Power up your mornings with this simple High Protein Chia Seed Pudding. Make vanilla, or choose a flavor like chocolate, lemon, or raspberry! This recipe has 28 grams of protein per cup of pudding, but there are instructions for increasing the amount to meet your goals.
An Easy, High Protein Breakfast!
Chia pudding is a great way to work more fiber into your diet. It’s easily whisked into a pudding with sweetener, milk, and vanilla. While chia seeds do have a good amount of protein for a plant food, it’s not enough to really power your day.
This simple recipe using a combination of Greek yogurt and protein powder to add lots of protein with minimal work. The result is an extra creamy chia pudding, perfect for topping and enjoying!
Classic vanilla chia pudding is delicious, especially when paired with nuts and berries. If you’d like to get creative, there are recipes for a variety of different flavors, from lemon, to raspberry or matcha green tea.
Pack your pudding in mason jars for grab-and-go breakfasts. I leave room at the top of my jars to add lots of toppings! My favorites are berries, nut butters, and coconut flakes.
What You’ll Need
- Chia Seeds
- Milk of Choice (unsweetened almond milk, coconut milk, or hemp milk recommended)
- Greek Yogurt (or blended cottage cheese)
- Protein Powder (whey protein recommended, unflavored/unsweetened, or use a sweetened protein powder and omit the sweetener in this recipe)
- Collagen (optional)
- Sweetener of Choice (monk fruit sweetener, allulose, sugar free maple syrup or honey)
- Vanilla
- Optional: Cacao Powder (or raw cocoa powder), freeze dried raspberries, freeze dried strawberries, lemon juice and zest, or matcha green tea powder
The Best Protein Powder for Protein Chia Pudding
Ultimately, the best protein powder for any recipe is determined by what you digest the best. Most protein powders will work in this recipe.
Whey Protein Isolate: Whey protein isolate is one of the highest quality protein powders you can buy. It’s absorbed quickly, meaning it’s immediately available for muscle protein synthesis. This is my protein powder of choice. Plus, it tastes amazing so you can use unflavored varieties!
Collagen Protein Powder: I love collagen and try to include it in my diet daily. However, collage is not a complete protein. It is best used in conjunction with other proteins. If you are sensitive to other protein powders and like to use collagen, that’s fine. Try taking essential amino acid supplements in conjunction with your breakfast or smoothie made with collagen.
Egg White Protein Powder: This is another great choice for those looking for a pure protein powder that tastes great. I use this for my son who cannot tolerate dairy.
Plant Based Protein Powders: These are my least favorite choice because they don’t taste good, so lots of sweeteners and flavor enhancers have to be added. They also come with carbs, since they are derived from starchy food sources. However, if you avoid dairy and eggs, it will work!
How Much Protein is in this Chia Pudding Recipe?
For Vanilla: 1 cup serving has 28 grams of protein + 5 net carbs (16 grams of total carbs – 11 grams of fiber)
For Chocolate: 1 cup serving has 29 grams of protein + 6 net carbs (19 grams of total carbs – 13 grams of fiber)
For Raspberry: 1 cup serving has 28 grams of protein + 9 net carbs (24 grams of total carbs – 15 grams of fiber)
Hitting Protein Goals: To hit your breakfast protein goal, adjust the amount of protein powder added to this recipe.
Add 1 scoop additional protein powder (20 grams of protein) to increase the amount of protein per serving by 5 grams. (for a total of 33 grams per serving)
Add 2 scoops additional protein powder (40 grams of protein) to increase the amount of protein per serving by 10 grams (for a total of 38 grams per serving).
How to Make High Protein Chia Pudding
Step 1: In a large bowl (or blender), add milk, yogurt, sweetener, protein powder, collagen (if using) and vanilla. Whisk to combine. If using other flavors, like cacao powder, lemon juice, or freeze dried raspberries, add them at this step also.
Step 2: Add the chia seeds, and whisk to combine. Allow the mixture to sit about 5 minutes.
Step 3: Whisk the chia pudding again. Allow it to sit 5 minutes. Continue with this process, whisking about every 5 minutes, until the mixture has begun to thicken. This prevents the chia seeds from clumping.
Step 4: Refrigerate the chia seed pudding for at least 1 hour, up to 5 days. It will continue to thicken as it chills.
How to Top Protein Chia Seed Pudding
- Fresh, frozen, or freeze dried berries (we love freeze dried raspberries!).
- Nuts (almonds, walnuts, pecans, macadamia nuts, or hazelnuts).
- Seeds (hemp seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds)
- Nut or Seed Butter: almond butter and sunflower butter are great low carb options! Peanut butter and cashew butter are delicious but higher in carbs.
- Shredded Coconut or Coconut Butter (be sure to buy unsweetened varieties!)
- Chopped Dark Chocolate, Sugar Free Chocolate Chips, or Cacao Nibs!
Flavor Variations for Protein Chia Pudding
Chocolate Protein Chia Pudding: Follow the recipe for vanilla chia pudding, but whisk in 1/4 cup of cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder in step 1.
This protein pudding is amazing topped with raspberries, cacao nibs, and peanut butter or sunflower seed butter!
Raspberry Protein Chia Pudding: Crush 1/2 cup freeze dried raspberries and mix them in step 1.
Raspberry chia pudding is extra delicious topped with an additional scoop of Greek yogurt and some crushed walnuts.
Lemon Protein Chia Seed Pudding: Reduce milk to 2 1/2 cups. Add 1/3 cup lemon juice plus zest from 1 lemon. Increase sweetener by 1-3 tablespoons, or to taste.
Lemon chia pudding is delicious with blueberries on top!
Matcha Protein Chia Seed Pudding: Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and 2 teaspoons of matcha green tea powder in step 1.
Matcha chia pudding is delicious with coconut butter and blueberries!
How to Store Chia Seed Pudding
Add chia seed pudding to glass jars to store. I like to portion out 1-cup servings in individual jars or containers.
Top the chia pudding when ready to serve!
Chia seed pudding does not freeze well.
Other Chia Seed Recipes
- Keto Chia Pudding
- Sugar Free Raspberry Jam (chia seed jam)
- Chia Seed Crackers
High Protein Chia Seed Pudding
Equipment
- 4 glass jars
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups milk of choice almond, coconut, or hemp recommended
- 1 cup Greek yogurt unsweetened/unflavored
- 40 grams whey protein isolate or protein of choice (I use unflavored, see notes)
- 20 grams collagen optional
- 1/3 cup sweetener of choice monk fruit sweetener, allulose, keto maple syrup, etc.
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup chia seeds
- 1/2 cup freeze dried raspberries
Flavor Variations
- *see notes for chocolate, raspberry, lemon, and matcha green tea flavors!
Instructions
- In a large bowl (or blender), add milk, yogurt, sweetener, protein powder, collagen (if using) and vanilla. Whisk to combine. If using other flavors, like cacao powder, lemon juice, or freeze dried raspberries, add them at this step also.
- Add the chia seeds, and whisk to combine. Allow the mixture to sit about 5 minutes.
- Whisk the chia pudding again. Allow it to sit 5 minutes. Continue with this process, whisking about every 5 minutes, until the mixture has begun to thicken. This prevents the chia seeds from clumping.
- Refrigerate the chia seed pudding for at least 1 hour, up to 5 days. It will continue to thicken as it chills.
The chocolate and peanut combo is the best!