Let’s celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with a green smoothie that’ll fuel your body right, taste great, and…. is totally green! Give your body a reason to celebrate with this fantastic recipe… the Shamrock Green Smoothie! It’s amazing!!!
We love everything about this recipe… creamy coconut milk, bananas, and vanilla paired up with dates, fresh mint, and spinach (our favorite go-to leafy green) to create a smoothie your whole family will love! This is a kid-friendly green smoothie that will have your kids doing a happy dance… and we’re pretty sure you’ll be wild over it, too!
Serve with fresh cherries on top and your favorite green-and-white paper straws to start your St. Paddy’s Day. Just don’t get so excited about drinking your Shamrock Green Smoothie that you forget to wear green!
Shamrock Smoothie
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 smoothie 1x
- Category: Smoothie
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Not only will this shamrock smoothie win you over with the taste, but you can feel good knowing you’re raking in the health benefits with every sip. Mint has so many health benefits, we almost can’t list them all! Here are some highlights: mint helps your body digest food better. And since it’s a natural stimulant, it aids in weight loss by helping your body burn fat faster. Talk about a win!
Ingredients
- 1 cup coconut milk (unsweetened)
- 3/4 cups fresh spinach
- 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
- 1 banana
- 2 medjool dates (pitted)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- coconut whipped cream (optional)
- cacao nibs.+ cherries (optional)
Instructions
- Blend spinach, mint, and coconut milk until smooth.
- Add remaining ingredients, and blend until smooth. Enjoy!
Notes
*Use a frozen fruit to make smoothie cold.
Keywords: shamrock shake recipe
Can you use coconut water instead of coconut milk?
Hey Maggie! You can def use coconut water in place of coconut milk but just know that your smoothie won’t be as creamy and may have a slightly different taste. If you’re concerned about the fat content of full-fat coconut milk, you could try reduced-fat coconut milk or use half water and half milk. 🙂
Maybe this is a dumb question, but how do you measure a cup and a half of spinach leaves? Is it a certain weight that I can use a kitchen scale for? Or do you just cram as many leaves as you can into a cup?
Thanks,
Don
Hey Don,
There are no dumb questions here!
We like to measure our spinach by one full handful is a cup. So I would do about one and a half handfuls for this recipe.
Hope that helps!
Can you make this without medjool dates? I don’t have any. Thanks!
Hey Debra,
Yes you can totally leave out the dates if you do not have them. They are mostly in the recipe to add in some sweetness to your smoothie. You can add in some honey to replace the dates.
Hope that helps!
I don’t have any mint so I was thinking about mint extract. Any idea how much?
Hey Marie,
We have never tried mint extract in this recipe, but I think that would be a good idea. I would only start with one drop and taste and add more for the desired taste.
Hope that help!
Do you have a good substitute for the banana in this recipe? I am allergic to bananas!
Hey Mary,
You can swap the banana with avocado for this recipe.
Enjoy!
I thought this was delicious! We have tons of mint growing in our yard and can’t use enough of it. I used a very scant 1/2 cup of mint because I sometimes find it too overpowering. However, I think it was perfect! I actually threw this into a bowl and added a few dark chocolate chips. It was like eating mint chocolate chip ice cream! I might add less coconut milk next time and leave it a bit thicker to eat from a bowl. An awesome and refreshing dessert that really satisfied my sweet tooth without being unhealthy. I will make this again! Thanks!
★★★★★
Hi Christie,
Yum, love that you turned this recipe into a decadent smoothie bowl!
Do you folks use pure coconut milk out of a can (like the one used for curry) or drinkable coconut milk from a carton (ie like almond and cashew milk)?
HI Lynn,
You can actually use either! Our tip is to just make sure you take a peek at the ingredients first. You want to find a coconut milk that’s free of any yucky additives or preservatives. Learn more about the different coconut products available for green smoothies here:
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/recipes/green-meals/coconut-101
can these smoothies be a substitute for breakfast ? Or are they. I need to watch the calories
Hi Manju,
You can! When using your green smoothie as a meal replacement we suggest adding protein + healthy fats to ensure you’re fueling your body with a complete meal. Learn more about our favorite meal replacement booster combos here…
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/tips/green-smoothie-meal-replacement
Delicious! I admit, I altered it slightly by cutting the ingredients in half and adding a scoop of Orgain Vanilla Bean protein powder, but it tastes fantastic! I love how the dates really added nice flavor and sweetness. This is my new favorite and I’ll share it with my mom, who is getting bored of her usual green smoothie. She loves dates, so this will be perfect. I am really looking forward to trying out all of your green smoothie recipes. Thank you!
★★★★★
Hi Jaime,
So happy to hear you loved this recipe. Adding protein powder is a great option. Make sure and reach back out + let us know how your mom enjoyed this recipe!
I make your smoothies all the time, but this time my husband raved about it. I loved it, too.
★★★★★
Hi Phyllis,
YAY! Thanks for sharing the green smoothie love, and sharing this recipe with your husband!
Thanks for this fun recipe! I have featured today it on my FB site “Super Quick Plant-Based Recipes” https://www.facebook.com/SuperQuickPBRecipes/ – where I post recipes that take 20 min. or less to prepare with as few ingredients as possible! My group will love it!
★★★★★
Hi Shanasy,
WAHOO! Thanks for sharing the green smoothie love!
This was really good! I usually like the more fruity and tart smoothies with pineapple and mangos. This was a pleasant surprise and I love the mint!
★★★★★
Hi America Brown,
YAY! So happy to hear you tried something new + loved this recipe. Rawk on!
Really! Disappointed!! I have made many fruit smoothies and thought I would try a new and differant.. Well I followed the ingredients and my smoothie turned out to minty and bitter.. Not good for sure. Maybe half the mint and no vanilla.. Or maybe this is a girl drink. No guys chimed in besides me…. Lol.
★
Hi Alan,
Oh no! We’re so sorry you didn’t love this recipe. Our tastebuds all have different preferences. Make sure and check out our recipe page + give our recipes another try. We know you’ll find one you love!
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/recipes
Do you think almond milk would taste good instead?
Hi Shawn,
Almond milk is a great swap for coconut milk! Go for it!
You inspired me to start drinking green smoothies 3 years ago and I’ve hardly missed a day – it’s my breakfast of choice. But I’ve been a bit bored with my usual 5 or 6 recipes. I tried this one yesterday and wow! Feeling inspired and loving green smoothies again. Going to Amazon to buy your book next. Thanks for sharing your recipes.
★★★★★
Hi Sandra,
YAY!! So happy you loved this recipe! And perfect timing with St. Patrick’s Day right around the corner.
Hi!
I absolutely love your book, I got it for my birthday and make the smoothies almost every day. I was wondering, for this recipe and others in the book, are you using the full fat canned coconut milk? Thanks! I can’t wait to try this recipe!
Hi Jennifer,
We do! But you can really reach for any type of coconut milk you enjoy. When it comes to different types of coconut milk – there is full-fat or regular coconut milk. It still has plenty of rich, creamy taste. Light coconut milk has the mildest flavor, highest water content, and least amount of calories compared with the other varieties. Think of these as you would whole milk and low-fat milk.
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/healthy-eating/coconut-101
Hope this helps!
You’ll find coconut milk packaged in several ways – cans, cartons (shelf-stable and refrigerated), or frozen.
Thank you so much for the reply! The guide is very helpful!
Yum to Shamrawk green smoothie! Its whats for lunch! Can’t for growing mint this summer..may have to get two plants this year. Just received your book and have had smoothies 5 out of the past 7 days. Especially like the recipes for 2 servings..make it today drink today and tomorrow.
Hi Sandy,
YAY! We’re so excited to have you blendin’ with us! I just planted my mint this weekend, and so excited for a summer filled with refreshing + minty green smoothies!
Cheers to health, happiness, + leafy greens!
Hi Rawckster,
What can i substitute with Mint..cant wait to try it out.Thanks for keeping us healthy.Anxiously waiting for the 30 day challenge in April.
Hi Loice,
No mint on hand? Swap in another herb you enjoy! Here are a few of our favorites…
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/detox-with-herbs/
Hi Rawkstar Js!
I am on day 6 and had this smoothie in honor of St Patrick’s Day. All I can say is YUM! and I just realized I left out the vanilla…that would have been a great touch. oh well, I’ll definitely be making this again! I have been sharing the smoothies with my Kansas-born, meat-and-potato loving husband without telling him what is in them. He is enjoying them (which is saying a lot!) One of these days I’ll let him in on the secret. Thank you again for what you do!
Hi Janet,
YAY! We’re so excited to have you blendin’ with us + love that you’re getting your husband in on the green smoothie love too (even if he doesn’t know)!
We hope you will both join us for our next 30-Day Green Smoothie Challenge kicking off on April 1st!
Cheers 🙂
Yeah this is really a great recipe..Infact I am very much pleased with the same.Anyways do keep update more.
Hi Anna,
YAY! Thanks for reaching out + sharing the green smoothie love! <3
I tried this smoothie and loved the taste; however, the dates didn’t really blend well. They tended to just stay in little bits. Is there a trick to getting the dates to blend up better? Or are little bits the best I can hope for? Thanks!
Hi Laurel,
Looking to blend dates smooth? Try soaking dates in water prior to blending to help soften them. Also try adding your liquid base + dates first + blend until smooth, before adding the remaining ingredients.
Hope this helps!
What can I use to substitute for medjool dates?
Hi Maria!
Thanks so much for reaching out! One of my favorite substitutes for Medjool dates are figs, which still provide a dose of fiber and nutrients while sweetening things up. You can also try tossing in another banana in place of the dates, or blendin’ in a little raw honey or 100% maple syrup. Feel free to play mini-chef with your blender to find what tastes best to you!
-Rawkstar Tessa
Superdelicious! This is one of my favorite smoothie. I make it often & enjoy the fresh mint flavor. Yum! I’ll have to try it with almond milk, as well.
Hi Ardis,
Yay! We love hearing your love for our Shamrock Green Smoothie! You’ll have to check out our book coming out November 3rd!! W e’ve included a delicious coconut whipped cream recipe, which makes the perfect topping for this recipe (with a cherry too)!
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/book
Never mind on my last question. 🙂 I see where it says serves two now 🙂
Hi Katelin,
Rawesome! We hope you enjoy our Shamrock Green Smoothie!
Cheers 🙂
OMG!!! This is by far the BEST smoothie I have had yet!! I didn’t have coconut milk on hand so I substituted unsweetened vanilla almond milk and it was wonderful. I will for sure make this my go to smoothie of choice. Thank you thank you!!!!!
Hi Kim,
Yay! This is one of our favorite recipes too + we love the idea of swapping in almond milk!
Cheers + Happy Blendin’
No Vanilla. What can I use instead?
Hi Ann,
Thanks for reaching out! Unfortunately, we can’t think of a substitute for vanilla, but don’t worry about leaving it out, we promise this smoothie will still be delicious!! All of the herbs, fruits, + leafy greens makes sure for that!!
When a recipe calls for coconut milk, do you mean the newer coconut Milk beverages that come in the Tetrapaks (like soy milk), or do you mean coconut milk in a can?
Hi Kelly,
Great question! The container doesn’t matter as much as being sure you’re reaching for coconut milk + not coconut creme. We love making our coconut milk, find our recipe here…
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/healthy-eating/make-coconut-milk
I have the same question as Kelly.
There is the beverage form of coconut milk then there is that canned thick coconut milk stuff. Two different things but same name.
Hi Katelin,
It can be tough finding the right option! Coconut milk has the liquid consistency of cow’s milk and is made from simmering one part shredded coconut in one part water. Coconut cream is much thicker and richer. It is made from simmering four parts shredded coconut in one part water.
We also love making our own coconut milk…
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/healthy-eating/make-coconut-milk
Hope this helps!
This is fantastic!! Like a mint milkshake! Definitely one we will do over. ( i have a ton of mint growing in my garden)
Hi Lisa!
Thanks so much for reaching out! We’re are so happy that you loved this recipe, we are so excited about it too! I have mint growing in my garden too, I can’t wait to use it! 🙂
I see a lot of these recipes call for mint. What is a good sub for that if you don’t have it on hand or can it just be left off all together?
Hi Allison,
Here are some of our favorite herbs to blend with! You can use them in place of mint, or replace the herbs in the recipe with more leafy greens! 🙂
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/detox-with-herbs
I didn’t find any mint leaves in our market, can i just substitute it with basil instead?
Hi Melissa,
Basil will create a very different flavor, but we love to experiment and try new recipes! If you substitute basil, let us know how it turns out!
Cheers 🙂
I am kindergarten teacher who had a successful and tasty St. Patrick’s Day thanks to the shamrock green smoothie recipe. I made 2 blenders and served smoothies to 23 morning kindergarten students, 24 afternoon kindergarten students, and the two teachers (me & my team teacher).Thank you!
Melissa,
That’s awesome! Thank you so much for sharing the green smoothie love with your class + teachers!
It’s St Patrick day here in Australia, so I thought I’ll celebrate with having a shamrock smoothie for lunch. Well WOW it’s beauitful yummy just fantastic best smoothie ever love it.
17th of March 2015.
Thanks
Joy xx
Happy St. Paddy’s Day. Glad you enjoyed it!
I’d love a good coconut milk whipped cream recipe also, my
daughter can’t have lactose.
Awesome! We will have a post about it soon. 🙂
Like Barbbaker58, I too would like to have the recipe for coconut cream whipped cream. I love the Shamrock Green Smoothie, as is, but I’d really like to try both it with the whipped coconut cream topping.
Hi Bahbi,
Our team is hard at work ensuring that our coconut whipped cream is both delicious + simple to make! We’ll have it to you as soon as we can! Cheers 🙂
What if instead of coconut cream whipped cream, regular whipped cream with shaved coconut mixed into it? Would that work?
Hey Rosario,
Great question! It’s definitely a personal choice, and you just have to decide what works best for you and your family. We’ve talked with a lot of nutritionists and milk isn’t all that it’s been hyped up to be. Dairy is one of the highest diet allergies (and often goes undiagnosed). And if you aren’t buying organic milk, you’re also getting doses of antibiotics, hormones, etc that can tip your own body out of whack. So we just avoid milk for our family (and opt for almond milk). We get our calcium from plant-based sources mainly— broccoli, spinach and kale.
I would love to try it, but sadly I’m allergic to fresh/’raw’ bananas and not a fan of coconut substances due to the sweetness. Though I bet it tastes really well
Hey Kamo,
Thanks for the comment. Check out our favorite banana free green smoothies that I am sure you will enjoy! https://simplegreensmoothies.com/green-smoothie-recipes/banana-free-green-smoothie-recipes Cheers. 🙂
Love IT! I’m definetly going to try this and My kids Love my greensmoothies
Cheers to you and your kiddos!
Being Irish, I love everything about St. Patrick’s Day…OK-except maybe Shamrock Shakes 🙂 What a great smoothie recipe you have created. Luck of the Irish to both of you! I am sharing on my Facebook page now. Thank you!
Hey Carolyn! Thanks for sharing it with your friends, hope you enjoy this green smoothie!
So funny to get this email. I’m a kindergarten teacher and I have plans to make a green smoothie for my class of 24 students on Tuesday. I’ve been thinking about doing it all year since they see me drink my afternoon smoothie every day. They are always asking what it is and can they smell. They’re too cute. I can’t wait until Tuesday. Bring on the GREEN SMOOTHIES!
I love the idea of a teacher introducing a wonderfully healthy shake, however as a parent of a child with food allergies, this would leave my child out. In kindergarten she had not completely grown out of her coconut allergy and is also allergic to all other nuts. If you have a child in your class with allergies, please be sure to make something extra special just for them! 😉 They will remember it for a long time. My daughter still remembers the special things her first grade teacher did for her!
Great point, Heather. Would oat milk be a good sub for any nut milks?
Hey Melissa,
Thanks for the comment, that is so amazing that you are sharing the green smoothie love with your little ones! Cheers + best wishes!
To Melissa!
YOU must be a great teacher! I am excited for you and ALL 24 of your students who get this great smoothie! I work at Whole Foods and tell the kids everyday not to forget to drink your Shrek smoothie! xo
Keep up the good work and Thanks Rawkstars for these wonderful recipes! I love your site! Happy ST. Patrick’s to all!
Hey Cindy,
Thanks so much for the encouraging words. 🙂
Okay I am going to try this recipe as is even though it kinds of sounds really sweet to me. Then with 2 dates and 1 banana. We shall see tomorrow as I don’t have any mint so I will have to buy some tomorrow. Tell ya one thing…it looks yummo!
We hope you enjoy it as much as we do, Renee!
I made a smoothie like this with unsweetened vanilla almond milk, spinach, banana, cacao nibs and just a little peppermint extract since I didn’t have any fresh mint (I would rather have fresh mint but the extract was good in a pinch) and it was absolutely delicious, thanks to the green smoothie girls for their suggestions, they are great!
Sounds fabulous!
I will definitely be making this. YUM! I have a similar question to Rachel, though.
How do you know in general in recipes that call for coconut milk whether to use the carton (ie So Delicious, Pacific) or the canned version. (ie Native Forest) ?
Tho I love the taste of both, this has been very confusing to me.
Thanks!!!
Hey Melanie,
Great question. We mean the one found in the carton, or feel free to make your own. https://simplegreensmoothies.com/healthy-eating/make-coconut-milk
I bet this would taste really good with a bit of those cocoa nibs added right in the smoothie….can’t wait to try it. Thanks
Cheers!
I, too, love St. Paddy’s Day, although, I am not a bit Irish. 100% Portuguese. In fact, it’s my favorite holiday! And, yes, I will definitely be celebrating with this green smoothie. Since Jan 1st, I have only missed two or three days without a green smoothie. I even made a point of drinking one a day in my 5th period class (I am a teacher) to tide me over until my very late lunch. They’re so used to it now that if I don’t have one, they remind me. I halve your recipe and drink half of that on my drive to school and the other half either during 5th period or after school, when my energy is waning. Love, love, love this amazing improvement in my heath (as I tell my students and my teacher friends who think it looks “disgusting” – oh those poor wayward souls – it gives me vim, vigor, and vitality!)
Thanks!
Diane
Hey Diane,
You totally rawk! Thank so much for sharing how green smoothies have helped you as a teacher! The colors can be crazy sometimes, but I am sure if your students + teacher friends tried them, they would love them as much as you do! Cheers to health + energy! 🙂
Sounds great but again bit wary of the high sugar levels, what smoothies would you recommend for weight loss?
Hey Amanda,
Thanks for the question. If you would like to sub in lower sugar fruits, feel free. Here are our favorites: https://simplegreensmoothies.com/low-sugar-fruits
Our co-founder Jadah lost 20+ lbs by drink 1 green smoothie a day (16oz) + her normal lunch and dinner. Results may vary, depending on how active you are. But the leafy greens and fresh fruit are awesome fuel for your body.
What is 1 teaspoon vanilla? Extract (fluid) or seeds?
Hey LadyBug, it would be fluid tsp.
How do you make coconut whipped cream?
To make coconut whipped cream you need to put the coconut cream and a sweetener (maple syrup or honey work well) into a mixer (or use a hand mixer) then let it mix for 5 to 10 minutes or until peaks begin to form. Hope this helps yall!
Hey Denise,
Thanks for the comment. Our recipe team is working on a DIY coconut whipped cream blog post. It should be coming out very soon. 🙂
Hi I was wondering if there’s any substitute for the coconut milk? I’m not a big fan of it.
I don’t see why you couldn’t use unsweetened almond milk (I prefer vanilla) instead.
Thanks Alicia! 🙂
Hey Monica,
Thanks for the comment, you can totally sub out coconut milk for any other nut milk. Here are some of our favorites: https://simplegreensmoothies.com/liquid-base
Sounds yummylicious! Although it appears to have a high sugar content with 2 bananas, and 4 dates. I’m giving it try but will definitely dial down the bananas and a dates.
Cheers!
Hey Carla,
Our recipes are here to inspire you — you don’t have to follow them to a T. Yet we do think they are mighty tasty! Feel free to use other green smoothie recipes and even make some up yourself. The key to making green smoothies your lifestyle is making it easy and part of your daily routine. So we recommend using fruits and veggies that work well for your body.
Their recipes serve 2. So it would only be 1 banana and 2 dates per serving.
What is a substitute for the mint?
Feel free to leave it out. 🙂
Look supper yummie, will try it this weekend.
How to make the coconut whipped cream? kids will love it !
Marie
To make coconut whipped cream you need to put the coconut cream and a sweetener (maple syrup or honey work well) into a mixer (or use a hand mixer) then let it mix for 5 to 10 minutes or until peaks begin to form. Hope this helps yall!
What could be a substitute for the bananas?
I’ve substituted mangos in place of bananas often and can rarely tell the difference.
Any substitution for the dates?
Here are some other ways to sweeten your smoothies: https://simplegreensmoothies.com/tips/sweeten
Pure Maple Syrup is a good choice too. 🙂
Just a question on the recipe. When you say coconut milk do you mean the full fat version in a can, or the lighter version (that’s more like almond milk) I’d find in a carton?
Hey Rachel,
Great question. We mean the one found in the carton, or feel free to make your own. https://simplegreensmoothies.com/healthy-eating/make-coconut-milk
Perfect. Thanks!
I’m drooling all over my keyboard lol!!!
Hey Tara! Enjoy!