Mint Smoothie {Copycat Shamrock Shake}

This Mint Smoothie {Copycat Shamrock Shake} recipe is perfect for St. Patrick’s Day. Super easy to make and works for a quick afternoon pick-me-up! You’ll want to make this mint smoothie over and over again!

If you go back to some of my earlier blog posts, admittedly, I did not promote smoothies on my page. As a dietitian, I prefer people to eat and chew their food. Not to mention, I work with people with diabetes, and many smoothies can be a carb fest, causing blood sugar spikes! Smoothies can have a place within one’s eating pattern and can serve a purpose. My Dragon Fruit Smoothie is a great pre-workout smoothie and my Banana Blueberry Smoothie is a great post-workout smoothie. This Mint Smoothie {Copycat Shamrock Shake} is simply a smoothie to be enjoyed and celebrated on St. Patrick’s Day!

What is the Shamrock Shake?

McDonald’s offers their Shamrock Shake every year, and while they describe it to be ‘cool, minty, and full of luck,’ one thing that you won’t find me doing is telling you not to have one. No one should be shamed for their food choices. As I mentioned, I think of food as celebratory and something to be enjoyed. McDonald’s Shamrock Shake probably tastes amazing; hello, it has ice cream in it! I didn’t look up how much added sugar it has either, but again, keep these things in mind for your overall picture if it is something you’re monitoring for a health condition.

No one food (or drink) is going to make or break you. What will? Doing these things repeatedly means having a high intake of saturated fat and added sugar in your eating pattern. This is just one reason why I created this Mint Smoothie {Copycat Shamrock Shake}. My version is not a replica taste-wise (mine doesn’t have ice cream), but it is a look alike using ingredients like spinach and mint to get that amazing green color!

Ingredients: Mint Smoothie {Copycat Shamrock Shake}

• Greek yogurt—I used a 2% Greek yogurt to add just a little bit of fat to the recipe. Fat does provide some flavor; however, you could also use a 0% if you prefer. You could also use a vanilla-flavored yogurt (and not add the vanilla extract below); however, that will add some added sugar.
• Milk—Feel free to use whatever milk you prefer and/or have on hand, such as almond milk, oat milk, or cow’s milk.
• Banana—The Frozen banana helps make the smoothie thick and creamy. While many people do not like bananas in their smoothies, they also provide natural sweetness!
• Baby Spinach—only a cup is used. When I’ve made smoothies in the past, adding too much can lead to a little bit of bloating. The one cup allows me to create a beautiful natural green color!
• Fresh Mint – Use fresh mint, as this is what provides that beautiful green color! I did use peppermint extract in my Peppermint Mocha; however, using too much can make it taste like medicine (and we don’t want that!)
• Vanilla—just a smidge is all you need, and I think it helps marry the flavors together!
• Ice—Along with the banana, this helps provide that ‘shake’-like thickness. I’m not trying to dupe you; it is more of a smoothie than a shake. However, add just the right amount of ice, and you can thicken it up!
• Honey – *optional – taste your smoothie first. If you feel that it is not sweet enough, you can add some honey to provide some added sweetness (that, yes, is added sugar).

How To Make a Mint Smoothie {Copycat Shamrock Shake}

1. Add all ingredients in the order listed above to a high-speed blender.
2. Blend until completely smooth.
3. Serve cold. Optional: Garnish with whipped cream and/or shaved chocolate.
4. Enjoy!

Frequently Asked Questions

Festive and Green Recipes

• Air Fryer Kale Chips
• Copycat Emerald Kale Salad
• Easy Chunky Guacamole
• Homemade Basil Pesto

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