Mermaid Smoothie Bowls with Easy Mermaid Tail Decorations

There’s something fun about setting a mermaid smoothie bowl in front of someone who isn’t expecting it. Whether it’s a summer breakfast, a birthday surprise, or a sleepover morning, the colorful mermaid tails usually bring a big smile before anyone even picks up a spoon. They look intricate, but they’re only colored yogurt frozen in silicone molds. I think that’s part of the magic. The decorations can be made days ahead of time, so all that’s left to do is blend the smoothie and create your little underwater scene.

At some point before my eighth birthday, I became completely obsessed with Sea Wees. They were these little mermaid dolls with long hair, tiny accessories, and sponge lily pads that floated in the bathtub. I thought they were the most magical things I’d ever seen. I was also fully convinced mermaids were real and lived in those impossibly blue cerulean waters I would see in the Mediterranean.

I remember waking up on my eighth birthday fully expecting there to be a mermaid birthday party waiting for me. In my mind, this had already been decided. There would be mermaid dolls everywhere, probably blue punch, and I was going to spend the entire day pretending they were real. There was no mermaid party or hint of anything mermaid anywhere.

I was pretty miffed about it, which feels funny to admit now because I’ve spent decades getting over genuinely important things and apparently never got over this.

So naturally, I made myself a mermaid smoothie bowl, because one of the best parts of being an adult is finally getting to make the things you wished for as a kid. Some wishes don’t expire. They disappear into the background for a few decades, then one day you’re standing in your kitchen with silicone molds and blue spirulina, making yourself the thing you wanted all along.

The little mermaid tails are nothing more than colored yogurt frozen in silicone molds, and they make me ridiculously happy. Fresh fruit on top turns the smoothie bowl into a tiny edible underwater kingdom, and every time I make one, I think eight-year-old me would have considered this a perfectly acceptable substitute for the birthday party she never got.

For me, this recipe feels like a very delayed celebration.

And if you have someone in your life who would love waking up to this kind of whimsy, I highly recommend making it for them.

What Makes This Recipe Different

• The smoothie itself is simple. Frozen banana, mango, yogurt, and blue spirulina have all been blended together before. What really makes this recipe different is the experience you’re going to provide. And you don’t need any special skills to do it.
• I make the mermaid tails and seashells from colored yogurt frozen in silicone molds instead of using candy or store-bought decorations. They look surprisingly detailed once unmolded, and because they’re edible, they become part of the breakfast instead of something that’s picked off and set aside.
• I chill the serving bowls before blending the smoothie. It’s a small step, but it gives me extra time to arrange the fruit and frozen yogurt decorations before the smoothie starts softening.
• I chose the fruit with the underwater theme in mind. The dragon fruit balls remind me of smooth stones scattered across the ocean floor, while the blueberries and blackberries resemble little sea plants growing around the mermaid tails.
• The decorations can be made days or even weeks ahead of time. By the time breakfast rolls around, all that’s left to do is blend the smoothie and create your tiny underwater world.
• Fresh and frozen mango both work, but they create slightly different bowls. Fresh mango makes a softer smoothie, while frozen mango creates a thicker texture that holds the decorations a little longer.

Ingredients

• Frozen Bananas – The frozen bananas create the thick, creamy base that helps support the toppings instead of letting them sink into the smoothie.
• Mango – Adds tropical flavor and a little natural sweetness. Fresh mango makes a softer bowl while frozen mango creates a thicker texture that melts more slowly.
• Yogurt – Used in both the smoothie and the mermaid decorations. Plain, vanilla, or another pale-colored yogurt works best because it’s easier to color than fruit yogurt.
• Blue Spirulina Powder – Gives the smoothie its ocean-blue color and adds blue swirls to the yogurt mermaid tails. If you don’t want to buy spirulina, blue food coloring works perfectly well.
• Beet Root Powder – Creates the soft pink color in the mermaid tails and shells. Pink or red food coloring is an easy substitute.
• Dragon Fruit – I use a melon baller to shape the dragon fruit into little spheres that remind me of smooth stones you’d find on the ocean floor.
• Blueberries – Add color and texture while continuing the underwater color palette.
• Blackberries – Their darker color balances the lighter fruit and makes the bowl feel a little more like an underwater scene. At least that’s what I see.
• Silicone Mermaid and Seashell Molds – The molds are what turn colored yogurt into detailed little mermaid tails and seashells. They look elaborate, but they’re one of the easiest parts of the recipe.

How to Make Mermaid Smoothie Bowls

Find the complete printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card at the BOTTOM OF THE POST.

• Step One (make the mermaid tail decorations)
  Divide the yogurt between two small bowls. Stir the blue spirulina powder into one bowl and the beet root powder into the other until the colors are evenly mixed. Spoon small amounts of each color into the silicone molds, then gently swirl them together with a toothpick to create a marbled look. Don’t overdo the swirling or the colors will blend together. Freeze the decorations for at least 1 hour, or until completely firm.
• Step Two (chill the serving bowl)
  While the decorations are freezing, place your serving bowl in the freezer. It’s a tiny step, but starting with a cold bowl gives you a little extra time to arrange the fruit and mermaid tails before everything starts softening.
• Step Three (blend the smoothie)
  Add the frozen bananas to a blender and blend until smooth. Add the mango, yogurt, and blue spirulina powder, then blend again until thick and creamy. If you’d like the smoothie to look a little more ocean-blue, add another pinch of spirulina.
• Step Four (decorate the smoothie bowl)
  Spoon the smoothie into the chilled bowl. Carefully remove the frozen yogurt mermaid tails and seashells from the molds and arrange them on top. Add the dragon fruit balls, blueberries, and blackberries, then serve right away before the smoothie and decorations start softening. The little frozen mermaids hold together surprisingly well, but they’re still yogurt, so eventually they decide they’re done being sea creatures.

Recipe Tips

• Freeze the mermaid tails and seashells until they’re completely firm before trying to remove them from the molds. Partially frozen yogurt decorations are much more likely to break.
• You don’t want to over-swirl the colors. A few passes with a toothpick create pretty marbled patterns, but too much swirling turns everything into one color.
• Keep the decorations in the freezer until you’re ready to assemble the bowls. They’ll soften gradually once they’re added to the smoothie.
• Freeze the serving bowl before blending the smoothie. A cold bowl gives you a little extra time to decorate before the smoothie starts melting.
• Fresh mango makes a softer smoothie bowl while frozen mango creates a thicker texture that holds the decorations a little longer.
• If your smoothie seems too thin, add a little more frozen banana or frozen mango and blend again.
• Smooth, pale-colored yogurt works best for the decorations. Fruit-on-the-bottom yogurts can muddy the blue and pink shades.
• Don’t worry if the mermaid tails aren’t perfect. The little swirls and color variations make each one unique, which is part of the fun.

Storage

• Mermaid smoothie bowls are best eaten right away. The smoothie and frozen yogurt decorations both soften as they sit.
• The frozen mermaid tails and seashells can be made days or even weeks ahead of time. Store them in an airtight container or freezer bag until you’re ready to use them.
• If you have leftover smoothie, pour it into popsicle molds and freeze it. Banana-mango popsicles are never a bad thing.
• I don’t recommend refrigerating assembled smoothie bowls because they lose their thick texture pretty quickly.

FAQs

• Can I use food coloring instead of blue spirulina and beet root powder?
  Yes. Blue, pink, or red food coloring all work well if you don’t want to buy spirulina or beet root powder.
• Can I make the mermaid tails ahead of time?
  Yes. The decorations can be frozen well ahead of time and kept in an airtight container in the freezer until you’re ready to make the smoothie bowls.
• Can I use dairy-free yogurt?
  Yes. Use your favorite dairy-free yogurt in both the smoothie and the decorations.
• Can I use frozen mango?
  Yes. Frozen mango makes a thicker smoothie bowl than fresh mango and helps the decorations stay cold a little longer.
• Where can I find the silicone molds?
  I linked the mermaid and seashell molds I used in the recipe card, but any food-safe silicone molds with small details will work.
• Can I use different fruit?
  Definitely. I like dragon fruit, blueberries, and blackberries because they remind me of little stones and sea plants surrounding the mermaid tails, but kiwi, pineapple, raspberries, and strawberries are all fun options.
• Why isn’t my smoothie thick enough?
  Usually the bananas weren’t fully frozen or the fruit thawed a bit before blending. Add more frozen banana or frozen mango and blend again until thick and creamy.

From My Kitchen Notes

Small observations from the margins.

• There are some colors that turn us back into children almost instantly. For me it’s cerulean blue.
• I think our imaginations survive much longer than we expect.
• I still think impossibly blue water looks like it should contain mermaids.
• There are things we know aren’t real and still hope to find anyway.
• Some of my childhood disappointments remain oddly specific.
• There are things I wanted at eight years old that still sound like excellent ideas.
• There are things we stop asking for way before we stop wanting them.
• I don’t think every childhood wish needs to be outgrown.
• Some things remain special because they were once wanted very badly.
• Sometimes the things we wanted most never disappeared. We just became the person who could finally make them happen.
• I appreciate the freedom of being old enough to throw myself the party I wanted all along.
• Growing up does not require abandoning enchantment.
• I’ve always felt whimsy deserves a much longer life than we usually give it.
• Certain kinds of joy never need to be justified.
• Not everything beautiful needs to serve a practical purpose.
• Some people see fruit in a bowl. I see marine geology.
• I think we spend a surprising amount of our lives trying to recreate feelings we only experienced briefly.
• I wonder how much of growing up is becoming capable of giving ourselves things we stopped expecting from other people.
• I have a theory that every person has at least one dream they still treat as if it’s waiting in another room.
• There are things we call silly because admitting they’re still important would require an uncomfortable amount of honesty.
• Sometimes making something magical is really just another way of saying, “I remember.”
• I think some of our most persistent desires aren’t trying to send us forward. They’re standing in one place with their hand raised, waiting for us to finally notice they never left.
• You can have a beautiful life and still lament one very specific thing that would have made you feel completely seen. For me, that was a mermaid party. Being loved and understood are not always the same thing.
• Happiness can look like finding something completely unnecessary and knowing it belongs with you.

More Recipes for the Kid in All of Us

• Chocolate Freakshakes – Chocolate milkshakes piled high with fun toppings.
• Ice Cream Pizza – Oreo cookie crust with sliceable ice cream.
• Lucky Charms Ice Cream – Cereal milk ice cream with marshmallow crunch.
• Edible Sugar Cookie Dough – Soft sugar cookie dough made safe to eat.
• Lemon Pop Tarts with Glaze – Pie crust pastries filled with lemon curd.

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Print

Mermaid Smoothie Bowls

Mermaid Smoothie Bowls are made with frozen banana, mango, yogurt, and colorful yogurt mermaid tails frozen in silicone molds. Fresh fruit and ocean-inspired decorations turn a smoothie bowl into a fun breakfast, snack, or birthday morning surprise.

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword blue smoothie bowl, blue spirulina smoothie, dragon fruit smoothie bowl, Mermaid Smoothie Bowl, mermaid smoothie bowls, smoothie bowl, yogurt mermaid tails

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Freeze time: 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings 2 small bowls or 1 large

Calories 275kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Equipment

• silicone mermaid molds Helps shape the yogurt mermaid tails and seashells.
• Blender For blending the fruit into a thick smoothie bowl.
• Melon Baller For shaping the dragon fruit into small rounds.
• Toothpick For lightly swirling the yogurt colors together.
• mermaid spoons (optional) Only for fun.
• coconut serving bowls (optional) Just for fun, any bowl works.

Ingredients

Mermaid Tail Decorations:

• ½ cup (120 g) yogurt divided (any flavor, but a pale color is advisable)
• ⅛ tsp (0.3 g) blue spirulina powder or 1-2 drops blue food coloring
• ⅛ tsp (0.3 g) beet root powder or 1-2 drops pink food coloring

Mermaid Smoothie Bowl:

• 2 bananas frozen
• 1 cup chopped fresh or frozen mango (starting with fresh mango means your bowl will start of a little more melty)
• 2 tbsps (30 g) yogurt (any flavor, but pale color advisable)
• 1 tsp (2 g) blue spirulina powder or 1-2 drops blue food coloring

Fruit Topping:

• 1 dragon fruit balled with a melon baller
• ¼ cup (37 g) blueberries
• ¼ cup (36 g) blackberries

Instructions

• Place the serving bowl in the freezer while you prepare the recipe. Chilling the bowl helps keep the smoothie thick while you decorate it.
• To make the mermaid tail decorations, divide the yogurt between two small bowls. Stir the blue spirulina powder into one bowl and the beet root powder into the other until the colors are evenly mixed.
  ½ cup (120 g) yogurt, ⅛ tsp (0.3 g) blue spirulina powder, ⅛ tsp (0.3 g) beet root powder
• Spoon small amounts of each colored yogurt into the silicone mermaid molds, alternating colors as desired. Swirl the colors gently with a toothpick to create a marbled effect. Freeze for at least 1 hour, or until completely firm.
• Add the frozen bananas to a blender and blend until smooth. Add the mango, yogurt, and blue spirulina powder, then blend until thick and creamy. Add a little more blue spirulina, if desired, to deepen the color.
  2 bananas , 1 cup chopped fresh or frozen mango , 2 tbsps (30 g) yogurt , 1 tsp (2 g) blue spirulina powder
• Transfer the smoothie to the chilled serving bowl. Carefully remove the frozen yogurt mermaid tails from the molds and arrange them on top of the smoothie. Decorate with the dragon fruit balls, blueberries, and blackberries. Serve immediately.
  1 dragon fruit, ¼ cup (37 g) blueberries, ¼ cup (36 g) blackberries

Notes

• Use pale-colored yogurt for the decorations so the colors stay clear and pastel.
• Regular blue, pink, or red food coloring can be used instead of blue spirulina powder and beet root powder.
• Frozen mango will make a thicker smoothie bowl than fresh mango.
• Keep the yogurt decorations frozen until you are ready to assemble the bowl. They will begin to soften once they sit at room temperature.
• The mermaid tail decorations can be made a week ahead and stored in the freezer in an airtight container.

 

 

If you’re making these Mermaid Smoothie Bowls, check out the full post. That’s where I keep extra tips, FAQs, and details that don’t always make it into the recipe card.

 

Nutrition info is an estimate and will vary depending on the brands you use.

 

©Noble Pig. All content and photos are copyright protected. Sharing the recipe link is always appreciated, but copying and pasting the full recipe anywhere else isn’t allowed.

Nutrition

Serving: 400g | Calories: 275kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 56mg | Potassium: 1030mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 41g | Vitamin A: 725IU | Vitamin C: 49mg | Calcium: 175mg | Iron: 1mg

Have you made these Mermaid Smoothie Bowls? I’d love to hear how they turned out – leave a comment below and let me know.

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post Mermaid Smoothie Bowls appeared first on Noble Pig.