Jugo Verde is a vibrant Mexican green juice made of fresh ingredients and packed with nutrients. It has everything going for it: tasty, easy and amazingly refreshing!

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A glass of bright green jugo verde sits on a wooden surface next to celery stalks and a spinach leaf.

Jugo verde is a popular Mexican green juice made with fresh fruits and vegetables. This easy Mexican green juice recipe combines nopales (cactus paddles), spinach, celery, green apple, and pineapple for a refreshing drink with a naturally sweet, earthy flavor.

If you love Mexican drinks, also try Piña Colada Smoothie.

The ingredients needed to make Jugo Verde labeled and sitting on a wooden surface.

🌵 Ingredients for Mexican Green Juice

Nopales (cactus paddles): Nopales are a traditional ingredient in Mexican cooking and give this green juice its distinctive earthy flavor. Use cleaned cactus paddles with the spines removed.
Celery: Adds a fresh, mildly savory flavor that balances the sweetness of the fruit.
Spinach: Adds leafy green flavor and blends easily with the other ingredients.
Green apple: Adds a crisp, tart sweetness that helps balance the flavor of the nopales and spinach.
Fresh pineapple: Adds natural sweetness and a bright, fruity flavor. It helps balance the earthier vegetables without needing added sugar.

Optional Additions

You can adjust this Mexican green juice to suit your taste. Try adding cucumber, fresh mint, parsley, a squeeze of lime juice, or a little fresh ginger. Fresh orange juice is another option if you prefer a sweeter drink.

The ingredients to make Jugo Verde chopped and in Mexican clay plates.

🥣 How to Make Jugo Verde

Prepare the ingredients. Wash the fruits and vegetables thoroughly. Remove the peel from ingredients that need peeling, trim any remaining spines from the nopales, and cut everything into smaller pieces.
Add to the blender. Place the prepared ingredients in the blender. Add 1½ cups of water to the blender.

Cactus paddle (or nopales) might not be something you normally add in your juices or green smoothie, but it is a common ingredient in this juice.

Nopales are an important ingredient in Mexican cuisine and are often used in recipes such as Ensalada de Nopales and Nopales con huevos.

The ingredients needed to make Mexican green juice in a blender.

Blend until smooth. Blend the ingredients with the water until everything is well combined. Add more water only if needed to reach your preferred consistency.
Straining: Strain the juice if you prefer a thinner consistency. Leaving it unstrained retains more of the pulp and fiber.
Serve. Pour into glasses and serve cold or over ice.

👩🏼‍🍳 Pro Tip

Cleaning nopales can take time, so look for cactus paddles with the spines already removed or packages of pre-cleaned, diced nopales. You’ll find them in the refrigerated section of Mexican or Latin American grocery stores.

🫙 Storing Instructions

Refrigerator: For the best flavor and quality, drink freshly made jugo verde soon after blending. If you have leftovers, transfer them to a clean, airtight container, refrigerate promptly, and use them as soon as possible.
Freezer: Freezing may affect the flavor and texture. If you choose to freeze the juice, use a freezer-safe container and leave room for expansion. Thaw in the refrigerator and use promptly.

Jugo verde in a glass cup next to celery and spinach leaves.

🍴 More Drinks To Try

Tropical Mango Pineapple Smoothie
Licuado de Plátano (Banana Smoothie)
Green Ginger Smoothie
Berry Protein Smoothie

This homemade jugo verde is a refreshing way to enjoy nopales, spinach, celery, and fresh fruit in one glass. Blend it until smooth, adjust the consistency to your liking, and serve it cold.

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Did you make this recipe? Please rate the recipe below!

Jugo Verde (Mexican Green Juice Recipe)

Jugo Verde is a vibrant Mexican green juice made of fresh ingredients and packed with nutrients. It has everything going for it: tasty, easy and amazingly refreshing!

5 from 50 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Drink

Cuisine: Mexican

Prep Time: 7

Cook Time: 0

Total Time: 7

Servings:

Calories: 72kcal

Author: Maggie Unzueta

Ingredients

Instructions

Prepare the ingredients. Wash the fruits and vegetables thoroughly.
Remove the peel from ingredients that need peeling, trim any remaining spines from the nopales, and cut everything into smaller pieces.
Add to the blender. Place the prepared ingredients in the blender.
Blend the ingredients with 1 ½ cups water until everything is well combined.
Add more water only if needed to reach your preferred consistency.
Strain if desired. Pour the juice through a fine-mesh strainer if you prefer a thinner drink.
Leave it unstrained if you like a thicker texture.
Serve. Pour into glasses and serve cold or over ice.

Video

Notes

Other commonly used ingredients:

Parsley, fresh orange juice, cucumbers, lime juice, fresh mint, beets, kale, and more.

Straining:

This juice is slightly thicker since it was made in the blender. Straining removes some of the fiber, but this really comes down to preference. If you prefer a smoother juice, strain away.

How to Store:

Refrigerator: For the best flavor and quality, drink freshly made jugo verde soon after blending. If you have leftovers, transfer them to a clean, airtight container, refrigerate promptly, and use them as soon as possible.
Freezer: Freezing may affect the flavor and texture. If you choose to freeze the juice, use a freezer-safe container and leave room for expansion. Thaw in the refrigerator and use promptly.