Around 10 years ago, chia seeds exploded onto the food blog scene as a “superfood” ingredient – both for its tendency to form a viscous gel when soaked, and for its fiber and omega-3 content. While plant-based omega-3s aren’t as useful to the body as an omega-3 you would get from fish or a supplement, it’s still a great way to make a tasty dessert that works with Paleo and Primal guidelines. Because of their neutral flavor, chia seed puddings are fun to experiment with, and a great way to enjoy dessert if you’re avoiding traditional pudding ingredients.
The basic chia seed pudding recipe involves chia seeds, some liquid, ingredients for flavor, and a little time. You don’t have to cook chia seeds to make pudding, so it’s a good way to get kids into the kitchen. You simply mix, and wait.
Here, we’re offering up two varieties of chia seed pudding that will definitely make it into your snack and treat rotation.
Let’s get started.
Serves: 1
Time in the kitchen: 5 minutes, plus two hours refrigeration time
In a high speed blender, blend together the milk, raspberries, 1 tablespoon of chia seeds (or more, if you like a very thick pudding), flaxseeds, vanilla extract, and salt.
Stir in the remaining chia seeds. Pour the pudding into a mason jar and refrigerate for 2 hours. Remove the mason jar from the fridge and add sweetener to taste. Top with almond butter and additional raspberries and enjoy immediately.
Serves: 1
Time in the kitchen: 5 minutes, plus two hours refrigeration time
In a high speed blender, blend together the milk, coffee, hazelnuts, cacao powder, 1 tablespoon of chia seeds, and vanilla extract. Add sweetener to taste and stir in the remaining chia seeds.
Transfer the pudding to a mason jar or similar container and refrigerate for two hours. Top with hazelnuts and cacao nibs/100% chocolate pieces and enjoy! This pudding can also be made ahead and refrigerated.
Chia seeds are the seeds of Salvia hispanica, a plant in the sage family. The seeds create mucilage, a slippery viscous gel, when soaked in water. Its purported health benefits and neutral flavor have made chia a popular ingredient in recipes, especially as a pudding base.
Non-GMO chia seeds are grain-free and versatile in recipes, which makes them a good Paleo and Primal option. You can find chia seeds in Paleo recipes such as puddings, smoothies, on salads, and even as an egg replacer for people who follow Paleo or Primal but do not tolerate eggs.
Gel will start to appear immediately, but soak chia seeds for a minimum of 20 minutes to maximize mucilage. Store soaked chia seeds in the refrigerator for up to five days. If your refrigerated chia becomes too thick or dry, you can add more liquid and mix until creamy again.
For a pudding-like consistency, start with a 6:1 ratio of liquid to chia seeds. Depending on how thick you like your chia pudding, you may choose to use more or less liquid. Keep in mind that watery fruits will contribute a small amount of liquid.
You do not have to blend chia seeds. Soaking chia seeds will extract the gel without blending. Many people will choose to blend chia pudding recipes to achieve a smoother texture.
Yes, chia seeds can be heated and you can use them in lots of cooking applications. You can add chia seeds to baked goods, homemade protein bars, and more. People who cannot tolerate eggs will sometimes use chia seeds as an egg replacer.
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