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Close your eyes and this orange julius smoothie tastes like the mall classic, so green shouldn’t scare you away. Most copycats start with juice concentrate and sugar, but this one keeps the pulp and fiber of real fruit. Instead, a frozen banana makes it creamy, and the spinach disappears into the orange flavor. Best of all, this dairy-free version takes just five minutes and one blender.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love It
- Whole oranges, not concentrate. Two peeled oranges bring the juice, pulp and fiber into every sip.
- Spinach you barely taste. One cup blends in quietly, so the orange and banana still lead the flavor.
- No added sugar. Each 16-ounce serving has 32 grams of sugar, all from the fruit. Choose unsweetened almond milk to keep it that way.
- Fiber-packed and satisfying. You also get 9 grams of fiber and 4 grams of protein per serving.
- Dairy-free, vegan and gluten-free. Almond milk replaces the dairy, so everyone at the table can sip it.
- Five minutes, one serving. Prep takes three minutes, and blending takes two.
Orange Julius Smoothie Ingredients
The full list lives in the recipe card. Here’s a quick breakdown of why I use certain ingredients.
- Oranges: Blending peeled oranges whole keeps the pulp, which gives the smoothie body and fiber. Peel off as much white pith as you can so the flavor stays sweet.
- Spinach: Fresh spinach has a mild flavor and blends smooth when you run the blender twice.
- Frozen banana: A frozen banana makes the smoothie cold and creamy without watering it down with ice. Pick a ripe banana before you freeze it, because ripe fruit tastes sweeter. Here’s how to freeze bananas the easy way.
- Unsweetened almond milk: A small splash keeps the blades moving and keeps the smoothie dairy-free. Any unsweetened plant-based milk works, and this guide to non-dairy milk alternatives helps you choose.
- Vanilla (optional): A splash of vanilla extract pushes the flavor closer to the mall original.
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How to Make an Orange Julius Smoothie
- Blend the base. Add the spinach, peeled oranges and almond milk to your blender. A high-speed blender makes this step easier. Blend until no leafy flecks remain.
- Add the banana. Drop in the frozen banana and blend again until thick and creamy. That second blend breaks down any leftover spinach.
- Finish and serve. Stir in the vanilla if you like, then pour the smoothie into a glass. If your banana isn’t frozen, pour it over ice.
Substitutions and Variations
- Milk: swap in any unsweetened non-dairy milk, such as hemp, cashew or coconut milk.
- Greens: use another mild leafy green in place of the spinach.
- Less sugar: replace half of the banana with a quarter of an avocado. You keep the creamy texture, and the natural sugar drops.
- Colder: use at least one frozen fruit to keep the smoothie cold, or serve it over ice.
- More protein: stir in a scoop of vanilla plant-based protein powder. That changes the nutrition numbers.
Make-Ahead, Storage and Freezing
- Best fresh: drink it right away for the creamiest texture.
- Fridge: pour leftovers into a sealed glass jar and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Shake well before you drink, since it separates.
- Freezer packs: fill a freezer bag with peeled orange segments, sliced banana and spinach, then freeze for up to 3 months. Later, add the almond milk and blend. My guide to frozen meal prep smoothie packs has more tips.
More Orange Smoothie Recipes
If you like the citrus-and-greens combination, these two are worth blending next.
- Mango Orange Green Smoothie: orange, mango, banana and spinach with coconut water for a tropical flavor that doesn’t taste green.
- Orange Cranberry Smoothie: another orange-forward blend, this one with cranberry.
Orange Julius Smoothie
Jen HansardIngredients
- 1 cup spinach
- ¼ cup almond milk
- 2 oranges
- ½ banana frozen
Instructions
- Pour the almond milk into a blender. Add the spinach and oranges and blend until smooth.
- Add the banana. Blend on high until smooth, 45 to 60 seconds, adding a splash more liquid if it’s too thick. Pour into a glass and serve immediately.
Recipe 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
Equipment
Common Questions
The classic Orange Julius is a frothy drink made with orange juice, milk, sugar and vanilla. This orange julius smoothie uses whole oranges, spinach, frozen banana and almond milk instead. As a result, it has no added sugar and no dairy.
Yes, but you will find it at fewer places than before. Dairy Queen owns Orange Julius and sells it at some locations, mostly Treat Centers and a few malls. Availability varies, so check the Orange Julius website for a location near you.
Most people don’t. Spinach is mild, so the orange and banana lead the flavor. However, a sensitive palate might notice a slight earthy note.
No. All 32 grams of sugar per 16-ounce serving come from the fruit. Use unsweetened almond milk to keep it that way.
Swap half of the banana for a quarter of an avocado. You keep the creamy texture, and the natural sugar drops.
Yes. For the best texture, blend it fresh. However, you can refrigerate leftovers in a sealed jar for up to 24 hours. You can also freeze peeled oranges, banana and spinach in a bag, then blend with almond milk later.
Awesome! We should add that as a disclaimer, “Warning , this smoothie will energize your WHOLE day.”
Awesome! Glad I made a triple batch!
Hi Kelley! I’m so happy you enjoyed these, and made enough to share!! Make sure to check out our other smoothie recipes!
Delicious, and definitely one of my favorite ones from the challenge! I used a frozen half banana, but still needed to add ice because it wasn’t as cold and was not as thick as I’d like. I did add the vanilla and protein powder as well. Made this one after my walk this morning….yummy goodness!!
Delicious! Love it
Great for when you want a cirtrus boost 🙂
I think adding a half cup of mango would be delicious, however I was out of mango, so I couldn’t try it.