Jus d'Avocat, Zaazaa, Avocado Almond Shake
This moroccan avocado smoothie recipe blends ripe avocado with cold whole milk, sugar, ground almonds and orange blossom water into a thick, pale-green cafe drink. One serving is about 428 g and carries 490 calories. Pour into tall chilled glasses and top with crushed toasted almonds.
In Morocco the avocado is not a salad fruit but a drink: jus d'avocat, the thick avocado smoothie sold in cafes from Casablanca to Marrakech, is one of the country's most popular drinks, especially on Ramadan nights when it is drunk to break the fast. The almond note is the Moroccan signature — cafes blend in ground almonds or top the glass with crushed ones. The loaded version, zaazaa, piles the same base with banana, dates, nuts and syrup until it is thick enough to eat with a spoon. Cook test: this is not a green detox smoothie, which blends leafy greens and yoghurt, and not smashed avocado toast — it is a sweet, milk-based cafe drink, served in a tall glass.
Pairs well with: A handful of toasted almonds and mint tea.
Provenance
Morocco
Moroccan Café Classic
Middle Eastern
Time Dedication
10m
10m prep • 0m cook
Batch Yield
2 Servings
490 kcal per serving
1 serving ≈ 428 g
Technical Skill
Easy
Easy (Blender)
Meal Timing & Digestive Fit
Breakfast
Not Advised
Lunch
Inappropriate
Dinner
Inappropriate
Snack & Tea
Ideal Light Bite
Moroccan Café Classic
Photo: Jameswasswa, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Heritage Formulary
Estimated cost: Moderate — about $3–4 per serving at home (USD)
This version blends two ripe avocados with cold whole milk, sugar, ground almonds and orange blossom water, and finishes each glass with crushed toasted almonds.
Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique
Prep Stage: Avocado, Almonds and Chilled Glasses
10 Mins • Avocado, Almonds and Chilled Glasses
Put two tall glasses in the freezer so they are frosty when the smoothie is poured. Scoop the flesh from two ripe avocados — it should be soft, green and free of brown spots. Measure the cold milk, sugar, ground almonds and orange blossom water, and keep the ice cubes in the freezer until the last moment.
Maestro Tip: Everything must be cold: warm milk or a warm glass thins the smoothie and dulls its colour.
3 Mins Medium heat, about 160°C (320°F)
If the almonds are raw, toast the 10 g in a dry frying pan over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, shaking the pan often, until golden and fragrant. Tip onto a plate to cool, then crush roughly with the flat of a knife.
Watch them closely — almonds go from golden to burnt in seconds, and burnt almonds taste bitter.
Done when: Golden, fragrant, roughly crushed.
2 Mins No heat
Cut each avocado in half lengthwise around the pit, twist the halves apart and lift out the pit with a spoon. Scoop all the flesh into the blender jug, leaving the skin behind.
A ripe avocado scoops out cleanly in one piece; if it resists, it is underripe and will blend grainy.
Done when: About 300 g of smooth, green flesh in the jug, no brown spots.
3 Mins No heat
Add the cold milk, sugar, ground almonds, orange blossom water and ice cubes to the blender. Blend on low for 20 seconds to break up the ice, then on high for 60 to 90 seconds until completely smooth, thick and pale green, with no flecks of avocado left.
Do not over-blend: more than 2 minutes warms the drink and thins it out.
Done when: Thick, glossy and smooth, coating the back of a spoon.
1 Min No heat
Taste the smoothie and adjust it to your liking: add a teaspoon more sugar if the avocado tastes flat, or a splash more cold milk if it is too thick to pour. Blend for 10 seconds more after any change.
Avocados vary in richness, so this tasting step is what makes the drink yours, not the recipe's.
Done when: Sweet, creamy and pourable, thick enough to coat a glass.
1 Min No heat — chilled glasses
Pour the smoothie into the two frosty glasses. Scatter the crushed toasted almonds over the top of each glass and serve at once with a straw and a long spoon.
Serve immediately — the smoothie starts to lose its bright green colour within half an hour.
Done when: Two tall glasses, pale green and topped with golden almonds.
Finishing Touches & Plating
Pour into the chilled glasses, scatter the crushed toasted almonds over the top, and serve at once with a straw and a long spoon.
Nutritional Physiology & Benefits
Energy
490
kcal / serving
Protein
12g
Complete AA
Carbs
40g
Complex
Fats
35g
Healthy
| Energy | 490 kcal |
| Protein | 12 g |
| Carbohydrates | 40 g |
| Fat | 35 g |
| Fibre | 11.6 g |
| Sugar | 25.7 g |
| Sodium | 87 mg |
| Energy | 115 kcal |
| Protein | 2.9 g |
| Carbohydrates | 9.3 g |
| Fat | 8.1 g |
| Fibre | 2.7 g |
| Sugar | 6 g |
| Sodium | 20 mg |
Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.
Vitamins & minerals: Vitamin E and folate (avocado, almonds), potassium (avocado, milk), calcium and vitamin B12 (milk), vitamin K (avocado).
Fibre From Real Food
Each glass carries about 11.6 g of fibre, almost all of it from the avocado and almonds in the blender.
Potassium-Rich Drink
Avocado and milk make this a potassium-rich drink, with about 12 g of protein per glass from the milk, avocado and almonds.
Healthy Fats, Not Cream
The richness comes from avocado and almonds — mostly monounsaturated fat — rather than from cream or ice cream.
Food Pairings
To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:
More Pairings
Medjool Dates
Soft dates are the classic iftar partner — their caramel sweetness matches the almond note in the smoothie.
Drinks
Mint Tea
Unsweetened mint tea after the smoothie cleans the palate and is the drink Morocco reaches for after any sweet cafe treat.
Sides
Toasted Almonds
A small bowl of extra toasted almonds on the side adds crunch against the smooth drink and echoes the almond inside it.
Soups
Harira Soup
At iftar the smoothie is often drunk beside a small bowl of harira — the warm, spiced soup and the cold, sweet drink balance each other.
Complete menu
Serve the smoothie with a small plate of toasted almonds and Medjool dates, followed by mint tea.
Digestive Guardrails
To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:
A Second Sweet Drink Alongside
Each glass already carries about 25.7 g of sugar, so a sweet soft drink or juice on the same table doubles the sugar load; serve it with mint tea or water. This is general nutrition information, not medical advice.
Leaving the Smoothie Standing
Avocado oxidises quickly: a smoothie left standing turns brown and grey within an hour, and milk left out for more than 2 hours should be thrown away. Blend it and drink it at once. This is general food safety information, not medical advice.
General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.
Who Should Eat It
Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid
If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.
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