This Flaxseed Pudding is a gorgeous and healthy plant-based breakfast. Made with 6 ingredients (most of them superfoods!), this no-cook berry pudding can be blended up in just 5 minutes. With a recipe this simple and delicious, there’s really no excuse to skip breakfast!
We’ve all heard about chia pudding, right? 🤔
But what about its less expensive, arguably healthier cousin flaxseed pudding? If you’ve never heard of flax pudding or tried it yourself, it’s time to give it a try!
This berry flaxseed pudding couldn’t be easier, healthier, or prettier! It’s cool, refreshing, and makes a great breakfast or snack on the go. It can also be customized with a variety of toppings for a different version every day of the week. Let’s get blending!
Recipe Highlights
This flaxseed pudding is perfect for EASY meal prep and is appropriate for many different diets. This pudding is vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and nut-free. It’s also whole-food, plant-based as written AND Whole 30 compliant if you swap out the soy milk for nut milk. 🎉
In terms of flavor, this blueberry cherry pudding is a delicious middle ground between a fruit-sweetened yogurt and a smoothie bowl. 😋 It’s also a perfect canvas for your favorite toppings!
This recipe:
- Takes 5 minutes
- Is made in a blender
- Doesn’t require chopping
- Provides fiber, protein, calcium, iron, potassium, and lignans (a powerful phytonutrient tied to cancer prevention)
Made with frozen berries instead of fresh and way more flax seeds than chia seeds, this healthy vegan pudding is also more economical than many other superfood breakfasts. (Looking at you, acai bowls!)
Ingredients
Flax Seeds: The star of this recipe, flax seeds are packed with omega-3s, protein, fiber, and lignans. They give this recipe its pudding-like consistency and help keep you full until lunch! Since flax seeds have hard shells and may pass right through your digestive tract undigested, I like to use ground flaxseed (also known as flax meal).
Chia Seeds: Chia seeds have a similar nutritional profile to flax, though contain fewer lignans. They also have a slightly stronger gelling effect than flaxseed does. However, they are considerably more expensive. If you use a high-powered blender, the chia seeds will be broken down fully during the blending step. Perfect for all you chia-haters out there! 😉
Frozen Blueberries & Dark Sweet Cherries: Filled with antioxidants and vitamin C, these sweet fruits bulk up our flax pudding. They also make it taste delicious and light. Buying frozen fruit helps save a bit of money and ensures you can eat these superfoods, even out of season! Both blueberries and cherries seem to be consistently delicious frozen, so they’re my recommendation in this recipe.
Medjool Dates: Medjool dates are the perfect whole-food, plant-based sweetener. I typically use 1 date. If you’re looking for extra sweetness, simply add an extra date or two.
Soy Milk: I prefer to use soy milk because it’s a great neutral plant-based milk with health benefits. However, you can use your favorite type of non-dairy milk in this recipe. To make the recipe Whole 30 compliant, use nut milk instead.
How to Prep & Store
This is a really simple recipe that’s perfect for taking with you to school or work. It’s also easy to make ahead and pack in a cooler for a car trip or day at the beach. 🏖
- To make this recipe, simply add all ingredients to your high-speed blender and blend well. (You may need to stop to scrape down the sides.) After blending, the mixture may be a bit runny, but that’s normal.
- Transfer the pudding to an air-tight container or individual jars, then store in the refrigerator until thickened.
- Your pudding will be ready after about 2 hours. When you’re ready to eat, top with your preferred toppings and serve!
As written, this recipe makes 2 and 1/2 cups of pudding. This breaks down to approximately 2 filling breakfast servings or about 5 snack-/dessert-sized servings at a half cup each.
This chia and flaxseed pudding can be stored successfully in the fridge for 5+ days and is best served cold.
🚂 Are you on the make-ahead breakfast train yet? 🚂 If so, you’ll also love these 5-minute overnight oats!
Topping Ideas
This berry flaxseed pudding is thick, delicious, and well-balanced already. However, it’s extra delicious with a little extra texture on top!
Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Whole blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries
- Sliced strawberries
- Sliced kiwis
- A sprinkle of coconut flakes or shreds
- A smattering of oil-free granola
Tips & Substitutions
- Use a high-speed blender that can break down seeds in order to get a very smooth and thick pudding.
- Store any optional toppings separately and add them just before serving for best results.
- Be sure to drink plenty of water when you eat this flaxseed pudding. Since it’s very high in fiber, you want to make sure things keep moving. 🤭
- Use frozen fruit, as indicated in the recipe card, to save money and to enjoy delicious berries and cherries all year round!
- If you don’t have access to frozen cherries, you can substitute a mixed berry blend or a different frozen berry of your choice for a slightly different flavor. Alternatively, simply double the frozen blueberries.
- If you only have whole flax seeds available to you, then blend your own at home to create ground flax meal. You should use approximately 1/4 cup of whole seeds in order to make 1/2 cup of ground flax meal. However, I haven’t tested this conversion myself.
Flaxseed Questions
Yes! When eaten whole, flax seeds may pass through your digestive tract undigested. Even when you think you’re chewing pretty well, you’ll miss out on some of their amazing nutrients. Simply grind them up to increase bioavailability!
You can use a coffee grinder, food processor, or high-speed blender to grind your own flax meal at home. For many, it may be more convenient to buy pre-ground flax meal at the grocery store.
Many well-stocked grocery stores carry pre-ground flaxseed meal. If you’re having trouble finding it, you can check the organic/specialty food aisle or simply ask someone at the store. I typically buy mine online through Amazon Subscribe & Save (here’s a free Prime trial).
This is a great question because omega-3s are pretty sensitive! Once ground, flax meal should be used relatively quickly. Once you’ve ground it yourself or opened the bag from the grocery store, you should store it in a well-sealed container in the fridge or freezer.
If you already follow a healthy diet, flax likely already has a place in your regular recipe rotation. (If not, start adding it to your diet ASAP!) This pudding uses quite a bit of flax and can help you get through any excess you have at home. In addition, flax can be added to smoothies, oatmeal, cookies, and much more. It’s a versatile superfood! Once you start using it consistently, you’ll be shocked that you went so long without it!
Helpful Tools
- Wide-mouth Mason Jars
- Measuring Cups & Spoons
- Vitamix (or other blender)
Similar Recipes
There are very few things that make me feel like “I’ve got my life together” the way that breakfast meal prep does. If you want to give it a try yourself, try one of these make-ahead plant-based breakfast recipes and see how they improve your mornings!
Looking for more snack ideas? I also have a whole-food, plant-based snack guide!
Flaxseed Berry Pudding
This Flaxseed Pudding is a gorgeous and healthy plant-based breakfast. Made with 6 ingredients (most of them superfoods!), this no-cook berry pudding can be blended up in just 5 minutes. With a recipe this simple and delicious, there's really no excuse to skip breakfast!
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/2 cups soy milk, unsweetened
- 1/2 cup ground flaxseed (flax meal)
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1 Medjool date, pitted
- 1 cup frozen blueberries
- 1 cup frozen sweet dark cherries
- Optional toppings: fresh berries, sliced fruit, shredded coconut, granola
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to your blender in the order listed (starting with soy milk).
- Blend until very smooth, then transfer to an air-tight container or individual jars.
- Place in the refrigerator and allow to thicken for 2 hours before enjoying. This pudding will keep well in the refrigerator for 5 days. Add toppings just before serving, if desired.
Notes
Substitutions: You may use the non-dairy milk of your choice for this recipe. (For Whole 30, use nut milk.) If you don't have a Medjool date on hand, feel free to leave it out or replace it with your favorite sweetener. You can replace the fruit that's called for in the recipe with a mixed berry blend for slightly different but similar results.
Storage: This pudding can be made ahead and will keep well in the refrigerator for 5 days. Store toppings separately for best results.
Servings: This recipe makes 2 and 1/2 cups of pudding. This breaks down to approximately 2 filling breakfast servings or about 5 snack-/dessert-sized servings at a half cup each, depending on your individual calorie needs and appetite.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1 and 1/4 cupsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 360Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 34mgCarbohydrates: 47gFiber: 17gSugar: 25gProtein: 16g
Nutrition information is an estimate only, based on the recipe as written. It does not include optional toppings. Data was obtained through MyFitnessPal's recipe creator.
The Science
- I talked a lot about lignans above! If you have no idea what I’m talking about, then read this lignan overview to get started.
- Which is healthier, chia or flax seeds? Here’s everything you would want to know about flax versus chia. (Spoiler: Flaxseed edges out chia!)
- Cherries are healthy and anti-inflammatory. Though they may be a bit hard to find fresh, they are usually easy to find in the freezer section of your grocery store. They also retain their nutrition when frozen! See this cherry overview for more health benefits.
What do you think?
Thanks so much for stopping by! If you make this recipe, then please leave a comment and rating. I would love to hear what you think and how it worked out for you!
If you’re looking for more breakfast recipes made in a blender, then you must try my matcha smoothie bowl! For more ideas, see all of my breakfast recipes!
Ildi says
Yumm yumm, so simple, yet something my kids would eat.
Kayla says
Yes, a very good option for kids and a good alternative to sugar-sweetened yogurt. Sometimes when I make this I put frozen fruit on the bottom of a few small containers and top them with this pudding. After a day or so in the fridge, I have my own “fruit on the bottom” vegan yogurt alternative. Hope you all like it!