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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.
- 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.
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 also swap out the almond milk with the plant milk of your choice, coconut milk, cashew milk or oat milk. 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.
- Adding ice cubes to the glass when you pour out the smoothie will cool down the beverage if using all fresh ingredients.
Orange Julius Smoothie FAQs
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.
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
- Mango orange smoothie
- Superfood smoothie
- Ultimate orange smoothie
- Island green smoothie
- Orange cabbage smoothie
- Chia smoothie
- Kale smoothie
- Citrus kiwi smoothie
Don’t forget to leave a comment and review after blending the Orange Julius smoothie below. I’d love to know how yours turned out!
Orange Julius Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 cup spinach
- ¼ cup almond milk
- 2 oranges
- ½ banana frozen
- 1 serving homemade protein powder optional
Instructions
- Place spinach, oranges and almond milk in blender. Puree until smooth.
- Add banana and blend again.
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.
- Add 1/2 tsp vanilla to make this even more reminiscent of the original Orange Julius.
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!
Wow! The best smoothie yet! Even hubby drank one. The oranges are so delicious. By the way, I’m assuming they were supposed to be peeled?
Hi Theresa! You are correct, the oranges were supposed to be peeled. However, that white, spongy, fibrous stuff under the skin, aka “the pith”, we encourage you to leave some of that behind. It’s full of vitamins and nutrients, like calcium, fiber, vitamin C and immune boosting properties!
Delicious! The refreshing flavors make for a great morning drink. I used two large oranges to make sure the orange flavor came through and it was perfect!
I’ve tried so many of your smoothies and have loved them! This was my first smoothie ever with citrus in it. DELICIOUS! I threw in a few cubes of homemade frozen yogurt and it gave hints of creamsicle. It definitely is a keeper!!!
Love this refreshing smoothie. I added protein boost for a creamy and satisfying post work out breakfast. Definitely adding this one to my rotation
I am probably one of the few who never had an Orange Julius at the mall. This was good but I think I used too much spinach, couldn’t taste the orange.
I love the orange flavor but I think it may be too much banana for me. I may have to use half a banana and half an avocado to reduce the banana flavor.
This is one of my favorite smoothies. I love the orange!
Tastes like the real thing to me! Very refreshing and nutritious.