Protein Chia Pudding - 3 Ways (2024)

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Protein chia pudding is a simple, quick, and delicious dish that you can enjoy for breakfasts or lunches. It also makes a great meal prep breakfast or snack if you double or triple the recipe. Summer is all about cool, refreshing recipes and chia pudding definitely fits the bill. Chia pudding is also super versatile – you start with a plain base and you can turn it into as many different flavour combinations as your heart desires. I’ve got THREE different combos for you in this post: matcha, peanut butter chocolate, and fruit and nut.

What are Chia Seeds?

Chia seeds originate from the desert plant, Salvia hispanica, which is part of the mint family. These seeds were a staple in the ancient Aztec diet and are believed to have originated from Central America. They are small black seeds that resemble poppy seeds and they have a neutral taste.

When soaked in liquid (such as water, milk, or yogurt) and allowed to sit for at least an hour, chia seeds absorb the fluid and develop a gelatinous texture making it a great thickener for puddings and other dishes.

Health Benefits of Chia Seeds

Chia seeds truly are a superfood. They are high in:

Fiber (Just 2 tbsp of chia seeds contains 10g of fiber! That’s a third of what you need in a day)
Omega-3 fats (supports brain health and inflammation)
Protein (2 tbsp contains 6g of protein making it a great way to boost the protein content of your meals)
Calcium (supports bone health)
Important minerals such as magnesium, phosphorus, and zinc

More research is needed on the health benefits of chia seeds but the high fiber content helps to improve constipation and promote bowel regularity. It may also help reduce one’s risk of diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol.

Protein Chia Pudding is excellent for people with disabilities because…

The calcium from the chia seeds, milk, and yogurt support bone health.
The fiber content from the chia seeds is great for those with constipation from neurogenic bowel
The high protein content from this recipe makes it a filling meal or snack so you won’t be hungry soon after. Those who are healing from pressure wounds have higher protein needs so this is a great snack to support wound healing. Protein acts as a building block in the body and helps rebuild skin tissue damaged from pressure wounds.
It’s a simple, quick recipe that you can easily batch to have on hand for easy breakfasts and snacks throughout the week. Store it in a fridge safe container like this one. It’s also great to bring along when you’re on the go.

If you’re looking for organic chia seeds, try the Inari Organic Black Whole Chia Seed from Amazon!
This adaptive bendable spoon will make eating this protein chia pudding more enjoyable!

This Protein Chia Seed Pudding is…

High in fiber
High in protein
A great source of calcium
A filling breakfast or snack
Vegetarian (and can be made vegan by omitting the yogurt)
Easy and quick to make (the only tools that you need are measuring cups, measuring spoons, a small bowl, and a mixing spoon!
Great for meal prep
Perfect for when you’re on the go
4-6 ingredients
DELICIOUS

Protein Chia Pudding – 3 Ways

Jackie Silver MHSc, RD

Ingredients

Ingredients (this serves as the base for all 3 variations)

1/2 cup milk (or nondairy alternative or kefir)
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (For a dairy free version, omit yogurt and just use ½ cup nondairy milk alternative. It will have a thick consistency so add more milk if you want it to be a bit thinner. Any of the variations below can be made dairy-free)
2 tbsp chia seeds
1 tsp vanilla

Additional Ingredients for Variations

Matcha Chia Seed Pudding

1-2 tsp matcha powder
1 tbsp melted white chocolate
1 tbsp maple syrup (or other sweetener of choice; optional)

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chia Pudding

1/2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tbsp peanut butter (plus more to drizzle on top)

Fruit and Nut Chia Pudding

1 cup fruit of choice (blueberries, cherries, raspberries, mango, etc.; can use fresh or frozen)
3 tbsp nuts or seeds of choice (ie. walnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds)

Instructions

Chia Pudding Base

Mix the milk and yogurt* together until it forms a unified, thick liquid. There shouldn’t be many clumps of yogurt.
Add in the vanilla and chia seeds. Stir.
Place in the fridge for at least 2 hours to thicken up, but ideally overnight. The longer you let it sit, the thicker it will get. You can tell it is ready when it reaches a pudding-like consistency and the chia seeds swell and look gelatinous.
Feel free to eat it plain, top with favourite toppings, or make one of the flavour variations below.
Store in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Matcha Chia Seed Pudding

Before mixing all base ingredients together, heat up ¼ cup of the milk (or water) and mix the matcha powder in it until it dissolves.
Now you can mix all the ingredients together and store in the fridge for 2 hours or overnight.
Top with fruit and some extra white chocolate or white chocolate chips.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chia Pudding

Mix base ingredients together with cocoa powder and peanut butter (alternate version: omit peanut butter from the pudding and drizzle on top if you prefer to keep the pudding purely chocolate flavoured).
Once it’s ready to serve, drizzle extra peanut butter and fruit, if desired. Optional: Top with sliced banana.

Fruit and Nut Chia Pudding

Make the chia pudding base.
When ready to serve, top with a variety of fruit and nuts of your choice.

Video

Notes

*For the dairy-free version, omit yogurt and use ½ cup nondairy milk alternative. It may be too runny if you use more than ½ cup of liquid. For a higher protein, vegan version, use soy beverage or pea beverage. You can also add a scoop of protein powder if you’d like but this will change the taste and consistency.

**To turn this into a meal prep recipe, make a double or triple batch to last you for 3 days worth of snacks or breakfasts.

Keyword calcium, Chia seeds, chocolate, fiber, healthy breakfast, healthy snack, meal prep, peanut butter, plant based, protein, vegetarian

The Jade Leaf Organic Matcha Green Tea Powder from Amazon is perfect for the Matcha Chia Seed Pudding!

If you decide to try out this Protein Chia Pudding, make sure to let me know by sending me a DM on Instagram! Want more high protein recipes? Check out my High Protein Blueberry Pie Smoothie and Protein Overnight Oats!

Video by Julia Hop Hing

Photos by Julia Hop Hing

About Jackie

Jackie is a Toronto-based Registered Dietitian whose mission is to empower and support the neurodivergent and physically disabled communities through nutrition. Jackie runs a virtual private practice and blog which has simple recipes and health information tailored to these communities. She loves cooking, exercising, traveling, journaling, and spending time with family and friends.

Check out her full bio here →