Jugo Verde! Mexico’s all-natural, anti-inflammatory cold-pressed juice- made with fresh pineapple, spinach, cucumber, and nopales. Heals and soothes the body! No juicer needed. Video included!
Recipe first posted on January 14, 2020 and last updated with step-by-step photos on January 4, 2024.
One of the treats I’ve loved the most while traveling in Mexico are the fresh juices.
Mexicans are masterful juice makers. Blends of all kinds made with beets, green apple, carrots, ginger, grapefruit, and more can be found in every corner of the country.
These juices offer a convenient way to get your daily supply of nutrients and antioxidants on the go.
You’ll find many smoothies and juice recipes on my website as well . Green smoothies like this green tea smoothie with fresh mint leaves, or ones with fresh orange juice like my sunrise smoothie.
And cold-pressed juices like this healthy Jugo Verde recipe or traditional green juice that you will find all over Mexico made with nopales, the thick cactus paddles of the Opuntia Cactus.
I’ve enjoyed this licuado verde or green juice so many times in Mexico and have been wanting to make at home for the longest.
One of my favorite recipes for agua fresca uses the fruit of this cactus but the green pads are also eaten and contain many health benefits, including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties as well as controlling blood sugar.
Keep reading to hear all about how to make this power-packed juice!
Here’s Why You Will Love This Jugo Verde
- Full of leafy greens but still sweet, not bitter
- Packed with vitamins and minerals, making it a great way to support the immune system
- Another superfood recipe
- Just 7 simple ingredients
- Quick to prep and ready in 10 minutes
- A perfect time to use up veggies in the crisper
- A great way to enhance the body’s natural detoxification process to improve digestion and promote weight loss
No Juicer Needed!
If you think you need some expensive juicer to make this popular green juice, think again. All you need to make fresh-squeezed juices at home is a blender and a strainer!
This is my go-to Mexican green juice recipe; it’s easy, quick, and requires no fancy equipment. I used to have a juicer but it broke and I don’t even need it to make this juice so I never bought another one.
I don’t even have a high-powered blender, just a regular blender with a glass jar works great.
Ingredients
- Pineapple
- Spinach
- Cucumber
- Celery
- Parsley
- Nopales
- Lime for fresh lime juice
how to make this recipe
step one
Prep the fresh produce. The first thing you need to do is wash and peel the simple blend of fruit and veggies then cut everything into small pieces. Remove the tough stems of the parsley and spinach and cut the ends off the celery stalk.
I like to buy the nopales already prepped and cut. If you buy the whole pad with thorns be very careful when peeling.
*CHEF’S TIP: The jugo verde mix can be prepped up to 3 days in advance and kept in the refrigerator until you are ready to blend.
step two
Blend all the ingredients in a blender. You may need to do this in batches depending on the size of your blender.
step three
Strain. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a pitcher or large liquid measuring cup. Pushing the mixture through with a spoon.
step four
Enjoy! Drink immediately (I like it over ice) or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to a day. It makes 2 large glasses.
*CHEF’S TIP: Compost the scraps or add to muffins or cake batter.
Top 5 Most Popular Healthy Recipes
- Vegan Pozole Verde
- Best Ever Easy and Quick Black Beans
- Grilled Fish Tacos with Sweet Corn Salsa
- Cilantro-Lime Slaw
- Veracruz-Style Hominy
treat yo’ self
Opening up the fridge to find a homemade cold-pressed, power-boosting green juice is the BEST way to start your day. So treat yourself by whipping up a batch of Jugo Verde, and don’t forget to snap a pic and share it with me on Instagram by tagging @holajalapeno or #holajalapeno so I can see or leave me a comment below (don’t forget to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating) ! ¡Salúd!
Jugo Verde {Mexican Green Juice}
Jugo Verde or Mexican Green Juice made with produce like nopales, the cactus paddles that give this juice an extra health boost.
Ingredients
- 1 medium-sized, ripe pineapple, skinned and cored, and cut into strips
- 2 cups spinach, washed and stemmed
- 1 6-inch Persian or English cucumber, peeled if the skin is tough or bitter
- 2 stalks celery
- 1 cup Italian parsley, tough stems removed
- 1 cup chopped nopales
- Juice of 1 lime
Instructions
- Prep veggies. Cut pineapple, cucumber, and celery into small pieces. Remove the tough stems from the spinach and parsley.
- Blend. Place everything into a blender putting the waterier things like pineapple and cucumber first to get the blender going. Add the juice from 1 lime. Blend on high until everything is well blended and smooth. You may need to do this in batches depending on the size of your blender.
- Strain. Pour mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a pitcher or large liquid measuring cup.
- Enjoy! Drink right away or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
- To make in a juicer: Press pineapple, spinach, cucumber, celery, parsley, and nopales through a juicer. Stir in lime juice. Chill or serve over ice.
- Nopales: Look for fresh nopales (cactus paddles) at your local Latin market. I like to use ones that already have the thorns removed and are cut into pieces. Do not use canned nopales.
- Strained leftovers. Compost the fibers from the vegetables and fruits or use them instead of the grated carrots and apples in these Apple Oatmeal Muffins.
- Make ahead/storage: The juice is best consumed within a day of making. If you'd like to prep ahead the best idea is to prepare all the fruits and veggies then blend when you are ready to enjoy. If you have leftovers, store in an airtight container (like a Mason Jar) for up to 3 days.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 109Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 193mgCarbohydrates: 23gFiber: 9gSugar: 8gProtein: 8g
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