This refreshing acai smoothie bowl is a healthy treat that’s made with just 4 ingredients. Get the step-by-step instructions and tips for making it at home.
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What Is an Acai Bowl?
Acai is a small reddish-purple berry that grows on trees. It’s native to Central and South America and is high in antioxidants.
An acai bowl is a cold, creamy dish made with pureed frozen acai berries. It’s a traditional dessert in Brazil, where it’s called açaí na tigela.
The acai berries are often blended with other fruits, like frozen bananas. This creates a consistency like a thick smoothie or soft serve.
Acai bowls are usually topped with chopped fruits. It’s eaten with a spoon for breakfast, snacks, or dessert.
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Recipe Highlights
- This acai smoothie bowl is made with unsweetened almond milk, store-bought frozen acai puree, frozen banana, and frozen mixed berries.
- The smoothie bowl gets its thick, soft serve-like texture from frozen fruit instead of ice, which would water down the flavor.
- Ready in just 5 minutes, this smoothie bowl is perfect for a quick breakfast or refreshing snack.
- Eating acai smoothie bowls is a great way to add more fruits to your diet. They’re rich in vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber.
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Acai Smoothie Bowl Health Benefits
Provides Antioxidants
Berries, including acai, are high in antioxidants called anthocyanins. These are beneficial compounds found in purple, red, and blue fruits and vegetables.
Antioxidants keep you healthy by protecting cells from damage. This is important for reducing the risk of chronic diseases like cancer.
Improves Immune Function
Eating this smoothie bowl will naturally support your immune system. That’s because it’s high in berries, one of the best sources of vitamin C.
Vitamin C helps your body fight germs that make you sick.
Supports Brain Health
The brain naturally changes with age, but anthocyanins can protect it as you get older. They work by protecting and repairing nerve cells.
Promotes Good Digestion
Berries and banana contain fiber, an important nutrient for healthy bowel movements. Fiber works by making stool easier to pass.
The anthocyanins in berries is also a prebiotic, meaning it “feeds” good bacteria in your gut. This keeps your gut healthy.
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Ingredient Notes
- Unsweetened almond milk
Unsweetened almond milk has a mild nutty flavor that pairs well with fruits. Instead of almond milk, you can also use dairy milk or non-dairy options, such as hemp milk, oat milk, or coconut milk from the carton. - Frozen acai puree
Acai puree is sold in packets in the frozen fruit section of the grocery store. Thaw the acai puree a bit before using. - Frozen banana
Naturally sweet and creamy, frozen banana gives this smoothie bowl an extra-thick texture. - Frozen mixed berries
Most store-bought mixes contain strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries. If you want to freeze your own berries, you can use more or less of certain ones.
Acai Puree vs Acai Powder
Fresh acai berries aren’t available in stores because they spoil as soon as they are picked.
Since acai berries need to be used or frozen immediately after picking, they’re sold as a frozen puree or a dried powder.
After testing the recipe with the frozen puree and powder, the clear winner was the frozen puree. It added better flavor and sweetness.
If you want to use acai powder instead puree, use 2 tablespoons and add another ½ cup of frozen mixed berries. The extra frozen fruit will help thicken the acai bowl.
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Step-by-Step Instructions
For full ingredients and instructions, scroll down to the recipe.
- Pour unsweetened almond milk into the blender.
For efficient blending, always add the liquid first. - Add acai puree.
Thaw the acai puree or cut into chunks if you don’t have a high-powered blender. - Add sliced frozen banana.
- Add frozen mixed berries.
- Blend until smooth.
Start on a low speed, then increase to high. Use the tamper tool to help move the ingredients in the blender. - Spoon into a bowl. Serve immediately.
Photo Credit: amazon.com
Optional Add-Ins
Leafy Greens
Baby spinach and kale are nutritious add-ins. Use 1 cup per smoothie bowl.
These ingredients are high in vitamins and antioxidants, so they’ll make the smoothie bowl even healthier.
Seeds
Hemp seeds, flax seeds, and chia seeds contain healthy anti-inflammatory fats and antioxidants.
Seeds have a nutty flavor, so start with 1 tablespoon per smoothie bowl to avoid overwhelming the recipe.
Protein powder
Protein powder or powdered collagen will make your smoothie bowl more filling. Choose protein powder if you want to build muscle or collagen powder if you’d like to support skin health.
Use ½ to 1 scoop of powder per smoothie bowl. Vanilla and unflavored versions will taste best in this recipe.
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Blender Tips
Push down ingredients with a tamper.
Since all of the fruit in a smoothie bowl is frozen, it’s essential to use a tamper.
A blender tamper tool will let you move ingredients toward the blades, which ensures smooth and efficient blending.
Start with liquids.
To avoid air pockets, load ingredients in the right order.
Add liquids first, then follow with add-ins like powders and seeds. Put in heavy ingredients, like frozen fruit and ice, in the blender last.
Avoid blending on low speed for too long.
Be sure to blend on low for the time listed, then increase the speed to high.
If you blend on low for too long, it can overheat the motor of your blender.
Expert Tips
- To thaw acai puree, leave the packet in the refrigerator overnight. You can also run it under warm water, place it in a bowl of warm water, or let it sit at room temperature for 5 to 7 minutes.
- If you don’t have frozen mixed berries, you can use 1 cup of strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries.
- Before freezing the banana, be sure to cut it into coins first. Never add a whole frozen banana to a blender.
- Avoid green bananas, which are unripe and bitter. Instead, choose a banana that has a yellow peel with some brown spots.
- To thin the acai bowl, add a bit of milk and blend for 10 seconds.
- You can refrigerate leftover acai bowls, but it will lose thickness. Keep it in an airtight glass for up to 1-2 days.
Questions You May Have
When made with quality ingredients and minimal sweeteners, acai bowls are very nutritious. They’re an excellent source of essential vitamins and antioxidants.
For a sweeter acai bowl, add 1 tablespoon date syrup or a chopped Medjool date.
No, since all the solid ingredients are frozen, the acai bowl will be cold without having to add ice, which will dilute the flavor and texture.
Related
- Blueberry Smoothie Bowl
- Tropical Smoothie Bowl
- Strawberry Banana Smoothie Bowl
- Chocolate Smoothie Bowl
- Mango Smoothie Bowl
- Blueberry Banana Smoothie
- Raspberry Smoothie
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Acai Smoothie Bowl
INGREDIENTS
- ¾ cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 pack acai puree (thawed)
- 1 frozen banana (sliced)
- 1 cup frozen mixed berries
INSTRUCTIONS
- Put almond milk, acai puree, frozen banana, and frozen berries into a blender. Secure lid.Place ingredients into the blender in the order listed.
- Blend until smooth.Start the blender on LOW speed for 30 seconds. Increase speed to HIGH for a full minute. Use the tamper tool to help move the ingredients in the blender.
- Spoon into a bowl. Serve immediately.Add optional toppings like sliced fresh banana and frozen berries.
EQUIPMENT
NOTES
- Always use a blender tamper tool to make an acai bowl. It allows you to push ingredients around without touching the blades. This is key for breaking down the frozen fruit.
- Instead of almond milk, you can also use dairy milk or non-dairy options, such as hemp milk, oat milk, or coconut milk from the carton.
- Acai puree is sold in packets in the frozen fruit section of the grocery store. Thaw the acai puree a bit before using.
- To thaw acai puree, leave the packet in the refrigerator overnight. You can also run it under warm water, place it in a bowl of warm water, or let it sit at room temperature for 5 to 7 minutes.
- If you don’t have frozen mixed berries, you can use 1 cup of a single type.
- Before freezing the banana, be sure to cut it into coins first. Never add a whole frozen banana to a blender.
- Avoid green bananas, which are unripe and bitter. Instead, choose a banana that has a yellow peel with some brown spots.
- For a sweeter smoothie, add 1 tablespoon date syrup or a chopped Medjool date.
- To thin the acai bowl, add a bit of milk and blend for 10 seconds.
- You can refrigerate leftover acai bowls, but it will lose thickness. Keep it in an airtight glass for up to 1-2 days.