Make this vibrant, hot pink pitaya bowl or dragon fruit smoothie bowl in just 5 minutes and serve it for breakfast, snack or dessert. It’s super healthy, vegan, and gluten-free.

If you like what you see, then you must try my other smoothie bowls too, that I love to relish for my summer breakfasts – Mango Smoothie Bowl.

What is Pitaya?

Pitaya is a tropical fruit and it grows on a cactus. It also called dragon fruits, maybe because it’s covered in spiky leaf-like appendages that look like scales. It is bright pink from the outside, but from the inside, the soft flesh comes in two colors, white or bright pink.

Usually, the bright pink one is used for smoothies as it gives a nice color to them. This juicy fruit has a very subtle taste and tastes more like a combination of kiwi and pear and its seeds have a nutty flavor.

A perfect healthy breakfast bowl which is vegan, gluten free and delicious. Make it in 5 minutes and serve it fresh for best results.

Neha Mathur

About This Recipe

Summers are almost here, and all I want to eat for breakfast are chilled smoothie bowls. This Pitaya bowl (dragon fruit smoothie bowl) is one of my favorites. It is super healthy, easy to make, and super delicious.

Pitaya, also known as dragon fruit is combined with banana, strawberries, orange juice, and maple syrup to make a creamy, thick and chilled smoothie. It is then topped with cut fruits, granola, coconut slices, the choices are endless.

Pitaya bowl is a perfect breakfast if you want something easy yet delicious for your vegan or gluten-free diet. You can also serve it for evening snacks or as a dessert.

Just make sure to serve it right after you make it, otherwise, the frozen fruits will melt and lose their creamy consistency.

This Dragon Fruit Smoothie Bowl is,

• Vegan
• Paleo
• Vibrant & Hot Pink
• Gluten Free
• Healthy
• Delicious
• Easy + Quick

Ingredients

Pitaya – also known by the name of dragon fruit, this fruit is available in abundance in summer. So get your hands on this bright pink fruit, and make yourself a delicious smoothie bowl. Pitaya needs to be frozen before you use it to make the smoothie.

If you do not have access to fresh pitaya, get frozen pitaya packets and use them to make the bowl. Check out Whole Foods or Sprouts or other natural food stores. These frozen packs are a great way to enjoy this super fruit. And they are organic, raw, and non-GMO.

Other Fruits – Along with pitaya, I also added some frozen bananas and strawberries, which add to the creamy consistency of the smoothie.

Orange Juice – To make the blending easier, I used orange juice. You can also add regular milk, but as I am making a vegan version, I went for orange juice.

Opt for vegan milk options, such as almond milk, soy milk, coconut milk, etc if you wish.

You could also use apple juice or coconut water instead of orange juice to make this smoothie.

Maple Syrup – To add that extra sweetness, add in some maple syrup. If you do not care about the smoothie being vegan, you can use honey too.

Lastly, top it with your favorite toppings such as – chopped fruits, nuts, seeds, coconut flakes, almond/peanut butter, chocolate chips, granola, etc.

Variations – You can add protein powder, sweetener of your choice, other fruits, green, etc to make variations of this recipe.

How to make Pitaya Bowl?

Start by preparing the fruits. Wash the pitaya and chop off 5 mm of both ends. Now peel the skin with your hands or use a paring knife. Cut the flesh into ½ inch cubes and freeze them for 2-3 hours.

You can also cut the Pitaya in half and use a large spoon to take the flesh out. Once the flesh is out you can cut it into pieces.

Note – Red pitaya stains the skin and cloths, so be carful while chopping it.

Note – If using frozen pitaya, skip this process. Use 1 (3.5 oz) pack frozen pitaya in place of one dragon fruit.

Peel 1 large banana and cut into slices. Freeze for 3-4 hours.

Wash 4-5 strawberries and chop the top leafy part. Cut the strawberries into quarters and freeze for 3-4 hours.

Take out the frozen pitaya, banana, and strawberries from the freezer and let them sit on the counter for 5 minutes to thaw a little.

Add the frozen pitaya, banana, strawberries, ½ cup orange juice, and maple syrup (to taste) to the medium jar of a high-speed blender.

Blend until very smooth and creamy. Keep scraping the sides of the jar while processing.

Transfer the mixture to a large serving bowl.

Top with your choice of toppings. Serve immediately otherwise it will melt and the creamy texture will be gone.

Frequently Asked Questions

Pitaya Health Benefits

Pitaya is rich in fiber and is actually fat-free, therefore great to include in your weight loss diet.

It is rich in anti oxidants, which is extremely good for your skin and hair.

Good for diabetic people, as it helps to control the sugar levels.

Strengthens your immune system.

It is also rich in iron, which is extremely important for your overall health.

Topping Suggestions

You can top this pitaya bowl with other fruits such as chopped fresh strawberries, sliced bananas, mangoes, kiwi, raspberries, blueberries, apples, etc.

Top it with nuts such as almonds, walnuts, cashews, pine nuts, dried berries etc.

You can also add in some nutritious seeds such as sunflower seeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, melon seeds, etc.

Top it with your favorite butter such as almond butter or peanut butter. Top it with other toppings such as coconut flakes, chocolate chips, granola of your choice, etc.

Storage Suggestions

I will suggest you make it fresh and serve. But in case you have leftovers, store them in the freezer in an air-tight container. When ready to serve, thaw a little, pulse once again in the blender, and serve.

You can freeze the fruits in advance though. I like to portion them out in small ziplock bags. Then just pull out one bag and make the smoothie.

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