A healthy shamrock shake, aka smoothie, that’s minty fresh and radiates a festive, vibrant green – perfect for St. Patrick’s Day!
Who doesn’t love a festive green recipe for St. Patrick’s Day celebrations?!
As an Irish girl, I love celebrating St. Patrick’s Day every year, which is why you’ll find several St. Patrick’s Day inspired recipes on my blog like whole wheat Irish soda bread and vegetarian Irish stew.
There are lots of copycat shamrock shake recipes out there and this recipe is more of a twist on a shamrock shake, versus a copycat recipe.
This recipe is really a shamrock smoothie! Or, as most people would search for it, a healthy shamrock shake.
This smoothie shake is bright green, sweet and refreshingly minty.
It’s easy to whip up in less than five minutes and only calls for 6 ingredients. There’s no weird, fancy, super expensive powders or ingredients. Just simple ingredients like mint and vanilla to give it that Shamrock flavor and spinach and avocado to give it its green color!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Notes on ingredients
Bananas: make sure you have some bananas in the freezer you can use for this recipe. It helps keep the smoothie cold without having to use ice, which dilutes the flavor!
Avocado: use ripe avocado – it should give slightly when you gently press on the skn.
Mint: use fresh mint!
Milk or non-dairy milk alternative: use either! I tested this with original almond milk, which is sweetened, so if you use an unsweetened non-dairy milk alternative, it won’t be as sweet (but the banana will still lend some sweetness!)
How to Make a Healthy Shamrock Shake Smoothie
Step 1: Add all ingredients to a high-speed blender.
Step 2: Add bananas first and milk or milk alternative last – this will help ingredients blend easier.
Step 3: Blend until smooth. Serve cold!
Expert Tips
- Slice the bananas before storing them in the in an airtight container or bag in the freezer. This will help them blend easier in the smoothie vs. throwing them in whole.
- Add bananas first since they are the hardest to blend.
- Make sure bananas are frozen so you don’t have to worry about adding ice, which dilutes the flavor.
Recipe FAQs
What’s really in a Shamrock shake?
According to McDonald’s website the ingredients in a Shamrock shake are: vanilla reduced fat ice cream, Shamrock Shake syrup, and whipped light cream.
What makes a Shamrock shake green?
If you look at the ingredients in the Shamrock Shake syrup, it calls for a combination of two artificial food dyes known as Yellow 5 and Blue 1, which makes green.
Is a shamrock shake healthy?
It depends on what your definition of healthy is! If your definition of healthy includes enjoying novel holiday foods and beverages once a year when they roll around then yes! If your definition of healthy includes avoiding artificial food dyes at all costs, then no.
This smoothie recipe is not meant to replace McDonald’s Shamrock Shake – it’s really just a fun smoothie twist on the holiday favorite. There is room for both!
This smoothie would pair perfectly at breakfast with my:
- Butternut Squash Hash with Eggs
- Whole Wheat Butternut Squash Banana Bread
- The Best Everything Bagel Casserole
- Farro Breakfast Bowl
And if you want more St. Patrick’s Day recipes, check out mine below:
- Instant Pot Guinness Beef Stew
- Vegetarian Irish Stew
- Irish Soda Bread Muffins
- Whole Wheat Irish Soda Bread
- Gram’s Raisin Irish Bread
- Vegan Colcannon
Healthy Shamrock Shake
(4 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5)
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- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 10-12 ounces 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
A healthy shamrock shake, aka smoothie, that’s minty fresh and radiates a festive, vibrant green – perfect for St. Patrick’s Day!
Ingredients
- 1 frozen banana
- 1/2 cup baby spinach
- 1/4 of an avocado
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 6–8 fresh mint leaves
- 3/4 cup milk (or non-dairy milk alternative)
- Optional: whipped cream and/or cacao nibs or chocolate shavings for garnish
Instructions
- Add all ingredients, in the order listed above, to a high-speed blender. Blend until smooth. Serve cold.
- Optional: garnish with whipped cream and/or cacao nibs or chocolate shavings.
Notes
- Slice the bananas before storing them in the in an airtight container or bag in the freezer. This will help them blend easier in the smoothie vs. throwing them in whole.
- Add bananas first since they are the hardest to blend.
- Make sure bananas are frozen so you don’t have to worry about adding ice, which dilutes the flavor.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Smoothie
- Method: Blender
- Cuisine: St. Patrick's Day
This recipe was retested, reshot and revamped to bring you the most delicious (and most beautiful) dish! The original post was published in March 2015.
drooooling
Thanks! 🙂
I am absolutely a fan of green smoothies! Especially this time of year 🙂
For sure! So festive.
Love the superfood additions! I’ve been making lots of super green smoothies lately, but rarely with the addition of mint and chocolate. Am definitely going to try this combo out! 🙂
Thanks, Rebecca! Enjoy 🙂
Yum! Just planted mint in my herb garden, and I can’t wait for it to take off 🙂
Fresh mint is so delicious! I love it!
Love the color of this! You sure know how to rock a holiday!
Thank you!
That’s definitely packed with superfoods! Love the maca powder, I have some and couldn’t decide what to do with it. Now I know 🙂
Thanks! I hope you enjoy!
This smoothie looks beautiful! I’m adding it to my St. Patty’s day menu! 🙂
Thanks, Kalee! Hope you enjoy!
I wish everyone would drink this superfood smoothie vs. those crazy McD shamrock shakes!
Right?!?! Me too!
Sounds like my kinda St. Pats! I was so lame this year and didn’t do anything to celebrate- but I love this superfood smoothie!
Haha there’s always next year! Thanks!
That looks beautiful! I’d love to have a glass.
Thanks, Simona!