Learn how to make the best smoothie bowl recipe with 5 ingredients in 5 minutes! Homemade smoothie bowls are a nutritious breakfast, brunch or snack, and cost less than smoothie shops!

I adore smoothies so much that I drink a green smoothie every day! However, sometimes I am in the mood for something a little different, and I opt for this smoothie bowl recipe!

I can’t always talk my kids into drinking a smoothie, but they will always grab a spoon and dig into one of these smoothie bowls – with lots of yummy toppings of course! They think I’m feeding them a fancy bowl of sorbet – for breakfast!

In this post I’ll show you how to make a smoothie bowl (using the strawberry version as an example), and then explain how to make three different color/flavor varieties – purple, green and pink! 

Smoothie Bowl Recipe: Ingredients & Substitutions

• Frozen Fruit.  Choose your favorite frozen berries/fruit. The fruit must be frozen to achieve the proper thickness and consistency.
• Banana. If you don’t prefer bananas, you use another starchy food like avocado for creaminess, you will need to add more honey if you make this substitution.
• Almond milk. Any non-dairy milk works excellently in this recipe. I love using coconut milk for a tropical flavor. You can also use regular dairy milk.
• Vanilla extract. I think the vanilla extract takes these smoothie bowls from good to great. That little extra flavor is just perfect.

How to Make a Smoothie Bowl

There are a few important tips to remember when you’re making this smoothie bowl recipe. Don’t forget to watch the video to see exactly how each variety is made!

Begin by adding your frozen fruit of choice to the container of a Vitamix blender. In this example, for a pink smoothie bowl I used strawberries. I will discuss all the variations later on in the post.

Next, add the frozen banana. I recommend chopping it into smaller pieces (as pictured below) for quicker and easier blending. Remember, it must be frozen for the best texture.

Next, add 3 Tablespoons almond milk.  I know it seems like a small amount, but it should be enough to make the perfect smoothie bowl.

Then, add the honey depending on your desired sweetness level. For a vegan version use maple syrup. You could omit the sweetener all together, but I find this recipe tastes the best with a little extra sweetness.

Blend

Once you have all the ingredients in the blending container, blend, starting on low and increasing to high, using the tamper to vigorously press the ingredients down into the blades.

I cannot stress enough how important the tamper is in this smoothie bowl recipe. As you can see in the video, I use the tamper the entire time I am blending. 

Scrape Down Sides, Blend Again

It is very important to pause, turn off the blender, use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the container and push the ingredients down into the blades once the mixture reaches a chunky texture as pictured below. This helps combine all the ingredients without over-blending. 

 Secure the lid and continue blending, using the tamper to vigorously press the ingredients down into the blades, until the mixture is smooth and thick.

Add-ins.

If you are going to put some add-ins into this smoothie bowl recipe, now is the time. Some possible add-ins are: 

• Chia seeds
• Protein powder
• Nut butter
• Acai powder

Serve

Once the smoothie bowl reaches a smooth and thick consistency, pour it into one to four bowls and enjoy! The size of your servings will depend on how many people you are feeding and how hungry they are!

I could eat this entire recipe in one sitting, however I usually share it with my kids. I personally think the most reasonable serving size is for two adults.

Smoothie Bowl Toppings

The topping options for this smoothie bowl recipe are seriously endless. Here are some of my suggestions!

• Granola. Make your own healthy homemade granola or peanut butter granola, or buy your favorite store-bought variety!
• Nut Butter. I love adding a swirl of nut butter on top for extra fat, protein and flavor! (Try this homemade peanut butter).
• Fresh fruit. Top your smoothie bowl with your favorite fresh fruit: berries, bananas, etc. 
• Nuts. Add cashews, sliced almonds, or make some homemade cinnamon sugar pecans and sprinkle some on top! 
• Seeds. Sunflower seeds, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds (or some cinnamon sugar roasted pumpkin seeds), are all great additions to any smoothie bowl!
• Flaked coconut. Use an unsweetened variety! 

Smoothie Bowl Recipes – 3 ways

Since we all love to mix things up, I created three different varieties of smoothie bowl recipes for you! My kids each had a different favorite, and I love them all! 

Strawberry Banana Smoothie Bowl – Pink

To make a pink smoothie bowl (a fan favorite for my 4 daughters), use frozen strawberries or raspberries, or a combination of the two. You will need 10 ounces, or about 2 ½ cups of frozen fruit. 

Acai Smoothie Bowl – Purple

For the acai purple smoothie bowl, use 10 ounces frozen mixed berries + ½ tsp acai powder. Be sure to use a berry medley that contains blackberries, blueberries and other berries. You could use half a berry medley and half frozen blueberries also. Do not use all blueberries, as I find doing so creates a mealy texture. 

Green Smoothie Bowl

To make a green smoothie bowl use 10 ounces frozen pineapple + 1 cup fresh spinach. You can also use 10 ounces frozen mango (or a combination of pineapple and mango) for the fruit, and kale for the greens! 

Smoothie Bowl Recipe FAQs

If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can see your creations!

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