Mango Strawberry Smoothie Bowl
Mango strawberry smoothie bowls are thick, creamy, refreshing and so easy to make. This tropical smoothie bowl is made without banana and is the perfect quick and easy breakfast for busy mornings. Ready in under 5 minutes, this filling high protein strawberry mango smoothie bowl is a sweet and satisfying meal.
If you love fruity mango smoothies be sure to try out Blackberry Mango Smoothie or the Mango Peach Strawberry Smoothie.
Why you will love this recipe
- Thick and creamy smoothie – one of the best parts about making smoothie bowls are how thick and creamy they are compared to regular smoothies. This mango strawberry smoothie bowl is super satisfying and will really hold up to any toppings you want to add!
- Fun to eat – who doesn’t love starting their day with something sweet. This strawberry mango smoothie bowl is perfectly sweet, but not too sweet. It’s made with just 4 ingredients and is so refreshing, especially on hot summer mornings.
- Easy to make – smoothie bowls are one of my favorite breakfasts because they are so easy. Just measure out the ingredients, blend and pour into a bowl. The hardest part is choosing what toppings you will add to the top!
Ingredients
- Frozen strawberries and frozen mango – frozen strawberries and mango really help to create the perfect consistency for this smoothie bowl. Using frozen fruit helps to ensure that the smoothie bowl is ice cold and super thick since the texture of frozen fruit creams up better than fresh fruit. If you only have fresh fruit, you will need to add ice, which can water down the flavor. Check out the tips below on using fresh fruit.
- Dairy free milk – use whatever milk you have on hand. I love using almond milk or cashew milk but coconut milk (in the can or carton), oat milk or regular milk will all work well in this recipe. You could also use a mixture of dairy free milk and coconut water to add some extra electrolytes to the smoothie.
- Vanilla protein powder – vanilla protein powder adds a touch of sweetness and the vanilla actually helps to make the strawberries and mango taste even sweeter. I recommend using a vegan protein powder since the vegan protein absorbs some of the liquid and helps to thicken the consistency. If you are using a whey protein, either reduce the milk to 3/4 cup or add about 1/4 cup of rolled oats to get the same consistency.
- Toppings of choice – check out the list below for all the different ingredients you could add for topping the mango strawberry smoothie bowl. Some of my favorites include coconut flakes, granola and fresh fruit.
How to make a mango strawberry smoothie bowl
- Start by measuring out the ingredients into a high speed blender or food processor.
- Blend on high until thick and creamy.
- Top with your favorite toppings and enjoy.
Top tips
- Use frozen fruit for the best consistency – I typically mention this as a tip in all my smoothie post, but using frozen fruit is especially important when making smoothie bowls, since you want them to be extra thick and creamy. If you only have fresh fruit, you will need to add ice (1/4 – 1/2 cup) to help create the perfect texture. The ice can water down the flavor though, so you may want to add a few extra strawberries or pieces of mango to get the best flavor and texture.
- Be sure to use a strong blender, preferably one with a tamper. A tamper can help move around the frozen fruit into the blender because there isn’t enough liquid to have the fruit move around on it’s own. The Ninja blender I use and love has a blender cup with a tamper just for smoothie bowls. Vitamix style blenders also have a tamper to help with this.
- If you don’t have a blender, you can use a food processor to make smoothie bowls! You may have to stop and scrape down the sides a few times but a food processor is a great option.
- To thin out the smoothie to make it easier to drink from a cup, add between 1/4 and 1/2 cup of milk or water.
Other additions
- Chia seeds or ground flax – both of these ingredients can help to make an even thicker smoothie bowl. Both chia and flax absorb liquid (which will make it thicker). They are also a great source of fiber and healthy fats, which can make the smoothie bowl even more filling.
- Veggies – add some frozen cauliflower rice, frozen spinach, frozen kale, frozen zucchini, frozen beets to add a little bit of veggies to the smoothie bowl. Adding about 1/2 cup of any of these veggies shouldn’t impact the flavor but will add a full serving of veggies.
- Oats – add some rolled oats or quick oats (between 1/4 cup and 1/2 cup depending on your personal preference) can help to thicken the smoothie bowl and also help make it more filling thanks to the extra fiber and protein from the oats.
- Coconut water – replace some of the dairy free milk with coconut water. It adds electrolytes which can be great in hot weather or before or after a workout.
- Coconut flakes or coconut butter – this will add more tropical flavor to the smoothie and also add some healthy fats, making the mango strawberry smoothie bowl more filling.
Topping ideas for strawberry mango smoothie bowls
The best thing about making a smoothie bowl is the toppings. Some of my favorite topping ideas are:
- Coconut flakes
- Fresh fruit – add sliced strawberries, mango, banana, raspberries, cherries, pineapple blueberries, blackberries or whatever else you have on hand.
- Granola or cereal for added crunch.
- Hemp hearts – these little seeds add a nutty flavor and provide some protein and healthy fats
- Bee pollen – bee pollen adds a crunchy texture and also adds some vitamins and minerals.
- Chopped or sliced nuts – sliced almonds, chopped cashews, macadamia nuts, pecans or pistachios would all be yummy.
- Seeds – add some pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds.
- Nut butter or seed butter – add a drizzle of coconut butter, cashew butter, tahini, sunbutter or almond butter.
- Maple syrup or honey – add a touch of sweetness by drizzling over a little honey or maple syrup.
- Chocolate chips – regular or mini chocolate chips will add some crunch and chocolate flavor.
Common questions
Does fruit have to be frozen for smoothie bowls?
For the best texture, I recommend that you use frozen fruit. Frozen fruit just creates a different texture – a thicker, creamier smoothie bowl than using fresh fruit.
If you only have fresh fruit, you can freeze it yourself in advance (up to 8 hours in advance). Check out my tips and strategies for freezing fruit for smoothie bowls.
If you don’t have time to freeze fruit, you can add about 1/4 – 1/2 cup of ice to the blender to get the same texture. However, this can water down the flavors, so I recommend adding a few more strawberries or mango chunks as well to offset the ice.
Does adding ice to a smoothie make it thicker?
Yes, adding ice to a smoothie is a great way to make it thicker. The ice does have a tendency to water down the flavors though, especially if you are using fresh fruit as the main ingredients. Adding a few ice cubes won’t change the flavor much, but adding closer to 1/2 cup of ice will start to water down the flavor.
If you are going to use ice to make your smoothie thicker, you may want to decrease the amount of liquid or increase how much fruit you are adding to get the same flavor.
What’s the difference between smoothies and smoothie bowls
The main difference between smoothies and smoothie bowls is the texture. Smoothie bowls tend to be a lot thicker, meaning they would be hard to drink out of a cup or a straw. The smoothie bowl is created so that it’s thick and satisfying to eat, especially when you add toppings.
Smoothies and smoothie bowls can have the exact same ingredients, however you will likely use slightly less liquid when making a smoothie bowl or you may add an ingredient or two (like chia seeds, oats or even ice) to make the smoothie even thicker.
How to make a smoothie bowl thick
If you have made a smoothie bowl and it’s not thick enough there are a few tricks on how to thicken the smoothie bowl:
- Add some chia seeds (ground chia seeds are best) or ground flax – both chia seeds and flax absorb liquid
- Add frozen veggies – adding about 1/2 cup of frozen cauliflower or zucchini can thicken the smoothie without changing the flavor or the color.
- Add oats – adding between 1/4 and 1/2 cup of rolled oats or quick oats can help to thicken the smoothie
- Add ice – ice can help to thicken smoothies but can also water them down if you use too much. I recommend starting with between 1/4 and 1/2 cup of ice first.
Can you prep smoothie bowls in advance
Smoothie bowls are best when prepared fresh, since smoothies can start to separate when stored in the fridge.
You can however, make your smoothie bowl quicker by prepping a smoothie freezer pack in advance. Essentially you would measure out all the ingredients except the milk in advance and freeze it in ziplock bags or jars. Check out all the tips and tricks I have for meal prepping smoothies.
Storing leftovers
- Fridge – if you have any leftover mango strawberry smoothie bowl, you can store it in the fridge in a bowl with a lid. I would suggest that you add a little ice and more milk and blend it up to become a smoothie before enjoying the leftovers, as the thick consistency will change as the smoothie sits in the fridge.
- Freezer – you can pour any leftovers into ice cube tray molds or popsicles to enjoy later. You can use those frozen cubes in other smoothies or blend them up later with milk to make a new smoothie.
If you love smoothie bowls, be sure to try
Mango Strawberry Smoothie Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 cup strawberries
- 1 cup mango
- 1 cup dairy free milk
- 1 serving vegan vanilla protein powder
Instructions
- Start by measuring out the ingredients into a high speed blender or food processor.
- Blend on high until thick and creamy.
- Top with your favorite toppings and enjoy.
Equipment
Notes
- Use frozen fruit for the best consistency – I typically mention this as a tip in all my smoothie post, but using frozen fruit is especially important when making smoothie bowls, since you want them to be extra thick and creamy. If you only have fresh fruit, you will need to add ice (1/4 – 1/2 cup) to help create the perfect texture. The ice can water down the flavor though, so you may want to add a few extra strawberries or pieces of mango to get the best flavor and texture.
- Be sure to use a strong blender, preferably one with a tamper. A tamper can help move around the frozen fruit into the blender because there isn’t enough liquid to have the fruit move around on it’s own. The Ninja blender I use and love has a blender cup with a tamper just for smoothie bowls. Vitamix style blenders also have a tamper to help with this.
- If you don’t have a blender, you can use a food processor to make smoothie bowls! You may have to stop and scrape down the sides a few times but a food processor is a great option.
- To thin out the smoothie to make it easier to drink from a cup, add between ¼ and ½ cup of milk or water.
