Banana Chia Pudding – Paleo, Vegan

4.67 from 3 votes

This creamy, sweet banana chia pudding is a super tasty no-cook dessert. It’s made with just a few simple Paleo and Vegan friendly ingredients, so this a sweet treat that’s satisfying and actually good for you, too!

Side view of banana chia pudding in a glass jar, topped with chocolate chips, walnuts, and sliced bananas.

Why We Love It

Chia seed pudding is one of my all time favorite desserts and post workout snacks! Why? It’s easy to make (it requires zero cooking!), requires only a few simple ingredients, and it’s absolutely delicious.

Some of my favorite variations of chia pudding are blueberry and mango, and now, it’s time for another variation- banana chia pudding!

It tastes like banana bread, but it’s creamy and light, plus it’s Vegan and Paleo friendly. And because I usually have all four of the recipe ingredients lying around, I can make it on the fly, whenever I’m craving a better-for-you treat.

🍌 Ingredients

The recipe ingredients laid out on a cutting board and labeled: chia seeds, almond milk, ripe bananas, and maple syrup.
  • Chia seeds. Chia seeds are a super food, packed with fiber, protein, omega-3’s, and more. They work as a natural thickener as they absorb liquid – it’s almost like magic! They’re the key to the pudding-like texture (I also chia seeds to many of my healthy smoothies)!
  • Bananas. Choose ripe bananas that have a bit of brown spotting on the skin. Browning bananas will be sweeter and softer than yellow bananas.
  • Almond milk. Feel free to swap out any milk of choice that you prefer! Coconut milk, oat milk, and cow’s milk are all good choices, depending on your dietary preferences.
  • Maple syrup. The maple syrups adds just a bit of sweet deliciousness!

Optional Ingredients

  • Chocolate chips, walnuts, cinnamon.
Close up top down of the chia pudding in a large bowl topped with walnuts and chocolate chips.

Making the Recipe

Just follow these four simple steps and you’ll have this awesome dessert ready to enjoy! Here’s how to make it:

  1. Peel and smash the ripe bananas with a fork. For a smoother texture, blend the bananas and almond milk until it’s completely smooth.
  2. Pour the almond milk, chia seeds, and maple syrup into the bowl with the bananas, mixing well with a spoon.
  3. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight. The chia seeds will have absorbed a lot of the liquid and it will have the consistency of pudding.
  4. Give it a quick stir and divide the pudding to serve in cups or bowls. Optionally, top each with a little chopped walnuts and chocolate chips.

To store: Keep chia pudding in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator. Use it within 4-5 days. Before serving, stir the pudding well.

Note: The color can change slightly over a few days’ times, browning slightly, because bananas naturally brown in color a bit. Just give the chia pudding a stir before serving!

Side view close up of the chia pudding in a jar with a spoon.

FAQ

What’s the chia seed to liquid ratio?

The proper chia seed to liquid ratio is 1:4. To get the best consistency, combine 1 tablespoon of chia seeds for every 4 tablespoons of liquid.

Is chia pudding Whole30?

Can you can have chia pudding on Whole30? The answer is no, per Whole30 HQ. Unfortunately, even if you make chia pudding with compatible ingredients, it is a recreated dessert, so it firmly lands in the no-no category. That said, it’s a hotly contested issue in the Whole30 community, but I’m still going to advise you to please save chia pudding for your food freedom!

Is chia pudding Keto friendly?

Sometimes, but not always. Chia seeds themselves are very Keto friendly, but many chia pudding recipes are made with added sugars and fruits high in carbohydrates. Look for chia pudding recipes that use berries, full fat milks, and are unsweetened or sweetened with Keto friendly sweeteners (like my blueberry chia pudding recipe!). This banana chia pudding would NOT Keto friendly because bananas and maple syrup are both high in carbohydrates.

What are the calories in chia pudding?

This recipe as written contains 203 calories, 4 grams protein, and 8 grams fiber per serving (full nutrition information is below).

One tablespoon of plain chia seeds is approximately 69 calories. The calories and nutrition information in chia pudding can vary a lot from recipe to recipe. It depends largely on the additional pudding ingredients you use, especially the type of sweeteners and type of milk. If you use almond milk or nonfat milk, chia pudding would be a lower calorie dessert. Using coconut milk or whole milk would make chia pudding a much higher calorie dessert.

More Deliciously Sweet & Healthy Recipes

Well, all that’s left to do is dig in! If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it!
Drop a comment below or tag me on Instagram @cookathomemom!

Close up side view of banana chia pudding in a jar topped with chocolate chips, walnuts, and banana slices.

Banana Chia Pudding – Paleo, Vegan

This creamy, sweet banana chia pudding is a super tasty no-cook dessert. It's made with just a few simple Paleo and Vegan friendly ingredients, so this a sweet treat that's satisfying and actually good for you, too!
4.67 from 3 votes
Print Pin Rate Text Recipe
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Resting Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Laura Miner

Ingredients

  • 6 Tablespoons chia seeds
  • 1 cup almond milk or any other milk of choice
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup or substitute agave or honey if you prefer
  • 2 bananas

Optional Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoons chocolate chips
  • 2 Tablespoons chopped walnuts

Video

Instructions

  • Peel the bananas and set in a bowl. If you like a little texture in your chia pudding, use a fork to mash them well. If you like a smooth texture, blend the bananas in a blender.
  • Stir the milk, maple syrup, and chia seeds into the bananas until until fully combined.
    Cover and set in the fridge overnight, or for at least 2 hours. Stir the mixture again before serving.
  • Spoon the mixture into cups and top with walnuts and chocolate chips, if using.

Notes

To store: Keep chia pudding in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator. Use it within 4-5 days. Before serving, stir the pudding well.
Note: Nutrition information does not include optional ingredients. 

Nutrition

Calories: 203kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 87mg | Potassium: 330mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 47IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 213mg | Iron: 2mg
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4.67 from 3 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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4 Comments

  1. Ripe bananas r very sweet why would you want any sweetner? I’ll make the recipe and let you know. Thanks Sue

    1. Hi Sue, the sweetness level can totally be customized to your preference. Feel free to omit or reduce the maple syrup if that suits you! 🙂 -Laura

  2. 4 stars
    Super delicious — a great way to use up some ripe bananas! I double the recipe and added a pinch of salt, a few shakes of cardamom, and a bunch of cinnamon! Thanks for the recipe!

    1. Hi Kristin, I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe! And I absolutely love the addition of cinnamon, cardamom, and salt. 🙂 Thanks for sharing!! -Laura