Breakfast

July 19, 2024

Best High Protein Acai Bowl Recipe

Everything you love about an acai bowl, but with a boost of protein to keep you full and satisfied. This protein-rich acai bowl has 3 fruits, a scoop of protein powder, and tons of healthy fats to satisfy your taste buds first thing in the morning.
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Increasing your protein intake has been a popular nutrition practice for a few years now and for good reason: protein is vital for every cell in your body, not just your muscles!

But some people still think that having more than 100 grams of protein a day is hard to do or incredibly boring. Thankfully, they're wrong and I've proved it time and time again (like in my high protein meal plan and most of my recipes).

And my high-protein acai bowls (today's recipe) are no exception!

So if you're trying to get more protein in with your breakfast without eating eggs, breakfast burritos, or cottage cheese, you're going to love my protein-rich acai bowls!

READ MORE: How to Eat 120 Grams of Protein a Day (+FREE meal plan!)

Why you'll love this recipe

  • Full of flavor: between the acai mixture and all the delicious toppings, there's no such thing as bland or boring acai bowls
  • Easy to make: just throw everything in a high-speed blender (or food processor) and add your toppings!
  • Incredibly nutritious: each serving has three colorful fruits, a hidden veggie (you'll never know!), tons of healthy fats, dietary fiber, and a scoop of your favorite protein powder to keep you fuller longer and balance your blood sugar levels
  • Totally customizable: swap out any of the fruits or toppings to make your healthy acai bowl exactly how you like it
  • Allergy friendly: this recipe is naturally gluten free, refined sugar free, and easily dairy free or vegan

ingredients for an acai bowl

Ingredients you'll need

  • Frozen acai puree: I just buy this in little acai packets from the store. I love the brand Pitaya Foods because it's really easy to portion the acai berry puree for this recipe. I don't recommend acai powder because the amount of liquid and other ingredients is based on the frozen acai packet
  • Frozen cauliflower rice: this is one of my favorite nutrition hacks! I love throwing in frozen cauliflower to add a hidden vegetable, make it extra creamy, and double as "ice cubes"
  • Banana: for this recipe the banana needs to be a ripe banana, not a frozen banana. If you use frozen, you'll need to add more milk and the total volume of the bowl will increase.
  • Protein powder: you can use any brand you like, but I developed this recipe using Just Ingredients Mountain Berry protein powder (made with mixed berries) because it pairs so well with the acai and the ingredients are so clean and nourishing. You can use the code "thewellnourishedmama" for 10% off your order! Other protein powders will work, including plant-based proteins, but you might have to adjust the liquids to get the right consistency.
  • Greek yogurt: adds extra protein to this protein acai bowl, as well as a thicker, creamier texture. If you need to make this recipe dairy free, you can use coconut yogurt instead, but just know that will decrease the total amount of protein
  • Nut butter: my base recipe uses almond butter, but you can use any nut or seed butter of choice, depending on what flavor you want.
  • Coconut milk: I prefer coconut milk because it's creamier and has more potassium in it, but almond milk or cashew milk will work too. I don't recommend oat milk because it's high in carbs and sugar.
  • Toppings of choice: see the list below for dozens of topping ideas!

Note: for the full recipe with measurements, see the recipe card below.

How to make an acai bowl

Making an acai bowl at home is really easy. All you need is a high speed blender and your ingredients!

The base

​To make the acai mixture, add ingredients to the blender from most liquid to most solid (frozen). This will ensure even and smooth blending.

First, add in the milk, greek yogurt, and nut butter. Then, add the protein powder and ripe banana. Lastly, add the frozen cauliflower rice and the frozen acai pulp.

Blend until smooth. Add more liquid as necessary, but make sure you're keeping the consistency of your acai bowl really thick because you want to be able to scoop it with a spoon.

Finally, add your acai to a bowl. You can use a regular kitchen bowl or these super cute wooden acai bowls!

Now that you're acai mixture is ready, you can add the toppings!

Someone pouring an acai mixture into a bowl

The toppings

You have to admit, the best part of an açai bowl is the toppings! The five flavors in this blog post have specific topping combinations, but feel free to use your favorite toppings anytime you make a homemade acai bowl.

Here are some of the most common acai toppings:

  • Fresh berries or fresh fruit like pineapple, mango, kiwi, and dragonfruit
  • Granola (I love Purely Elizabeth - use the code "mama15" for 15% off your order!)
  • Drizzle of honey or maple syrup
  • Seeds like chia seeds, flax seeds, hemp seeds (hemp hearts), or pumpkin seeds
  • Bee pollen (this brand is my favorite!)
  • Cacao nibs, shaved chocolate, or chocolate chips
  • Nut butters like peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, or nutella
  • Nuts like sliced almonds, pecans, hazelnuts, or cashews
  • Unsweetened coconut flakes

Frequently asked questions

What the heck is açai?

Acai is a purple fruit from the acai palm tree native to Brazil and other regions of South America that has a creamy texture when blended and an earthy, tart flavor. Some people describe it as a delicious blend of berries and chocolate. It's most commonly used as the base for acai smoothie bowls.

Are acai bowls actually healthy?

It depends! Acai bowls have tons of health benefits if they include sources of fiber-rich carbs, protein, and healthy fats. If they're mostly carbs or sugar, they're more like a fun treat.

Açai bowls can definitely be part of a nutritious, balanced diet if they are made right and contain mostly whole foods.

Is an acai bowl good for weight loss?

Weight loss is a natural result of optimizing your health, and acai bowls can definitely be a part of that. However, most acai bowls tend to be higher in sugar and lower in protein and healthy fats, so this is counter-intuitive to sustainable weight loss. Thankfully, my high protein acai bowl recipe is great for optimizing your health so you don't have to worry about that!

Is acai high in sugar?

It's important to specify which type of sugar you're talking about. Fruits are almost entirely sugar, but they contain naturally occurring sugars that have been unprocessed, unrefined, and come in the form of fructose. That being said, some fruits like acai and avocado are lower in carbs and sugar because of their high fiber and high fat content.

When buying acai from a shop or the store, you'll usually have high amounts of refined sugar or added sugar, which means some type of sweetener was mixed with the acai. Per the American Heart Association, the Food and Drug Administration, and the USDA, you should limit your total daily consumption of added sugar to less than 30 grams. In this case, acai from shops or grocery stores is likely to be high in added sugar, sometimes upwards of 60 grams of added sugar.

You can be a smart consumer by making acai bowls at home with unsweetened acai or asking the restaurant for a complete list of ingredients before purchasing their food.

Can I eat an acai bowl every day?

Yes! An açai bowl is basically just a thick smoothie bowl that you eat with a spoon, and if you're including protein and fat in your acai bowl, it's a great option for a healthy breakfast or snack any time of day.

Is a protein acai bowl a good post-workout meal?

Absolutely! The simple sugars from the fruit will replenish your energy and tired muscles, while the protein will help rebuild muscle and the fat will satiate your hunger. My recipe is also c calorie dense, which is important for healthy hormones and muscle recovery.

Can I make this recipe without nuts or tree nuts?

Yes! Replace the coconut milk with regular dairy milk and use a seed butter instead of a nut butter.

What's the best protein powder for a protein acai bowl?

I always use Just Ingredients protein powder because it's made with real, whole food ingredients, no refined sugar, and no artificial or natural flavors. It also blends really well in smoothies and protein bowls! You can use the code "thewellnourishedmama" for 10% off your order.

More high protein breakfasts you'll love

Healthy Acai Overnight Oats

Kennabang's Favorite Protein Waffles Recipe

The BEST High Protein French Toast Recipe

Chocolate Peanut Butter Avocado Smoothie Bowl Recipe

The Ultimate Breakfast Burritos (freezer friendly)

High Protein Breakfast Egg Muffins

I hope you love this recipe as much as I do! Be sure to leave a star rating and review if you make it so other readers know how you like it or tag me on Instagram with a picture of your acai bowl creation!

Everything you love about an acai bowl, but with a boost of protein to keep you full and satisfied. This protein-rich acai bowl has 3 fruits, a scoop of protein powder, and tons of healthy fats to satisfy your taste buds first thing in the morning.

Author:

Brooke Harmer

Prep:

10

min

cook:

0

min

total:

10

min

servings:

1

No items found.

Ingredients

For the acai bowl

  • 2 frozen acai packets (about 200g)
  • 1/2 C frozen cauliflower rice
  • 1/2 ripe banana (not frozen)
  • 1 scoop Just Ingredients Mountain Berry protein powder* (use the code "thewellnourishedmama" for 10% off)
  • 1/2 C nonfat vanilla greek yogurt
  • 1 Tbsp almond butter
  • 1/2 C coconut milk

For the toppings**

  • 3 strawberries, sliced
  • 1/4 C blueberries
  • 2 Tbsp unsweetened coconut flakes
  • 1 Tbsp hemp seeds
  • 1 Tbsp bee pollen
  • 1 Tbsp honey

Instructions

  1. Add all acai bowl ingredients to a high speed blender from most liquid to most solid.
  2. Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides as necessary.
  3. Pour the acai mixture into a large bowl, then arrange your toppings on top. Enjoy!

Notes

*See blog post for substitutes

**See blog post for all the topping options

Nutrition facts are a calculated estimate of one acai bowl, made with Just Ingredients Mountain Berry protein powder but NOT including any toppings.

Nutrition

Calories: 606 / Fat: 30.7g / Carbohydrates: 52g / Fiber: 13.5g / Protein: 41.5g