How to make an acai bowl [Easy!]

Start your morning off right with this healthy one Açai bowl recipe! Learn How to make an acai bowl from scratch with fresh and frozen ingredients and your blender.

This must be what feels like the longest winter of all time! To add some sunshine to my life, I started each day with this acai bowl recipe. I picked up a few acai packets from the store and was busy preparing them every morning. Even my daughter joins in! It feels good to start our day with a healthy choice that tastes delicious too!

What is Acai?

acai, pronounced ah-sigh-EEcomes from the acai berries of the acai tree, which is native to South America.

Interestingly, acai is not technically a berry as it has a central seed that resembles a pit. The dark purple skin and yellow flesh are soaked and then mashed into a dark purple paste, which is why you usually find acai in packets of frozen acai puree rather than in its original form.

As far as taste goes, it’s often compared to the taste of blackberries, but with a slightly earthier flavor.

Many believe that the acai fruit contains more antioxidants than other more well-known berries, including blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, or raspberries. This is how it became known as a “superfood”.

There are many health benefits of acai, including a source of healthy fats and less sugar than other similar fruits. They’re also a fantastic source of fiber and other trace minerals, including chromium, zinc, iron, copper, manganese, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus (source).

What is an Acai Bowl?

Like other types of smoothie bowls, an açai bowl is simply a mix of fruit (açai in this case) and other ingredients with a variety of toppings. Unlike regular smoothies, smoothie bowls are thicker so you can eat them with toppings and a spoon.

Are Homemade Açai Bowls Healthy? I think they are! As mentioned above, açai is a fantastic source of antioxidants and other health benefits, and when combined with a source of protein, fat and fiber it can make a filling and healthy meal to start the day.

Ingredients for the Acai Bowl

• Unsweetened Frozen Acai Packets – I like the Sambazon brand and buy the unsweetened version. You can find them in the frozen section of your grocery store. Note: I’ve never tried making this homemade acai bowl recipe using acai powder instead of the frozen packs, but imagine how it would work if you had.
• Frozen Banana – This will help thicken the smoothie and give it a natural sweetness.
• Frozen berries – I use mixed berries, but you can use any frozen berries or frozen fruit you have on hand (mango, pineapple, or even kiwi would be delicious!)
• protein powder – this will help add some staying power to your easy acai bowl recipe so you won’t be hungry an hour later. I like Ritual’s vegan protein powder. Vanilla or chocolate both work great.
• Almond milk – You can use any non-dairy milk such as oat milk or soy milk.

Below are suggested toppings.

Learn how to make an açai bowl

This acai bowl recipe couldn’t be simpler! Throw all your ingredients into your blender and blend until smooth! Try not to overdo it with liquid. You can always add a little more, but keeping this acai bowl recipe thick is the key.

topping suggestions

The real advantage of smoothie bowls are definitely the toppings! I like to go ham on the toppings and dig in with a spoon.

• granola – You really can’t go wrong with muesli on your smoothie bowls. I love this apple cinnamon granola or this almond cranberry granola, but you can use store-bought too.
• Fresh fruit – Banana slices, fresh berries or whatever fresh fruit you have on hand.
• Dark chocolate – A few pieces of dark chocolate are always a good idea! For a more traditional twist, you can use cacao nibs.
• nuts/nut butter – Garnish with chopped nuts like walnuts, pecans, or coconut flakes. You can also drizzle with nut butters like almond butter or peanut butter. If you’re allergic to nuts, pumpkin seeds are delicious and a great source of nutrition.
• seed – Along with nuts (or instead of nuts), seeds make a tasty topping for acai bowls. Chia seeds or flaxseeds are great sources of fiber and antioxidants. Hemp seeds are also a fantastic option.
• sweetener – I personally find this açaí bowls recipe sweet enough, but if you want to add more sweetness I recommend using a dash of honey or maple syrup.

Tips for making thick smoothie bowls

The key to making a delicious smoothie bowl is making sure it’s thick enough to eat with a spoon. texture is everything. Here are my tips on how to thicken your acai smoothie bowl:

• Use frozen fruit – Make sure you are using frozen bananas and frozen berries and that your acai packets are also frozen.
• Use protein powder – Almost all protein powders help thicken your smoothie.
• Chia seeds – Chia seeds absorb liquid, so adding a tablespoon will help thicken your smoothie.
• reduce liquid – Try not to use more than 1/4 cup of almond milk or other liquid. If you use too much, your smoothie bowl will become too soupy and difficult to eat with a spoon.
• Try avocado – Add chunks of avocado (frozen is even better!) to thicken your smoothie.

More smoothie bowl recipes

Press