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    Home / Recipes / Vegan Breakfast

    Acai Smoothie

    Published: Jun 1, 2024 · Modified: Jun 1, 2024 by Kathy Carmichael · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    Try this acai smoothie recipe for a delicious breakfast or a cold treat on a hot day. With 5 simple ingredients, you will have a superfood smoothie to delight in!

    Acai Smoothie recipe in two glasses with blueberries on top and blueberries on the counter.

    Nekter, my favorite smoothie/juice bar in Scottsdale, Arizona, has one of the best acai smoothies called Popeye's Acai! It has 5 simple ingredients, so I made a copycat acai smoothie recipe at home. Not only is making smoothies at home easy, but it is also much more economical.

    Jump to:
    • What is Acai?
    • Acai Smoothie Ingredients
    • Acai Smoothie Ingredient Substitutions
    • How to Make an Acai Smoothie
    • Sambazon Acai Smoothie Packs Where to Buy
    • Recipe FAQs
    • Tips
    • Try These Sweet Vegan Treats
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Reviews

    Although I frequent Nekter occasionally, it can get a little expensive. Paul and I went to Nekter for a cold drink after a long hike on a hot summer morning. Paul likes the PB&J Smoothie made with peanut butter, banana, dates, housemade cashew milk, and agave nectar poured over strawberry chia jam!

    However, my favorite is Popeye's Acai Smoothie, which is made with Açaí, banana, blueberry, spinach, housemade cashew milk, and agave nectar. 

    Two 16-ounce smoothies at Nekter cost over $20.00. My version is ⅛th of the cost!

    Nekter Smoothie in a cup with a straw on the table.

    What is Acai?

    Acai berries are an inch-long, reddish-purple berry from a South American palm tree. While acai is relatively new to North American and European markets, Indigenous tribes of the Amazon region have eaten it for centuries.

    So, Acai berries have many potential health benefits thanks to their high antioxidant content.

    They’re loaded with powerful plant compounds that act as antioxidants and could have benefits for your brain, heart and overall health.

    They also deliver healthy fats and fiber, making them a generally healthy food.

    Acai Smoothie Ingredients

    Acai smoothie ingredients: acai packet, banana, spinach, plant milk, and mixed berries.
    • Plant Milk: I used unflavored, unsweetened oat milk instead of cashew milk in the Nekter acai smoothie recipe.
    • Mixed Berries: I used a combination of frozen blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries from a frozen bag of organic berries from Whole Foods.
    • Banana: Again, I froze the banana. I often cut and freeze bananas in individual bags when they ripen.
    • Acai Packet: I used Sambazon Organic Unsweetened Superfruit Packets I bought at Whole Foods in the freezer department.

    I omitted agave nectar because I think the smoothie is sweet enough and doesn't need additional sweetener, but see the ingredient substitutes if you want to add sweetener.

    Acai Smoothie Ingredient Substitutions

    • Choose any plant milk. You can also use vanilla-flavored plant milk for additional flavor.
    • Choose any combination of berries, or one type of preferred berry.
    • Since Nekter smoothies contain agave nectar, add a teaspoon of agave, maple syrup, or date syrup for additional sweetness.
    • Use fresh fruit instead of frozen, then add 1 ½ cups of ice for a frozen smoothie.
    • Blackberry powder is the best substitute for acai powder due to its dark purple color and sweet-tart flavor.

    How to Make an Acai Smoothie

    Smoothie ingredients in a Vitamix blender.
    1. Begin by placing one Acai frozen packet into a glass of warm water to make it easier to remove from the packaging. Or run teh packet under warm water to loosen it from the packaging.
    2. Add the plant milk, frozen berries, banana, spinach, and the contents of the acai packet into a high-speed blender.
    3. Blend until smooth, using the blender wand to incorporate the ingredients. Or turn off the blender and use a wooden spoon to push unblended ingredients into the blender.
    4. Pour into individual glasses and garnish with fresh blueberries if desired.

    Sambazon Acai Smoothie Packs Where to Buy

    Where do you buy these Acai smoothie packs? They are generally found in the freezer section of your local grocery store.

    You can buy acai packets online directly from SAMBAZON or at many grocery stores near you, including Costco, Fry, Walmart, and Whole Foods, to name a few.

    Recipe FAQs

    What are acai packets made of?

    Acai packets are a highly concentrated source of nutrients, but you lose most of the acai sweet berry flavor when the liquid is removed. Frozen acai packets are made from pure and flash-frozen acai berries containing pulp and juices.

    What are acai berries similar to?

    Acai and blueberries are delicious fruits that can be used in various recipes, including smoothie bowls and frozen desserts. Acai is tart and bitter due to its low sugar content and provides more fat than most fruits, while blueberries are sweeter, higher in carbohydrates, and contain almost no fat.

    What fruit is closest to acai?

    Pomegranates have a very similar flavor to acai. Their flesh (and juice) are slightly more bitter but have a similar musky flavor that's almost interchangeable.

    Tips

    • Add 1 ½ cups of ice to use fresh fruit for a thick, frozen texture.
    • A great way to have smoothie ingredients readily available, cut up bananas, and measure out 1 cup of berries into individual freezer bags for easy smoothie prep.
    • Instead of spinach, choose kale or collard greens.
    • Acai is also available instead of buying the frozen version.
    • Choose different fruit combinations, such as mango, strawberries, or pineapple, to name a few.
    • If adding sticky ingredients such as almond butter or peanut butter, add them last so they don't get stuck into the bottom of the blender.
    • If smoothies aren't your favorite treat, try Vegan Fudgesicles made from sweet potatoes.

    For a healthy treat on a hot summer day, try this copycat acai smoothie recipe!

    Try These Sweet Vegan Treats

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      Easy Vegan Sweet Potato Brownies
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      Vegan Oil-Free Cornbread
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      Vegan Chocolate Pudding

    If you love this copycat acai smoothie recipe, give us a 5-star review and comment below. We would love to hear from you.

    📖 Recipe

    Acai Smoothie

    Kathy Carmichael
    Try this acai smoothie recipe for a delicious breakfast or a cold treat on a hot day. With 5 simple ingredients, you will have a superfood smoothie to delight in!
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Course Breakfast, Dessert, Drinks
    Cuisine American
    Servings 2
    Calories 69 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 100g Packet Frozen Acai I used Sambazon Brand
    • 1 cup Frozen Berry Mix
    • 1 Frozen Banana Cut into slices
    • 1 cup Oat Milk Unsweetened, unflavored
    • 1 ½ large handfuls Organic Spinach (about 3 cups)

    Instructions
     

    • Place the frozen acai packet into a glass of warm water or run it under hot water for a few minutes.
    • Place the contents of the acai packet, berries, banana, plant milk, and spinach into a high-speed blender.
    • Blend until smooth, using the blender wand or spoon to combine.
    • Pour into glasses and garnish with blueberries (optional)

    Video

    Notes

    • Add 1 ½ cups of ice to use fresh fruit for a thick, frozen texture.
    • A great way to have smoothie ingredients readily available, cut up bananas, and measure out 1 cup of berries into individual freezer bags for easy smoothie prep.
    • Instead of spinach, choose kale or collard greens.
    • Acai is also available instead of buying the frozen version.
    • Choose different fruit combinations, such as mango, strawberries, or pineapple, to name a few.
    • If adding sticky ingredients such as almond butter or peanut butter, add them last so they don't get stuck into the bottom of the blender.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 69kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 3gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.01gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.04gSodium: 74mgPotassium: 185mgFiber: 1gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 2356IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 195mgIron: 1mg
    Tried our recipe?Let us know how it was!
    Kathy Carmichael

    Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂

    www.kathysvegankitchen.com/about-me/

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    Reader Interactions

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      5 from 2 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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    1. Diane Barnett

      July 16, 2023 at 1:22 pm

      Where do I buy the acai fruit packets. whole foods has some but they are a mixed packet that includes mixed berries which will make much less acai berries with the other fruit in the packet. Diane

      Reply
      • Kathy Carmichael

        July 16, 2023 at 2:04 pm

        Hi Diane, my Whole Foods has the acai without mixed berries. But I am sure it would be delicious with the kind already mixed with berries. Acai also comes in powder form. I hope this helps.

        Reply
    2. Diane Barnett

      July 16, 2023 at 10:12 am

      Where do I find frozen Acai packets??? Amazon has some but they are very very expensive ?? Does TJ's and Whole Foods carry these frozen acai packets?

      Reply
      • Kathy Carmichael

        July 16, 2023 at 10:46 am

        Hi Diane, you can buy them at Whole Foods in the freezer section. It is in the post 🙂 Let me know if you try it and what you think.

        Reply
        • Rene

          August 24, 2023 at 5:52 am

          If you don't have a Whole Foods near you then Harris Teeter carries them. That is where I got mine.

          Reply
          • Kathy Carmichael

            August 24, 2023 at 6:25 am

            Thank you, Rene. It always helps to get other options of stores when we live in different areas of the world 🙂

            Reply

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