This is how an acai bowl succeeds at home: The purple smoothie and confetti toppings taste refreshing and tangy-sweet. It’s the perfect healthy breakfast!
Do you like acai bowls? I can’t remember exactly when I first ate one, but I was hooked from the first bite. This creamy, frosty purple smoothie is inexplicably delicious. With a colorful confetti of toppings, each bite tastes different. Acai bowls have become very popular here in the United States after finding their way into Brazil. They make a perfect healthy breakfast or snack: and an absolute treat! A reader told us: “Make your acai bowl recipe and OH MY! I’ve never had one that I enjoyed so much. It was so perfectly balanced and my husband loved it too!” Here’s how to do it.
What is an acai bowl?
If you’ve never had one, an acai bowl is a smoothie bowl made with acai berries. The bowl is filled with toppings like fruit, granola, coconut, and almond butter.
Where does acai come from? Acai berries grow on palm trees and are native to Brazil. A popular dish in Brazil, acai bowls have caught on in the United States as a healthy breakfast or snack. Known as a superfood, acai berries are packed with antioxidants and nutrients. Many restaurants and food trucks across the United States serve acai bowls, but you don’t have to spend a lot of money every time you want one. They are very easy to make at home!
How do I find Acai?
If you’re an acai bowl fan like us, you’ll be delighted. Acai berries are native to Brazil, but they’re easy to find here in the United States! Luckily, due to the popularity of acai bowls, frozen acai pulp packs are widely available online or at your local grocery store. Look in the frozen fruit aisle. Sambazon is a well-known brand that sells acai and uses sustainable harvesting practices.
How to make an acai bowl
How to make this homemade acai bowl recipe? It’s very easy and makes for the perfect sweet cake flavor! Alex and I played around with different frozen fruit combinations before coming up with this one. Pineapple, banana, and mango are all key to adding just the right amount of natural sweetness to the acai berries, which are quite tart on their own. Here are the basic steps:
- Put your bowl in the freezer. This will prevent the smoothie from melting once it reaches the bowl.
- Preparation of the toppings: To avoid further melting, prepare the toppings first. Some ideas: sliced strawberries, diced mango, blueberries, toasted coconut, pumpkin seeds, almond butter, etc.
- Mixed: Blend frozen pineapple, banana, and frozen mango until combined and chunky. Next, add the acai pulp to the blender along with the lime juice and water and blend until smooth.
- Surcharge: Pour the acai mixture into the frozen bowls. Garnish and serve!
Do you like acai berries? Also use the mash to make acai smoothies or acai bowl popsicles!
Tips for the best acai bowl
Here are some tips to keep in mind to prepare the best homemade acai bowl:
- Before mixing, break the pulp into pieces. Packages of frozen acai pulp are increasingly available in mainstream grocery stores in the United States. If using the acai pulp, thaw the husk under lukewarm water until it breaks easily inside the husk. Then remove from the plastic wrap. It’s easier to blend into a smoothie when broken into pieces.
- Stop and scrape, then blend until smooth. It’s easiest to use a high-speed blender to blend the smoothie. But a regular blender will work too, you may need to stop and stir the blender a little more. You can also add just a little water to mix it better, but not too much! It is best when thick and not adding too much water.
That’s it! Go ahead and enjoy your bowl. And let us know what you think in the comments below!
Looking for easy smoothie recipes?
This Homemade Acai Bowl Recipe is…
Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, plant-based, naturally sweetened and free from refined sugar.
The description
Love acai bowls but don’t want to leave the house? This homemade acai bowl recipe is incredibly delicious and easy to make.
For the toppings
- 1 a handful of coconut flakes
- 1/2 mango, diced ½ cup diced frozen, thawed)
- 4 sliced strawberries
- 1 a small handful of blueberries
- 1 small handful of nuggets
- Bee pollen, optional
- Other toppings: granola, almonds, pecans, walnuts, almond butter, peanut butter, chia seeds, a dash of honey, or maple syrup
For the acai bowl
- 1 cup frozen pineapple pieces
- 1 big banana
- 1/2 mango (or ½ cup frozen food)
- 7 ounces frozen unsweetened acai pulp (like Sambazon)*
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- ¼ cup Cold water
- Place your bowls in the freezer: this will prevent the acai from melting during consumption.
- Prepare the toppings (before preparing the bowl, again to minimize melting): In a small skillet, toast the coconut over low-medium heat until golden, stirring frequently. Pour into a bowl immediately. Dice the mango and reserve half for the acai. Slice the strawberries.
- In a large high-speed or regular blender, puree the pineapple, banana, and mango until lightly blended and chunky.
- Thaw the acai pulp under lukewarm water until it can be broken into small pieces, then remove the packaging. Add acai to blender along with lime juice and ¼ cup cold water. Blend until smooth, stopping and stirring if necessary. (If you need a little more water, you can add it; try not to add too much to keep the acai texture thick. A high-speed blender will work well here; with an ordinary blender, you’ll have to stop and stir more. .)
- Pour the acai mixture into the frozen bowls. Garnish with fruit, coconut, pumpkin seeds, and other toppings. Serve immediately.
Remarks
* We found this acai pulp in the frozen section of many of our local grocery stores.
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Frozen
- Kitchen: Tropical
Keywords: Acai Bowl, Homemade Acai Bowl, Acai Bowl Recipe, Vegan, Gluten Free, Vegan Breakfast Ideas, Healthy Breakfast, Healthy Snack
Looking for healthy breakfast ideas?
Aside from this homemade acai bowl recipe, we have dozens of healthy and quick vegan breakfast ideas and breakfast recipes on our website. Here are some of our favourites:
Last update: January 2020
