Chia Pudding
Chia pudding is a delicious and healthy breakfast or snack option that is easy to make and can be customized to your personal taste. It’s made with chia seeds, which are a good source of fiber, protein, and healthy fats. They also contain a variety of important nutrients, including calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus.
I love a creamy dessert. This banana cream pie is a great example. But when I’m looking for something super healthy, a chia pudding is a delicious and healthy way snack that satisfies my sweet tooth.
This chia pudding recipeis a great option for meal prep because it can be made in advance and stored in the fridge for a quick and convenient breakfast or snack. It’s also perfect for people with dietary restrictions, as it’s vegan, gluten-free, and can be made with a variety of different types of milk.
Try something different with this blue chia pudding recipe!
Key Ingredients
Wondering how to make chia pudding? It begins with these ingredients:
- Chia seeds — I recommend grinding chia seeds for pudding with the best texture.
- Plant-based milk — Use your favorite, such as soy milk, almond milk, creamy cashew milk, easy pecan milk, or even coconut milk. Nut milk and coconut milk produce the creamiest pudding.
- Vanilla — If you’re using vanilla-flavored milk, you can skip this ingredient. Otherwise, add a bit of vanilla extract.
- Sweetener — If your milk is sweetened (such as many soy milk varieties), you may not need additional sweetener. If you’d like your pudding sweeter, add a bit of maple syrup, or agave. Choose a zero-calorie sweetener for keto chia pudding.
- Salt — A pinch of sea salt enhances the pudding flavor.
Is Chia Pudding Healthy?
Chia is a nutritious ingredient to include in your plant-based diet. Here are some of the benefits:
- High in fiber — Chia seeds make you feel full because they contribute up to 10 grams of fiber per serving.
- Protein — There are around 5 grams of protein per serving of chia seeds, making them a real plant-based powerhouse for your diet.
- Healthy fats — You’ll get 9 grams of fat per serving, including 8 grams of heart-healthy fat. Fat in your diet keeps you satisfied.
- Low Carb — Natural carbs are the way to go and chias will offer you 12 grams of carbs per serving.
Chia Pudding Ratio
For the best texture, we’ll use 2 tablespoons of ground chia seeds to 1/2 cup of plant-based milk.
Chia Seed Pudding Toppings
When you’re ready to serve the chia pudding, you can add a variety of toppings to make it extra tasty. Some ideas include fresh fruit, nuts or seeds, coconut flakes, and a drizzle of maple syrup or chocolate sauce.
Want more protein? Add an extra scoop of protein powder or a spoonful of nut butter for a protein boost.
Here are some more topping ideas:
- Berries — Add fresh or frozen berries on top.
- Coconut — I love adding toasted coconut to chia pudding. See how to make it with this toasted coconut donut recipe.
- Bananas — Sliced bananas on top of chia seed pudding is a real treat.
- Peanut Butter — Thin the peanut butter down with a little almond milk and drizzle it over the pudding to serve.
- Vegan Chocolate Syrup — drizzling chocolate syrup on to make it a perfect dessert.
- Date Caramel Sauce — Dollops of naturally-sweetened date caramel add flavor, fiber, and fabulous texture!
Make it Extra Creamy
For an extra-creamy texture, you can pulse chia pudding in a high-powered blender. To do this, let the chia pudding sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Then add the chia pudding to the blender and pulse on low to begin with, then gradually increase the speed.
It helps if you’re using a larger quantity of pudding to give the blender enough content to work with.
What Makes This Recipe Shine?
- EASY — Using ground chia seeds means your pudding can be ready in minutes!
- HEALTHY — Chia seeds are chockful of omega-3s, fiber, and more phytonutrients, making this a nutritious dessert.
- VERSATILE — Add your favorite flavors and toppings to create the ultimate chia seed pudding.
Frequently-Asked Questions
What does chia pudding taste like?
Chia pudding tastes like the ingredients you mix it with, from the milk to any add-ins, like cocoa powder or vanilla.
What is the texture of chia pudding?
Chia pudding is like tapioca pudding with little smooth granules throughout. If you don’t like this texture, blend the chia seeds before adding them to the pudding.
How long does chia pudding take to thicken?
If you can let the chia pudding rest for one to 2 hours, you’ll get the best consistency. This helps the chia seeds soften. However, if you want your chia pudding thicken faster, use blended chia seeds.
Storage Tips
Store pudding in the fridge for up to 4 days. It can be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months.
Recipes with Chia Seeds
If you love this chia seed pudding, you’ll want to try this extra flavorful chocolate chia pudding or this plant-based chocolate pudding. Here are even more delicious chia recipes to try:
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Chia Seed Pudding
Ingredients
Base Recipe
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- ¼ cup ground chia seeds
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch sea salt
- sweetener (see notes)
Chocolate Chia Pudding
- 1 Base Chia Pudding
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips
- 2 teaspoons chopped almonds
Vanilla Chia Pudding
- 1 Base Chia Pudding (see notes for using white chia seeds)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla protein powder (substitute 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
Peanut Butter Chia Pudding
- 1 Base Chia Pudding
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter protein powder
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter
Strawberry Chia Pudding
- 1 Base Chia Pudding
- ¼ cup strawberries, stems removed and chopped
- 1 tablespoon low sugar strawberry jam
Blueberry Chia Pudding
- 1 Base Chia Pudding
- ½ cup vegan yogurt (see notes)
- ½ cup blueberries
- 1 tablespoon vanilla protein powder
- 1 tablespoon berry jam
Pumpkin Chia Pudding
- 1 Base Chia Pudding
- ½ cup canned pumpkin (plain)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla protein powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tablespoon chopped pecans
Lemon Raspberry Chia Pudding
- 1 Base Chia Pudding
- ½ cup raspberries
- 1 lemon
Instructions
For the Base Chia Pudding Recipe:
- To start, combine the ground chia seeds in a bowl.
- Add the milk, sweetener, and vanilla extract.
- Stir everything together, making sure the chia seeds are evenly distributed. Let it sit for one minute, then stir again. This helps prevents lumps of chia seeds from forming together.
- Stir in any flavorings as suggested above.
- Next, transfer the mixture to a jar or container with a lid and refrigerate until chilled. If you start with cold milk, this process may take 30 minutes. If your milk was not cold, it can take up to an hour. It can keep at this stage for up to 2 days in the fridge. This allows the chia seeds to expand and absorb the liquid, creating a thick and creamy pudding.
- Serve as is or add toppings, such as granola, whipped cream, chocolate chips, fresh fruit, and more.
Recommended Equipment
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Video
The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
This is my favorite chia pudding recipe. I like your ratios best!
I’m so glad you like this chia pudding recipe, Erick!