Chocolate Acai Bowl

Get a delicious start to your morning with this Chocolate Acai Bowl recipe! I actually eat this almost every morning, it’s that good. Antioxidant-rich acai berries are blended with chocolate protein powder and extra cocoa powder for a chocolate flavor explosion that’s high in protein and comes together in minutes. Chocolate for breakfast? Yes, please. 

If you’re looking for more smoothies to add to your breakfast lineup, check out my Green Protein Smoothie and Strawberry Pineapple Smoothie, which are packed with fresh fruit. I also have an Acai Smoothie if you can’t get enough of acai. For more high-protein breakfasts, try my Turkey Breakfast Sandwich and High Protein Overnight Oats.

Why This Recipe Works

• Quick and nutritious. Smoothies and smoothie bowls are amazing breakfasts because they’re easy to make and pack a nutritional punch. In addition to vitamins and antioxidants from the acai and banana, this smoothie bowl is high-protein, so it will help you stay full and energized for hours.
• Vegan-friendly. This recipe is easily made vegan with plant-based milk and vegan protein powder.
• Customizable. You can swap out the banana for another frozen fruit of your choice, or make this a chocolate peanut butter acai bowl by adding a tablespoon of peanut butter. Yum! And of course, you can mix and match any toppings you like.

Ingredient Notes

• Sambazon Acai Superfruit Packs: You can order these frozen acai packs online. This brand is also widely available in grocery stores. I use the original blend for my chocolate smoothie bowl.
• Frozen Banana: My recipe calls for 30 grams of frozen banana. If you use fresh banana, it won’t be as thick and creamy. An easy way to have frozen bananas on hand for this recipe is to buy sliced frozen bananas from the store, or slice and freeze your own at home.
• Almond Milk: I use almond milk, but if that’s not available, any kind of milk will do – coconut milk, cow’s milk, etc. Even water will work, but the smoothie bowl may not be as creamy.
• Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder: Dutch-processed cocoa powder is less acidic than regular unsweetened cocoa powder and has a more intense chocolatey flavor. You can use unsweetened cocoa powder in this recipe, it won’t make much difference flavor-wise.
• Chocolate Protein Powder: Using chocolate protein powder enhances the chocolate flavor and helps you stay full. If you don’t have chocolate protein powder, you can substitute vanilla or another flavor, but it won’t be as chocolatey. To make this acai bowl vegan, use a vegan protein powder.
• Toppings: A smoothie bowl without toppings is just a smoothie. I like to top my bowl with granola for crunch, but you can add any variety of toppings. Coconut flakes, sliced almonds, chia seeds, your favorite fruits…the possibilities are endless!

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Blend acai with the frozen banana. Empty one packet of Sambazon Acai superfruit into your blender with 30 grams of frozen banana – this is roughly a quarter of a banana. Pulse the ingredients together until they are broken up. They don’t need to be perfectly smooth at this point. 
2. Add remaining ingredients. Add 1 tablespoon cocoa powder, ¼ cup almond milk, 1 scoop of chocolate protein powder, and 3-4 ice cubes all at once.
3. Blend until smooth. Since this is meant to be eaten as a smoothie bowl, it will be thick. Be careful not to overblend, as that will result in a thinner texture.
4. Pour into a bowl and enjoy! Top your chocolate acai bowl with anything you like – I use a ¼ cup granola, but sliced bananas or nuts would be tasty additions.

Recipe Tips

The ratio of frozen to liquid ingredients is important for thick smoothie bowls. For the best results, make sure you have bananas in the freezer before you make this recipe. 

Using sliced frozen bananas instead of larger chunks will help your smoothie blend together more quickly and easily. Overblending can result in a thinner smoothie.

Make this a vegan smoothie bowl by using vegan protein powder and non-dairy milk.

Make Ahead, Storing, and Freezing

Make Ahead: To make this recipe even quicker, portion out the banana slices and acai packets so you can grab them quickly from the freezer, and prep your desired toppings in advance.

You can make multiple batches of this acai smoothie bowl and freeze individual servings without toppings. To eat, let the acai bowl thaw 10-15 minutes at room temperature and stir. It will be less creamy than if it was made fresh, but still delicious!

Storing: Scrape off toppings and store any leftover smoothie in an airtight container in the freezer.

Freezing: Whether you’ve prepped additional servings or have leftovers, store your chocolate protein acai bowl in an airtight container in the freezer. To thaw, simply take it out and let it soften on the counter, give it a stir, add your favorite toppings, and enjoy.

Recipe FAQs

More Smoothie Recipes

• Banana Peach Smoothie 
• Pineapple Spinach Smoothie
• Celery Smoothie
• Broccoli Smoothie