My creamy protein chia pudding has 22 grams of protein per serving! It takes minutes to make and is a delicious low carb breakfast or even dessert. I have included many topping ideas in the post, from fruity to chocolate to nutty.
I love adding plenty of protein to my diet because it gives me more energy and keeps me satisfied for longer. And with this chia seed protein pudding, I know that I won't be even thinking about snacking between meals.
I used the basic recipe of my keto chia pudding as a starting point and added protein powder to it. One word: wow. This pudding is even creamier than the original and it is 100% keto friendly.
It is also incredibly easy to whip up, with only 5 basic ingredients. I like to prep a batch on Sunday and have breakfast ready for the week. I vary the topping depending on what I feel like on that day.
Also try my coffee chia pudding and this chocolate protein pudding!
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What's To Love About This Recipe
Easy & Quick: High protein chia seed pudding requires only a few ingredients, 5 minutes of hands-on work and no special equipment.
Great for meal prep: Prepare it once and have a whole batch of breakfast or dessert ready-to-go in the fridge.
High protein & Keto: A whopping 22.6g of protein per serving! The recipe is also sugar free, gluten free and low carb.
Versatile: Enjoy protein chia pudding for breakfast, as a snack or as a healthy dessert. There are so many possibilities for toppings!
Ingredients
Let's talk ingredients. You'll find exact quantities in the recipe card at the bottom of the post, but I wanted to give you a bit of extra info right here:
- Chia Seeds - AKA superfood! Chia is naturally high protein as well as high fibre and nutrient rich. It does not matter whether you use black or white chia seeds. They taste the same and have the same nutritional profile.
- Protein Powder - I used unsweetened whey protein by Pulsin. Whey protein adds a milky creaminess that other protein powders lack. I discuss other protein powder options further down in the post.
- Milk - I chose unsweetened soy milk. It is high in protein and low in carbs at the same time. The brand I like is Alpro, which is made with non-GM soya. You can also use almond milk to keep it low carb (this reduces the total amount of protein per serving by 3g). Or, use any other milk of your choice.
- Yogurt - My go-to is Fage Greek yogurt with 5% fat because it's nice and creamy.
- Vanilla Extract - Adds flavor and a mellow sweetness.
Sweetener: Optional, because it depends on your preference. In my opinion, only the chocolate protein chia pudding really needs additional sweetness. For all of you on low carb or keto, use liquid allulose, use a sugar free syrup or powdered sweetener to avoid grittiness. If sugar levels are not a concern, feel free to use honey or maple syrup.
Instructions
It is simple to make a protein chia seed pudding. Here are the basic steps.
Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed method with ingredient amounts, timings and nutrition information.
STEP 1
Put the chia seeds, soy milk, vanilla extract and whey protein powder into a large mixing bowl and mix vigorously with a balloon whisk or fork until the whey powder has dissolved.
Or, put everything in a large mason jar, close the lid and shake to combine.
STEP 2
Let the mixture sit for about 10 minutes to let the chia expand. Then stir, shake or massage to remove any clumps.
Tip: I squish persistent clumps onto the side of the bowl to break them apart.
STEP 3
Stir in the Greek yogurt and add optional sweetener. Cover and place the pudding in the fridge to thicken for 1 - 2 hours or overnight. (I recommend prepping the night before = no waiting for breakfast!)
STEP 4
Add your toppings of choice and enjoy!
Katrin's Top Tips
#1 Make the recipe in a large mixing bowl. This makes it easier to whisk and ensure there are no clumps. Then, fill the pudding into individual containers once the chia has expanded.
#2 Loosen the chia pudding with more milk or yogurt (up to ¼ cup / 60 ml) just before serving, if you prefer it thinner.
#3 Don't like the gloopy texture of chia? Blend the chia seeds into a powder in a high speed blender BEFORE adding to the pudding. This is less messy than blending at the end. And voila, you can enjoy an extra creamy protein chia mousse.
Using Different Protein Powders
I think that the recipe tastes best with whey protein powder. Here are my thoughts about alternatives:
- Collagen protein powder: I imagine that collagen powder is a good alternative because it has a neutral flavor.
- Pea or hemp protein powder: I tried it, and they were not my favorite for the basic recipe. Less creaminess and I could taste the flavor or the powder. I had to stir in another strong taste (chocolate and nut butter) to mask it.
- Egg white protein powder: A possibility, if you halve the amount. This way, the flavor is good and the protein content is still around 16g per serve.
Can I use vanilla or chocolate protein powder?
Yes, it is possible to use vanilla protein powder or a chocolate flavored one. Most of these contain added sweeteners so you won't be needing any additional sweetness.
Toppings
Now onto the fun part - the toppings! In the recipe card, I give you 3 examples of how I make a chocolate chia protein pudding (pictured below) as well as a fruity (pictured at the beginning of the post) and a peanut butter version (pictured above).
For each of the 3 toppings listed in the recipe card, I deliberately chose ingredients that add EVEN MORE PROTEIN, such as nut butter or hemp seeds.
Here are more topping ideas (some are high protein, some just tasty). Mix and match as you please:
- Berries - strawberries, blueberries, blackberries.
- Any other fruit you like. Grated apple tastes great with cinnamon (sugar free friends, stick to ¼ small apple to keep the carbs low).
- Jams - Stir in my Sugar free strawberry jam or blueberry jam
- Zesty - Give it zing with sugar free lemon curd or a squeeze of lemon juice + zest. You'll definitely need a little sweetness with that option.
- Nuts and seeds - from walnuts to sunflower seeds. Dry-roast them in a frying pan first, this adds oodles of flavor
- Nut butter - Don't stop at peanut butter! Almond butter is great with chia pudding, as is cashew or hazelnut butter.
- Coconut chips or sugar free chocolate chips
- Keto granola or peanut butter granola for a bit of crunch.
Recipe FAQs
Use coconut yogurt or another dairy free yogurt of your choice. And, go for a dairy-free protein powder.
Some chia seed brands expand more than others. Add another tablespoon of chia into the pudding and let it sit a little longer.
Swap half of the milk with coconut cream!
Yes! Chia pudding tastes great warm. Check out my chia seed porridge!
Storage
Refrigerator: Store the prepared chia pudding in airtight containers in the fridge. Mason jars with lids are perfect for this. This way, it stays fresh for up to 7 days.
Freezer: Did you know that you can freeze chia pudding? I tried this first with my keto chia pudding recipe and it was a huge success. Simply fill the mixture into popsicle molds. It is a yummy summertime treat!
More High Protein Recipes
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Recipe
Creamy Protein Chia Pudding (3 Topping Choices!)
Equipment
- 4 bowls or jars holding at least 7 oz / 200 ml
Ingredients
CHIA PUDDING BASE
- ½ cup chia seeds 70g
- 2.25 cups soy milk unsweetened, 530ml, or use unsweetened almond milk
- 8 tablespoon whey protein powder unsweetened, 50g (2 scoops)
- 1.5 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup Greek yoghurt 120g, I used Fage 5%
- ½-1 tablespoon liquid allulose or powdered sweetener of choice OPTIONAL, add to taste
Optional Toppings (Amounts make 4 servings each)
CHOCOLATE DELIGHT
- 2 tablespoon cocoa powder or cacao
- pinch of sea salt
- 1 tablespoon almond butter or hazelnut butter
- 2 teaspoon soy milk to loosen
- 2 tablespoon hazelnuts toasted + chopped
FOREVER FRUITY
- 1 cup raspberries blended or mashed with a fork (125g)
- 1 tbsp heaped hemp seeds 15g
NUTTYLICIOUS
- 4 tablespoon peanut butter runny, 64g
- 1 - 2 tablespoon toasted peanuts chopped, 10-20g
Instructions
BASE - Method
- Put the chia seeds, soy milk, vanilla extract and whey protein powder into a large mixing bowl and mix vigorously until the whey powder has dissolved. Or, put everything in a large mason jar, close the lid and shake to combine.
- Let the mixture sit for about 10 minutes, then stir, shake or massage to break up any clumps.
- Stir in the Greek yogurt and add optional sweetener. Cover and place the chia pudding in the fridge to thicken for 1 - 2 hours or overnight.
OPTIONAL TOPPINGS - Method
CHOCOLATE
- Mix the cacao powder, salt, nut butter and additional soy milk into the chia pudding. Add more sweetener to taste.
- Spoon the chocolate chia pudding mix into your glass jars and top with toasted hazelnuts and an optional sprinkle of grated chocolate.
FRUITY
- Pulse raspberries in a blender or mash with a fork.
- Add a layer of chia pudding to 4 glasses or jars followed by a layer of raspberry and half the hemp seeds. Repeat with a layer of chia pudding and finish with another layer of berry and hemp seeds.
NUTTY
- Add a layer of chia pudding to each of the 4 glasses followed by ½ of the peanut butter and ½ of the chopped peanuts.
- Repeat with a layer of chia pudding and finish with the other half of peanut butter and peanuts.
Notes
- Chocolate: 4.2g net carbs, 24.5g protein, 15g fat, 275kcal
- Fruity: 5g net carbs, 24.3g protein, 12.2g fat, 255kcal
- Nutty: 4.9 net carbs, 27.1g protein, 19.4g fat, 325kcal
Sophia
I made the peanut butter version for my breakfast today and WOW its so delicious! Thank you Katrin this made my day
Katrin Nürnberger
So happy that you liked the chia pudding!