banana smoothie bowl (thick and creamy!)

This banana smoothie bowl is like a big cup of thick, creamy soft serve. It honestly tastes like a fancy new flavor of Wendy’s Frosty. Only, this banana bowl recipe is way better than ice cream because it includes a ton of delicious toppings. And you’re allowed to have it for breakfast.

It’s rich, creamy and shockingly healthy. You don’t even have to use a blender to make it (though it will be the absolute smoothest if you do)-- I’ve successfully made this banana honey smoothie with a food processor.

I use frozen bananas as the base, then I add honey for sweetness and tahini for a nutty, sesame twist. A splash of milk loosens the smoothie up just enough to blend but it keeps the mixture super thick. That thick texture is the key to a smoothie bowl, after all. 

You can use any milk alternative you choose, but I love to use regular whole milk for two reasons. It adds creaminess and it’s fairly neutral, so the sesame and banana flavors shine. If you’re looking for a dairy-free alternative, try almond milk. It will amplify those delicious banana nut flavors and still add wonderful creaminess to the smoothie.

Toppings are the best part of smoothie bowls, and I include a huge list of ideas at the bottom of this post. But for this tahini smoothie, I love to keep it fairly simple with sliced bananas, blackberries, toasted oats, sesame seeds, roasted almonds and a drizzle of honey. Your best bet? Use what you’ve got on hand. It’s hard to go wrong with toppings!

so, what is the point of a smoothie bowl?

Toppings, plain and simple. A smoothie bowl is basically a super thick smoothie on which toppings can float. You can decorate it with your heart’s desire of fruit, nuts, seeds and drizzles. You can ramp up the nutrition, or you can ramp up the decadence. It all comes down to your choice of toppings. And since this banana sesame smoothie bowl is so thick, you have to eat it with a spoon. So it feels like much more of a meal than simply drinking your breakfast. 

what you need for a banana smoothie bowl:

• bananas
• milk
• tahini
• vanilla extract
• honey
• salt

how do you make a banana smoothie bowl?

1. the night before, slice your bananas and freeze them along with two serving bowls
2. the morning of, blend the frozen bananas with tahini, milk and honey
3. pour smoothie into a chilled bowl and add your desired toppings

does fruit have to be frozen for a smoothie bowl?

Yes, for this banana smoothie bowl recipe, you do need to use frozen fruit. I don’t add any ice in the recipe, which keeps the texture really creamy and smooth. No added ice also keeps the flavor concentrated.

But that means the smoothie bowl is only as cold as the ingredients! So make sure to use frozen bananas and cold milk, and keep them as cold as possible until you’re ready to blend.

You can also freeze your bowls the night before, along with the bananas. This will slow the melting and keep your smoothie bowl thick and frosty for the maximum amount of time.

Pro tip: slice your bananas before you freeze them! This is much easier than slicing them when frozen, and it will save your blender’s motor.

what can you put on a banana smoothie bowl?

There are so many options for banana smoothie bowl toppings. Your imagination really is the limit here. And the main reason to make a smoothie bowl instead of a drinkable smoothie is the toppings, after all. So get creative and have fun with it! Here’s a list to get you started:

• Fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries)
• Sliced fruit (apples, bananas, melon, orange slices, mangoes, kiwis, pineapple, peaches, plums, nectarines, figs, grapes)
• Toasted, chopped nuts (almonds, pistachios, cashews, walnuts, pecans, peanuts, pine nuts)
• Dried fruit (cherries, apricots, raisins, cranberries, figs, dates)
• Seeds (sesame, chia, poppy, flax, hemp, pepitas, sunflower, pomegranate)
• Sweet drizzles (honey, maple syrup, agave syrup, cookie butter, nutella)
• Creamy drizzles (peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, tahini)
• Old fashioned rolled oats, toasted
• Granola
• Coconut shavings, toasted
• Dark chocolate shavings
• Cocoa nibs
• Drizzle of homemade granola butter!

related recipes:

chia bowl with yogurt, cherries and almonds

spelt banana bread with brown butter

tahini granola with sesame, golden raisins and chocolate

overnight chia pudding with maple butter blueberries

homemade granola clusters with olive oil and maple syrup

tahini mousse with chocolate ganache

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