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    Home ▸ Vegan Drinks and Smoothies

    Healthy Vegan Shamrock Shake

    Last modified: March 9, 2023. Originally posted: March 9, 2023 By Sophia DeSantis

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    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Collage of a shamrock shake in a glass mug, the ingredients needed to make it and top view of it in a blender with overlay text.
    A shamrock shake with chocolate chips in a glass mug topped with whipped cream and a straw in the top.

    This vegan shamrock shake recipe is easy to make, super healthy and loaded with hidden veggies. It tastes incredible and is a top reader pick!

    This is the perfect shake to get some greens on. My kids even know there are veggies in it and still love it!

    Green shake with chocolate chips in glass jar topped with whipped cream and a straw.
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    This recipe was originally published on 3/15/14

    Serve this as a nutrient rich smoothie or top it with vegan whipped cream for a delicious snack. Either way you're getting in something delicious and healthy!

    Ingredients

    Unlike your standard green milkshake, this healthy shamrock shake is filled with nutritious plant based ingredients!

    • Milk
    • Bananas
    • Spinach
    • Avocado
    • Ice
    • Dates or maple syrup
    • Peppermint extract
    • Chocolate chips
    Different colors bowls with chocolate chips, clear liquid, ice, avocado, bananas, spinach and milk next to dates on a wooden surface.

    How to Make a Vegan Shamrock Shake

    Making a homemade shamrock shake is easier than heading to the drive through, not to mention healthier!

    1. Put everything in the blender, except the chocolate chips, and blend.
    2. Add the chocolate chips and pulse until incorporated.
    3. Top with optional whipped cream and serve!
    Top view of green smoothie with chocolate chips in a vitamix.
    A hand grabbing a glass jar with a green shake in it with chocolate chips and whipped cream on top.

    The Best Greens to Add to Smoothies

    This vegan shamrock shake recipe uses spinach and avocado to get that classic green hue, but you can use other foods as well.

    Spinach in a green smoothie tends to be the first pick for people. I love it because it is versatile and has so many great qualities!

    Avocado is also a great addition, not only for it's creaminess but also because it is such a great protein and fat source. Our bodies need both of these to function, so to get it in all forms is not only healthy but the creaminess is also delish.

    Here are more green foods to try adding:

    • Zucchini
    • Lettuce
    • Kale
    • Chard
    • Peas
    • Celery
    • Cucumber
    What is a shamrock shake?

    The shamrock shake is a seasonal milkshake served at McDonald's around St. Patrick's Day.

    What do shamrock shakes taste like?

    The flavor is minty and creamy. Shamrock shake ingredients include ice cream and the shamrock shake syrup which includes high fructose corn syrup, natural flavorings and food coloring. This homemade vegan shamrock shake recipe uses whole foods to recreate the cool minty taste.

    Are shamrock shakes gluten free?

    According to the McDonald's website, the only allergen listed in the ingredients is milk, making the shamrock shake gluten free.

    Are vegetable smoothies healthy?

    The way I see it, you can never have too many veggies. We eat them with our meals, but I love nothing more than sneaking them into treats.

    Fruit is great in a smoothie, but it's best to balance out all the natural sugar in fruit with some veggies. There are loads of options that will give you a variety of nutrients.

    The healthiest thing you can do is get as many veggies as you can into your body, making sure to mix it up so you are also getting a variety of vitamins and minerals.

    How do you make a healthy milkshake?

    The first thing I did was decide what veggies I wanted to use to get the flavor and texture of a milkshake but also have a hidden healthy factor.

    Spinach disguises itself well so because this is kids I went with that as my hidden green.

    To help add to the creamy factor, I chose avocado. I love that it has all that fat and protein too, so a perfect way to boost their health without them knowing.

    More Vegan Milkshakes, Smoothies, and Drink Recipes

    After this vegan shamrock shake is gone, slurp up any of the following healthy smoothies or milkshakes.

    • Vegan Pecan Pumpkin Shake
    • Vegan Homemade Strawberry Milk
    • Peanut Butter Cup Milkshake
    • Salted Caramel Pretzel Oatmeal Cookie Smoothie
    • Vegan Carrot Cake Smoothie
    • Chocolate Covered Candy Cane Milkshake
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    A green smoothie that is a shamrock shake in a glass mug topped with whipped cream and chocolate chips.

    Healthy Vegan Shamrock Shake

    Sophia DeSantis
    This vegan shamrock shake recipe is easy to make, super healthy and loaded with hidden veggies. It tastes incredible and is a top reader pick!
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Shop Ingredients
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Total Time 5 mins
    Course 30 Minutes or Less, Drinks
    Cuisine American
    Servings 1 serving
    Calories 535 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 1 cup unsweetened almond or cashew milk , or use 1 cup full fat coconut milk for optimal creaminess
    • 1 ½ very ripe frozen bananas
    • ¼ cup spinach
    • ¼ avocado
    • 5-6 ice cubes , optional for an icier shake
    • 1 tablespoon  maple syrup or 4 dates , optional for extra sweetness
    • ⅛-¼ teaspoon peppermint extract , depending on how pepperminty you want it
    • ¼ cup vegan chocolate chips , plus more to sprinkle on top (use raw cacao nibs for raw shake with less sugar)

    Optional toppings:

    • vegan whipped cream
    • dairy free chocolate chips
    • vegan chocolate syrup

    Instructions
     

    • Place all ingredients, except the chocolate chips, into a blender and blend.
    • Add chocolate chips and pulse to chop them up, but don’t overblend because you will lose the green color. 
    • Top with whipped cream and more chocolate chips if preferred.
    • Serve

    Notes

    • Make sure you are using a neutral tasting avocado, some types have stronger flavors than others. Hass is probably the best bet, I used a Fuerte one time and the flavor was way too strong for us.
    • Make sure your bananas are very ripe when freezing to get the optimum sweetness. If they aren’t super ripe you may want to add more sweetener.
    • To make this nut free use a nut free milk.
    • Adjust milk amount to get your preferred thickness.
    • Nutrition calculations use maple syrup and do not include whipped topping.

    Recipe by Veggies Don’t Bite, visit our site for more great plant-based recipes.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 535kcalCarbohydrates: 83gProtein: 6gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 10gSodium: 176mgPotassium: 919mgFiber: 10gSugar: 52gVitamin A: 890IUVitamin C: 22.5mgCalcium: 75mgIron: 4.2mg

    Nutrition and metric information should be considered an estimate.

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    Reader Interactions

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    1. Jacqueline Meldrum

      March 17, 2016 at 2:54 am

      That looks amazing, I'm going to make this for my wee one. I think he'll love it. Stumbled, pinned and yummed.

      Reply
      • veggiesdontbite

        March 17, 2016 at 9:10 pm

        Thanks so much! My kids love it!

        Reply
    2. dooseet

      March 17, 2016 at 2:02 am

      I love green cocktails, spinach and banana are my favorite combos 🙂

      Reply
      • veggiesdontbite

        March 17, 2016 at 9:10 pm

        Aren't they fun! I love the combo too! Thank you!

        Reply
    3. Michelle @ Giraffes Can Bake

      March 17, 2016 at 1:49 am

      This looks so yummy, I especially love the addition of chocolate chips - love bits of texture in my milkshakes, especially if it's chocolate!
      Even better that it's healthy, I can have two and not feel bad haha!
      Happy St Patrick's Day!

      Reply
      • veggiesdontbite

        March 17, 2016 at 9:14 pm

        I love the texture too! It's so much better to have different layers! Thank you Michelle!

        Reply
    4. Sam | Ahead of Thyme

      March 16, 2016 at 11:10 pm

      Yum, this sounds delicious! And it's perfect for St. Patrick's Day tomorrow!

      Reply
      • veggiesdontbite

        March 17, 2016 at 9:15 pm

        Thanks Sam! It's so good and festive!

        Reply
    5. Elizabeth

      March 16, 2016 at 10:58 pm

      Such a great sounding shake! My kids would love this, I am sure! They do love green food. 🙂

      Reply
      • veggiesdontbite

        March 16, 2016 at 11:05 pm

        Thanks Elizabeth! It's a huge kiddo favorite. I created it to shove more green in!! Lol!!

        Reply
    6. Valentina

      March 16, 2016 at 10:56 pm

      Sounds delicious and the photos are gorgeous!

      Reply
      • veggiesdontbite

        March 16, 2016 at 11:04 pm

        Thanks so much Valentina!!

        Reply
    7. Rebecca @ Strength and sunshine

      March 16, 2016 at 10:45 pm

      So fun and festive yet I've still never made/had one!!!!

      Reply
      • veggiesdontbite

        March 16, 2016 at 11:04 pm

        Today is the day!!! Lol!

        Reply
    8. jenna

      March 16, 2016 at 9:00 pm

      I just want to know where you store all those bananas while they're ripening?!

      Reply
      • veggiesdontbite

        March 16, 2016 at 9:04 pm

        Hahahaha Jenna!! I have a BIG banana bowl. You should see the checkout person at the grocery store, if I had a penny for every time they commented...I swear my children are monkeys. Even the baby freaks for bananas! But really, they come in handy as a quick frozen treat. Much better than anything sugar filled!

        Reply
    9. Nicole @masonjarsalads

      March 25, 2015 at 2:13 pm

      This looks so delicious and I have all the ingredients! Definitely going to whip this up.

      nicole @masonjarsalads

      Reply
      • veggiesdontbite

        March 25, 2015 at 3:34 pm

        Thanks so much Nicole! Let me know how you like it!

        Reply
    10. Cait

      March 24, 2015 at 3:59 pm

      love the smoothie! I used raw cacao and was wondering if you would reduce the amount if doing raw cacao nibs or just put them in at the beginning? When I made it every sip also was a big bite of cacao and was thinking maybe would help to reduce?

      Reply
      • veggiesdontbite

        March 24, 2015 at 4:33 pm

        So glad you liked it! If using cacao nibs, I'd put them in at the beginning. I tried it with them and personally liked the added crunch they gave but to get them smooth, you'd definitely want to blend them from the start! Let me know how it works!

        Reply
    11. Kallie Tsoukas Tettenburn

      March 19, 2014 at 11:55 am

      Made this for the girls on Monday and they LOVED it. Really does taste just like mint chocolate chip! The greens, bananas, and chocolate in here inspired my smoothie after my run this morning and it turned out tasting just like a chocolate milkshake! I did a cup of TJ's Power of the Greens, frozen bananas, chia seeds, Sun Warrior vanilla vegan protein powder, a generous scoop of organic chocolate coconut ice cream and almond milk! Yummy healthy chocolate shake!

      Reply
      • veggiesdontbite

        March 19, 2014 at 2:19 pm

        Glad the girls loved it! And happy to inspire you! Sounds delicious!

        Reply
    12. Dina

      March 18, 2014 at 10:14 am

      Happy St. Patty's Day! Delicious!

      Reply
      • veggiesdontbite

        March 18, 2014 at 10:53 am

        Thank you!

        Reply
    13. Danielle K

      March 17, 2014 at 7:19 pm

      delicious! It tastes like mint chocolate chip, my absolute favorite!!

      Reply
      • veggiesdontbite

        March 17, 2014 at 8:01 pm

        So glad you liked it!! And you feel waaay less guilty eating this too 😉

        Reply
    14. amandadrian

      March 16, 2014 at 7:23 am

      😀 This looks absolutely gorgeous 😀 Do you think you might consider taking a pledge to give up plastic straws? They are really harmful to marine life.
      Love from A xxxxx

      Reply
      • veggiesdontbite

        March 16, 2014 at 8:35 am

        Thank you! It's actually a paper straw 🙂

        Reply
    15. Laura

      March 15, 2014 at 7:02 am

      This looks so delicious! I'm thinking I'm going to carry around a green smoothie all day to celebrate! 🙂

      Reply
      • veggiesdontbite

        March 15, 2014 at 9:25 am

        Thank you! I love that it's full of healthy stuff, my kids have had it almost every day since we made it up!

        Reply
    Newer Comments »

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    Hi, I’m Sophia and I love food. As a food photographer, plant-based recipe creator, and client-centered health coach, I focus on helping people feel empowered instead of overwhelmed when it comes to overall health and wellness. Let me help you eat more plants!

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