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Cottage cheese chia pudding might sound unusual at first, but it’s actually a great way to get protein and fiber all in one bite. The chia seeds soak up the milk and cottage cheese, creating a creamy, pudding-like texture that’s both tasty and satisfying.

It’s a simple treat you can customize with your favorite toppings.

Recipe Info

This recipe is:

Creamy and protein-packed. Thanks to the cottage cheese, you get a smooth texture with a nice tang and a hearty boost of protein to keep you energized.
Flexible base you can top with anything. Fresh fruit, nuts, granola, a drizzle of honey—the toppings are totally up to your cravings.
Great for meal prep. Make it ahead and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days for a quick, grab-and-go breakfast or snack.

Making cottage cheese chia pudding for the first time? Read the ingredients notes, step-by-step instructions, and tips. If you’re familiar with the recipe, feel free to jump to the recipe card.

Ingredients and Substitutes

Chia seeds. These seeds are the base that soak up the liquid, forming the pudding’s thick, gel-like texture.
Cottage cheese. Adds creaminess and a slight tang, balancing the pudding with a wholesome, protein-rich kick.
Milk of choice. Using dairy milk pairs naturally with cottage cheese for the best flavor, but you can try plant-based options too.
Liquid sweetener. Sweetens the pudding smoothly; you can use honey, maple syrup, or any other liquid sweetener depending on what you have on hand.

Step-by-Step: How to Make Cottage Cheese Chia Pudding

Prep cottage cheese. Use an immersion blender or a fork to blend or mash the cottage cheese until it’s smooth and creamy. Small curds are fine if you don’t mind (or want) a bit of texture.

Mashing the cottage cheese — Mash the cottage cheese until

Mashed cottage cheese — Mash the cottage cheese until

Mix wet ingredients. In a bowl, combine the mashed cottage cheese, your choice of milk (dairy milk works best for flavor), and the liquid sweetener. Blend these together until well incorporated and smooth.

Cottage cheese mixture — Blend the cottage cheese, milk, and sweetener until smooth

Add chia seeds. Stir the chia seeds into the wet mixture thoroughly so they distribute evenly throughout.

Adding the chia seeds — Stir the chia seeds into the wet

Thickened chia pudding — Stir the chia seeds into the wet

Give it two more stirs. After 3–6 minutes, give the pudding a good stir to prevent the chia seeds from settling or clumping. Repeat once more after another 3–6 minutes.

Stirring in the chia seeds — Cottage cheese chia pudding after a couple of minutes. Needs extra stirring.

Refrigerate. Cover the bowl or transfer to a container, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours to let the chia seeds fully absorb the liquid and thicken the pudding.
Serve. Give the pudding a final stir, then add your favorite toppings or mix-ins before digging in. Enjoy your creamy, protein-packed treat!

Creamy cottage cheese chia pudding served with blueberries and strawberry sauce — Stir, add your favorite toppings, and enjoy!

Variations

Vegan

To make your cottage cheese chia pudding vegan:

swap the cottage cheese for a plant-based alternative like silken tofu or a thick vegan yogurt that’s high in protein. Silken tofu blends smoothly and mimics that creamy texture—here’s a great recipe to make your own vegan cottage cheese.
use a plant-based milk like almond, oat, or soy milk.
choose a vegan-friendly liquid sweetener such as maple syrup or some of the popular branded sweeteners

Creamy cottage cheese chia pudding served for two — Healthy cottage cheese chia pudding served for two

Meal Prep

This pudding is perfect for meal prepping. Just multiply the recipe by however many servings you want, then mix it all together (remember about those extra 2 stirs) and portion it into jars or containers.

When you’re ready to eat, give it a stir and dig in.

Quick tip: if you’re adding any crunchy toppings like nuts or granola, wait to add those until just before serving so they don’t get soggy.

High Protein

To amp up the protein, stir in a scoop of your favorite protein powder (whey or plant-based) into the milk and cottage cheese mixture before adding the chia seeds. A full 30 – 35 g scoop adds around 20 grams of extra protein. And make sure to stir in an extra half-tablespoon of chia seeds to make sure the texture comes out just right.

Last but not least, if your protein powder is sweetened (most of them are), limit the liquid sweetener to half, and taste the flavor before adding the chias. Add extra to balance the sweetness if needed.

	Protein per serving (g)
Regular	15.4
Regular + protein powder	35.4

A creamy cottage cheese chia pudding topped with strawberry sauce and fresh blueberries — Creamy cottage cheese chia pudding topped with strawberry sauce and fresh blueberries

Tips

Adjust consistency. If the pudding is thicker than you like after refrigeration, stir in a little extra milk just before serving to loosen it up without watering down the flavor.

Storage

Once you’ve prepared your cottage cheese chia pudding, keep it stored in an airtight container in the fridge. It will stay fresh and tasty for up to 3 to 4 days.

Light and healthy cottage cheese chia pudding in a jar — A light and healthy cottage cheese chia pudding

Similar Recipes to Try

Looking for more? Check out the following recipes:

Chia Pudding 101. A 3-ingedient simple chia pudding base, Quick, customizable, perfect for first-timers.
Protein Powder Chia Pudding. Want something even more protein-packed? This version blends Greek yogurt with protein powder to keep you energized all day long in a creamy, satisfying pudding.
Strawberry Chia Pudding. If you’re craving a fresh, fruity twist, this one is worth a try.
Raspberry Chia Pudding. Similar to the previous one, except it’s made with raspberries. Just as delicious.
Mango Chia Pudding. Looking to add a tropical vibe? This refreshing mango and Greek yogurt chia pudding brings a lively, protein-rich alternative to your usual routine.