This easy Strawberry Chia Seed Pudding combines the goodness of chia seeds, Greek yogurt and juicy berries. Made with just a handful of ingredients and naturally sweetened with strawberries and dates, this heart-healthy, high protein pudding makes the perfect good-for-you breakfast, dessert or anytime snack!
Chia seeds are widely recognized as a superfood, thanks to their mix of protein, nutrients and fibre. Combining chia seeds with vitamin-rich strawberries, and calcium-boosting (and protein-packed) Greek yogurt, creates a powerhouse of a meal. It’s good for you, yes – but what does Strawberry Chia Pudding taste like? You’ll be pleasantly surprised to know that it is downright delicious. Layered with a sweet strawberry purée this rich and creamy pudding tastes more like an indulgent dessert than a healthy breakfast.
Tired of scrambling for a healthy breakfast in the middle of a busy weekday morning? This recipe is perfect for meal-prepping for the week ahead. Does the thought of meal-prepping have you dreading spending your entire Sunday working away in the kitchen? Don’t worry, this chia pudding comes together with just 10 minutes of active prep time. The chia seeds and a few hours of chilling will take care of the rest, leaving you with a fridge full of healthy, grab-and-go breakfasts for the week ahead.
What goes in Strawberry Chia Pudding?
- Strawberries: Strawberries provide a juicy, fruity burst of flavour and a pretty pink hue to this chia pudding. Fresh strawberries are nice, but frozen strawberries work just as well in this recipe. A few additional fresh strawberries are nice to have for garnish.
- Dates: A handful of dates add natural sweetness. I use Medjool dates, but any type of pitted date will work well. Medjool dates are larger than most dates though, so if using another type of pitted date, you may wish to add a couple of extra dates to achieve your desired level of sweetness.
- Plain Greek Yogurt: The creamy texture of this pudding comes from the addition of Greek Yogurt. I recommend using plain Greek Yogurt with a fat content of at least 2% for maximum creaminess.
- Milk: I use regular 2% cow’s milk or unsweetened almond milk, but feel free to use your favourite milk.
- Vanilla Extract: Vanilla adds a delicious ‘strawberries and cream’ flavour to the pudding.
- Kosher Salt: Just a pinch of kosher salt enhances the strawberry flavour. You can leave the salt out if you’d like, but this pudding is tastier with just a tiny bit.
- Chia Seeds: Chia seeds are the magical protein-packed, nutrient-full, fibre-rich, ingredient that thickens the pudding. Both black and white chia seeds work in this recipe. Look for chia seeds in the baking aisle or natural foods section of your grocery store, or you can find them online here.
How to make Strawberry Chia Seed Pudding
With just 10 minutes of active time, you can make this chia seed pudding to stash in the fridge.
- Step 1: Simmer the strawberries with the dates and a little water to release the strawberry juices and hydrate the dates. Blend the strawberry mixture into a purée.
- Step 2: Spoon a little of the strawberry purée into serving dishes, then combine the rest with the yogurt, milk, vanilla and chia seeds. Set aside for 30 minutes, give it a stir, then spoon it into the serving dishes. Place in the fridge to thicken and chill for at least 2 hours.
- Step 3: Garnish with extra strawberries and yogurt just before serving, if desired. Enjoy!
HOW TO SERVE STRAWBERRY CHIA PUDDING
For a pretty presentation, layer this recipe with some of the strawberry purée on the bottom of a glass dish or jar. Small mason jars work well and stack nicely in the fridge, but small juice glasses also make pretty serving dishes for this pudding. Top the strawberry purée with the chia mixture and finish it off with a dollop of yogurt and a few slices of fresh strawberries. If you don’t need to portion the pudding into individual serving dishes, simply place the pudding in a bowl and drizzle the strawberry purée over top. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Strawberry Chia Pudding
Ingredients
- 3 cups sliced strawberries (fresh or frozen)
- 5 pitted medjool dates, coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch kosher salt
- 1/4 cup chia seeds
- Additional sliced strawberries and yogurt for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- In a medium sized saucepan, bring the sliced strawberries, chopped dates and water to a simmer. Use a wooden spoon to break up the strawberries to release the juices. Simmer the mixture for 3-4 minutes to soften the strawberries and plump up the dates. Remove from heat and set aside to cool for 10 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Remove 1/2 cup of the strawberry purée and divide it equally amongst 4 serving dishes or jars, then set aside.
- Pour the remaining strawberry mixture into a bowl. Whisk in the yogurt, milk, vanilla and salt until smooth. Stir in the chia seeds. Cover the bowl and set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes. Stir the mixture again to break up any clumps of chia seeds and redistribute any seeds that have settled to the bottom. Divide the mixture evenly amongst the four serving bowls, spooning it over the strawberry purée. Cover the serving bowls and transfer to the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours (or overnight). Top each bowl with a spoonful of Greek yogurt and additional sliced strawberries just before serving, if desired.
RECIPE NOTES
- Be sure to use fresh chia seeds. Older chia seeds can take on a stale taste and may not absorb the liquid as well.
- This pudding needs to chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours to soften the chia seeds and thicken the pudding, but can be made up to 5 days in advance, making it the perfect meal-prep breakfast for a busy week ahead. I usually make a double batch of this chia pudding on the weekend, for a quick weekday grab-and-go breakfast for the family. The pudding stores well in covered jars or containers in the fridge.
Looking for another great make ahead breakfast idea?
Try these delicious Oven Baked Egg Bites with Bacon, Mushrooms and Peppers!
