Healthy Shamrock Shake Recipe
Posted Mar 06, 2017, Updated Jan 10, 2022
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This Healthy Shamrock Shake recipe is made with 8 nutritious ingredients like avocados, spinach, Greek yogurt and is ready in 5 minutes! The perfect St. Patrick’s Day treat that’s naturally dyed green! No food coloring!
Top ‘O the morning to you!!! This Healthy Shamrock Shake recipe goes out to all of my virtual friends who have a shamrock shake addict in your life.
My husband is that guy. You know the one I’m talking about. Literally the first day he sees a sign outside of the golden arches advertising the arrival of said beverage, he has to have one.
I had three main objectives in creating this Healthy Shamrock Shake, it had to be 1) creamy. 2) Green. and 3) minty!
The addition of avocado, spinach and fresh mint leaves worked together to achieve every one of those goals in a completely natural and healthy way. So I feel good about my husband and kids enjoying this green treat! (Instead of secretly being horrified about what they are putting into their bodies).
How to make a Shamrock Shake
This recipe is very simple to make. Simply put all the ingredients in the container of a Vitamix and blend until smooth.
The only tip I have is that in order to blend everything well you need to use a Vitamix (or another high-powered blender).
Serve
Serve this shake with a dollop of homemade whipped cream on top for a fun treat without any preservatives, food dyes, etc.
I suggest serving this healthy shamrock shake right away for the best flavor and texture.
Store
You could store leftovers in a glass jar with lid in the refrigerator for 1 day or in the freezer for 1 month, however it’s best when served immediately.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, this recipe is far healthier than the restaurant version, here are some comparisons for a small shake from McD’s: 460 calories (small size) 63 g refined sugar, 74 g carbs, 8 g saturated fat. No fiber or nutrients.
This Recipe: 336 calories, 30 g unrefined sugar, 39 g carbs, 4 g saturated fat, 8 g fiber, 1900 mg Vitamin A, 780 mg Potassium.
The ingredients in a McD’s shake are: Milk, Sugar, Cream, Corn Syrup, Natural Flavor, Mono and Diglycerides, Cellulose Gum, Guar Gum, Carrageenan, Vitamin A Palmitate.Â
So much less nutritious than making a shake with whole foods like avocados, Greek yogurt and honey!
You can freeze leftovers of this healthy shamrock shake in glass jars with lids in the freezer and thaw slowly in the refrigerator. You could also use a popsicle mold and make shamrock shake popsicles with leftovers – yum!
Healthy Shamrock Shake: Ingredients & Substitutions
There are a few easy ways to change up this Healthy Shamrock Shake to fit your dietary needs!
- Greek Yogurt/Milk: If you avoid dairy, you can easily substitute a dairy-free yogurt and almond or coconut milk to make this dairy-free! . recommend using honey or vanilla flavored yogurt. If you use plain yogurt, you will need to increase the amount of honey so that it’s sweet enough.
- Spinach. Use frozen spinach to make a thick and creamy shake.
- Honey: Use any liquid sweetener of your choice. Honey is by far my favorite.
- Mint: If you’d prefer, you can use mint extract instead of fresh mint, however I love the flavor the fresh mint imparts in this healthy shamrock shake!
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Healthy Shamrock Shake
Ingredients
- ¾ cup milk (2% or whole)
- ½ cup vanilla Greek yogurt
- 1 avocado
- ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup spinach frozen
- 10-15 fresh mint leaves
- 2 TBS honey
- ½-1 cup ice optional
Instructions
- Add ingredients to your Vitamix (or other high-powered blender) in the order listed.
- Blend, starting on low speed and gradually increasing to high until your mixture is smooth and homogenous.
- Pour and serve immediately, top with whipped cream or chocolate!
Video
Notes
Ingredient Substitutions
- Greek Yogurt/Milk:Â Â If you avoid dairy, you can easily substitute a dairy-free yogurt and almond or coconut milk to make this dairy-free! . recommend using honey or vanilla flavored yogurt. If you use plain yogurt, you will need to increase the amount of honey so that it’s sweet enough.
- Spinach. Use frozen spinach to make a thick and creamy shake.
- Honey:Â Use any liquid sweetener of your choice. Honey is by far my favorite.
- Mint:Â If you’d prefer, you can use mint extract instead of fresh mint, however IÂ love the flavor the fresh mint imparts in this healthy shamrock shake!
Serve
Serve this shake with a dollop of homemade whipped cream on top for a fun treat without any preservatives, food dyes, etc. I suggest serving this healthy shamrock shake right away for the best flavor and texture.Store
You could store leftovers in a glass jar with lid in the refrigerator for 1 day or in the freezer for 1 month, however it’s best when served immediately.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More St. Patrick’s Day Recipes
Here are some more green and St. Patty’s Day themed recipes for you!
- These spinach pancakes, spinach muffins and these spinach donuts make a fun and festive breakfast!
- How adorable is this rainbow fruit pizza? Put a little pot of gold at the end and you have a fun dessert!
- I always think of potatoes when I think of St. Patty’s Day, and these mashed potatoes are the best!
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LOVE this – all of the nostalgia of the classic treat but something you can feel good about consuming!
Absolutely! Fresh and green!
My husband is that guy too!! And I have also never understood it. I prefer my green colored food and drinks to be naturally green in color – like your delicious smoothie! THIS is a Shamrock Shake I can get on board with!
LOL I’m totally with you! And lower in sugar too! 😉
Made with everything I love! This healthy shamrock shake needs to be in my life asap! Perfect for breakfast or as my afternoon snack!
It’s definitely a great choice for either!
These would be fun to make for my kids for St. Patty’s Day. Also, they love spinach in smoothies anyways. Sounds absolutely delish!
That’s awesome that your kiddos enjoy spinach in their smoothies! I have to be a sneaky ninja mom to put it in my kids’ or else it’s quite a production getting them to take the first sip {and realizing they love it}! LOL!
I’ve actually never had a shamrock shake before haha, but I keep hearing about them! I think I would like this healthy version much more than the original version though! Your husband is a lucky man 🙂
You’re too sweet! 🙂 Yes I actually like this one, not so much the original. LOL!
This looks like a great festive treat without the guilt! And it has such a lovely verdant hue!
Thank you Sonali! I love the way REAL ingredients make dishes so vibrant!
This looks soooooo good. And so perfect for the season. I’ve never had a minty shake before so I am so excited to give this a try!!
I love using fresh mint too! So much better than extract!
Just magical substitutions … and I’m craving green right now. I really can’t seem to get enough.
I’m totally with you! Green everything!
What a gorgeous color! It’s so refreshing to see a naturally green treat for St. Paddy’s day. Avocado for the win!!
Avocado is ALWAYS a winner around here! 🙂
Wouldn’t it be cool if ST Pat’s day got everyone drinking green smoothies?! We’ll use the trick of them thinking it’s a adult beverage to show them how tasty they are! 🙂