Banana Chia Pudding: Only 3 Ingredients
This easy-to-make vegan recipe for banana chia pudding is a delicious and healthy breakfast or light dessert. It only requires three ingredients: plant milk, chia seeds, and banana, though you can spice it up or sweeten it with extras to your taste. It also makes perfect baby food.
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A quick and healthy pudding is always useful, whether you choose it to wake up to in the morning, to finish off a meal or as a mid-morning snack.
Banana Chia Pudding
Banana chia pudding has got to be one of the simplest desserts ever. It’s so easy to make and with only three ingredients, you’re not likely to come unstuck by forgetting one of them. You can also make it in advance, so it’s good to go when you need it.
To make it, simply whizz the banana and plant milk in a blender or food processor until smooth. Then, add in the chia seeds, and mix well. Allow the mixture to sit for at least half an hour, or overnight, in the refrigerator to thicken.
Alternatively, do as I often do and mash the banana in a bowl. Then whisk in the milk, followed by the chia seeds. The result won’t be quite as smooth, but it’s not far off.
Leave the mix to stand for five minutes, then give it a stir and pour it into containers. Ramekins, small bowls or glasses are good. If you want to keep the puddings for longer than a few hours, pour the mixture into covered containers.
Once thickened, you can add additional ingredients like cinnamon, vanilla extract, honey, or maple syrup to taste. Serve chilled or bring to room temperature and enjoy.
If prepping for breakfast or baby food, pour into individual clip top jars* and store in the fridge until needed. Perfect for a grab-and-go breakfast or even mid-morning snack.
Banana chia pudding will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for up to five days.
Baby Food Caution
Healthy chia seed puddings are excellent for feeding babies over six months old. That is when the seeds are soaked properly and then swell up. However, you should never feed a baby with dry chia seeds. These will absorb water once ingested and could cause a gastrointestinal blockage. There’s also a risk they might choke. In fact it’s not a good idea to consume dry chia seeds whatever your age.
You might find the pudding goes down better if the chia seeds are ground up a little in the blender along with the other ingredients. However, unless your baby has difficulty swallowing, this isn’t necessary.
Banana Chia Pudding Ingredients
As I’ve already mentioned, banana chia pudding contains only three ingredients: banana, chia seeds and plant milk.
Chia Seeds
Chia seeds are little powerhouses of nutritional excellence. They’ve been used as a food source for centuries and were commonly consumed by both the Aztecs and Mayans. They are a good source of omega-3s, which is great for vegans and vegetarians alike. No more worries about having to consume oily fish.
They’re also full of antioxidants which are good for zapping reactive molecules known as free radicals.
As they’re rich with calcium, phosphorus and magnesium, chia seeds are useful for good bone health. In addition, they also contain a good dose of protein, soluble fibre, iron, Vitamins B1 and B2 and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). All good stuff.
I use white chia seeds in banana chia pudding, just because I find it more aesthetically pleasing. But it’s absolutely fine to use black chia seeds instead.
White chia seeds aren’t generally as easy to get hold of as black ones. However, you can always head to Amazon to buy white chia seeds* online. They’re not cheap, but they are good and a 500g pack goes a long way.
Bananas
You need ripe bananas for this recipe. Ripeness brings sweetness and also makes them easier to mash or blend. Over ripe bananas are fine too. In fact banana chia pudding is a quick and easy way to use up blackened bananas that are past their best.
Plant Milk
You can use whichever plant milk you most prefer in this banana chia pudding recipe. I like cashew nut milk as it doesn’t carry too much flavour of its own. But coconut, almond and oat are all good too. My recipe for hemp milk also works a treat.
If you’re not vegan and prefer to use dairy milk, go right ahead. But do make sure it’s whole milk, otherwise it won’t be as full in flavour or as creamy.
Banana Chia Pudding: Variations
The only sweetness and main flavour in this very simple chia pudding recipe comes from the banana. You may, therefore, like to change things up a bit. Here are a few ideas.
Spice It Up
Cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla all marry well with banana. Try adding a quarter teaspoon of ground cinnamon or an eighth teaspoon of grated nutmeg or half a teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Sweeten It Up
Add a tablespoon or two of a healthy sweetener to the mix. Maple syrup, date syrup or coconut blossom syrup are all good. They all bring their own unique flavours to the mix.
Chocolate Banana Chia Pudding
Chocolate and banana are such a good combination, it’s hard to resist. You can either grate a little 100% chocolate over the top of the puddings, or mix in one tablespoon of raw cacao powder. I find my microplane* really useful for grating chocolate over desserts.
If you do the latter, blend it along with the milk and bananas or add at the whisking stage.
Alternatively try my chocolate chia pudding recipe.
Top It
The world’s your oyster when it comes to toppings. Top your banana chia pudding with some banana slices, fresh berries, toasted nuts, the afore mentioned grated chocolate, granola or whatever else grabs your fancy. Just try to keep it healthy.
Other Healthy Vegan Desserts You Might Like
- Cannellini coconut chocolate cake
- Carrot cake with cashew icing
- Chocolate courgette cupcakes
- Chocolate mousse
- Chocolate puffs
- Raw chocolate truffles
Keep in Touch
Thanks for visiting Tin and Thyme. If you make this banana chia pudding, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below. And do please rate the recipe. Have you any top tips? Do share photos on social media too and use the hashtag #tinandthyme, so I can spot them.
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If you’d like more banana recipes, follow the link and you’ll find I have quite a lot of them. All delicious and nutritious, of course.
Choclette x
Banana Chia Pudding. PIN IT.
Banana Chia Pudding
Equipment
- 6 200ml clip top jars* optional
Ingredients
- 400 ml plant milk of choice (I like cashew and also coconut)
- 3 ripe bananas
- 4 tbsp white chia seeds (black are ok)
Instructions
- Whizz the milk and bananas together in a blender for thirty seconds or so. If you don’t have a blender, a food processor will work. Alternatively, use a fork to mash the bananas in a bowl, then whisk in the milk.400 ml plant milk of choice, 3 ripe bananas
- If using a blender, add the chia seeds and pulse a couple of times. Otherwise, just stir them into the mashed banana and milk.4 tbsp white chia seeds
- Let the chia seeds absorb some of the liquid for five minutes, then give the mixture a good stir.
- Pour into six ramekins, small glasses or clip top jars and leave to set in a cold place for 25 minutes or more before eating.
Notes
Nutrition Estimate
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Love this recipe! Super easy to make and incredibly delicious!
Thank you Katie, chocolate and banana is such a good match.
Such a yummy chia pudding. I love that I only need a few ingredients to make it!
Agreed Tina and it’s got to be the quickest pudding to make too.
this chia pudding is so sweet and delicious! perfect for a weekday treat!
Glad you like it Andrea and thanks for letting us know.
This banana chia pudding turned out great! The chocolate banana variation was very good. Will try the other ideas!
Woohoo, it’s hard to beat a chocolate pudding. So pleased you liked it.