Pineapple Acai Bowls (Paleo & Vegan)

Pineapple Acai Bowls – Cool, refreshing pineapple acai smoothies are poured into bowls and topped with goodies. They’re sweet, fresh, and perfect for a hot day. Don’t miss our big list of topping ideas to try! (Vegan, Paleo)

Summer weather calls for cool, refreshing breakfasts, and this Pineapple Acai Bowl recipe is here to deliver.

Honestly, I eat these bowls any meal of the day–we’ve had them for breakfast, lunch, snacks, and dinners! They’re perfect when it’s too hot to cook and you need something easy that’ll please everyone. My kids LOVE these acai bowls.

Velvety (almost sorbet-like!) pineapple acai smoothie poured into bowls and topped with all kinds of goodies…what’s not to love? The flavor is spectacular (so fresh and tropical!), and they’re as pretty as they are delicious.

Here’s what you need to make an amazing pineapple acai bowl…

HERE’S WHAT GOES INTO OUR PINEAPPLE ACAI BOWL RECIPE:

• FROZEN ACAI PACKETS. Our pineapple acai bowls start with frozen acai packets, found in the frozen fruit section. I prefer the unsweetened acai packets (Sambazon and Trader Joe’s are two brands I use regularly, though there are lots of others out there!). My Costco often carries acai packets for a great price–it’s worth checking with yours if you make these often!
• FROZEN PINEAPPLE. Next comes some frozen pineapple. The frosty texture is part of what gives this pineapple acai smoothie it’s thick, sorbet-like texture, and lots of natural sweetness.
• FROZEN STRAWBERRIES. Up next is frozen strawberries. The flavor with the pineapple feels so bright and tropical!
• HALF A BANANA (OR SOME MANGO). For a little sweetness and thickness, I add half a banana. To me, the real stars are the pineapple and strawberries, but if you’re one of those folks who hates banana in your smoothie, you can make this pineapple acai bowl without banana, using frozen mango instead.
• ORANGE JUICE. To play up the tropical notes, I use orange juice to blend our acai bowls. It makes a huge difference in the brightness of the other flavors!
• WATER TO BLEND. Depending on the strength of your blender, you may need to add a little water to help things blend. Remember the less liquid you use, the thicker and more luxurious your pineapple acai bowls will be!
• TOPPINGS TO MAKE IT PRETTY! Now that you’ve made the pineapple acai smoothie, you’re ready to add toppings to turn it into an acai bowl work of art. Here are some of our favorites…

PRETTY, DELICIOUS TOPPINGS FOR PINEAPPLE ACAI BOWLS:

• GRANOLA. I LOVE a little crunch with my smoothies and acai bowls, so I almost always add granola. Use your favorite homemade or store-bought granola, or try this grain-free paleo granola!
• ALMONDS. Another yummy way to get some crunch is with sliced almonds. They’re lovely!
• TOASTED COCONUT CHIPS. My daughter and I both love coconut chips. (The larger shaved coconut instead of the finely grated coconut.)
• FRESH BERRIES. Fresh berries are my all-time favorite topping for any acai bowl. They add so much color and flavor. It makes my food feel like art!
• PINEAPPLE. To mimic the pineapple flavor in the pineapple acai smoothie, I love adding fresh pineapple on top when I have it!
• MANGO. Or, you can play up the tropical vibes with a little fresh mango. We love yellow mangos!
• KIWI. Fresh kiwi can be a pretty addition! I love that you can cut it into all kinds of shapes.
• ORANGE SLICES. We’ve had some REALLY good oranges this year, so fresh orange slices are a great topping for this bowl!
• EDIBLE FLOWERS. If you want to get SUPER over-the-top fancy, a few edible flowers can be stunning!
• FRESH MINT. I love adding a leaf or two of fresh mint on top of my pineapple acai bowls when I have it on hand. It’s lovely!

FAQ + TIPS AND TRICKS FOR THE BEST PINEAPPLE ACAI BOWLS:

ADD AS LITTLE LIQUID AS POSSIBLE. To keep these pineapple acai bowls as thick as possible, try adding as little additional liquid as possible to the blender. Add the orange juice as directed, but only add the water you *need* to to help it blend. Otherwise, just keep scraping down the sides of the blender or using a tamper to help things along.

WHAT IF MY ACAI BOWL IS TOO THIN? Occasionally, you might accidentally add too much liquid to the blender or your fruit thaws more quickly than you anticipated, and your pineappple acai bowl will turn out thinner than you’d like. In that case, I usually just pop my bowl in the freezer for a few minutes to firm back up! (I actually did this with the bowls I photographed above so they’d stay thick and frozen while I was getting photos of other bowls!)

OPTIONAL BOOSTS TO ADD TO ACAI BOWLS: To add even more staying power to your pineapple acai bowls, try adding one of these optional boosts:

• 1 Tbsp. chia seeds
• 2 Tbsp. hemp seeds
• 1-2 scoops collagen protein

CAN I USE POWDERED ACAI INSTEAD? I haven’t tested our pineapple acai bowls with powdered acai instead of the packets. I recommend the frozen puree packets whenever possible, since they have the freshest flavor and will add liquid and creaminess to the smoothie.

CRAVING MORE? YOU’D PROBABLY LOVE:

• Peanut Butter Acai Bowls
• How To Make Acai Bowls (Classic Acai Bowl Recipe)
• Blueberry Peach Smoothies
• Pineapple Peach Perfection Smoothie

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