How to Make a Vegan Acai Bowl (Easy Homemade Recipe!) (2024)

Published: by Jenna Urben · This post may contain affiliate links

Jump to Recipe

Want to create a thick and creamy vegan smoothie bowl? I've got you covered! This homemade acai bowl comes together with frozen acai puree, dairy free milk, fruit, and your choice of toppings.

How to Make a Vegan Acai Bowl (Easy Homemade Recipe!) (1)

Vegan acai bowls are quick and easy to make, healthy, and wholesome! Here's everything you need to know about how to make an acai bowl at home.

What is an acai bowl?

An acai bowl is basically a thick smoothie that can be topped with fresh fruit, granola, peanut butter, agave, and various other toppings. It's served in a bowl and eaten with a spoon!

I enjoyed my first açaí bowl in Waikiki when we were visiting Oahu, Hawaii on our honeymoon. When we returned, I made it my mission to recreate the best homemade smoothie bowl using acai berries.

How to Make a Vegan Acai Bowl (Easy Homemade Recipe!) (2)

Acai Bowl Ingredients

Once you get the hang of making your own homemade acai bowls, you can start experimenting with other fruit, plant based yogurt, non dairy milk and more!

Here's what you'll need to get started:

  • Acai: Find frozen acai puree in the freezer section of your local grocery store. I recommend Sambazon or Trader Joe's!
  • Milk: Use your favorite plant based milk or whatever you have on hand. I typically use oat milk, almond milk, macadamia nut milk, or coconut milk.
  • Fruit: To ensure a thick and creamy smoothie bowl, use frozen fruit for blending. Common fruit mixes include blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries. Include a banana to naturally sweeten the acai bowl.
  • Toppings: I like my acai bowls to have a crunch and be topped with a variety of fresh fruit, nuts, and seeds. My secret ingredients is a little spoonful of almond butter!

Experiment with your favorite flavors and texture.

How to Make a Vegan Acai Bowl (Easy Homemade Recipe!) (3)

Tips for The Best Acai Bowl

  • Don't use too much dairy free milk. You can always add more, if needed to thin the smoothie bowl out.
  • Prep all your toppings ahead of time! There's nothing worse than a melting acai bowl right in front of your eyes.
  • As you're prepping ingredients, place your bowl in the freezer. This will help keep the smoothie frozen for longer.

How to Make an Acai Bowl Thicker

It's important to use frozen fruit and start with less liquid for a thicker acai bowl.

Need to fix a watery acai bowl? Toss in a bit more frozen fruit or a couple tablespoons of plain vegan yogurt.

How to Make a Vegan Acai Bowl (Easy Homemade Recipe!) (4)

Related Recipes

I hope you love this gluten free and dairy free acai bowl as much as I do! Check out these delicious dairy free breakfast ideas next:

  • Sea Moss Smoothie
  • Chia Seed Pudding
  • Vegan French Toast
  • Flaxseed Pancakes
  • Dairy Free Overnight Oats
  • Blended Baked Oats

How to Make a Vegan Acai Bowl (Easy Homemade Recipe!) (5)

Vegan Acai Bowl Recipe

Author: Jenna Urben

This homemade vegan acai bowl comes together with frozen acai puree, dairy free milk, fruit, and your choice of toppings. The ultimate plant based smoothie bowl!

4.98 from 42 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 10 minutes mins

Course Breakfast

Servings 2 people

Ingredients

  • 2 frozen acai puree pouches
  • ¼ cup dairy free milk oat milk, almond milk, coconut milk, etc.
  • ½ cup frozen mixed berries
  • 1 frozen banana
  • Your choice of toppings sliced fresh fruit, granola, nuts, seeds, nut butter

Instructions

  • In a high-speed blender, blend frozen acai puree with dairy free milk and frozen fruit.

  • Transfer the smoothie into 2 bowls, then top with desired toppings.

  • Enjoy immediately!

Notes

Tips for Making an Acai Bowl:

  • Prepare the toppings before blending ingredients together.
  • Chill serving bowls in the freezer ahead of time.
  • Use frozen fruit!
  • If your acai bowl is too watery, add extra frozen fruit and blend again.

Did you make this recipe?Please leave a star rating or review in the form below, then snap a picture and tag me @theurbenlife on Instagram!

How to Make a Vegan Acai Bowl (Easy Homemade Recipe!) (6)

More Easy Vegan Recipes

  • Tofu Bolognese
  • Vegan Christmas Desserts
  • Dairy Free and Egg Free Cornbread
  • Kale Crunch Salad

About Jenna Urben

Jenna Urben is the recipe developer, content creator, and storyteller behind The Urben Life. She has over 10 years experience adapting family favorite meals to fit allergy-friendly diets. Join Jenna as she shares delicious dairy-free recipes that are easy to follow with plenty of tips and alternatives.

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Leave a Reply

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. Leesa

    What size bowls do you use? 16 or 24 oz.?

    Reply

    • Jenna Urben

      Hi Leesa, I typically use a 8 ounce or 12 ounce bowl 🙂

      Reply

  2. Camila Wilson

    I also appreciate the simplicity of this recipe - it's so easy to whip up and customize to your liking. Thank you for sharing this yummy and nutritious recipe!

    Reply

    • Jenna Urben

      Thanks so much, Camila! I'm so glad you enjoyed it 🙂

      Reply

  3. Marisa M

    How to Make a Vegan Acai Bowl (Easy Homemade Recipe!) (11)
    What granola do you use?

    Reply

    • Jenna | The Urben Life

      Hi Marisa! I usually try to shop from the bulk item section of my grocery store but lately I’ve been using granola from Purely Elizabeth and CLIF 🙂

      Reply

  4. Caitlin Sauer

    This looks so refreshing and delicious!! Can’t wait to try

    Reply

    • Jenna | The Urben Life

      Thanks, Caitlin 🙂 Lemme know what you think!

      Reply

    • Jenna | The Urben Life

      Oh my gosh! You've gotta try one 🙂 I know you'll love it!

      Reply

  5. Marta

    How to Make a Vegan Acai Bowl (Easy Homemade Recipe!) (13)
    this looks so good!

    Reply

  6. Nia De la torre

    This heat has me dying for something cold! Thanks for sharing this (:

    Reply

    • Jenna | The Urben Life

      Absolutely 🙂 Enjoy!!

      Reply

  7. Kelly

    Would you believe I've never made an acai bowl? I've eaten lots of them out but now you've inspired me to make my own!

    Reply

    • Jenna | The Urben Life

      I hope you do 🙂 They're incredibly easy and so, so tasty!

      Reply

  8. Jules Shepard

    A definite family favorite and this one is BEAUTIFUL! So healthy too!

    Reply

    • Jenna | The Urben Life

      Thanks so much 🙂 We love em so much!

      Reply

  9. Sarah

    Looks beautiful, I love the color of the acai and fruit puree! I haven't had acai bowls before, so I definitely need to find some acai packs and make one

    Reply

    • Jenna | The Urben Life

      Thank you, Sarah 🙂 Definitely give it a go, I'm sure you'd love it!

      Reply

  10. Sarah

    LOVE a good acai bowl, especially on these hot summer days! The options are endless and honestly if you can make them at home they're better as you control what goes in them, can customize them, and save money! Thank you for sharing.

    Reply

    • Jenna | The Urben Life

      Right!! That's what I love about them 🙂 Thanks!!

      Reply

  11. Noelle

    How to Make a Vegan Acai Bowl (Easy Homemade Recipe!) (14)
    So simple and delicious, I can not believe I haven't tried this until today!! Thank you

    Reply

    • Jenna | The Urben Life

      Yay 🙂 Aren't they great!? Just wait until you start experimenting with more toppings! Enjoy!!

      Reply

  12. Monica Davis

    How to Make a Vegan Acai Bowl (Easy Homemade Recipe!) (15)
    This looks great! I love how colorful it is! I cannot wait to try it!

    Reply

    • Jenna | The Urben Life

      Thanks Monica 🙂 Let me know what you think!

      Reply

  13. Kelly

    Love the pics and will now try to make a bowl myself. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

    • Jenna | The Urben Life

      Thank you so much, Kelly 🙂 Enjoy!

      Reply

  14. Kim

    How to Make a Vegan Acai Bowl (Easy Homemade Recipe!) (16)
    Yummy!

    Reply

    • Jenna | The Urben Life

      Thanks Kim 🙂 I hope you try it soon!

      Reply

How to Make a Vegan Acai Bowl (Easy Homemade Recipe!) (2024)

FAQs

What is acai bowl base made of? ›

They are made of pulped and flash-frozen acai berries that are pureed with other frozen fruit then served in a bowl and topped with a variety of fresh fruit, granola, seeds, nuts, peanut butter, etc. The bowls are cold, refreshing, creamy, sorbet-like and boast a deep, complex berry flavor.

Can vegans eat acai bowls? ›

As such, it's always worth confirming ahead of time that the ingredients added into your Açaí bowl or smoothie are 100% vegan. With that said, the exotic fruit is a health food staple, so the majority of Açaí products you see are vegan. The same goes for Açaí-based meals or snacks in cafes and restaurants.

What is the formula for the acai bowl? ›

Combine acai, bananas, blueberries, almond milk, and honey in a blender. Blend until smooth. Smoothie should have a thick consistency, like frozen yogurt. Pour into 2 bowls and top with banana slices, blueberries, pomegranate seeds, and coconut.

Are homemade acai bowls healthy? ›

The Bottom Line. Acai bowls can be a great way to get antioxidant-packed fruit into your day. However, Harrington says that the trend has driven supercharged acai bowls that are blended with juice and other fruit and then heavily topped with things like granola or honey, which can pack a lot of added sugar.

Is A acai Vegan? ›

In fact, this popular superfood has become an extremely sought after item among the Vegan community because of its nutrients that are all beneficial for a healthy Vegan diet. Açaí may be incorporated into breakfast, lunch, snacks, or even a healthy treat to give you all of the energy that you need throughout the day.

Why is acai so expensive? ›

To harvest açaí, harvesters need to climb up to 20 meters, scaling 10 to 15 trees daily to gather bundles of fruit weighing 10-15 kilograms. Carefully balancing the heavy fruit laden branches while safely lowering themselves to the ground, makes this a difficult and dangerous job.

Is honey vegan? ›

In the strictest definition of the word, honey is not vegan. As the product of a living being –honeybees, though there are other some 20,000 bee species to be found around the world – honey falls into the same category of non-vegan food products as milk and eggs.

Are refreshers vegan? ›

Swizzels Refreshers Sweets are a leading chew that continue to be extremely popular with all ages. Individually wrapped, they make a great choice for your pick and mix pouch! Suitable for Vegetarians, Vegans, Diary Free, Gluten Free and contain No Artificial Colours.

Is granola vegan? ›

Is granola vegan? Not all granola is vegan, despite the fact it contains many fruits and grains. This is because honey can often be used as a sweetener and binder in granola clusters, so if on a plant-based diet, always check the label to see whether it is suitable.

What liquid is best for acai? ›

Frozen Unsweetened Acai: I recommend breaking up the frozen acai packet for easier blending. Frozen Banana: this adds natural sweetness and makes the mixture super creamy! Dairy-Free Milk or Yogurt of your choice: this makes the mixture blend easily and creates creaminess.

How do you thicken an acai bowl? ›

Frozen Banana or Mango: By incorporating frozen bananas or mangoes into the açai blend, not only do they enhance the thickness of the mixture, but it also contributes natural sweetness. Additionally, both banana and mangoes impart a smooth and velvety consistency to the bowl, enhancing its overall taste and texture.

Is acai worth the money? ›

You can enjoy acai in a healthy diet mixed with a variety of other fruits and veggies. Buying expensive acai products, however, won't solve your health or weight issues -- it'll just slim down your wallet (not to mention perpetuate the "healthy food is too expensive" stigma).

Is it OK to eat acai bowls everyday? ›

While acai berries are rich in antioxidants and can be a nutritious addition to your diet, it's important to consider overall dietary balance and variety. Eating acai with fruits every day can be healthy if it's part of a diverse and well-rounded diet.

Can I eat an acai bowl every morning? ›

Sounds pretty nutritious, right? Here's the catch. When you add all of the toppings suddenly your bowl of healthy goodness could easily contain over 500 calories and 40-90 grams of sugar. This is why consuming acai bowls should be an occasional indulgence not part of your everyday diet.

Can too much acai be bad? ›

What are the possible side effects of acai berries? Anything in excess is regarded as bad. A full-fledged acai berry diet may be beneficial for some people, whereas it may cause problems in others, such as: Consuming acai berries could irritate the colon or intestinal tract, which may eventually lead to diarrhea.

Are acai bowls healthy for weight loss? ›

While there are plenty of good things about the fruit, make no mistake-there are no special properties that make you suddenly or quickly lose weight. Acai does have antioxidants-a substance our bodies need-but no more than cranberries or cherries, and less than blueberries, pomegranate, and grapes.

What is Açaí puree made of? ›

Originating in Brazil, the acai bowl is made of frozen acai palm fruit that is pureed and served as a smoothie in a bowl or glass. In Brazil, acai bowls are typically topped with granola, banana, and guaraná syrup.

Does acai base have banana? ›

For this recipe, I made the acai base with acai frozen berries, wild frozen blueberries, frozen banana, and a splash of all natural orange juice. The secret to a cold and delicious acai bowl is to ensure that all the items you are blending is frozen.

Are acai bowls healthier than ice cream? ›

"Think of them as a replacement for ice cream." So what's the health hang-up? The açaí bowl is basically a "sugar bomb," says Muhlstein. "Açaí bowls can have 50g of sugar [the equivalent of 12 teaspoons], or double what the American Heart Association recommends for women for an entire day," she says.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Jonah Leffler

Last Updated:

Views: 6266

Rating: 4.4 / 5 (45 voted)

Reviews: 92% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Jonah Leffler

Birthday: 1997-10-27

Address: 8987 Kieth Ports, Luettgenland, CT 54657-9808

Phone: +2611128251586

Job: Mining Supervisor

Hobby: Worldbuilding, Electronics, Amateur radio, Skiing, Cycling, Jogging, Taxidermy

Introduction: My name is Jonah Leffler, I am a determined, faithful, outstanding, inexpensive, cheerful, determined, smiling person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.