Strawberry Chia Seed Pudding

This strawberry chia seed pudding is made entirely with whole foods, without any refined sweeteners. It’s the perfect meal prep breakfast.

This strawberry chia seed pudding is rich, creamy, and kinda tastes like dessert. Soaked and blended cashews – in place of the more typical store-bought vegan milk and/or yogurt – create the luxe texture, while the combo of fresh and freeze-dried strawberries makes the pudding extra fruity.

Although I’d love to take credit for this clever method, it’s really a lovechild of two separate recipes from two recipe developers whose work I love and admire.

First up, Amy Chaplin, whose Whole Food Cooking Every Day is probably the most beautiful and inspiring vegetarian cookbook I’ve seen to date. She has a whole chapter dedicated to “chia bircher bowls”, which is where I learned that using a DIY, concentrated nut milk makes a superior chia pudding. The second is Plant-Based RD’s Catherine Perez, who inspired the whole strawberry angle with this gorgeous recipe.

My favorite thing about this chia pudding is that it’s made entirely with whole foods and without any refined sweeteners. It doesn’t use any store-bought milk or yogurt, which are often loaded with oils and emulsifiers. And the only sweetener is dates.

Chia pudding is the perfect meal prep-able breakfast and/or midday snack. It’s also a great option to bring to work/school because it doesn’t need to be reheated.

Strawberry Chia Pudding at a Glance

This easy, dairy-free chia pudding starts by briefly soaking cashews in boiling water. Once they’re softened, you blend them into a rich cream along with strawberries and Medjool dates. Then you stir in the chia seeds and let the pudding set in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or overnight.

Benefits of Chia Seeds

Chia seeds are an excellent source of protein, fiber, calcium, and iron, and happen to be the richest plant-based source of omega-3 fatty acids. They’re also a complete protein (a rarity in the plant world), meaning they contain all nine of the essential amino acids humans need to get from food.

Along with the cashews, this pudding has 6 grams of protein per serving (the same as 1.5 eggs) and offers 8 grams of fiber, about 28% percent of the daily recommended amount. Hence why chia pudding makes a great vegan breakfast.

Key Ingredients + Substitutions

• Raw Cashews: Give the pudding a rich, creamy texture, and add protein and healthy fats. Can be substituted with blanched almonds.
• Fresh Strawberries: If they’re not in season, you can sub with frozen strawberries – just thaw them before blending.
• Freeze-Dried Strawberries: These crunchy wonders amplify the strawberry flavor here. They’re available at Trader Joe’s, Nuts.com, and on Amazon. (If you don’t have any, just skip ‘em and compensate with a few extra fresh ones.)
• Medjool Dates: These large, jammy dates are the only sweetener in this pudding. They can be expensive in regular supermarkets, so look for them in a Middle Eastern store if you can.
• Chia Seeds: Absorb liquid as they sit. This “gelling” effect is what makes chia pudding possible.

How to Make Strawberry Chia Seed Pudding

Find complete instructions with ingredient amounts in the recipe card below.

Step 1: Soak the Cashews

In a blender (or Vitamix/Nutribullet), combine cashews with boiling water. Set aside to soak for 30 minutes (or place in the fridge overnight).

Step 2: Blend the Cashew Cream

To the blender, add the strawberries, dates, vanilla, and salt. Blend until completely smooth.

Step 3: Add the Chia Seeds

Transfer the cream to a large bowl, add the chia seeds and some cold water, and whisk to incorporate. Cover tightly with plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to allow the pudding to set.

Step 4: Serve the Pudding

I recommend eating the pudding topped with sliced strawberries and bananas, or other fresh fruit.

Storage Tips

Store chia pudding in an airtight container in the fridge and eat within 4 days. If taking the pudding to go (to school or work), pop it in a mason jar.

More Vegan Breakfast Recipes…

• Overnight Oats with Chia Seeds
• Mushroom Tartine
• Vegan Cornmeal Pancakes
• Whole Grain Oat Waffles

Let me know if you try this recipe! Give it a rating below and leave a comment, and don’t forget to tag your creation with @thenewbaguette on Instagram.