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Perfect Acai Bowl Recipe | Downshiftology

July 10, 2023

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This acai bowl recipe can be made at home in just a few minutes with a high-powered blender! It’s packed with antioxidants and can be layered with endless amounts of fruits, nuts, seeds, and more to create the summer bowl of your dreams.

Acai bowls are the quintessential smoothie bowl. Especially in Southern California where you can find them in nearly every beach town. But even if you’re not close to a healthy beach cafe, you can easily make them at home (just like the rest of these smoothie recipes).

And good news, you can use frozen acai packets or powdered acai – either works in this recipe. So whenever you’re craving a refreshingly fruity breakfast or snack, just blend up this recipe!

What is Acai?

If you’re not familiar with acai berries — they’re small, round, purplish berries from the acai palm, which are native to Brazil and the upper parts of South America, as well as Trinidad. But their sweet tropical flavor has taken the world by storm, especially with frozen acai bowls.

Acai Bowl Ingredients

Just a few ingredients are needed for the acai bowl base. Then you can have fun with toppings!

Frozen acai packets: I made this smoothie bowl with frozen Sambazon acai packets, but you could also use acai powder. If you grab the frozen acai packets, make sure to get them unsweetened. There’s no need for added sugar considering the sweetness of all the fruit!
Fruits: You’ll need frozen mixed berries and one fresh banana to blend with the acai.
Milk: I love to use cashew milk or oat milk for extra creaminess. But feel free to use any type of milk.
Nut Butter: My go-to nut butter is my homemade almond butter. But any nut or seed butter will work.

Find the printable recipe with measurements below

How to Make an Acai Bowl

To make the acai base, just toss the acai packets, banana, milk, and nut butter into a high-powered blender and blend until smooth.

Helpful tip: Remember that the tamper on your blender is your friend. You want the smoothie bowl thick and cold, so that means you’ll need to use the tamper to push everything into the blades.

Acai Bowl Topping Ideas

The toppings and layers are honestly my favorite part of making an acai bowl. They add texture, crunch, protein, and added nutrients! Here are a few fun and delicious ideas:

Fruit: You can add all the fruit your heart desires. But I personally love to switch between a berry mix (blueberry, strawberry, raspberry) or a tropical mix (mangos, bananas, and pineapple).
Seeds: Layer on the seeds for added nutritional benefits! A few favorites are pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, and chia seeds.
Nuts: Chop up your favorite nuts before sprinkling them on top! And if you want to add a drizzle of nut butter on top, that works too.
Chia pudding: I love to add a layer of chia pudding for a fun, delicious, and nutritious addition to my acai bowl. You can even alternate layers of chia pudding and blended acai in a clear cup, similar to my pomegranate chia pudding parfait.

Acai Bowl Tips

Given that I’m somewhat of an acai bowl expert (self-proclaimed based on how often I make them), I have a few more tips for you:

If you opt for acai powder rather than frozen acai packets, use 2 tablespoons of powder, add one cup more frozen berries and freeze your banana to keep your bowl nice and thick.
Acai bowls are best eaten right away. They will soften quickly, especially in warm weather.
If you’d like to make it extra creamy, you could add a few spoonfuls of my homemade yogurt (dairy) or coconut yogurt (dairy-free).

Are Acai Bowls Healthy?

Yes, when eaten in moderation. The dark purple color of acai indicates that it’s loaded with polyphenols and anthocyanins (a flavonoid pigment also found in beets, blackberries, and blueberries) and packed full of antioxidants.

In fact, acai has the highest level of anthocyanins which is why some consider it a superfood. Even more, it’s loaded with vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, and fiber. That’s why it’s one of my favorite anti-inflammatory foods to enjoy.

But when it comes to acai bowls, there’s a large quantity of fruit, not only from the acai but also from the toppings. That means acai bowls can have a significant amount of sugar. And while it’s natural fruit sugar, it’s still something to be aware of.

More Smoothie Bowl Recipes

If you’re hooked on acai bowls, you’ll definitely want to try these other smoothie bowl recipes.

This acai bowl recipe will come in clutch during the hot summer months! Once you make it, let me know your thoughts on the recipe and how you topped your bowl in the comment box below. I can’t wait to see your smoothie bowl creation.