Ultra-Creamy Banana Smoothie Bowl
Try this ultra-creamy banana smoothie bowl for breakfast! It’s quick, easy, and the perfect base for healthy toppings. Gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan!
Why you’ll love it:
Smoothie bowls are my favorite snack/breakfast! They’re cold, refreshing, and healthy. Plus I get to add toppings (one of my many obsessions).
This banana smoothie bowl is ultra-creamy thanks to frozen bananas. It’s naturally sweet with no added sugar and it’s only two ingredients! Score.
I’ve been making it on repeat for the last two weeks because it’s just SO. DANG. GOOD.
I like to switch up the toppings because this banana bowl can go so many different directions. Try it with peanut butter and chocolate chips. Or add fresh berries and granola. Spoiler alert: you can’t go wrong!
Key Ingredients:
This banana smoothie bowl is super simple and tastes just like a sweet banana! You only need two ingredients: frozen bananas and a liquid.
Frozen bananas – I keep frozen bananas in the freezer at all times! They’re great for smoothies, especially if you want a creamy base. Just cut the banana into slices, throw them into a ziptop bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. If you don’t want the bananas to stick together, you can freeze them on a parchment-lined sheet pan first.
Almond milk – Or milk of choice! Any kind of milk can be used in its place, plant-based or regular. Almond milk is my favorite liquid base for smoothies.
How to make a banana smoothie bowl:
Smoothie bowls are super simple! The key to a good smoothie bowl is in the ratio of frozen fruit to liquid. You want just enough liquid to allow the blades to blend the fruit into a thick and smooth mixture.
Combine fruit and liquid: In the base of a high-speed blender, combine the frozen bananas and almond milk.
Blend, then scrape: Blend until the bananas stop moving, then stop the blender. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the blender, pushing the bananas toward the center.
Blend until smooth: Blend until smooth, adding a splash more almond milk if necessary to get the mixture moving. Once the mixture is thick and smooth, stop the blender.
Serve: Scoop the banana mixture into a bowl and add your favorite toppings! Enjoy immediately so it doesn’t melt.
Recipe Tips:
- For best results, use a high-speed blender. If your blenders been collecting dust since the eighties, it’s time to invest in a new one. High-speed blenders have powerful motors that are highly effective at blending frozen fruit.
- Start with less liquid, then add more as needed. The difference between a smoothie and a smoothie bowl is the amount of liquid you add. Smoothie bowls require less to get a thick texture!
- Once your bananas ripen, freeze them. This way you will always have frozen bananas at the ready! They’re perfect for smoothies and smoothie bowls.
How to freeze bananas:
Option 1: Peel and slice fresh bananas, then place the slices on a parchment-lined half sheet pan in a single layer. Try not to overlap them so they freeze separately. Transfer the frozen banana slices into a large zip-top bag. The banana slices won’t stick together this way.
Option 2: If you’re lazy like me, you can just skip to option two. Peel and slice two bananas, then place the banana chunks in a zip-top bag, and freeze. Some of the chunks will stick together but it won’t matter since they’re going to be blended anyways! If you have a high-speed blender, this method works fine!
Banana Bowl Variations:
Smoothie bowls are easy to customize! Try one of these delicious banana smoothie bowl variations:
- Strawberry – Swap 1 1/4 cups of the frozen banana with frozen strawberries.
- Nut butter – Add a tablespoon or two of your favorite nut butter. Try peanut, almond, or cashew butter.
- Chocolate – Add a tablespoon of dark cocoa powder and two teaspoons of maple syrup.
- Protein powder – Add a scoop of flavored protein powder.
- Sweetener – For extra sweetness, add a pitted date, honey, maple syrup, or light agave.
Banana Smoothie Bowl Toppings:
Smoothie bowl toppings – my favorite part! The options are endless. The best place to start is your pantry. Take a peek and see what jumps out at you. Here’s a few ideas to get you started:
- Nuts – Pecans, walnuts, almonds, pistachios, or hazelnuts.
- Dried fruit – Raisins, golden raisins, dried cranberries, dried cherries, dried pineapple, or prunes.
- Fresh fruit – Anything goes! Bananas, kiwi, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, pineapple, mango, grapes, peaches, pitted cherries, or pears.
- Nut butter – A drizzle of nut butter adds plant-based protein and nuttiness. Try peanut, almond, cashew, or pistachio butter.
- Granola – In any flavor!
- Seeds – Chia seeds, flax seeds, or hemp hearts.
- Coconut – Coconut chips or shredded coconut.
FAQs:
If your smoothie bowl is too thin, you either added too much liquid or you used fresh fruit. Fresh fruit is made up of 80 percent water! The key to a super thick smoothie bowl is less liquid and frozen fruit. If you’re smoothie bowl is too thin, add more frozen fruit and blend until smooth.
Yes! It’s crucial the bananas are frozen in a banana smoothie bowl. Otherwise the texture won’t be thick and creamy!
This is purely preference! You can use any liquid base for a smoothie bowl. Milk, plant-based milk, water, or juice are all great options.
More Smoothie Recipes
- Chocolate Banana Smoothie
- Strawberry Grape Smoothie
- Peanut Butter Powder Smoothie
- Low Calorie Smoothie Bowl
- Blueberry Smoothie Bowl
Banana Smoothie Bowl
Equipment
- high-speed blender
Ingredients
- 2 cups frozen banana chunks about 2 large bananas or 2 1/2 medium
- ½ cup unsweetened almond milk
Instructions
- In the pitcher of a high-speed blender, combine the frozen bananas and almond milk. Blend for a few seconds, then stop the blender.
- Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the blender. Blend until thick and smooth, adding a splash more almond milk if necessary.
- Scoop the mixture into a bowl and add your favorite toppings! Enjoy immediately.
