Vegan Shamrock Shake
Enjoy the luck o’ the Irish with the fresh, minty flavor of this vegan shamrock shake recipe. It’s made healthy with nutritious ingredients, like bananas and avocados.
It’s time to celebrate one of my favorite holidays, St. Patrick’s Day, with my healthy shamrock shake recipe. It’s not only healthier, in my opinion, it’s also a tastier version of that fast food Shamrock Shake that’s so popular this time of year. I’ve made other green smoothies, like this Green Tea Smoothie, but today’s has a minty freshness to it that can’t be denied.
Why This Recipe is a Winner
- Adding fresh spinach creates vibrant green color and it adds minimal flavor
- Bananas add sweetness and a creamy consistency
- Mint leaves brings that favorite mint flavor we know and love.
What You Need
You can find the full printable recipe, including ingredient quantities, below. But first, here are some explanations of ingredients and steps to help you make this recipe perfect every time.
- Lemon — We’ll use both the zest and the juice of the lemon.
- Oats — I used rolled oats for this recipe, but you can substitute instant oats.
- Chia — We’ll add some ground chia seeds to create a thicker texture. You can use whole chia seeds; I just prefer ground because it creates a smoother finished texture.
- Syrup — I used maple syrup, but you can substitute agave nectar.
- Milk — We’ll use almond milk for the best overnight oats! Substitute your favorite plant-based milk.
- Yogurt — I love adding some plant-based yogurt (plain, unsweetened) for an even more tangy flavor.
- Protein Powder — I add some vanilla protein powder for increased flavor and nutrients. If your protein powder is not sweetened, you may want to add an extra teaspoon or two of sweetener.
- Cornstarch — We’ll use cornstarch to thicken the lemon curd topping.
- Turmeric — A pinch of turmeric makes that lemon curd sunny yellow.
- Spinach — You’ll definitely want to use fresh, not frozen, spinach.
- Banana — Add some peeled and chopped bananas to the freezer for about an hour so you’ll have frozen bananas.
- Avocado — You’ll need a fresh avocado.
- Plant-based milk — I recommend using Silk Almond Milk Vanilla Singles because they’re creamy and loaded with vanilla flavor. Or substitute any vanilla-flavored creamer.
- Mint Leaves — You can buy fresh mint leaves in the produce section of your grocery store. You can also grow it (quite easily) outside. I highly recommend fresh mint over mint extract in this recipe. If you must use mint extract, add just a drop at a time. A little bit goes a long way.
- Ice — You may want to add ice to make a thicker shake.
- Cacao Nibs — This is an optional ingredient, but I love the crunch of cacao nibs in my smoothies.
I know I’m not the first one to make a vegan shamrock shake. I imagine I won’t be the last. Any time I set out to create a recipe I know is already out there a bit, I try to put my own spin on it. I knew I wanted something that would be super healthy, green, and also easy to throw together.
The nice thing about this vegan shamrock smoothie is, it’s a great detox after a night of partying. In other words, if you’re a little hungover on March 18, this shamrock shake can help!
How to Make Vegan Shamrock Shakes
- Pulse the spinach, bananas, avocado, almond milk, and mint in a blender until smooth.
- Add some ice to make a thick, creamy (optional, but recommended).
- Garnish with cacao nibs and additional mint leaves or even some coconut whipped topping.
Storage Tips
Most smoothies are best when consumed right away. If you need to store it, cover the top and keep it in the fridge for up to several hours. You will want to stir it before consuming it. You can blend it again with added ice to create a thicker texture.
Shamrock Smoothie Nutrition
You know that fast-food place you like to go to and order the shamrock shake? Guess how many calories are in a small? Over 400! However, this is a low-calorie shamrock shake in comparison because each serving has roughly 240 calories. Impressive!
You’ll get all the flavors of a mint chocolate chip smoothie without the added sugars and calories that go along with it. Besides, this green smoothie is healthy thanks to avocados and greens.
St. Patrick’s Day Favorites
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Vegan Shamrock Shake
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh spinach not frozen
- 1 cup frozen banana
- ¼ cup avocado chopped
- 8 oz (one container) Silk Almond Milk Vanilla Singles (see note)
- 4 to 6 Fresh Mint Leaves*
- 1 cup ice optional
- 1 teaspoon Cacao Nibs optional
Instructions
- Combine the spinach, bananas, avocado, vanilla almond milk, and mint leaves in a blender. Pulse until smooth. Add the ice (optional) and pulse until a thick, creamy consistency develops.
- Garnish with Cacao Nibs and additional mint leaves. Drink this yourself or share with a friend!
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Notes
The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
This post was originally published in 2016 and was updated to include new photos, new text, and an updated recipe in 2021.
This was a sponsored post. All opinions are my own. See our full disclosure for more information.
O yes! The fresh mint is so much better!