Frozen Fruit Smoothie Bowl
This frozen fruit smoothie bowl is thick, creamy, and ready in five minutes; the perfect breakfast or healthy snack. Frozen banana and mixed berries are blended with a splash of your milk of choice, chia seeds, and ground flax seeds, then piled high with fresh berries, granola, hemp seeds, and a drizzle of honey. It looks beautiful, tastes like dessert, and keeps you full all morning.
The secret to a proper spoonable smoothie bowl (rather than a runny smoothie in a bowl) is frozen banana and as little liquid as possible. Start with a small splash of milk and only add more if your blender needs it. Once you've nailed the base, you can mix it up endlessly, and I've included my favorite flavor variations below.
If you love easy breakfasts, try my strawberry overnight oats, protein French toast, or pesto eggs. My healthy protein flapjacks are great for grab-and-go mornings too.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
On a summer's morning, when the sky is clear and the sun is already warm, what makes a better breakfast than a sweet, refreshing smoothie bowl? Nothing. That's the answer. I've been making this recipe on repeat for 10+ years now (who remembers when our Instagram feeds were 80% smoothie bowls?!)
I always keep a big bag of mixed frozen fruit and a stash of ripe frozen bananas in the freezer, so this takes five minutes from start to finish. It's also incredibly versatile. As you can see from the photos, my smoothie bowls rarely look the same twice. Some days I add protein powder, some days cacao, and some days whatever tropical fruit I have to hand.
Ingredient Notes
The exact quantities are in the recipe card below, but here are some notes on the key ingredients:
- Frozen banana: This is essential. It's what makes a smoothie bowl thick, creamy, and spoonable, and nothing else quite matches it. Peel and slice ripe bananas before freezing so they blend easily.
- Frozen mixed berries: Mixed bags are usually cheaper than single fruits and give a gorgeous color. Frozen raspberries or blueberries on their own work too.
- Plant-based milk: I prefer almond or oat milk, but any milk works. Start with less than you think you need.
- Ground flaxseed and chia seeds: These add fiber and healthy fats, and help make the bowl more filling.
- Protein powder (optional): A scoop of vanilla or unflavored vegan protein powder makes this a more substantial breakfast. You may need a splash more milk.
How to Make a Frozen Fruit Smoothie Bowl
1. Add the Ingredients to Your Blender
Pour the milk in first, which helps the blades get going, then add the frozen banana, frozen berries, flaxseed, chia seeds, and protein powder if you're using it.
2. Blend Until Thick and Smooth
Blend in short bursts, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. I use my trusty NutriBullet almost every day. A heavy-duty blender like a Vitamix will give you a thick bowl with even less liquid.
3. Adjust the Thickness
If your blender is struggling, add milk a tablespoon at a time. The more you add, the runnier your bowl will be.
4. Top and Serve
Scoop into bowls and add your toppings: fresh raspberries and blueberries, granola, hemp seeds, and a drizzle of honey or maple syrup. Eat straight away.
Smoothie Bowl vs Smoothie: What's the Difference?
It's mostly about thickness. A smoothie bowl is thick enough to eat with a spoon and hold toppings, which makes it more filling. Prefer to drink it? Just add more milk, water, or juice until it's thin enough for a straw.
Flavor Variations
Use the recipe card as your base, then try one of these twists:
- Chocolate peanut butter: Add 1 tablespoon of cacao powder and 1 tablespoon of peanut butter to the blend. Top with sliced banana and a drizzle of peanut butter.
- Tropical: Swap the berries for frozen mango or pineapple, and use coconut milk or orange juice instead of plant milk. Top with passion fruit, kiwi, and desiccated coconut. Yum!
- Protein berry: Add a scoop of vanilla protein powder and an extra splash of milk. Top with granola and nut butter.
- Blueberry blast: Use frozen blueberries instead of mixed berries for a deep purple bowl. Top with fresh blueberries and chopped almonds.
Best Smoothie Bowl Toppings
A smoothie bowl's toppings really could be endless, but here's a few suggestions to get you started:
- Sliced banana or fresh berries
- Granola
- A spoonful of nut butter
- Hemp, chia, or sunflower seeds
- Chopped nuts, such as walnuts or almonds
- Desiccated coconut
- Passion fruit or kiwi for a tropical twist
- A drizzle of honey or maple syrup
Top Tips
- Freeze ripe bananas: Spotty, ripe bananas give the sweetest, creamiest result. Peel and slice them before freezing.
- Go easy on the liquid: This is the most common mistake. Add milk gradually, as you can always add more.
- Chill your bowl: A bowl popped in the freezer for 10 minutes keeps your smoothie bowl thicker for longer.
- Top just before eating: Granola goes soft if it sits on the bowl for too long.
Make Ahead and Storage
- Smoothie packs: Portion the banana, berries, flax, and chia into freezer bags. In the morning, tip one into the blender with milk and blend. This is the easiest way to make smoothie bowls a daily habit.
- Leftovers: Smoothie bowls are best eaten fresh. You can freeze leftover blended smoothie in a container, then let it soften for 10-15 minutes before eating.
FAQs
Yes, but it won't be quite as creamy. Frozen mango, a spoonful of Greek yogurt, or a little frozen avocado are the best swaps for thickness.
Usually too much liquid, or fruit that isn't fully frozen. Add a few more frozen berries or banana slices and blend again.
You can, but you'll need at least a frozen banana or a handful of ice to get that thick, spoonable texture.
Any milk works. I love almond or oat milk, while coconut milk makes it extra creamy and orange juice gives it a zingy, tropical twist.
Yes. Use plant-based milk and vegan protein powder, and top with maple syrup instead of honey.
No. A NutriBullet or standard blender works fine, though you may need a little more milk and a few more scrapes down the sides.
Frozen Fruit Smoothie Bowl
Using frozen mixed berries and bananas, this gorgeous frozen fruit smoothie bowl not only looks absolutely beautiful, but also provides a filling, nutritional breakfast to keep you going all morning.
Ingredients
- 1 frozen banana
- 100g frozen mixed berries
- (optional) 1 scoop vegan protein powder
- 150ml milk (add more as needed)
- 1 tablespoon ground flax seed
- 1 teaspoon chia seeds
For the Toppings:
- Handful of fresh raspberries
- Handful of fresh blueberries
- 20g granola
- 1 teaspoon hemp seeds
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup, to drizzle
Instructions
- Add the milk to your blender first, followed by the frozen banana, frozen berries, flaxseed, chia seeds, and protein powder (if using). Blend until thick and smooth.
- Add more milk if necessary; the more you add the runnier your smoothie will be.
- Scoop into bowls and top with fresh raspberries, blueberries, granola, hemp seeds, and a drizzle of honey or maple syrup.
Notes
Top your frozen fruit smoothie bowl with whatever ingredients you want. Some favorites include:
- Banana
- Desiccated coconut
- Granola
- Frozen fruit
- Peanut or almond butter
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 365Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 3gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 11mgSodium: 166mgCarbohydrates: 49gFiber: 7gSugar: 23gProtein: 18g
