Recipes

Classic Açaí Bowl with Banana and Coconut Water

Three base ingredients, five minutes, and a bowl thick enough to stand a spoon in.

By Lincoln Moore3 min read

Açaí bowl topped with banana, blueberries and granola

This is the bowl everything else on this site builds on. Unsweetened açaí, a frozen banana for body and a splash of coconut water blend into something closer to sorbet than a smoothie. It started on the menu at our former Park Slope shop as the Açaí 10, and it is still the one we make most at home.

Once you have the base down, every other bowl is just a change of fruit and toppings.

Ingredients

For the base

  • 2 packs (200 g) unsweetened frozen açaí purée
  • 1 ripe banana, sliced and frozen
  • 60 to 80 ml (1/4 to 1/3 cup) coconut water

For the toppings

  • 1/4 cup granola
  • 1/2 fresh banana, sliced
  • 1 tbsp unsweetened coconut flakes
  • 1 tsp chia seeds (optional)
  • A small drizzle of honey (optional)

How to make it

  1. Break the açaí packs into chunks and add them to the blender with the frozen banana.
  2. Pour in 60 ml of coconut water.
  3. Blend on low, pushing the fruit down with the tamper, until smooth and thick. Add a little more coconut water only if the blades stop catching.
  4. Spoon into a chilled bowl and smooth the top.
  5. Add the granola, banana, coconut and chia in rows, finish with honey if you like, and eat straight away.

Tips for a thick bowl

  • Let the frozen açaí packs sit for 2 to 3 minutes, or run them under warm water for 10 seconds, so they break into chunks.
  • Pour the liquid in first and keep it to the minimum. Add more one tablespoon at a time only if the blender stalls.
  • Blend on low and use the tamper (or stop and stir) instead of adding liquid. You want soft-serve, not a smoothie.
  • Chill the bowl in the freezer while you prep the toppings, then eat right away.

Why it works

Açaí berries come from a palm native to the Amazon. Sold as unsweetened frozen purée they are low in sugar, with some fiber and a little healthy fat, and their deep purple color comes from anthocyanins, the same family of antioxidants found in blueberries.

The banana adds natural sweetness and creaminess, so there is no need for sweetened packs or juice. Coconut water keeps the base light while still letting the blender move.

Make it your own

  • Dairy-free creamy: use oat or almond milk instead of coconut water.
  • More protein: blend in a scoop of protein powder or top with Greek yogurt.
  • Lower sugar: skip the honey and use half a banana in the base.
  • Nut-free crunch: use toasted pumpkin seeds instead of granola.

More bowls to try: Classic Açaí Bowl, Berry Blast, Tropical, Peanut Butter Banana and Strawberry Nutella. Or browse every açaí bowl recipe.

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