Everything you need to know to make your own Acai Bowl Recipe from home!
With four different recipe variations, products and ingredient suggestions (for the bowls AND the toppings), and all the best tips and tricks, this is your one-stop-shop Acai Bowl read.
Acai Bowl Recipe
My mom grew up in Brazil and returned for a couple years as an adult. While she talks often about fudgy Brigadeiros, the best mangoes you’ll ever eat, and the creamiest sweetest Brazilian lemonade, everyone in our family knows how she feels about acai.
She was thrilled when acai products hit the US. Her passion has made us experts in finding and making the very best acai bowls!
What Is Acai?
- The acai berry (pronounced ah-sigh-ee) is a small (about an inch long) deep purple fruit.
- It comes from the acai palm tree, which is native to Central and South America.
- Acai tastes like a combination of wild berries and chocolate.
How To Make an Acai Bowl Recipe
Acai Bowls are truly as simple as blending a few ingredients together, pouring the mixture into a bowl, and adding your favorite toppings according to the recipe below. They’re really that easy!
Where To Buy Acai For These Bowls:
- Acai puree packets: I love Pure Unsweetened® by Sambazon.)
- Acai powder (buy acai powder or in-store)
- To make an Acai Bowl recipe with acai powder, substitute 1 tablespoon acai powder for the packet.
You’ll Also Need: A high-powered blender, such as Vitamix or Blendtec.
Acai Bowl Recipe Tips
- Prepare Ahead of Time: Everything needs to be frozen ahead of time. This is what gives the bowl its signature thickness and allows for optimal topping!
- Consistency is Key: The more frozen your ingredients are, the thicker your bowl will be.
To Freeze Bananas: Use slightly overripe ones for more flavor. Peel, slice into 1-inch pieces, and space on a parchment-lined tray to freeze. Then, store in freezer bags (lasts 3-4 months). Use straight from freezer.
Topping Ideas:
- Honey (skip if vegan)
- Vanilla almond granola, or your favorite homemade or store-bought granola
- Fresh fruit such as strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, mango, banana, peaches, pineapple, kiwi, apple, etc.
- Flaked coconut
- Chia seeds
- Cacao nibs, or chopped dark chocolate, or miniature chocolate chips
- Hemp seeds
- Flax seeds
Acai Bowl Recipe Serving Suggestion
At my mom’s parties, instead of a dessert bar, she sets up an acai bowl bar with her go-to recipe and a wide array of toppings. It’s so fun for guests to make their own!
Acai Bowl Recipe
Learn how to make your own Acai Bowl at home with this simple base recipe. Check the notes for fun variations!
Equipment
- High powered blender
Ingredients
Add to a high powered blender:
- 1 (100-gram) frozen acai berry packet see note 1
- 1/2 cup apple juice with no added sugar
- 1/2 cup frozen banana slices 1 small banana, see note 2
- 1/2 cup frozen strawberries
- 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
Add some toppings:
- 1 tablespoon honey see note 3
- 1 handful vanilla almond granola or a similar granola
- Fresh fruit such as fresh strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and banana, sliced thinly or chopped
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1 to 2 tablespoons coconut
Instructions
- Blend acai berry packet, apple juice, banana, strawberries, and blueberries with a high-powered blender (see note 4) until smooth. Pour into a bowl.
- Top bowl with as much (or as little) of your favorites such as granola, thinly sliced fresh fruit, chia seeds, and coconut! Drizzle 1 tablespoon honey over toppings. Enjoy immediately.
- Vegan: To make this recipe vegan, replace honey with maple syrup and confirm granola being used is vegan.
Video
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Consistency is key. The more frozen your ingredients are, the thicker your bowl will be.
Note 2: To freeze bananas, use slightly overripe ones for more flavor. Peel, slice into 1-inch pieces, and space on a parchment-lined tray to freeze. Then, store in freezer bags (lasts 3-4 months). Use straight from freezer.
Note 3: If you don't add honey on top, I recommend adding it to the mixture beforehand
Note 4: It's important to use a high-powered blender. Less powerful blenders will struggle to crush the frozen fruits and by the time it does, it won't be as thick.
Storage: Once blended, bowls are best eaten immediately. They don't store well.
Nutrition Note: Nutrition information does not include the optional toppings.
Additional Bowl Recipes:
Peanut Butter Bliss Acai Bowl
Add the following to a blender:- 1 package frozen acai berry packet, 100 grams
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter
- 1/2 cup chocolate almond milk
- 1 small frozen banana
- 1/2 cup frozen strawberries
- 1 tablespoon honey (if you don't add this on top, I recommend adding it to the mixture beforehand)
- A handful of vanilla almond granola, or a similar store-bought or homemade granola
- 1/2 of 1 banana, very thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1 tablespoon chopped dark chocolate or cacao nibs
- 1-2 tablespoons coconut
Tropical Acai Bowl
Add the following to a blender:- 1 package frozen acai berry packet, 100 grams
- 1/2 cup vanilla almond milk, 116 grams
- 1 small frozen banana
- 1/3 cup frozen strawberries 46 grams
- 1/3 cup frozen pineapple 55 grams
- 1/3 cup frozen blueberries 50 grams
- 1 tablespoon honey (if you don't add this on top, I recommend adding it to the mixture beforehand)
- A handful of vanilla almond granola, or a similar store-bought or homemade granola
- 1/2 of 1 kiwi, halved and very thinly sliced
- A handful of fresh pineapple or mango, thinly sliced into small pieces
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1-2 tablespoons coconut
Lime Zinger Acai Bowl
Add the following to a blender:- 1 package frozen acai berry packet, 100 grams
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1/2 cup coconut water 116 grams
- 1 small frozen banana
- 1/3 cup frozen strawberries 50 grams
- 1/3 cup frozen pineapple 51 grams
- 1/3 cup frozen blueberries 46 grams
- 1/3 cup frozen peaches 51 grams
- 1 tablespoon honey (if you don't add this on top, I recommend adding it to the mixture beforehand)
- A handful of vanilla almond granola, or a similar store-bought/homemade granola
- Several strawberries halved or thinly sliced
- Handful of blackberries
- Handful of blueberries
- 1-2 tablespoons coconut
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
The Easiest Acai Bowl Recipe:
Add the following to a blender:- 1 cup frozen triple-berry blend berries
- 1 tablespoon acai powder
- 1/2- 3/4 cup vanilla almond milk
- 1 small frozen banana
- 1 tablespoon honey (if you don't add this on top, I recommend adding it to the mixture beforehand)
- A handful of vanilla almond granola, or a similar store-bought/homemade granola
- A handful of fresh fruit
- 1-2 tablespoons coconut
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 141kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 4mg | Potassium: 336mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 64IU | Vitamin C: 44mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
For the first bowl recipe (the basic one) is it 254 calories per serving? So half of what the recipe makes?
Thank you! mahalo, merci, grazia, gracias, and xie xie!! These are the cultures my family has lived in and loves food from, and it is a favorite for every one of them!! Thank you and thank your mom for sharing too please!! So carefully written and shared! So yummy and feels good too!
You are so sweet! Thanks so much for your kind comment! So glad you and your family enjoyed! 🙂
Hi, the acai berry packet, how healthy is it? Id imagine it has preser atives if its sold in a package. Can u buy the berries themaelves at a whole foods?
the one i get is just pure frozen acai berries nothing else added 🙂
Açaí bowls are not American as written in the recipe card! They are Brazilian.
I know, I’m so sorry my recipe card has auto-populated “cuisines” and for whatever reason doesn’t have an option for Brazilian; I just sent an email to my developer, hopefully can get that fixed. Thanks!
Awesome recipe, looks absolutely delicious! I’m currently writing up some content regarding Acai and I would love to share your recipe to my readers! Either way, thanks for the recipe, cant wait to try it out!
Rich
Thanks Rich!
This is awesome! Acai bowls are my fave at the Farmer’s Market but so expensive. Thanks for the recipe!!
You’re welcome! 🙂
I love acai bowls! These were all so delicious!
I LOVE these!! The tropical one is my favorite! They are a great, filling, & healthy way to start the day!
Yay! So happy to hear that! Thanks Natalie 🙂
I love each of these!! They all taste SO good!
Once made, can it be frozen?
I wouldn’t recommend re-freezing once it’s made (especially if its been topped)
Do you know if there is a substitute for bananas? Otherwise, the recipes sound awesome! Thank you!
I’ve never personally tried anything else in these acai bowl recipes, but you could try half of an avocado to get a similar creaminess and thickness.