How to make a thick smoothie bowl

Regular smoothies vs. a smoothie bowl

Unlike "regular" smoothies that are served in a glass and sipped, a smoothie bowl is something completely different. The biggest difference? It's all about the consistency! 

Don't get me wrong - I do enjoy a good smoothie in the morning. My favorites include this Spinach Cucumber Green Smoothie, Blueberry Pineapple Smoothie and this fun Boba Smoothie (yes, you can put boba pearls in smoothies!). I also love this dessert-like Bahama Mama Smoothie made with coconut, strawberries, pineapple and white chocolate - yum!

Smoothie bowls are much thicker than regular smoothies, meant to be eaten with a spoon from a bowl and topped with a variety of fresh fruit, crunchy nuts, granola, chocolate chips and other exciting toppings. One thing that you DON'T want is a soupy, watery smoothie bowl. If it's liquid, it doesn't belong in a bowl!

The key to a perfect extra thick smoothie bowl lies in achieving the ideal balance between thickness and smoothness.  In this blog post I will give you all my best tips for how to achieve the super thick, smooth and creamy consistency of a smoothie bowl. 

Ingredient notes

​There are many different options on what to put in a smoothie bowl, both in terms of base ingredients, and flavor or nutrition enhancements. 

The basic formula for a thick smoothie bowl is:

2 cups of frozen fruit (or frozen fruit and veg mix) + ¼ cup of liquid 

Frozen Ingredients:

• Frozen fruits: using frozen fruits is key to a good smoothie bowl. Best choices are: bananas, mangoes, peaches and berries. 
• Frozen veggies: I like to sneak in some veg to my smoothie bowls to reduce sugar content. My favorite are neutral tasting veggies that add bulk and creaminess: zucchini or cauliflower. Frozen cauliflower works especially well. I also love using frozen avocado chunks, though avocado is technically a fruit. 

Liquid Base:

• Choose a liquid that complements the flavors of your smoothie. Options include dairy or plant milk (almond milk, oat milk, coconut milk), coconut water, fruit juice or plain water. For creamier texture, go with milk of your choice. 

Flavor/ Nutrition Enhancements:

Creamy Ingredients:

Avocado: Adding a ripe avocado not only boosts the thickness but also contributes healthy fats. I like using frozen avocado chunks sold in most grocery stores.

Yogurt: plain Greek yogurt or Icelandic skyr will work best

Extra Nutrition:

Nut butters: Peanut butter, almond butter, or cashew butter can add thickness and a rich flavor to your smoothie bowl.
Oats: Rolled oats or quick oats can be blended into the smoothie to provide a hearty texture and fiber.
Acai: turn your bowl into a trendy acai smoothie bowl by adding a frozen acai packet you'll find at your loal grocery store.
Protein powder: This is an easy way to add protein to your smoothie bowl. Neutral tasting protein powder or collagen powder are my choice because they don't affect the flavor of the bowl, but use whatever you like. 

Sweeteners and Flavor Enhancers:

Honey, maple syrup, or agave nectar: to add natural sweetness as needed. For a sugar free sweetener, go with liquid stevia.
Vanilla extract or cinnamon: add a dash of vanilla extract or a sprinkle of cinnamon to elevate the flavor profile.
Cocoa powder or raw cacao powder: best way to add chocolate flavor to your smoothie bowl base

How to make a super thick smoothie bowl: step by step

1. Measure out your ingredients. You want to have everything ready before you start blending, including the toppings. Frozen fruit should be in small pieces (bite-sized). Most frozen fruit can be cut with a sharp knife, if needed. 
2. Start with liquid. Pour in ¼ to ⅓ milk, non-dairy milk, juice or water into the blender jug. This will allow your smoothie base to blend evenly.
3. Add frozen fruit and flavor enhancers. Sometimes I omit the liquid sweeener until the end and adjust the sweetness once everything is blended up

4. Blend on low speed, then increase as you go. You will likely need to stop the blender, scrape the sides and move the frozen fruit/veg around, especially if they seem stuck under the blender blades. Keep blending, stopping the blender to dislodge any pieces and blending again. Add a tiny bit more liquid only if the mixture is NOT moving at all after stopping the blender and moving frozen pieces around. 

5. Achieve super smooth consistency but avoild overblending. Turn the blender off the moment everything is smooth and creamy. Then transfer the mixture into a bowl, and smooth out the top, creating pretty designs, if you want.

Flavor combinations

Here are some of my favorite smoothie bowl recipes:

1. Strawberry Smoothie Bowl (strawberries, Greek yogurt, maple syrup)
2. Nutella Smoothie Bowl (banana, avocado, hazelnuts, cocoa powder, plant milk, sweetener)
3. Oatmeal Smoothie Bowl (banana, oats, cauliflower, cinnamon, vanilla, plant milk, almond butter, sweetener)

4. Blue Spirulina Smoothie Bowl (banana, zucchini, blue spirulina powder, plant milk, nut butter)
5. Coconut Vanilla Smoothie Bowl (banana, coconut milk, vanilla, plant milk)
6. Snickers Smoothie Bowl (banana, avocado, plant milk, cocoa powder, peanut butter, maple syrup)

More tips for thick smoothie bowls

• Stick to frozen fruit. Achieve a soft-serve ice cream texture in your smoothie bowls by using frozen fruits or vegetables. Fresh fruits are not ideal, as they can significantly impact the texture. 

• Don't add too much liquid. Begin with small amounts of liquid, starting with approximately ¼ to ⅓ cup of milk, coconut milk, juice or water, adding more as needed. 

• Use a powerful blender. Opt for a high-speed blender capable of cutting through ice for optimal results. I love my Vitamix for smoothies and smoothie bowls but Ninja Foodi Smoothie Maker is also amazing and has a much lower price tag!

• Be patient! This is important. if the blender stalls, don't immediately add more liquid. Turn it off, scrape the sides and under the blades, and then restart. Repeat this process until the mixture becomes smooth. 

• Don't overprocess. Maintain a smooth consistency but avoid over-blending, as excessive blending may cause the frozen fruit to thaw and lose its thickness.

• Add at least one "creamy ingredient". Your smoothie bowl needs body and that's hard to achieve with lighter, watery fruit, such as berries or citrus only. Ripe bananas perform best but mango, peach or avocado are great choices, too. Not a fan of bananas? Try this No Banana Smoothie Bowl made with mangoes and berries. 

• Try frozen coconut milk. For an extra rich and creamy smoothie bowl, I swear by adding full fat coconut milk frozen in an ice cube tray. I use this trick in my Coconut Smoothie Bowl and it produces the creamiest, luscious texture. 

• Try frozen veggies. I know the idea may seem weird but adding a little bit of frozen zucchini or cauliflower to your smoothie bowl acts as a thickening agent without extra sugar or calories.

More healthy snacks

• Chia Breakfast Bowl
• Blue Chia Pudding
• Strawberry Rhubarb Smoothie Bowl
• Oreo Overnight Oats
• Chocolate Bliss Balls