This one was inspired by Crush on the EAC and I am not even a little embarrassed about that. If you know Finding Nemo you know exactly the vibe I am going for and if you have ever seen that impossibly blue ocean current on screen and wished you could somehow eat it, this Coastal Crush Smoothie Bowl is exactly that wish granted. The most stunning cerulean blue smoothie base packed with frozen banana, mango, and pineapple topped with fresh tropical fruit and granola. Beach day in a bowl, no sunscreen required.
The blue spirulina is the ingredient that makes this bowl look the way it looks and it is one of my favorite things to work with in smoothie bowls because the color it produces is genuinely unreal. Half a teaspoon turns the entire tropical base into this deep ocean blue that photographs beautifully and stops people mid-scroll every single time. Start with half a teaspoon and blend it in to see the color before adding more because a little goes a long way and the color deepens as you add. The flavor is completely neutral so all you taste is the sweet tropical fruit underneath.
The coconut cream cubes are the optional addition that takes this from a great smoothie bowl to something that tastes really rich and indulgent. Freeze full fat coconut cream in an ice cube tray and keep them stocked in your freezer for any smoothie bowl or Creami recipe you want to make extra creamy. Two cubes blended into this base adds a subtle coconut flavor that pairs perfectly with the mango and pineapple and gives you that thick, creamy, almost gelato-like consistency that is genuinely so satisfying to eat with a spoon.
Top it with fresh mango, kiwi, strawberries, and coconut shreds for the full tropical experience that makes this bowl look like something from a really good smoothie bar. It is nourishing, completely beautiful, and comes together in about three minutes in a high speed blender. Make it on a summer morning when you want your breakfast to feel like a little adventure and every time after that whenever you need something that makes the whole day feel a little more colorful.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
- Blue spirulina produces the most extraordinary cerulean blue color that looks exactly like the EAC on screen and stops people mid-scroll every single time with zero food dye and zero flavor impact on the finished bowl
- Frozen banana, mango, and pineapple together create a tropical sweetness that is so naturally vibrant and satisfying that this bowl tastes like beach day regardless of where you are eating it
- The optional coconut cream cubes turn a great smoothie bowl into something genuinely rich and indulgent with a thick gelato-like consistency that makes this one of the most satisfying bowls in the whole series
- Three minutes in a high speed blender for a bowl that looks like it came from a specialty smoothie bar and costs a fraction of the price
Key Ingredients:
- Blue spirulina:ย Half to one teaspoon is the entire color story of this bowl. Start with half a teaspoon, blend, and check the color before adding more because it deepens quickly and a little goes a very long way. The flavor is completely neutral so nothing about the taste changes regardless of how much you use within reason
- Frozen banana:ย One whole banana is the natural sweetener and texture builder that gives this bowl its thick creamy base. Frozen is essential for the right cold thick consistency. A fresh banana with ice is not the same and will give you a thinner, less satisfying result
- Frozen mango:ย Half a cup adds that bright tropical sweetness and a subtle tartness that pairs with pineapple in the most classically beloved tropical combination. Mango also contributes to the thickness of the base and makes every bite feel like summer
- Frozen pineapple:ย Half a cup adds a bright, slightly acidic tropical punch that cuts through the sweetness of the banana and mango and keeps the base from tasting flat or one dimensional. Together with the mango it creates that full tropical fruit experience that makes this bowl taste genuinely like a tropical destination
- Frozen coconut cream cubes:ย Two optional cubes that completely change the texture and richness of the finished bowl in the most extraordinary way. Keep a supply in your freezer specifically for smoothie bowls and use them any time you want something thicker, richer, and more indulgent than a standard fruit-only base
- Almond milk:ย Half a cup is all you need to get the blender moving and not a drop more. Less liquid means a thicker spoonable bowl and the goal is always the minimum necessary for the blender to work
Tips for Success:
- Add the blue spirulina in stages rather than all at once. Start with half a teaspoon, blend, and check the color. The color deepens as you blend and what looks like a pale blue at the beginning of blending becomes that deep cerulean by the end
- Use the minimum amount of almond milk possible for the thickest most spoonable bowl. Start with a quarter cup and add more only if the blender is absolutely struggling. A bowl that is too thin loses its gorgeous color contrast when the toppings are added because everything sinks in
- Have your toppings arranged and ready before you blend so you can go from blender to bowl to topped in under two minutes while the base is still cold and thick
- Add toppings immediately after pouring so they sit on top of the base rather than sinking in as the bowl comes to room temperature
Storage:
This coastal blue mango smoothie bowl is best enjoyed immediately after blending and topping while the base is at its coldest and thickest and the toppings are freshly arranged. It does not store well assembled. If you want to prep ahead blend the base without spirulina, freeze in a sealed container for up to two hours, re-blend briefly with the spirulina when ready, pour into a bowl, and add toppings fresh.
FAQ:
Where do I find blue spirulina?
Blue spirulina powder is available at most health food stores including Whole Foods and Sprouts and is widely available online. Look specifically for blue spirulina rather than green spirulina which has a very strong flavor that would completely overpower the tropical fruit base. Blue spirulina is the flavorless variety that gives you all the color with none of the taste and is the only one that works for this recipe.
Can I make this without coconut cream cubes?
Yes. The coconut cream cubes are optional and the bowl is still completely beautiful and delicious without them. The base will be slightly less rich and slightly less thick without the coconut fat content but the tropical flavor and that stunning blue color are completely unaffected. The coconut cream cubes are a texture upgrade rather than a flavor essential.
Can I add protein powder to this bowl?
Yes and vanilla protein powder blends beautifully into this base. One scoop added to the blender with the other ingredients turns this into a genuinely high protein breakfast that sustains energy all morning. The blue color may lighten very slightly depending on your protein powder brand but the spirulina color is strong enough to stay predominantly blue regardless of what you add.
Coastal Blue Smoothie Bowl
Ingredients
- ยฝ cup almond milk
- 1 frozen banana
- ยฝ cup frozen mango
- ยฝ cup frozen pineapple
- ยฝ-1 tsp blue spirulina start with 1/2 and see how you like the color before adding more
- Optional add ins: 1 scoop protein powder 2 frozen coconut cream cubes
Instructions
- Blend all ingredients together in a high speed blender until smooth.
- Transfer to a bowl and top with your favorite ingredients. I used mango, kiwi, strawberries and coconut shreds!
- Enjoy!!
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