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This spirulina smoothie bowl blends frozen banana, pineapple, apple, and creamy Greek yogurt into a thick, refreshing breakfast packed with nutrients. It’s bright, tropical, and finished with the deep green hue of spirulina powder.
This spirulina smoothie bowl is perfect if you want something healthy, quick, and naturally sweet without a bunch of extra sugars.
Frozen banana gives it a creamy texture, frozen pineapple adds a tropical vibe, and spirulina brings a pop of color along with plant-based protein, iron, and B vitamins.
Ingredients
This is a brief overview of the ingredients used in this recipe followed by substitution ideas. Read the recipe card for measurements.
- Frozen Banana Slices: Frozen banana makes the smoothie bowl thick, creamy, and naturally sweet without needing any added sugar. Always peel and slice your bananas before freezing them so they blend easily.
- Frozen Pineapple Chunks: Pineapple brings a fresh, tropical flavor with a little bit of tartness that balances the sweetness of the banana.
- Small Apple: The apple adds a fresh, crisp sweetness and a little extra fiber. No need to peel, just remove the core.
- Plain Greek Yogurt: Greek yogurt adds creaminess and a bit of protein to help make the smoothie bowl more filling. Use a vegan version if necessary.
- Cashew Milk: Cashew milk thins out the smoothie just enough to blend everything. Add more as needed, a little at a time.
- Spirulina Powder: Spirulina gives this smoothie bowl its signature vibrant green color. It’s a blue-green algae that’s packed with protein, iron, and antioxidants. It has a mild earthy flavor that blends well with fruit.
What is spirulina?
Spirulina is a type of blue-green algae that’s been used for centuries (back to ancient Aztecs) as a nutrient-dense food source. It’s sold as a fine green powder and is packed with protein, iron, and B vitamins. Just a small amount gives your smoothie bowl a bright green color and adds a mild, earthy taste – kind of grassy, but it blends well with fruit like banana and pineapple.
Learn more about the benefits of spirulina.
Substitutions
- Frozen Banana + Pineapple: You can swap frozen banana or pineapple for frozen mango, frozen peaches, or frozen avocado. They should all work well as substitutes.
How to Make a Spirulina Smoothie Bowl
Prep Tips
- Appliance: I use the Ninja Home System blender.
- Use frozen fruit for a thicker smoothie bowl!
Making a spirulina smoothie bowl is quick and easy. Just make sure your ingredients are frozen so you get that thick, spoonable texture.
- Add everything to your blender.
Frozen banana slices, pineapple chunks, the cored apple, Greek yogurt, cashew milk, and spirulina powder all go in at once. - Blend until smooth and thick.
Use a high-powered blender, blend until smooth, about 1 minute. You might need to stop and scrape down the sides or use a tamper to keep things moving. Don’t add extra liquid unless you really need to. Too much milk will make it thin and runny. - Taste and adjust.
Want it sweeter? Add a bit more banana or a drizzle of maple syrup. - Spoon into a bowl.
Use a spatula to scrape out every bit. It’s thick like soft-serve, so it will hold shape in your bowl. - Add your toppings.
Mix up the textures. Try granola, fresh fruit, a swirl of nut butter, or a sprinkle of seeds for extra crunch and flavor. I used a swirl of yogurt, toasted coconut chips, fresh pineapple, pumpkin seeds, and hemp hearts.
Tips for Making Thick Smoothie Bowls
- Use frozen fruit, not fresh. Frozen bananas and pineapple are what make the smoothie bowl thick enough to hold toppings.
- Add more liquid slowly if needed. If the smoothie won’t blend, add a tablespoon or two of cashew milk at a time. Adding too much at once can make the smoothie too thin.
- Taste and adjust. Before you pour it into a bowl, give the smoothie a quick taste. If it’s too earthy for you, you can add a drizzle of maple syrup or a few extra pieces of frozen fruit to balance it out.
- Serve immediately. This smoothie bowl is best eaten right after blending while it’s thick and icy. If it sits too long, it will melt and lose that nice, creamy texture.
Topping Ideas for a Spirulina Bowl
- Add something crunchy: granola, coconut flakes, chopped nuts, seeds
- Add something fruity: banana, kiwi, mango, pineapple, berries
- Add something creamy: nut butter or yogurt
Make a parfrait by combining this bowl with yogurt, granola, or chia pudding.
Storage
Smoothie bowls are best made fresh!
Frequently asked questions
What does spirulina taste like in a smoothie bowl?
Spirulina has a mild, earthy flavor that’s sometimes described as slightly grassy or ocean-like. In a smoothie bowl, especially with plenty of sweet fruits like banana and pineapple, the flavor is very subtle and easy to mask. You’ll mostly notice the beautiful green color, not the taste.
Spirulina Smoothie Bowl
This spirulina smoothie bowl is thick, creamy, and packed with tropical fruit flavor, made with frozen banana, pineapple, apple, and spirulina powder for a refreshing, nutrient-rich breakfast or snack.
Prep Time 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes minutes
Total Time 5 minutes minutes
Serving Size 1
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup frozen banana slices
- 1 cup frozen pineapple chunks
- 1 small apple cut into quarters, core removed
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt Skyr, or palnt-based yogurt
- 1/4 cup cashew milk
- 2 teaspoons spirulina powder
US Customary – Metric
Instructions
Add frozen banana, pineapple, apple, yogurt, cashew milk, and spirulina to a blender.
Blend until thick and smooth. Scrape down the sides as you go.
Spoon into a bowl and add your favorite toppings before serving.
Notes
Use frozen fruit for the thick, spoonable texture. Fresh fruit will make it too thin.
A high-speed blender works best for this thick blend. If your blender struggles, stop to scrape the sides and gradually add small amounts of liquid as needed.
Top it off with texture. Add granola, seeds, nut butter, or extra fruit on top for crunch and balance.
Calories: 356kcal | Carbohydrates: 75g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 67mg | Potassium: 904mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 48g | Vitamin A: 344IU | Vitamin B12: 0.4µg | Vitamin C: 45mg | Calcium: 127mg | Iron: 6mg
