Kiwi Mango Smoothie with Banana & Lime

Ready in 5 minutes, this immune-boosting kiwi mango smoothie with banana and lime is super creamy, filling, and high in vitamin C. Healthy and delicious, it’s the perfect way to start your day!

When the last of late winter and spring colds going around, smoothies are perfect for getting a large dose of vitamin C, potassium, and other immune-boosting nutrients. I love using fresh fruit in my smoothies, especially as we enter spring. You still have the last of the winter citrus and kiwis in the markets, but also start seeing some of the warm weather flavors.

As we are into spring and getting closer to summer, you are going to see more mangos in the markets. I love fresh mango, especially when they are at that perfectly ripe and creamy stage, with just a hint of acidity.

As you can tell, I have a bit of an obsession with mangos. Perhaps not quite as much as my obsession with cheese, but that has more to do with availability. You can bet that if I lived in a tropical country I would be eating mangos every day: mango pumpkin bread, chocolate mango chia pudding, mango avocado smoothie, mango in chicken cream cheese pinwheels…

On the other hand, kiwis can often be difficult to find recipes for. I don’t have any other kiwi recipes on this site! This is because, with their seeds and high acid content, they do not cook well, turning brown instead of maintaining that wonderful green color. But they are perfect for smoothies. Especially with mango!

Selecting a Ripe Kiwi

For this kiwi mango smoothie, it is best to use well-ripened kiwis. Unripe kiwi is very tart and will affect the smoothie. To determine if your kiwi is ripe you can give it a gentle squeeze and if it gives slightly then it is ready. You shouldn’t have to squeeze it hard, just a little bit. Really soft kiwi is over-ripe and can taste a little fermented. It is still usable for things like smoothies, but the flavor isn’t perfect.

To ripen a kiwi, put it in a paper bag with an apple or banana. These fruits produce ethylene gas, which acts like a ripening hormone for kiwis and other fruit. This trick will help them to ripen in a few days. Once ripe, kiwis should be eaten within a day or two no matter where you store them as they ferment quickly.

As a side note: kiwi skin is edible. Technically you don’t need to remove the skin for this recipe, just trim the ends and give it a light scrub to remove the worst of the fuzz. But the skin does add a lot of texture to the smoothie which many can find unpleasant. But it is an excellent source of fiber if you need more in your diet.

Selecting a Ripe Mango

Mango ripens at room temperature and can be stored for later in the fridge. Like with kiwis, fruits emitting ethylene gas (apples or bananas) will speed up the ripening process if kept together with mango.

A ripe mango should also be just soft, with a little bit of give when you squeeze it. Color is not a good indicator of mango ripeness because there are so many varieties. Smell can be a good indicator (not always, but often). A ripe mango will have a slight sweet-floral perfume when you hold it up to your nose.

Using Frozen Fruit

If you can’t find the kiwi or the mango fresh, it is possible to use frozen (but I really prefer fresh). If you are using a frozen fruit – I would suggest replacing one or the other, not both – eliminate the ice cubes and use 3-4 tbsp of water or orange juice instead. Do not add extra lime juice as this will make the smoothie too sour. But if you are using frozen fruit and the smoothie seems too thick you can add an extra 1-2 tbsp of liquid.

While it is possible to find and use frozen bananas, I think this recipe needs it to be fresh. The banana adds a creamy texture to the smoothie which balances out the acids from the juice and other fruits. A fresh banana gives smoothies a creamy, whipped texture that I find amazing.

If you want to increase the protein for a post-workout snack or make it even creamier, I recommend the addition of some plain yogurt and reduce the liquid in the recipe by 1-2 tbsp.

Whether using frozen or fresh fruit, this kiwi smoothie should be drunk immediately for best taste and texture. It is the perfect recipe for those increasingly sunny days that spring brings – or for brightening a cloudy day. Celebrate these bright, tropical fruits while they are here with this and other amazing smoothie recipes.