You’ve definitely heard of smoothies by now, but what about smoothie bowls? These filling and nutritious breakfasts are just like smoothies, but are made a thicker so they can be spooned up and topped with extras. They’re perfect for those who like to sit and eat their breakfast versus sipping it from a straw (don’t know about you, but I can chug a smoothie in about 5 seconds flat…), and are a super easy way to pack in tons of superfoods, protein, vitamins and minerals.

How to Make a Smoothie Bowl

Whereas the ingredients are all mixed in in a smoothie, smoothie bowls are usually topped with something—like nuts, seeds, granola, fruit or shredded coconut—to add nutrition and textural variety.

Making one is as simple as making a smoothie. In fact, you can adapt almost any smoothie recipe to a bowl by using about 1/3 less liquid and/or adding in a thickener like silken tofu, avocado, nut butter, extra frozen fruit (bananas will make it extra creamy), yogurt or even cooked cannellini beans. Make sure to use as much frozen fruit as possible in a smoothie bowl to keep it thick; you don’t want your breakfast to be soupy, and you don’t want your delicious toppings to sink, either!

Adjust these amounts to your desired flavor and thickness. Simply add everything into the blender, mix up and pour into a bowl before topping.

1. Pick a Thickening Protein (about 2 tablespoons)

Choose from: tofu, nut butter, Greek or coconut yogurt, cooked beans

Note: chia seeds absorb liquid, so they will also help thicken your smoothie

2. Add a Liquid (about 1/3 cup)

Choose from: coconut water, milk or non-dairy milk, veggie or fruit juice

3. Fruit to Thicken (about 1 cup)

Choose from: fresh avocado or apples, frozen bananas, berries or peaches

4. Don’t Forget the Greens! (a handful or two)

Choose from: kale, spinach, chard, romaine lettuce, peas

5. Tasty Toppings (about a tablespoon each)

Chose from: fresh fruit, nuts, seeds, shredded coconut, granola or muesli, dark chocolate chips, cocoa powder

Get started with these smoothie bowl recipes:

Antioxidant-Packed Blackberry-Coconut Vegan Smoothie Bowl (one of our most popular recipes!)

Strawberry Smoothie Bowl with Chia, Hemp and Flaxseed

Chocolate-Mint Green Smoothie Bowl

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