How to Make a Smoothie Bowl in Six Simple Steps

How to Make a Smoothie Bowl - Smoothie bowls might not be your first thought when it comes to breakfast recipes, but it is an amazing way to start your day with loads of healthy foods.  I'll show you how to make one, and you'll be hooked!  All you need are a few yummy ingredients and a blender.

What is a Smoothie Bowl?

A smoothie bowl is a delicious puree with fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables and sometimes yogurt. The mixture is thicker than a smoothie you drink, so it's easy to eat with a spoon. The mixture is most often topped with toppings like nuts, seeds, fresh fruits, and vegetables, or oats. The best smoothie bowls are:

• Fruity
• Healthy
• Creamy
• Nutrient-Rich
• Naturally Sweet
• Quick and Easy!

This is an excellent way to get a lot of nutrition into one meal, and it looks gorgeous, too! After all, we eat with our eyes first, right?

This Banana Blueberry Almond Smoothie Bowl is the perfect example of how to make a smoothie bowl.  It's got just a few simple ingredients like a ripe banana, vanilla yogurt and a splash of almond milk. 

On top, I have added whole raw almonds, fresh blueberries, and shredded unsweetened coconut.  This is just one of the millions of combinations you can create - your imagination is the only limit!

What tools do I need to make a smoothie bowl?

Making a smoothie bowl does not require a ton of fancy equipment, but it is important that you have a really great blender.  Blenders without enough power or with dull blades will be unable to produce a smooth and creamy consistency.

There are a lot of blenders out there, and some are super expensive. For my money, I love this Hamilton Beach Blender which we use daily. It works so well and even has a smoothie setting.

For a list of some of my favorite items to use when cooking, and why I chose them, please visit my Kitchen Resource page.

How to Make a Smoothie Bowl

1. In the bottom of the blender, start with 1 cup of liquid as a base.
   1. Almond, Soy or Cow's Milk
   2. Yogurt
   3. Orange or Pomegranate Juice
   4. Coconut Water
2. Add a tablespoon of a sweetener and/or nut butter.  Adjust to your own taste preferences.
   1. Sweeteners: Honey, Maple Syrup, Agave Nectar
   2. Nut Butters: Peanut, Almond, Cashew
3. Add in 1 cup of fresh or frozen fruit.
   1. Strawberries, Blueberries, Raspberries or Blackberries
   2. Banana, Mango, Guava, Pineapple, Kiwi
   3. Peaches, Pears, Apples, Plums
   4. Kale, Spinach, Avocado
   5. Steamed Beets, Carrots,
   6. Pumpkin Puree
4. Boost with other flavors or nutritional ingredients:
   1. Vanilla Extract
   2. Green Matcha Tea
   3. Protein Powder
   4. Ground Cinnamon
   5. Fresh Mint
5. Blend the mixture slowly until smooth and creamy.  
   1. If the mixture is too thick, add a splash more liquid a little at a time.
6. Pour into a bowl and add toppings with a variety of textures to compliment the flavors of your smoothie bowl.

Tasty Topping Ideas

• Fresh Strawberries, Blueberries, Raspberries or Blackberries
• Sliced Melon, Apples, Bananas or Pears
• Almonds, Walnuts, Pecans, Peanuts, or Macadamia Nuts
• Shredded Coconut or Quick Cooking Oats
• Chia, Sunflower, Hemp, Pumpkin or Flax Seeds
• Figs or Dates
• Granola, Crispy Rice Cereal, Corn Flakes, Puffy Cereal
• Dark Chocolate or Cocoa Nibs

How do I thicken my smoothie bowl?

The key to a good smoothie bowl is to get both the flavors and the consistency right.  You do not want to have a bowl of thin smoothie, you want a thick luscious mixture that you can dig into. 

• Avocado and banana are both great for thickening a smoothie bowl. Both also add a ton of nutrients like potassium.
• Instead of topping your smoothie bowl with chia seeds, put them in the mixture.
• Yogurt is another great natural thickener.

Our Favorite Recipes

Here are some of my family's most favorite recipes for making a bowl full of this yummy smoothie mixture:

• Green Smoothie Bowl with Berries and Pears
• Banana Blueberry Almond Smoothie Bowl
• Tropical Greek Yogurt Smoothie Bowl

Easy Green Smoothie Bowl

Get the Recipe >>>

Strawberry Pineapple Smoothie Bowl

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Berry Banana Mini Smoothie Bowl for Kids

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How Do I make an Açaí Bowl?

An Açaí bowl is a type of smoothie bowl that starts with açaí - berries that look a little like grapes. You can purchase Acai Berry Puree at your local natural foods store, or online. (You can also purchase Acai Berry Powder to blend into your fruit mixture.)

1. Blend the puree with yummy ingredients like spinach or kale, banana, mango and a splash of milk.
2. Process until smooth.
3. Top with fresh blueberries, slices of kiwi, granola and a drizzle of honey. 

How to Make the Perfect Smoothie

If you enjoy these kinds of recipes, be sure to check out my tips on how to make the perfect smoothie. Many of our smoothie recipes would be a fantastic base for making one of these bowls, simply scale back on the amount of liquid used, and top with your favorite fruits and nuts. Here are some of my favorites:

• Pineapple Cranberry Smoothie
• Orange Mango Smoothie
• Best Ever Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie
• Spinach Smoothie

Avocado Banana Smoothie

This is a thick creamy smoothie with loads of healthy benefits!

Get the Recipe >>>

Clementine Smoothie

Packed with nutrition from the clementines, this an antioxidant-rich smoothie with loads of vitamin C also has an Omega-3 boost.

Get the Recipe >>>