By This protein acai bowl is as thick and purple as anything you'd order at a smoothie bar, but it has about 26g of protein per bowl from Greek yogurt, pb powder, and hemp seeds! No protein powder, no chalky aftertaste. Just like your favorite cafe one, this one feels more like a dessert than breakfast, except it's actually built to keep you full. 💃
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Probably like you, I fell into the trap that acai bowls are healthy because they are just blended fruit, right? Well ya, they are healthy because they have antioxidants and fiber, but they can also have an insane amount of sugar (often topped with a lot of honey) and nearly no protein. Imagine my shock upon realizing this...
Anyway, that's when I started making these at home using frozen acai cubes, Greek yogurt, and PB powder for a high protein breakfast. It took some trial and error, but we got there! And turns out what makes it taste like a coffee shop bowl and not a smoothie I poured into a bowl is orange juice! Just a little makes the flavors really pop!
Jump to:
where to buy acai
Acai is a small berry that tastes a lot like a blueberry but is native to tropical regions. But, after the wild popularity of acai bowls, you can buy the puree frozen in almost any large store, including Target, Walmart, and probably your local grocery store. It's usually next to the other frozen fruit.
key ingredients & swaps
All substitutions are a 1:1 substitute unless otherwise noted. See the recipe card for quantities.
- Frozen acai: Be sure to grab unsweetened, sweetened packets make the bowl too sugary dilutes the natural flavor. Sambazon and Pitaya Foods are widely available. Acai powder is not a direct swap; it doesn't add the same body or color.
- Frozen mixed berries: Adds bulk, and the more sour berries like raspberry actually help the acai really pop. Any mix works, as long as it's a mix.
- Banana: I found that using all frozen fruit made it very hard to blend without adding too much liquid, so the banana should actually not be frozen, just ripe.
- Milk: I like soy but use whatever you like. Add slowly and only as much as needed to get the blender moving. Too much liquid and you have a smoothie, not a bowl. Start with ⅓ cup and add a tablespoon at a time from there.
- Greek yogurt: Opt for plain unsweetened, but any fat level works. Flavored yogurt will compete with the acai and throw off the sweetness balance. Check out our full list of breakfast recipes using Greek yogurt for more ideas.
- PB powder: Adds protein but not fat or calories. Regular peanut butter will work, but be aware that the calories will be higher and the protein lower. But regular, it's great for topping!
- Orange juice: The bowl genuinely tastes bland without this little bit of OJ. Fresh is best, but a bottle will work in a pinch.
- Hemp seeds (topping): Perfect nutty little topping! Chia seeds work too, but have less protein (more fiber though!).
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
the key to a thick acai bowl base
Thickness is everything in high protein smoothie bowls. The secret is keeping the liquid to the absolute minimum. Add just enough to get the blender moving, not to thin the mixture out. Stop blending the moment it comes together smoothly. Over-blending warms the mixture and thins it out fast.
If you have a Vitamix or a blender with a tamper, use it. The tamper lets you push ingredients toward the blade without adding more liquid. If you don't have one, stop and scrape the sides every 10-15 seconds instead.
If the bowl is thinner than you'd like after blending, pour it into a bowl and put it in the freezer for 5-15 minutes before adding toppings. It firms back up quickly.
step by step: tips to nail this recipe every time
- Soften the acai packet slightly before blending: If you have a not super-powerful blender, a fully solid frozen cube will stall your blender. Run the packet under warm water for 20-30 seconds and break it into chunks before adding to the blender. This one step makes a significant difference.
- Add ingredients from most-liquid to most-frozen: Pour the soy milk and orange juice in first, then the yogurt, then the pb powder, then the frozen fruit and acai chunks last. This gives the blender something to grab onto from the bottom without needing extra liquid.
- Stop and scrape. Frozen ingredients climb the sides of the blender. Stop, scrape down, and blend again rather than adding more liquid to compensate.
- Have your toppings ready before you start. The bowl starts melting the moment it hits room temperature. Prep everything first so you can go straight from blender to bowl to table.
quick recipe video
toppings we love
The toppings listed in the recipe are the combination we love most, but these bowls are very flexible. A few other directions:
- Drizzle: Honey, nut butter, or a small pour of coconut cream
- More protein: Protein granola, a bigger scoop of peanut or almond butter, extra hemp seeds, or a spoonful of dairy free chia seed pudding spooned on top
- More fruit: Sliced kiwi, mango, banana coins, strawberries, raspberries, or blackberries all work well. Stick to fresh for the best texture contrast with the frozen base
- Crunch: Cacao nibs, shredded coconut, or crushed nuts alongside the granola
can I add protein powder?
I mean, you can do anything you want! But I tested this with protein powder added and without. The pb powder version won every time; smoother texture, better flavor, and it didn't change the flavor the way vanilla protein powder can.
troubleshooting & testing notes
My bowl is too thin: Too much liquid, or the blender ran too long and warmed the mixture. Put the bowl in the freezer for 5-15 minutes to firm it up. Next time, add soy milk one tablespoon at a time and stop the moment the blender is moving.
The acai flavor is barely there: Acai is naturally subtle and slightly bitter. Make sure you're using a full 100g (about a cup) and that it's unsweetened because sweetened packets dilute the acai with added sugar. The orange juice actually helps amplify the acai flavor rather than masking it.
My blender won't move without more liquid. Make sure the acai is in chunks, not one solid block. Also, check the order of ingredients; liquid goes in first. If you still need more liquid, add it one tablespoon at a time and stop the moment the blender starts moving.
Do not skip the OJ: The orange juice came from testing with and without, and the difference in both brightness and flavor was immediately obvious. Discovered this hack weirdly while scanning the menu at my favorite California smoothie bowl place!
Recipe
protein acai bowl (26g without protein powder)
Ingredients
- 100 g frozen acai (about 1 cup)
- 1 cup frozen mixed berries
- 1 ripe banana
- ⅓ cup soy milk (up to ½ cup but add slowly)
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup pb powder
- juice from 1 orange (about ¼ cup)
toppings (for 2 bowls)
- 3 tablespoons hemp seeds
- 1 tablespoon almond or peanut butter
- 1 cup fresh strawberries (sliced)
- 2 teaspoons honey
- ⅓ cup granola
Before you start!
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Instructions
- If using acai packets, run the acai packet under warm water for 20-30 seconds, then break into chunks. If using acai cubes you can skip this step.Add 100 g frozen acai, 1 cup frozen mixed berries, 1 ripe banana, ½ cup plain Greek yogurt, ¼ cup pb powder, ⅓ cup soy milk, and the juice from 1 orange to a blender. I find it helpful to add the liquid ingredients first but if your blender has a tamper, it doesn't really matter.
- Blend on high, using the tamper if available. Add soy milk one tablespoon at a time only if the blender stalls even with scraping down the sides.
- Blend until just smooth, stop the moment it comes together so the blender heat doesn't melt the smoothie bowl.Divide between 2 bowls immediately. Top each bowl with half the toppings. Enjoy right away!
Video
Notes
Looking for more information?
Additional substitution information can be found above in the substitution section of this post.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate and for informational purposes only.
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