Strawberry Yogurt Bowl

This strawberry yogurt bowl is less a recipe than a tumble of berries, nuts, cacao and fresh herbs served together with a spoonful of homemade vanilla bean syrup. It's simple to toss together in the morning for breakfast, but edges toward a treat with it's mildly sweet, fruit-forward profile.

Yogurt is our go-to breakfast most mornings. Rich in probiotics, it's a nice way to ensure you're supporting gut health before the rest of the day gets ahead of you.

In winter, I add fresh citrus to our morning yogurt. And when I'm looking for something a little less sweet, I aim for a savory yogurt bowl served with toasted whole-grain bread.

But in that hazy bridge between late spring and early summer, right when strawberries from the garden are beginning to ripen, I aim for this version: a mess of berries touched with vanilla and topped with fresh mint, walnuts, and cacao.

Ingredients + Substitutions

Plain yogurt is the foundation of the recipe. If you're keen on making your own yogurt, it's worth the effort. Store-bought Greek yogurt is also a win, but avoid sweetened or fruit-flavored yogurt. The homemade vanilla bean syrup provides just enough sweetness.

Strawberries give the yogurt bowl a bit of life. Vibrant. Colorful. Sweet and tart. If you don't have strawberries, you can certainly substitute any other brightly colored berry, such as raspberries or blackberries.

Homemade vanilla bean syrup lends a little sweetness. If you're avoiding cane sugar, you can make it with coconut or palm sugar instead. Alternatively, a drizzle of honey works fine.

Chopped nuts add crunch. Almonds and pine nuts are delicious in this recipe. But our favorite is walnuts. Their buttery notes work well with strawberries, and they're also loaded with key micronutrients that support both cognitive and heart health.

Chopped fresh herbs add a little brightness and a subtle green note. Fresh mint is easily accessible and my first choice for strawberries, but I often add lemon balm, too.

Cacao nibs are packed with fiber and key antioxidants. They lend a delicate bitter note to these yogurt bowls, and a delightful crunch, too. Sometimes I swap out the cacao nibs for this homemade dark chocolate granola instead.

Bee pollen is one of my favorite additions. It has a powdery texture with a slightly floral flavor, but, more importantly, it's loaded with fiber and micronutrients such as calcium, iron, and vitamin C.

Love it? Try our favorite strawberry recipes.