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Basic Smoothie Bowl Formula

A perfectly thick, spoonable smoothie bowlโ€”more like sorbet than smoothie soupโ€”comes down to just a few essentials: the right ingredients, balanced ratios, and the proper tools. The key is blending mostly frozen ingredients with just a splash of liquid in a high-speed blender to achieve that irresistibly creamy, dense texture.

Frozen Fruit — 2 Cups

  • Bananas
  • Mango
  • Pineapple
  • Blueberries
  • Strawberries
  • Raspberries
  • Aรงaรญ packets
  • Frozen zucchini
  • Frozen cauliflower
  • Avocado

Liquid — 1/4 Cup+

  • Almond milk
  • Coconut water
  • Oat milk
  • Water
  • Coconut milk
  • Cold brew
  • Fruit juice

Add-Ins — 2 TBS+

  • Spinach
  • Kale
  • Protein powder
  • Nut butter
  • Chia seeds
  • Acai powder
  • Hemp hearts

How to Make a Smoothie Bowl

Unlike regular smoothies that blend into a liquid fairly easily, smoothie bowls will remain thick in the blender, and might take a little muscle. This is my method for blending:

  1. Load up the blender with all your ingredientsโ€”frozen fruit, leafy greens, nut butter, protein powder, you name it. Start with minimal liquidโ€”just enough to help things move. Less is more here.
  2. Crank it up to high speed to get the blending party started. When the ingredients inevitably stop spinning and clump around the sides, itโ€™s time to grab your tamper. Use it through the top of the blender to push everything down toward the blade.
  3. Once itโ€™s smooth and scoopable, scrape it into your favorite bowl and add toppings.

Blending Tips

  • Resist the urge to add more liquid. I know itโ€™s tempting when things arenโ€™t moving, but too much liquid = smoothie soup. To keep your smoothie bowl thick and spoonable, start with a small amount of liquid (1/4 cup)โ€”you can always add more if needed (after you tampered the heck out of it).
  • If you don’t have a tamper, just stop the machine, grab a spoon or spatula, scrape the ingredients toward the blades, and blend again…. and repeat.

Latest Smoothie Bowl Recipes

Smoothie Bowl Topping Ideas

Sure, you could throw anything on top of your smoothie bowlโ€”but if you want that perfect balance of flavor, texture, and nutrition, Iโ€™ve got some go-to combos for you. Aim for a mix of protein, healthy fats, and juicy fruits. That way, your bowl feels indulgent and fuels your body.

Fruit — 1/4 cup

  • Chopped kiwi
  • Diced mango
  • Pineapple chunks
  • Fresh berries
  • Sliced bananas

Protein — 2 TBS

  • Granola
  • Sliced almonds
  • Chopped pecans
  • Hemp hearts
  • Chia seeds

Healthy Fat — 1 TSP

  • Almond butter
  • Shredded coconut
  • Drizzle with MCT oil
acai smoothie bowl with fresh berries on top
tropical smoothie bowl in a coconut bowl
maple oat smoothie bowl with granola topping

Tips For the Perfect Smoothie Bowl Recipe

We’ve all seen the beautiful aรงai bowl creations at smoothie bars, with their vibrant colors, fascinating swirls and fresh toppings. You can achieve this at home. I’m serious! Here are my tips for the smoothie bowl ideas of your dreams.

  • Start with a strong blender game. That’s right! A smoothie blender allows you to blend these ingredients into a lusciously smooth final product. Plus, most of these machines come with a tamper to help you push down the ingredients during blending to keep the blades moving.
  • Use frozen ingredients. Whether you buy them frozen or freeze your own, these frosty fruits are what help make that sorbet-like texture you want. Learn how to freeze bananas and how to freeze spinach to help facilitate this.
  • Use natural thickeners. Foods like chia seeds, hemp hearts, avocado, frozen bananas and nut butter naturally thicken your bowl while blending so you get the scoop-able finish you’re looking for.

Common Questions

What makes a smoothie bowl thick?

There are several things you can do to make your smoothie bowl nice and thick. First, use frozen fruit. Second, start with a small amount of liquid and only add more when your blender blades stop turning on their own. Third, use ingredients like chia seeds, hemp hearts or nut or seed butter to help naturally thicken the blend.

Are smoothie bowls good for you?

Just like with regular smoothies, smoothie bowls can be good for you if you put the right stuff in them. Use only whole food, plant-based ingredients to start. Stick to unsweetened dairy-free milk or water as the liquid base to avoid the added sugar from fruit juice. Add in protein powder, leafy greens or superfoods to boost the nutrients, protein, healthy fats and fiber in your bowl. Top with nuts, seeds and fruit for a delicious and nutritious finish.

What is the best liquid for a smoothie bowl?

It’s not totally about the kind of liquid you use and more about how much liquid you use in a smoothie bowl. If you are using fruit with high water content like melon or citrus, hold off on adding extra liquid unless you need it to get your blender blades moving. Otherwise, a bit of dairy-free milk or even water will work great in your bowl. Choose the liquid based on what flavors you want.

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