Lemon Blueberry Chia Pudding (Vegan)

Name: Lemon Blueberry Chia Pudding (Vegan)
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup non-dairy milk of choice; 2-3 tablespoons of fresh squeezed lemon juice (see note 1); ½ cup frozen or fresh blueberries (see note 2); 2 pitted medjool dates or 2-3 tablespoons sweetener of choice (see note 3); ¼ cup chia seeds; 1 teaspoon lemon zest, for garnish, optional; Fresh blueberries and vegan yogurt (or granola, chopped nuts, etc.)

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Sweet, tart, and delicious, this Lemon Blueberry Chia Pudding makes the perfect plant-based breakfast or dessert. This vegan chia pudding is loaded with flavor and micronutrients your body needs, and it will keep you satisfied for many hours.

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Why This Recipe Works
Ingredients and Substitutions
How to Make Lemon Blueberry Chia Seeds
Frequently Asked Questions
Pro Tips for Success
More Recipes Like This
Lemon Blueberry Chia Pudding (Vegan)

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Hey Internet, I’m loving these chia pudding recipes. The chocolate peanut butter chia pudding I shared a few weeks ago was very popular, so I’m bringing you a new amazing flavor combination today: lemon blueberry chia pudding!

It’s vegan, it’s refreshing, it’s delicious, and it’s satiating.

I’m already a big fan of lemon blueberry things—check out my vegan lemon blueberry muffins. I also just really love lemon things, like my vegan lemon loaf, vegan lemon poppyseed muffins, and even savory things like my lemon miso tahini dressing, lemon tahini broccolini pasta dinner, and my vegan orzo soup which has a lemon chicken vibe. I’m currently also working on a lemon pepper tofu and orzo recipe.

While you can eat chia pudding as a satisfying meal or snack any time of day, I especially love it in the morning.

Chia pudding is a great breakfast. It’s healthy, satisfying, and will keep you going for many hours until lunch at least. My energy is higher overall on days I have chia pudding than on days I don’t. And I don’t do caffeine often so that’s not the culprit.

Did you know how amazing chia seeds are for you? Chia seeds are LOADED with nutrients like all your omega fatty acids as well as significant amounts of calcium, fiber, protein, iron, magnesium, vitamins B1 (thiamine) and B3 (niacin), phosphorus, and zinc.

Chia pudding is great for meal prep so you can make a bunch of them at the beginning of the week and enjoy one each day. It is completely grab and go. This recipe is actually really EASY to meal prep since all you do is blend everything except the seeds, then stir in the seeds, and refrigerate. It will take you like 5 minutes. Let’s do it!

Why This Recipe Works

This blueberry chia pudding recipe is so easy it’s almost a non-recipe. BUT there is a specific amount of each ingredient so that’s why I am writing it all out. Besides, I really want you to make it!

First, we add all the ingredients to the blender (except the chia seeds and lemon zest) and blend until smooth.

Can you blend the chia seeds? YES! If you don’t like the texture of the chia seeds, you can blend them into the chia pudding. I definitely recommend a high speed blender if you want to a super smooth lemon blueberry chia pudding.

Personally, I really like the texture of the chia seeds once they’ve expanded so I add the seeds after blending. Just stir them in, that’s all!

But back up for a second. Once you’re done blending but before you add the chia seeds, I want you to taste the mixture.

Is it sweet enough? If not, add another pitted medjool date or more of the sweetener of your choice (maple syrup, agave, vegan honey, etc.). You can even use stevia if you like the taste.

Does it have a strong enough blueberry flavor? Or lemon flavor? No? Add more of whichever one you like. If you want more of a sweet lemon flavor (as opposed to the sourness of lemon juice), try a quarter to half teaspoon of lemon extract (be careful not to add too much, it will give the pudding a chemical taste).

The idea here is to make a lemon blueberry chia pudding that YOU like.

When you’re satisfied, stir in the chia seeds, add it to a container (jar, bowl, whatever you have), cover and refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours.

Don’t like waiting? I get it. Check it at 1 hour and see if it’s thick enough for you. You can always put it back in for a little bit.

And then you eat! We love our lemon blueberry chia pudding with a little vegan yogurt (we use vanilla flavored coconut yogurt), some fresh blueberries on top, and a little lemon zest from a microplane or zester.

But you could also add other fresh fruit (like raspberries or strawberries, yum), a drizzle of sweetener or a drizzle of my vegan chocolate sauce, granola like my coconut cacao granola, a spoonful of runny nut butter (ooh good idea), or some toasted coconut flakes.

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Ingredients and Substitutions

Note: These amounts make 2 servings of chia pudding. Halve or increase the recipe to make the desired number of servings.

1 cup non-dairy milk of choice: It really doesn’t matter which kind you use. Just use something you like. Note that this amount makes a thick chia pudding, so use more if you like yours to be a little more runny. If you purchased vanilla flavored non-dairy milk that will add a bit of a vanilla flavor to your pudding (that could be good though).
2-3 tablespoons of fresh squeezed lemon juice: I’m a bit of a snob when it comes to using fresh squeezed lemon juice. Bottled just doesn’t taste the same. If you want lemon flavor without tartness, try a quarter to a half teaspoon of lemon extract. Don’t add too much as this can add a bitter flavor to your chia pudding.
½ cup frozen or fresh blueberries: Use whichever berries you have available! If using frozen, I find that the organic blueberries tend to taste sweeter than conventional. This recipe works with any frozen fruit, by the way.
2 pitted medjool dates or 2-3 tablespoons sweetener of choice: Use whatever sweetener you like best for this recipe. Agave, maple syrup, vegan honey, or stevia all work great. Since we’re blending the chia pudding, I went ahead and used dates to make this recipe naturally sweetened.
¼ cup chia seeds: White or black chia seeds are both fine.
1 teaspoon lemon zest, for garnish, optional: Use a microplane or zester to get some of the zest off a fresh lemon.
For serving: Fresh blueberries and vegan yogurt (or granola, chopped nuts, etc.)

How to Make Lemon Blueberry Chia Seeds

Note: This recipe makes enough for two servings. Halve or increase the recipe (double, triple, etc.) depending on how many servings you want to make at one time. Chia pudding lasts for 5-6 days in the fridge.
Add everything except the chia seeds and lemon zest to the blender and blend until smooth. (Note that if you don’t like the texture of expanded chia seeds, you can blend them with everything else.
TASTE the mixture. If you like it, move on to step 4. If it’s not sweet enough, add another pitted medjool date or more of your chosen sweetener and blend again. Adjust until you are satisfied with the flavor.
Pour into 1 or 2 jars (I used these jars) or containers that you can cover and mix in the chia seeds thoroughly.
Cover and refrigerate your lemon blueberry chia pudding for at least 1-2 hours. If you’re in a hurry, you can check it after 30-60 minutes and it may be gelled enough for your tastes. You can also refrigerate these overnight so they’re ready for you first thing in the morning.
If you made two servings, divide the chia pudding between two bowls *unless you already divided it between two jars*. Serve with your favorite toppings such as fresh blueberries or other fruit (like raspberries or strawberries, yum), a drizzle of sweetener or a drizzle of my vegan chocolate sauce, granola like my coconut cacao granola, a spoonful of runny nut butter (ooh good idea), or some toasted coconut flakes.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are chia seeds?

Chia seeds are the tiny seeds from a plant native to Mexico and Guatemala known as Salvia hispanica. They can expand to 10 times their size when wet! Chia seeds are often used as a binder in baking but they’re also great in chia pudding.

Are chia seeds healthy?

Yes! Besides containing a good amount of protein, fiber, and healthy fats, chia seeds are packed with other micronutrients such as calcium, antioxidants, and omega fatty acids which are great for brain health.

Is chia seed pudding healthy?

Yes, it is as long as you put healthy stuff in it! I prefer to naturally sweeten my chia seed pudding using dates. Other refined-sugar-free options include maple syrup, blackstrap molasses (though this is a pretty strong flavor and may overwhelm the lemon blueberry flavor), and date syrup.

I’m sensitive to sour flavors. What should I do?

I would either skip the lemon juice or use half the amount and use a quarter or half teaspoon of lemon extract instead. Taste the mixture after it’s blended. Too sour? It’s possible your blueberries were sour too. Try adding a bit more sweetener to balance out the flavors.

Can I blend the chia seeds with the rest of the ingredients for a smooth texture?

Yes, absolutely. Some people do not like the texture of chia seeds and that’s OK! I do recommend a high speed blender if you want to make sure your chia pudding is super smooth.

Are there other flavors of chia seed pudding?

I do indeed have many different chia seed pudding recipes on the blog and am coming up with more all the time! Have an idea for a flavor you’d like to see? Message me on Instagram @zardyplants and I will add it to my list!

Pro Tips for Success

Make sure to blend your mixture until very smooth. If your medjool dates are hard and dry, soak them in just-boiled water for 20 minutes then drain the water. They should be easier to blend after that.
Taste the mixture before adding it to containers and mixing in the chia seeds. Now is a good time to adjust the flavors, sweetness, etc. If you want more lemon flavor, try a quarter or half teaspoon of lemon extract or a little more lemon juice. If you want it to taste like pie, try a quarter or half teaspoon of vanilla extract.
If you don’t like the texture of chia seeds, blend them together with the rest of the ingredients. Note that it’s better to have a high speed blender for this so you can get the mixture very smooth.
Cover the pudding and refrigerate for at least 60 minutes to allow the chia seeds to fully expand. I like to wait at least two hours for a very thick chia pudding.

More Recipes Like This

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