How to make a smoothie bowl with frozen fruit

Home Dishes & Beverages Beverages Smoothies & Slushies

Prep/Total Time: 5 min.

2 servings

We turned one of our favorite smoothies into a smoothie bowl and topped it with even more fresh fruit and a few toasted almonds for a little crunch. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Breakfast, lunch or dessert—this smoothie bowl recipe is a treat any which way you enjoy it! And we’re sharing our ultimate smoothie bowl topping trick, too!

This vegan smoothie bowl recipe is inspired by Holly’s favorite smoothie bowl from JuiceLand in Austin. It tastes like a strawberry milkshake and it’s pure, creamy, healthy, heaven in a bowl. We love that smoothie bowls are quick to make and even easier to smother in healthy toppings than regular old smoothies that you’d drink through a straw. Not only do smoothie bowl toppings make things a little more fun, but they also take a slightly-filling smoothie into the actual-meal category.

You betcha. Smoothie bowls are every bit as healthy as regular smoothies. They’re loaded with fruit, and as long as you keep the toppings healthy, too, they’re maybe even more healthy than old-fashioned, through-a-straw smoothies because they’re delivering even more fiber and good fat and protein. Smoothie bowls satisfy us better than their drinkable counterparts, too, because you can eat them with a spoon. They feel more like a legit meal, particularly when covered with our favorite smoothie toppings.

One of the best things about this smoothie bowl recipe is that it’s more a template than a recipe. Don’t mess with the ratios, but do feel free to play around with the ingredients! If you want this as post-workout treat, consider adding protein powder to the mix! Or if you aren’t crazy about strawberries, swap in whatever fruit you love (or happen to have in the freezer)—any berry would be terrific in this, or try mango for a slightly tropical vibe. As for the non-dairy milk, again you can use what you like best! Hemp milk, oat milk, almond milk or soy—whatever you want! Here’s how to think of this smoothie bowl recipe as a template or formula rather than a strict recipe:

• 1 cup frozen fruit

• 1 cup frozen banana slices

• 3 tablespoons of milk-of-choice

If you’ve made a smoothie, you can make a smoothie bowl. A smoothie bowl is just a smoothie….IN A BOWL! Nothing tricky here. Here’s how to make the best smoothie bowl on earth:

1. Blend the frozen fruit and frozen bananas.

2. Blend in the milk. This is your moment to add the nut butter and protein powder.

3. Serve! Drizzle with the coconut oil and toppings and dig in!

You’ve made a smoothie bowl! Now, the question is what do you put in a smoothie bowl? It’s pretty much up to you! What sounds good? Most of us want to keep things on the healthy side, so you might not want to top your smoothie with, say, M&Ms, although you totally could! What we’re trying to say it, truly, the sky is the limit when it comes to what you could put on your smoothie bowl. We’ve got some great topping ideas to get you started:

• Chia seeds

• Granola

• Hemp seeds

• Dried fruit

• Pepitas

• Coconut flakes

• Crushed cacao

• And our very favorite?! Melted coconut oil. It becomes gloriously magic shell-like!

If you make our smoothie bowl recipe, let us know how you like it! Share a photo and tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper so that we can see your stuff! Happy eating!

• 1 cup frozen strawberries (or other frozen berries)
• 1 cup frozen banana slices, extra ripe for sweetness
• 3 Tbsp milk or milk alternative (almond, hemp etc.)
• 2 Tbsp almond butter, sunflower seed butter or peanut butter, optional
• 2 Tbsp protein powder, (vanilla or unflavored), optional

• 1 Tbsp melted coconut oil**
• 1/4 cup granola
• Fresh (not frozen) Strawberry slices
• Fresh (not frozen) Banana slices

1. Add the frozen strawberries and bananas to a blender (using a high-power gives the best results) and blend on low until they have created a coarse, somewhat sandy mixture.

2. Add the milk, nut butter, and protein powder (if using) and blend on low, scraping down the sides as needed, until the mixture comes together in a thick “soft serve” consistency.

3. Scoop the smoothie into a bowl and drizzle with the melted coconut oil. Allow the coconut oil to harden for 1 minute (you can place it in the freezer to speed up this process). Sprinkle with granola and hemp seeds and garnish with fresh fruit.

Note: You will want to prepare for this smoothie bowl by letting bananas get overly ripe on your counter. Slice them into 1-inch pieces and freeze them. That way you always have frozen bananas on hand for this recipe.

**Similar to chocolate magic shell, when you drizzle melted coconut oil over a cold smoothie bowl, it hardens. This adds a wonderfully pleasing texture and melt-in-your-mouth “crunch” to the smoothie bowl.

• Try oatmeal or you can always sub for another berry. Another option is always frozen avocado. It has similar consistency once blended and also holds a mild flavor.

• Isn't it the best?! Glad you liked it!