are thicker than most microgreens.

Best fruit pairings: Banana is the obvious partner — the nuttiness of sunflower plus banana's creaminess tastes like a milkshake. Mango, peach, and date also complement the nutty profile. For a breakfast smoothie, combine sunflower microgreens with banana, oats, and almond butter for something that tastes like a liquid granola bar.

Nutrition highlight: Sunflower microgreens contain all essential amino acids, making them a complete protein source — unusual for a plant food. They are also rich in vitamin E (a powerful fat-soluble antioxidant) and zinc. One ounce provides roughly 2 grams of protein.

How much to use: Three-quarters to one packed cup per 16-ounce smoothie. Sunflower has slightly more flavor presence than pea shoots, so stay toward the lower end if you are new to microgreen smoothies.

Is Wheatgrass Good in Smoothies?

Wheatgrass is the classic green juice ingredient, and it has earned that reputation. The flavor is intensely grassy and sweet — more vegetal than pea shoots or sunflower, but not bitter or peppery. Wheatgrass juice shots have been a health food staple for decades, but blending whole wheatgrass into a fruit smoothie works just as well and eliminates the need for a dedicated juicer.

Best fruit pairings: Pineapple is the best partner for wheatgrass. The acidity and sweetness of pineapple cuts through the grassiness and creates a surprisingly balanced drink. Apple and ginger also work well — the ginger adds a spicy kick that complements rather than clashes with the grass flavor. Citrus fruits (orange, tangerine) are strong enough to balance wheatgrass, while milder fruits like banana let too much grassiness through.

Nutrition highlight: Wheatgrass is rich in chlorophyll (which gives it that vivid green color), iron, and vitamins A and C. It has been studied for potential anti-inflammatory effects, though the evidence is preliminary. The main nutritional advantage is density — a small amount of wheatgrass packs a concentrated dose of micronutrients.

How much to use: Half a cup per 16-ounce smoothie is the sweet spot. Wheatgrass has more flavor assertiveness than pea shoots or sunflower, so less is more. If you are new to wheatgrass, start with a quarter cup and work up. At one full cup, most people find the grassiness overpowering unless paired with a very strong fruit base.

Why Should You Add Broccoli Microgreens to Smoothies?

Broccoli microgreens make the list not because of their flavor — which is mild but slightly peppery — but because of their standout nutritional compound: sulforaphane. Broccoli microgreens contain 10 to 100 times the concentration of glucoraphanin (the precursor to sulforaphane) found in mature broccoli, according to research published by Johns Hopkins University. Sulforaphane has been extensively studied for its role in activating the body's Nrf2 pathway, which upregulates antioxidant and detoxification enzymes.

The critical detail is that sulforaphane production requires the enzyme myrosinase, which is active in raw broccoli microgreens but destroyed by cooking above 60 degrees Celsius. A smoothie is the perfect delivery vehicle because the microgreens stay raw, the blending breaks open cell walls to enhance conversion, and fruit masks the mild pepperiness.

Best fruit pairings: Strong tropical fruits work best — pineapple, mango, and passion fruit all overpower the slight brassica bite. Berries work too, especially blueberries. Avoid pairing broccoli microgreens with mild, delicate fruits like pear or melon, as the peppery notes come through.

Nutrition highlight: Sulforaphane is the headline, but broccoli microgreens also provide vitamin C, vitamin K, and fiber. The sulforaphane research is genuinely compelling and is the primary reason many health-conscious consumers seek out broccoli microgreens specifically.

How much to use: Half a cup per 16-ounce smoothie. Broccoli microgreens have a mild peppery edge that becomes noticeable above this amount. If you want to increase the dose, strengthen your fruit base proportionally.

Can You Use Kale Microgreens in Smoothies?

Kale microgreens work in smoothies, but they require the most deliberate fruit pairing of any variety on this list. Mature kale is famously assertive — earthy, slightly bitter, with a mineral backbone that some people love and others find off-putting. Kale microgreens are milder than mature kale leaves, but they still carry that characteristic earthiness. You cannot throw kale microgreens into a light fruit smoothie and expect them to disappear. They will not.

Best fruit pairings: You need bold fruit to stand up to kale. Banana plus peanut butter is the strongest pairing — the fat and sweetness create a thick, rich base that absorbs the earthiness. Mango and pineapple together provide enough tropical sweetness to balance kale. Dates are excellent natural sweeteners that complement kale's mineral notes. Adding a tablespoon of cocoa powder transforms a kale smoothie into something that tastes like a chocolate shake with a faint green background.

Nutrition highlight: Kale microgreens are rich in vitamins A, C, and K, along with calcium and iron at levels that exceed most other microgreen varieties. The antioxidant capacity is high, driven by carotenoids (lutein and beta-carotene) and flavonoids (kaempferol and quercetin).

How much to use: Half a cup per 16-ounce smoothie for first-timers. Experienced green smoothie drinkers can push to three-quarters of a cup with appropriate fruit pairing. Beyond that, the earthiness dominates.

Which Microgreens Should You Never Put in a Smoothie?

Radish, mustard, arugula, and wasabi microgreens have no place in a smoothie unless you genuinely enjoy drinking something that burns. These varieties contain high concentrations of isothiocyanates — the same sulfur compounds responsible for the heat in mustard and horseradish. Blending releases these compounds aggressively, and no amount of fruit adequately masks the resulting spiciness. I have tested it repeatedly and the results are consistently unpleasant.

Cilantro microgreens are another avoid — the soapy aldehyde compounds that some people taste in cilantro become concentrated and overwhelming when blended. Amaranth and beet microgreens are visually dramatic but can make smoothies taste like dirt if used in quantities above a tablespoon.

How Do You Freeze Microgreens for Smoothie Prep?

Freezing microgreens in ice cube trays is the best batch-prep method for daily smoothie drinkers. Pack microgreens into standard ice cube tray compartments, press them down gently, add a small splash of water or coconut water to bind them together, and freeze. Each cube contains roughly 2 tablespoons of microgreens. Pop 3 to 4 cubes into your blender with fruit for a quick morning smoothie without any measuring or handling of fresh greens.

Frozen microgreens lose their visual appeal and crisp texture — they are mushy and limp when thawed — but that is irrelevant in a blender. Nutrient retention is strong when greens are frozen promptly after harvest. Vitamin C degrades slightly, but minerals, fiber, and compounds like sulforaphane remain stable. Frozen microgreen cubes keep well for 2 to 3 months in a standard freezer.

This is also a smart way to use microgreens that are a day past peak market quality. At the farm, any trays that do not meet our visual standards for retail sale go straight into smoothie prep — either for our own kitchen or as a value-added product. Nothing wasted, everything eaten.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do microgreens lose nutrients when blended?

No. Blending actually improves bioavailability by breaking open plant cell walls, making nutrients more accessible to digestion. Some oxidation-sensitive compounds like vitamin C may degrade slightly from exposure to air during blending, but the effect is minimal if you drink the smoothie promptly. The overall nutritional benefit of blending microgreens into smoothies is well-supported by food science research.

Can you put too many microgreens in a smoothie?

Yes. Even mild varieties like pea shoots and sunflower become detectable above 1 to 2 packed cups per 16-ounce smoothie. For stronger varieties like broccoli and kale, half a cup is the practical limit. More importantly, the fruit-to-greens ratio matters — if greens exceed about 30 percent of total smoothie volume, the flavor and texture shift noticeably toward "health drink" and away from "enjoyable smoothie."

Are microgreen smoothies safe for children?

Yes. Microgreens are food, not supplements, and they are safe for children old enough to eat blended foods. Start with very mild varieties like pea shoots at a small quantity (a quarter cup per smoothie) and adjust based on the child's taste preferences. The fruit in a smoothie makes microgreens palatable for children who refuse to eat greens on their own. Avoid wheatgrass for children under 2, as its concentrated compounds may be too intense for very young digestive systems.

What type of blender works best for microgreen smoothies?

A high-speed blender (Vitamix, Blendtec, or similar) produces the smoothest results because it fully breaks down the fibrous stems of microgreens like sunflower and wheatgrass. Standard countertop blenders work adequately for tender varieties like pea shoots and broccoli but may leave noticeable fiber chunks from thicker-stemmed varieties. If you are using a standard blender, blend the microgreens with liquid first for 30 seconds before adding fruit and ice to ensure even consistency.

How do microgreen smoothies compare to green powder supplements?

Fresh or frozen microgreens in smoothies provide whole-food nutrition with intact fiber, active enzymes (like myrosinase in broccoli), and no processing-related nutrient loss. Green powder supplements are convenient but involve dehydration and processing that can degrade heat-sensitive compounds. Powders also tend to be expensive — $30 to $60 per container — while a dollar's worth of microgreens provides comparable or superior nutrition per serving. We always recommend whole foods over processed supplements when practical.