Do you love acai bowls? I don’t remember the exact first time I had one, but I was smitten at first bite. That creamy, frosty purple smoothie is inexplicably delicious. With a colorful confetti of toppings, it tastes different in every bite. Acai bowls have become quite popular here in the US, after they caught on from Brazil. They’re a perfect healthy breakfast or snack: and a total treat! One reader told us: “Made your acai bowl recipe and OH MY! I’ve never had one I’ve enjoyed as much as this. It was so perfectly balanced, and my husband loved it too!” Here’s how to make it.
What is an acai bowl?
If you’ve never had one, an acai bowl is a smoothie bowl made from acai berries. The bowl is loaded 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. Acai bowls are a popular dish in Brazil, and they’ve taken off in the US as a healthy breakfast or snack. Acai berries are known as a superfood, and are loaded with antioxidants and nutrients. Many restaurants and food trucks in the US serve acai bowls, but there’s no need to splurge every time you want one. They’re very easy to make at home!
How do I find acai?
If you’re an acai bowl fiend like we are, you’ll be glad to know this. Acai berries are native to Brazil, but they’re easy to find here in the states! Luckily due to the popularity of acai bowls, packs of frozen acai pulp are widely available online or at your local grocery. Check in the frozen fruit aisle. Sambazon is a well-known brand that sells acai and has sustainable harvesting practices.
How to make an acai bowl
How to make this homemade acai bowl recipe? It’s very simple, and results in the perfect sweet tart flavor! Alex and I played around with various combinations of frozen fruit before we found this one. Pineapple, banana and mango are all essential for adding the right natural sweetness to the acai berries, which are pretty tart on their own. Here are the basic steps: Love acai berries? Also use the puree to make Acai Smoothies or Acai Bowl Popsicles!
Tips for the best acai bowl
Here are a few tips to keep in mind for making the very best homemade acai bowl:
Break the pulp into pieces before blending. Packs of frozen acai pulp are becoming widely available in the US at mainstream grocery stores. When you use the acai pulp, thaw the package under warm water until it’s easy to break into pieces inside the package. Then remove from the plastic wrap. It will be easier to blend into a smoothie when it’s broken into chunks. Stop and scrape, then blend until it’s smooth. It’s easiest to use a high speed blender to blend the smoothie. But a standard blender works too, you just might need to stop and stir the blender a bit more. You can also add just a little water to get it to blend better, but not too much! It’s best when it is thick and doesn’t have too much water added.
That’s it! Go forth and enjoy your bowl. And let us know what you think in the comments below!
Looking for easy smoothie recipes?
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This homemade acai bowl recipe is…
Vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, plant based, naturally sweet, and refined sugar free.
Looking for healthy breakfast ideas?
Outside of this homemade acai bowl recipe, we have dozens of vegan breakfast ideas and quick healthy breakfast recipes on our website. Here are a few of our favorites: No reviews
1 handful coconut flakes 1/2 mango, diced (or ½ cup frozen diced, thawed) 4 sliced strawberries 1 small handful blueberries 1 small handful pepitas Bee pollen, optional Other toppings: Granola, almonds, pecans, walnuts, almond butter, peanut butter, chia seeds, a drizzle of honey or maple syrup
For the acai bowl
1 cup frozen pineapple chunks 1 large banana 1/2 mango (or ½ cup frozen diced) 7 ounces frozen unsweetened acai pulp (such as Sambazon)* 1 tablespoon lime juice ¼ cup cold water
Last updated: January 2020
