How to Make an Acai Bowl

Aug 10, 2020 (Last updated Aug 18, 2022) by Hannah Sunderani

How to Make an Acai Bowl

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Hiya friends! How are you doing? It’s been a few days since my last post. We decided to take an impromptu getaway to the cottage for a few days for some much needed R&R. Since returning, I’ve double downed on recipes for the cookbook! Needless to say, it’s been relaxing and full on couple weeks, all-in-one go! haha. But I’m so pleased to be sharing this quick and easy recipe today for how to make an acai bowl at home! 

Acai bowls are a great summer recipe to enjoy for breakfast or snack time. This acai bowl recipe is thick, sweet, smooth and refreshing, made with mixed berries and frozen acai puree. Then topped with favourites  like banana and my crunchy healthy hazelnut granola. 

So, let me tell you exactly how to make this recipe so that you can indulge in this sweet summer treat.

Homemade Acai Bowl

Watch the how-to video:

 

The ingredients

For this recipe, you will need the following:

• frozen mixed berries 
• frozen banana
• apple juice (or almond milk)
• coconut yogurt
• frozen acai puree or acai powder
• Toppings: I used banana and strawberries, granola, coconut flakes, and peanut butter. But feel free to get creative!

You might know from my Instagram that I LOVE making smoothie bowls. My Pink Oat Smoothie bowl being a top fave. And I love my sip-able Pina Colada Smoothie. (Great in a cup or as a smoothie bowl!).

I really love a good smoothie bowl for breakfast because the ingredients are minimal and often you already have them in your fridge and freezer. You can whip this recipe together in just minutes. Simply toss everything into your blender and mix together until smooth and creamy. 

Acai bowl recipe: Tips and notes

What is acai?

So, you might be wondering what exactly is açaí, and how does an acai bowl differ from other smoothie bowls? Açaí (pronounced ah-sigh-EE) is a deep dark berry found in South America. They look a bit like blueberries, or small dark grapes, and are responsible for giving acai bowls their infamous deep purple hue. 

Acai is famously known for being a superfood, because it’s packed with antioxidants. Which in my opinion is probably why these bowls are so popular.  In addition to how picturesque these bowls look when served of course.

Here’s a great article about acai and 10 things you should know about this healthy little fruit.

Where to buy acai?

Since acai is found in South America, it’s not so easy to find it here in North America. However, due to its growing popularity you can usually find acai in specialty stores like  Wholefoods and Nature’s Emporium.

You’re most likely to find it in the frozen section, in pureed form, or buy it in powdered form in the health-food aisle alongside the maca powder and protein powders. 

Of course, you can always buy your acai in powder form online. Navitas Organics is a reputable brand as well as Suncore Foods. (*affiliate links)

How do you make an acai bowl thick?

As I mentioned, acai bowls are very simple and straight forward to make. Simply toss everything into your blender and blend until smooth. However, the biggest problem people find when making açaí bowls (and smoothie bowls in general) is achieving a thick consistency. 

The best tip for achieving a thick acai bowl is to use frozen banana. If you’re familiar with nice cream you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about. It’s the O.G. dairy-free, soft-serve ice cream, made primarily of frozen bananas.

All-in-all, blended frozen banana truly achieves a beautiful thickness that you can’t replicate by adding ice, or by using fresh banana. 

However, don’t let that deter you from making this recipe if you only have fresh banana. The frozen berries, frozen acai puree, and ice, will still help you to achieve a thick enough consistency to make this bowl. In fact, I make it with fresh banana all the time!

Secondly, it helps to have a high speed blender for this recipe. Although not necessary, the power of these high-speed blenders will help you to puree the ingredients together with less liquid. I used my trusty Vitamix to make these acai bowls. 

If using a standard kitchen blender you might need to add splashes more apple juice or almond milk to ensure the ingredients can blend effortlessly. 

What to top your acai bowl with?

Acai bowls are traditionally topped with banana and granola. But feel free to top with whatever you like! I always like to add a mix of fresh fruit, something crunchy (granola and/or coconut flakes) and nut butter. For this recipe, I’ve topped with strawberries, banana, granola, coconut flakes and peanut butter. 

Other great toppings are:

• mango
• pineapple
• hemp hearts
• buckwheat
• nuts
• chia seeds
• almond butter

Other recipes you might like

If you’re digging this recipe, you might also like:

Green Goddess Smoothie

Pink Raspberry Oat Smoothie

Flight Therapy Smoothie

Blueberry Banana Baked Oatmeal

Chocolate Oatmeal

So there we have it! A deliciously smooth, creamy, sweet and fruity acai bowl that you can enjoy for a refreshing summer breakfast or snack. Now you know exactly how to make an acai bowl at home, and how to make it thick! I know that you’re going to love this recipe.

And, if you do make this recipe please let me know in the comments below what you think! I love hearing from you. And of course, tag me on Instagram with the hashtag #twospoons. Nothing makes me happier than to see your recreations.