This recipe for Chia Pudding, made with Greek Yogurt, is deliciously creamy, totally healthy, and quick and easy to make. The perfect make-ahead breakfast! Vegan-adaptable & Gluten-free. Video.
Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
This chia pudding recipe was always a crowd-pleaser in our catering business! With all the colorful toppings, they were beautiful to look at, and we loved making them too, because we could make hundreds of small jars one to two days ahead, refrigerate them, and top them with fresh, beautiful berries right before serving. Easy peasy!
Perfectly creamy, our chia pudding recipe uses Greek yogurt (or vegan yogurt) combined with fruit and spices. It can be stored in your fridge in single-serving jars for up to five days, making it a very convenient "grab and go" breakfast.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Chia Pudding with Yogurt
- Eat in an hour! You can make these ahead (refrigerate overnight), or we show you how to shorten this time to an hour.
- High in Omega-3s! Chia Pudding is a great way to add chia seeds into your diet- healthy and full of protein, fiber, omega-3s, antioxidants, and essential minerals.
- Easy Make-Ahead Breakfast. It is easy to make and can be made ahead! Perfect for busy mornings!
- Vegan-Adaptable. Highly versatile, chia pudding can easily be adapted to your diet- make it vegan, keto, or vegetarian.
- Chia pudding can be customized with different toppings, spices, nuts and seeds- making it easy for the whole family to love!
WATCH How to Make Chia Seed Pudding
Chia Pudding Recipe Ingredients
- Chia seeds– the star of the show! Full of calcium, fiber, iron, and omega-3s.
- Greek Yogurt- We love the probiotics in Greek yogurt, but feel free to use plant-based coconut yogurt like Cocojune, or cashew yogurt if you prefer.
- Milk- Almond, coconut or soy milk- and real milk works too.
- Sweetener- maple syrup, honey or coconut sugar all work well here!
- Vanilla – a little flavor enhancer!
See the recipe card below for a complete list of ingredients and measurements.
How to Make Chia Pudding with Yogurt
Step One– Choose your container. I like using a quart ball jar, a bowl with a lid works too. Add hot boiled water and stir in chia. This starts hydrating the chia into plump and silky morsels. Let sit 5 minutes (just about the time it takes to add ingredients in Step two!).
Chia pudding is usually refrigerated overnight to plump up fully. The hot water speeds up the process, allowing you to enjoy the pudding within an hour!
Step Two– Add honey or maple syrup, vanilla and salt.
Step Three– Mix in yogurt and nut milk. Feel free to use vegan yogurt.
Step Four– Refrigerate, covered, for at least one hour before serving. You can also store in 8 oz containers for 4 portioned servings.
Variations
Add spices and fruit if desired. Here are some of our favorite additions (see recipe):
- Golden Glow with turmeric, mango and chopped dates.
- Mexican Cacao Dream with just a touch of ancho chili and cinnamon.
- Berry Happy with a hint of cardamom and fresh berries.
Favorite Toppings
- Fresh berries: blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries
- Nuts and Seeds: pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds, cashews, pecans, walnuts and hazelnuts
- Misc Toppings: Coconut, dried fruit, freeze-dried berries, cacao nibs, mini chocolate chips, granola
- Crumbled cookies like our breakfast cookies or cowgirl cookies
How long does Chia Pudding last?
Chia Pudding keeps up to 5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Can you freeze chia pudding?
Yes, you can freeze chia pudding for up to 2 months in the freezer.
Greek Yogurt Chia Pudding Recipe FAQs
Believed to be from Central America, chia seeds were an essential ingredient used for food, medicine, and cosmetics in ancient civilizations. Chia is tiny black or white seeds from the plant salvia hispanica, a member of the mint family.
Chia seeds are high in antioxidants, fiber, minerals and omega-3 antioxidants. They may support heart health, promote strong bones, and improve blood sugar.
The mild seeds plump up in liquid, forming a gel around the seed. The texture is smooth and creamy and a bit reminiscent to tapioca, taking on whatever flavor they are paired with.
You May Also Enjoy
- Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats with Pumpkin and Walnuts
- Vegan Tofu Scramble
- The BEST Vegan Breakfast Cookies
- Rhubarb Jam with Chia Seeds
- Homemade Maple Granola Recipe (Vegan & Gluten-free)
- Vegan French Toast
- Strawberry Tiramisu
Hope this chia pudding adds some ease and delight to your day! xoxo Tonia
Love this recipe? Please let us know in the comments and leave a 5-star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below the recipe card.
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Chia Pudding Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Refrigeration Time: 60 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 cups 1x
- Category: Breakfast, Dessert, meal prep, Snack
- Method: stirred
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Delicious Chia Pudding with creamy Greek yogurt is totally healthy, deliciously creamy and so very fast and easy to make. The perfect make-ahead breakfast or snack to grab on the go. Vegan adaptable!
Ingredients
Chia Seed Pudding (Base)
- 1/3 cup chia seeds
- 1/2 cup hot water
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup, honey or coconut sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- pinch of sea salt
- 1 1/2 cups Greek yogurt (or vegan yogurt)
- 1 1/2 cups milk (almond, coconut, soy, etc.)
See notes for 3 optional flavors.
Instructions
- Soak chia seeds. In a bowl or quart jar, mix chia seeds and hot water. Let this sit for 5 minutes. This starts hydrating the chia seed more quickly.
- Combine. Stir in vanilla, sweetener, and a pinch of salt. Add the Greek yogurt and milk. Whisk to combine thoroughly.
- Divide. At this point, you could divide into 4 smaller jars.- it will keep in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
- Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.
Notes
Chia pudding is usually refrigerated overnight to plump up fully. The hot water speeds up the process, allowing you to enjoy the pudding within an hour! If making this the night before, you can skip the boiling water step if you prefer.
3 Optional flavors:
Golden Glow
- 1 cup chia yogurt base mix
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger powder
- 1/8 teaspoon orange zest
- fresh cubed mango
- 2 dates
- toasted coconut flakes
Mexican Cacao Dream
- 1 cup chia yogurt base mix
- 2 teaspoons raw chocolate powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ancho chili powder
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
- 2 teaspoon cacao nibs
- banana slices
Berry Happy
- 1 cup chia yogurt base mix
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- fresh raspberries
- fresh blueberries
- fresh strawberries
- sliced almonds
If pre-making with fruit added: refrigerate and serve within 2-3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup (with full fat Greek yogurt)
- Calories: 285
- Sugar: 22.3 g
- Sodium: 84.3 mg
- Fat: 14.2 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 25.3 g
- Fiber: 1.7 g
- Protein: 15.2 g
- Cholesterol: 21.3 mg
I have always been told you need to rinse the Chia seeds first (like dried beans or rice) . I do this, and it immediately makes them clumpy and thick and not as easy to mix with nut milk/yogurt/etc. Any advice? The video does not show you rinsing them first.
Hi Caroline, I do not rinse my chia seeds, maybe I should? Although the bag I have says they are ‘cleaned’. I will do some research!
Keep a constant supply of this delicious pudding in my fridge!
I’ve tried many recipes for chia pudding and this one is the best! I use goat kefir instead of the yogurt and milk but otherwise follow the recipe exactly. Thank you Tonia!
Glad to hear this Laure! I love goat kefir.
Best chia pudding ever….with oat milk this time
So glad you are enjoying!
This was perfect to take for breakfast on our ski trip. Loved the variations.
Great to hear!