Now, you can enjoy delicious pitaya bowls at home without having frozen or fresh dragon fruit on hand (because sometimes it's hard to find!). These vibrant smoothie bowls use freeze-dried dragon fruit powder to achieve the gorgeous deep magenta color. Blend the powder with frozen fruit and pineapple juice, and have a healthy breakfast or snack everyone loves!
If you enjoy dragon fruit and acai, try this mango dragon fruit lemonade and strawberry acai refresher.
Recently, a new wellness cafe opened in our area. My girls and I love it. We've enjoyed trying different menu items, including acaí bowls and smoothies.
One of the smoothie bowl flavors available is pitaya, another name for dragon fruit. It tastes so incredible that it's a bestseller. Since being introduced to pitaya at the cafe, I have been determined to learn how to make it at home.
What Is A Smoothie Bowl
A smoothie bowl is a thick smoothie served in a bowl and topped with various toppings, such as granola, fresh fruit, honey, etc. It is visually appealing and fun to decorate!
What is Pitaya (Dragon Fruit)
While acaí might be more well-known, pitaya shares many of the same health benefits and is just as beautiful in color (totally social media-worthy!).
Pitaya/dragon fruit is considered a superfruit, meaning it's nutrient-dense and highly antioxidant. Though indigenous to Central America, many consider it a prized fruit. It tastes similar to a pear or kiwi, though my daughter thinks it tastes a little like passion fruit, too!
Pitaya Powder (Dragon Fruit Powder)
The freeze-dried pitaya powder is a deep, rich magenta made from red-fleshed dragon fruit. In some parts of the world, ripe or frozen dragon fruit is hard to come by, yet this powder can easily be found online or at your local grocery store (like Whole Foods or Trader Joe's).
How To Make Dragon Fruit Smoothie Bowls
Making a smoothie bowl is very similar to making a smoothie. You can use a food processor or a high-speed blender, though I prefer a food processor. It provides a thicker consistency (my family loves super-thick smoothie bowls!). Add the ingredients to the blender or food processor and process until smooth (similar to a soft-serve yogurt consistency). Pour the mixture into a bowl (or divide it into separate bowls), and have fun decorating with your favorite fruit and other toppings.
Tips For Pitaya Bowl Perfection
- This recipe is very forgiving and easy to personalize. Feel free to experiment with different frozen fruits and juices. If you like it sweeter, you can add some honey (agave for vegans), dates, or more bananas.
- It's best to eat the smoothie bowls immediately, but if you want to make them in advance, pour them into airtight individual containers and store them in the freezer (without the toppings!). Then, when ready to serve, pull them out 10-15 minutes before. Top with toppings just before eating.
Smoothie Bowl Toppings
While there are tons of smoothie bowl toppings (don't be afraid to use your imagination!), here are some of our favorite suggestions:
Crunchy Toppings:
- Gluten-free granola (either store bought or homemade)
- Gluten-free oats
- Cacao nibs
- Chopped nuts
- Chia seeds
- Flax seeds or flax seed meal
Sweet Toppings:
- Honey, maple syrup, or agave
- Chocolate chips
- Chocolate drizzle
- Vegan caramel sauce
Sliced Tropical Fruit and/or Berries:
- Bananas
- Pineapple
- Kiwi
- Strawberries
- Blueberries
- Blackberries
- Raspberries
- Goji berries
Healthy Pick-Me-Ups and Mix-Ins:
- Bee pollen
- Shredded unsweetened coconut
- Puffed quinoa
- Nut butter drizzles (or seed butter would be a great option, too)
- Hemp seeds
- Protein powder
More Vegan Smoothies To Try
Peanut Butter Chocolate Smoothie from Veggie Inspired
Green Smoothie from Tasty Yummies
Keto Berry Smoothie from Cassidy's Craveable Creations
This recipe was originally published in February 2022. In April 2025, the blog post was updated to include better instructions and notes.
Pitaya Bowls
Enjoy delicious pitaya bowls at home without having frozen or fresh dragon fruit. These vibrant smoothie bowls use freeze-dried dragon fruit powder to achieve the gorgeous deep magenta color. Blend with frozen fruit and pineapple juice, and you have a healthy breakfast or snack everyone loves!
Ingredients
For the pitaya smoothie base:
- 1 cup frozen sliced strawberries
- ½ cup frozen mango chunks
- ¼ cup frozen pineapple chunks
- half a ripe banana
- 1 ½ tablespoons freeze-dried pitaya powder
- 2-6 tablespoons pineapple juice
For the toppings:
- fresh fruit
- gluten-free granola
- shredded coconut
- maple syrup drizzle (or honey for non-vegan)
Instructions
- To the container of a high-speed blender or a food processor, add the frozen sliced strawberries, frozen mango chunks, frozen pineapple chunks, banana, pitaya powder, and 2 tablespoons of pineapple juice.
- Pulse the ingredients on and off for 30 seconds to break them up.
- Now blend continuously, and add more pineapple juice as needed to aid the machine in motion and to reach the desired consistency (you're shooting for a soft-serve frozen yogurt consistency).
- Divide equally into 2 bowls, top with desired toppings, and enjoy!
Notes
- You can use a high-speed blender or a food processor to make this recipe. I can get a much thicker consistency with the food processor (and my family loves super thick smoothie bowls!).
- It's best to eat the smoothie bowl right away, but if you want to make them in advance, pour into airtight individual containers and store them in the freezer (without the toppings!). Then, when ready to serve, pull them out 10-15 minutes prior. Top with toppings just before eating.
- This recipe is very forgiving and easy to personalize. Feel free to experiment with different frozen fruit and juice. You can even add some maple syrup (honey for non-vegan), dates, or more bananas if you like it sweeter. My family and I always like to add sweetened granola and honey to the top of our smoothie bowls, so I rarely add more sweetener to the pitaya base.
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Did you make this smoothie bowl recipe? I’d love it if you gave the recipe a star rating, and left a comment or honest review below. Don’t forget to share your pics on Instagram! #allergyfreealaska or @allergyfreeak
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