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I’m trading in the processed sugar and dairy in the traditional Orange Julius for a smoothie version sweetened with fruit. It’s honestly still a super sweet treat, yet my healthy Orange Julius smoothie fuels my body the right way.
Raise your hand if you remember walking by the shopping mall food court and seeing people lined up at Orange Julius? And who remembers recreating the creamy orange smoothie in 7th grade Home Ec?
Table of Contents
How to Make a Healthy Orange Julius
I can’t wait for you to try this sweet treat! It definitely hits the spot for my sweet tooth and has no weird ingredients.
- Blend spinach, oranges and almond milk until smooth (I’m talking no leafy chunks floating around).
- Add the banana and blend again until smooth. It helps to use frozen banana to get a chilled smoothie. Here’s how you can freeze bananas easily.
- Add in 1/2 tsp of vanilla to make this taste even more like a traditional Orange Julius.
My healthy smoothie version is loaded with goodness and doesn’t mess around with the sweet factor either. No fake sweeteners are needed! Just make sure you use a ripe banana.
We all know oranges = vitamin C (80% of the recommended daily intake), but did you know that oranges are also full of fiber? Your digestive system will thank you for eating more oranges.
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Tips for a Great Smoothie
If the sugar is a little much for you (even though it’s 100% natural!), swap half of the banana for a quarter of an avocado. You’ll still get the dream cream texture, but not as much sugar in this healthy Orange Julius smoothie.
- You can choose from these almond milk brands, make almond milk, or swap with any non-dairy milk of your choice. You can also choose from these coconut milk brands, or oat milk brands. There are so many great options. Whichever milk you use, make sure it is unsweetened.
- When blending this orange smoothie, blend it twice to help your blender chop up the spinach as much as possible. If you don’t have a high-speed blender getting one of these blenders for smoothies is a game changer.
- Adding ice cubes to the glass when you pour out the smoothie will cool down the beverage if using all fresh ingredients. You can also pre-prep your smoothies in my frozen meal prep smoothie packs to save time.
- For more awesome tips, check out my guide on how to make a smoothie.
When is the perfect time to drink a smoothie?
- For breakfast or even on the go with a Mason jar, cute lid and straw.
- As a nutrition-packed snack that helps you step away from the vending machine!
- Before or after a workout to add that protein after and MCT oil before to fuel your body during your workout.
Anytime you need a refreshing, fruity drink loaded with fiber, vitamins and minerals, consider blending up a smoothie. It’s the healthiest fast food out there and can provide energy, fuel and promote health. Some smoothies like the Orange Julius smoothie recipe contain more natural sugar. Boost these smoothies with a plant-based protein powder to help your body process the sugar.
More Orange Smoothie Recipes
If you love green smoothies like I do, here are some more recipes with juicy, sweet orange flavor you’ll want on repeat:
If you make this orange julius smooothie, I’d love to hear how it turned out in the comment box below. Your feedback helps me and all the readers in this community. And if you’re interested in more plant-based recipes (and exclusive content), sign up for my weekly recipe newsletter.
Orange Julius Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 cup spinach
- ¼ cup almond milk
- 2 oranges
- ½ banana frozen
Instructions
- Place spinach, oranges and almond milk in blender. Puree until smooth.
- Add banana and blend again.
Helpful Tools
Notes
- Use at least one frozen fruit to make the smoothie cold or serve over ice.
- Another non-dairy milk can be substituted for the almond milk, such as hemp, cashew or coconut milk.
- Swap 1/2 banana with 1/4 an avocado to lower the natural sugar. Here’s how to cut avocado if you don’t know how.
- Add 1/2 tsp vanilla to make this even more reminiscent of the original Orange Julius.
- Swap spinach for any leafy green vegetables of your choice.
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review for a chance to win signed copies of my cookbooks!Common Questions
The original Orange Julius consists of orange juice concentrate, milk, vanilla, sugar and ice. While it is sweeter than my version, I bet mine still tastes deliciously orange-y! My smoothie contains spinach, oranges, almond milk and banana.
It depends! Spinach is typically mild, and the orange and banana in this Orange Julius smoothie are definitely the dominant flavors. You might still get a slightly earthy taste if you’ve got a sensitive palate.
They can be! Make sure yours are loaded with only whole food ingredients (no added sweeteners). Use unsweetened, plant-based milk or water for the base. Boost your smoothies with protein and healthy fats to help your body break down the natural sugars.
Loved this one too. Will miss doing this challenge as it was exciting to try something different each day.
I like it. Straight forward honest ingredients, but extremely flavorful.
KEEPER.
This was very refreshing however I needed blend a little longer so there no pulp. Added vanilla, avocado & protein powder!! Definitely will make again & try different add in.
I thought this smoothie was a little bland. I add a little orange essence and it made a big difference.
Another yummy smoothie. Adding the spinach made it taste even more fresh. Great way to start a day.
Delicious. I added a dash of vanilla and some hemp seeds for protein. I didn’t have frozen banana so I used fresh and added four ice cubes.
This smoothie was delicious!!! Sweet but delicious.
Very refreshing I like it . Why almost all smoothies have banana?
Hi Magdalena! Bananas are a great way to make a smoothie sweet and creamy, plus a boost of potassium, vitamin B6 and vitamin C. If you’re not a fan of bananas, I’d recommend swapping it out with avocado to help keep the creamy consistency. (1 whole banana = 1/2 avocado or 1/2 banana = 1/4 avocado)
That’s smoothie was a big hit with the kids. Definitely a keeper. I had to make so many that I ran out of spinach. So some I made with kale and just added a little extra banana to hide the taste.
Growing up on Long Island, NY Orange Julius drinks were everywhere. Of course they did not have spinach and most likely included sugar, but this recipe brought back my youth. Loved it.
Another good one! I did forget to buy oranges this past weekend for the second week of the challenge so I tossed in some trusted and dependable strawberries — just a perfect basic recipe.
I do add protein powder!
And when I do my grocery shopping Friday for this next week, I definitely want to remember the oranges so I can try them for real in this recipe!
This is a refreshing and healthy version of this fabulous citrus drink! Perfect for a hot summer day!
Super delicious is this Orange Julius Green Smoothie !
Added Smoothie Protein Powder for meal replacement. Thank you!
True story: I’ve never had an Orange Julius. Despite that, I’m willing to bet this smoothie is WAY better! I added a scoop of vanilla collagen and I threw in a handful of ice cubes to make it even sweeter and more voluminous. I can’t wait to blend this one again!
This smoothie is so good! The spinach fits completely undetected. I love the bright orange flavor. My smoothie took a little longer to blend (maybe bc I used frozen orange??) but was still worth it!
Hi Leah! Frozen fruit can definitely make the blending process take a little longer, but that’s okay! A thorough blend is worth it!
Subtle, tasty, light, refreshing.
Very refreshing, adding vanilla makes the smoothie 10x better!
Good smoothie to incorporate spinach. Frozen bananas add zest.
I have loved all the smoothie recipes and this one is no exception. Really difficult to find oranges this time of year in SD. Had one valencia that I used but pulp just wouldnt break up. Happyspinach greens part of recipe!
Really liked this one. Replaced one orange with frozen mango and used oat milk. It was already super smooth and creamy so not sure what it would be like with an avacado instead of the banana, but will do this one again.
This one must be the ‘signature’ of green smoothies. It was well balanced in flavor and texture. Thoroughly enjoyable.
This is a go to smoothie for any time of day, reminiscent of the Orange Julius mall days.
Turmeric and cinnamon are great additions here.
This was surprisingly good with all the extra nutrients with the spinach. All I can say is YUM!
I love having a healthier version of the classic orange julius.
Yummy! We had a local Orange Julius shop when I was teen, it is no longer around.
Spinach gives this shake the vibrant color but orange is the flavor that bursts through. I added a touch of vanilla, as suggested, and this recipe brings back childhood memories. It is delicious and nutritious!