This Blue Chia Pudding is a fun and creative snack, breakfast or dessert that’s absolutely packed with nutritional goodness! It’s made with chia seeds, plant milk and blue spirulina powder. Oh, and did I mention that it’s also refined sugar free, gluten free, vegan and paleo friendly?
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Why you'll love this recipe
- It takes 5 minutes to make with minimal clean up time.
- This pudding is packed with healthy nutrients: omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, plant-based protein and minerals.
- It’s vegan, gluten-free and paleo friendly.
- No artificial dies or food coloring!
- The electrifying blue color makes it a fun, kid-friendly healthy snack or dessert.
- Make sure to check out my Blue Spirulina Smoothie Bowl for another great blue snack.
Ingredient notes
Chia Seeds: I used white chia seeds because they absorb the blue color better but it’s mostly for visual effect. If you prefer, you can use “regular” black seeds in this recipe.
Plant Milk: My go-to plant milk is unsweetened soy milk but any plant-based or dairy milk will work.
Canned Coconut Milk: it adds unparalleled level of thickness, creaminess and a nice hint of coconut flavor to the pudding.
Blue Spirulina Powder: used as natural blue dye, it is also known for some great health benefits. I list some of them below.
Maple Syrup: use 100% pure maple syrup. Mine is always from Maine.
Vanilla: pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste will both work great.
What is blue spirulina
Spirulina is a blue-green algae that lives in ponds and lakes and it’s known for its nutritional benefits. Spirulina in its natural form is generally a greenish blue color but the blue pigment (called Phycocyanin) can be extracted and isolated and that’s how blue spirulina powder is made. In other words, blue spirulina is the same thing as green spirulina but with no green coloring and a somewhat fishy flavor that comes with it. Blue spirulina powder doesn’t have much flavor at all which makes it an excellent natural blue food dye with an extra dose of nutrition. And in case you're wondering, blue spirulina and blue majik are the same thing.
How to make blue chia pudding
Step 1: Mix all ingredients in a bowl. All ingredients should be well combined and you shouldn’t have any visible dry specks of blue powder or dry chia seeds.
Step 2: Set aside for 10 minutes at room temperature.
Step 3: Give it another stir. This will help avoid any clumps or dry seed pockets.
Step 4: Place in the fridge. If you want to eat it right away, give it at least 30 minutes, though I recommend keeping it in the fridge for a few hours or overnight for maximum thickness.
Step 5: Stir again and serve.
Serving suggestions
You can eat this Blue Chia Pudding on its own, layered with plant-based or dairy yogurt and/ or topped with fresh fruit, nuts and seeds. I layered mine with Trader Joe’s cashew vanilla yogurt (my favorite!) and topped it with fresh blueberries and hemp hearts. Strawberries, blackberries and raspberries will also work well. If you’d like, you can also layer it with freshly sliced banana.
Storage and freezing
Blue Chia Pudding can be stored in an airtight container or jar with a lid in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also freeze it (without any yogurt layers) for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature, give it a stir and enjoy!
Variations and substitutions
- Use any plant milk or cow’s milk you like to make this mesmerizing blue pudding. Almond, oat, soy or coconut milk in a carton are all great choices. I like to use unsweetened soy milk because of its creaminess and high protein content.
- If you don’t have canned coconut milk or want to make this pudding more low-cal, replace it with equal amount of other milk. It will be less creamy and will lose its pleasant coconut flavor though!
- For extra protein, use milk kefir instead of milk. This version is a little tarter and not vegan but super delicious AND nutritious.
- For a keto version, substitute maple syrup for stevia, monk fruit or your favorite sweetener.
- For a Whole30 version, mix in ripe mashed banana instead of maple syrup.
- You can use white or black chia seeds. White seeds will give the pudding a brighter blue color.
- Make sure to check out this creamy Oat Milk Chia Pudding and how to turn chia pudding into a Chia Breakfast Bowl.
Recipe FAQs
Not much difference other than the color. Black chia seeds are more common but I like using white chia seeds when I care about the color of the pudding, such as in this recipe.
Yes you can! You can use any liquid you like. Sometimes I mix chia seeds with kefir or thin yogurt for extra creaminess and a good dose of protein.
Just add a bit more chia seeds, a teaspoon or so, give it a good stir and place back in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. This should do the trick! To prevent thin pudding in the future, experiment with different kinds of milk. I find that soy and oat milk are thicker and creamier than almond milk.
Yes! Chia pudding is an excellent snack because it’s filled with plant-based protein, healthy fats (omega 3’s) and a ton of fiber. It’s also perfect if you follow a low-carb diet or if you’re looking for protein-filled breakfast that’s not eggs or oatmeal. One serving of this pudding provides almost 10g of fiber (that's 35% of your recommended daily intake!).
The main difference is that green spirulina is made with the entire plant, while blue spirulina (blue majik) is an extract of the pigment phycocyanin. In terms of nutritional value, they are pretty much the same. When it comes to flavor, while green spirulina tastes a little more ocean-y, a bit like seaweed, blue spirulina has a more neutral flavor. It doesn’t really have any taste which makes it a great natural food coloring with added nutrition.
Spirulina (both green and blue) is a superfood believed to have many health benefits. It’s believed to increase energy and performance, lower high blood pressure and improve digestion. It is also very high in antioxidants and a good source of protein (though you would need to consume A LOT of spirulina to get a meal’s worth protein amount).If you’d like to know more about the superfood algae, read this article about health benefits of blue spirulina.
Yes. If you don’t like the gel-like texture of chia pudding, just follow the recipe, take the pudding out of the fridge and dump it into a blender. Blend until smooth and enjoy!
More healthy snacks
- Blue Spirulina Smoothie Bowl
- Flaxseed Pudding
- Biscoff Overnight Oats
- Chocolate Cherry Nice Cream
- Vanilla Coconut Smoothie Bowl
- Chocolate Bliss Balls
- Easy No-Bake Cake Pops
If you try my Blue Chia Pudding recipe, be sure to leave me a comment and give this recipe a rating. I would love to hear from you and see how it turned out for you! You can also share and tag me on Instagram!
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Recipe
Blue Chia Pudding
Ingredients
- ¼ cup chia seeds I recommend white chia seeds
- ½ cup full-fat coconut milk
- ¾ cup unsweetened plant milk such as soy or almond
- 1 teaspoon blue spirulina powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients in a bowl with a lid or a large jar with a spoon until everything is well combined and no specks of blue powder or dry seeds are visible.
- Let the pudding sit for 5-10 minutes, then give it another stir to break any clumps that may form.
- Close the lid and place in the fridge for at least an hour to thicken.
- Stir again and serve layered with plant-based or regular yogurt or on its own.
Notes
Nutrition
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Meet the Author
Hi, I'm Agnieszka. I'm a mom of three and recipe developer, writer and photographer behind Wholly Tasteful. I love creating comforting, delicious, family-friendly recipes that you can feel good about.
Stine Mari
I love the fun blue color from the spirulina. This blue chia pudding does not disappoint!
Bernice
What a unique and fun treat. Chia pudding is so healthy too!
Keri
What a tasty and pretty pudding!
Amy
This is such a beautiful treat, and I love that it’s healthy.
Jan
I love the colour and the taste of this pudding. yum
Jacqui
I am obsessed with this recipe! It’s so easy to make and turns out to be SO pretty. This is truly an Instagrammable recipe hehe
Nancy
This is such a creative and delicious way to make chia pudding. My nieces loved this special treat.
Agnieszka
Aww, I love that!
Ash B
A really delicious pudding, and the colors are super fun too!
Jill
I just couldn't resist because of the beautiful color but this chia pudding is so good too!
Sunrita
Such a fun and delightful looking healthy pudding! Delicious