Okay, I know this Mango Coconut Chia Pudding is a little out of the ordinary for me, since I don’t usually hop on to health food trends, but let me explain. I have this obsession with seeing food in restaurants and cafés and wondering about how much less it would be if I made it at home. I was in Tennessee last week and we stopped by a coffee shop to grab coffee before our long drive home and when I looked around for something I could grab for breakfast and eat in the car, I spotted some tiny cups of chia pudding. And when I say “tiny” I mean TINY.
This post contains some affiliate links, which means that we make a small commission off items you purchase at no additional cost to you.
I couldn’t find a price on the chia cups, but I have no doubt they were at least $3 (is anything in a coffee shop less than $3? lol). Knowing that chia pudding is usually just chia seeds mixed with some flavorful liquid, I just had to try to make it at home. And guess what? I’m really glad I did! The Mango Coconut Chia Pudding that I made is soooo good, less than $1.50 each, and at least a couple ounces larger than the cups in the café! They’re light, fresh, filling, and not too sweet. I love them for breakfast or a snack, and I can’t wait to try more flavors!
What Are Chia Seeds?
If you’re not familiar with chia seeds, they’re tiny little seeds that contain a lot of soluble fiber and they gel up when mixed with liquid. So it’s almost like little tapioca beads with crunchy centers. They’re very interesting and fun to eat! As for nutrition, people love chia because it’s high in fiber, protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and other nutrients. I mainly like them because they’re fun to eat. ;) You can find them at health food stores and if you don’t plan to use them often, I suggest checking the bulk bins so that you can buy just the amount that you need.
And don’t worry, if you’re more of a comfort food person, I’m sure I’ll be back to making things like Bacon Broccoli Mac and Cheese in no time. 😜
Mango Coconut Chia Pudding
Servings 4Ingredients
- 1/2 lb. frozen mango chunks* ($1.65)
- 1 13oz. can lite coconut milk* ($2.19)
- 1 tsp sugar ($0.02)
- 6 Tbsp chia seeds ($0.93)
Instructions
- If the mango chunks are in large pieces, chop them into smaller, 1/4-inch pieces. Place half of the mango chunks , the coconut milk, and sugar in a blender and process until smooth.
- Divide the remaining mango chunks between 4 small containers (10-12oz. containers). Add 1.5 Tbsp of chia seeds to each container. Finally, pour the mango coconut milk mixture into the containers, dividing it evenly between all four.
- Stir the contents of each container to make sure all the chia seeds have adequate exposure to the liquid. Place lids on the containers and refrigerate over night, or up to 4-5 days.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Equipment
- Jelly Jars
Notes
**Do not use full-fat canned coconut milk as it has a lower moisture content and may not fully hydrate the chia seeds.
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!Want more cold breakfast ideas? Check out our Cold Breakfast Recipe Archives!
How to Make Mango Coconut Chia Pudding – Step by Step Photos
Chop 1/2 lb. fresh or frozen mango chunks into small 1/4-inch pieces (about 2 cups).
Add half of the mango chunks (about 1 cup), one 13oz. can lite coconut milk, and 1 tsp sugar (or your favorite sweetener) to a blender and purée until smooth.
Make sure you’re using lite coconut milk instead of full-fat because full-fat has a lower moisture content and it might not fully hydrate the chia seeds.
Divide the remaining mango chunks between four small containers. Place 1.5 Tbsp chia seeds in each container as well. I suggest a 10-12oz. container. These are actually 8oz. mason jars, but they were filled all the way up to the top, so a 10oz. would give you a little more wiggle room.
Pour the mango coconut purée over the mango chunks and chia seeds, dividing it equally between all four containers.
Stir each container of pudding to make sure all the seeds get exposure to the liquid. Make sure there are no clumps of seeds in the corners or on the bottom of the containers. Place lids on the containers and refrigerate over night.
And then by morning the liquid will have gelled and thickened from the chia and you’ll have delicious little “pudding” cups with chunks of mango!
It might not be a looker, but this Mango Coconut Chia Pudding is quite good! :D
If you’re the type of person that can’t handle certain textures, like me, then I would suggest doubling the fruit per container. Once it’s sit for a couple days then I find the texture of the chia seeds intolerable once there’s no more fruit. However, I’ve found that eating it with some granola and a banana make it a much more pleasant experience for me. I LOVE the flavor of the coconut milk, I used frozen peaches instead of mangos because that’s what I had, I also added some yogurt to make it a little more filling.
This is a favorite of ours. I now just cut up oranges and add diluted whole coconut milk. With a little maple syrup. Bet, this is such a great “concept” recipe that I’ve been able to adjust according to what I have on hand. It reminds me of an old fruit salad called ambrosia.
Wow! This was so easy to make and so good! I used full fat coconut milk and added a bit more sugar. Very pleased with it. I will definitely make it again. Refreshing and flavorful. Nice to meal prep for breakfast.
My laziness got the best of me and I just dumped everything in a plastic container and put it in the fridge overnight. I also used brown sugar instead of white, and added vanilla extract. I didn’t blend anything. It was still really good. The coconut milk in the can that I used had 3.5 grams of fat per serving, and it still had a nice consistency. This is a really easy recipe for when you just don’t feel like like doing anything at all and you have a nice dessert/snack the next day. Love it!
I made the mistake of buying chia seeds at Costco last year, so I’ve had a huge surplus. Then my dad read something in the news and bought me another 1 lb bag! So needless to say, we’ve been swimming in chia seeds over here.
This recipe is just what I needed to use up some of my prodigious stock and it was phenomenal to boot. The texture is great and the mango coconut milk flavor is perfect. I’m not even a huge mango fan, but it tastes fresh and natural. I used a little more sweetener because I already know I have more of a sweet tooth when it comes to breakfast than Beth :) I was licking the leftovers out of my food processor. I can’t wait to try other flavors!
Can you add rolled oats?
Sure! You may want to increase the liquid, though, as oats will absorb quite a bit.
I typically don’t buy lite coconut milk. I take regular and thin it with water (1 part milk to 2 parts water). I use coconut milk regularly, so the left over normally gets used. If I don’t have plans for it, I freeze it and just re-emulsify when it defrosts.
Hi! Do you have an idea of how long these will last in the fridge? Does any of it spoil? I used fresh strawberries in mine and it turned out really good.
Fresh strawberries sounds delicious! It should last about 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator.
Thanks for the great idea! I am making multiple batches of this and switching up the fruit is a great idea!
Hi I forgot to get coconut milk. I do have whole milk and coconut flakes. Do you think that would be a good substitute?
Yes that would be fine!
Hello! Im very new to cooking and with how hard coronavirus has hit our stores i couldnt find any lite coconut milk. I have normal and unsweetened coconut milk instead. Is there any way to use those instead? Im a bit worried about the chia seeds not getting enough moisture.
Yes you could use either one of those, it just may be thicker. You can add a little water if you’d like.
I accidentally bought dried mango instead of frozen (benefits and downfall of online grocery shopping!). Do you think this could be used instead of fresh/frozen and slightly rehydrate through this process? If not, then I guess I just have a healthy snack of dried mango laying around. Haha
Hmm, yeah, I’m not sure that will work because the mango juice is what flavors and sweetens the liquid that the chia are soaked in. You could try soaking the mango in the liquid before puréeing to see if it still flavors and sweetens it, but I’m not sure how that will work out. You could also just try sweetening the milk with a little honey and then just add in your dry mango pieces with the chia. They’d still be tasty little chunks throughout the chia. :)
Thanks!! I have honey so I’ll give that a try :)
Sweet and delicious chia seed pudding i like it
I added ginger and lemon juice. It really makes it! Much more flavorful.😋
Oh that sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing Heidi.
This is so tasty and so easy! I’ll definitely be making it frequently. I added a bit of key lime juice for an extra zing, but it was delicious without too.
Oh that sounds delicious!
I am one of those weirdos who doesn’t like Mango or Pineapple. I think I will try this with blueberries. We always have loads of them in the freezer. Wish me luck.
This recipe doubles beautifully, but oh my god you wind up with more chia pudding than one person can possibly eat without burnout. Thankfully my roommate loves it as much as I do. (I’m a heathen and add extra sugar per-serving when I want something more like a pudding cup, and it’s delicious and not grainy at all.)
this recipe is amazing. I usually don’t eat breakfast but I actually want to now that I started making these! Tastes like a vacation in a mason jar and sooo easy to make.
Would you make any changes when using fresh mango instead of frozen?
Nope, should be a simple swap. :)
Your blog is the best thing since sliced bread. I’m a graduate student with a small budget who eats a pescitarian diet. I’ve been trying to get healthy and be in shape, but it’s hard when you think the only cheap foods are instant ramen noodles and taco bell. I’ve been getting into cooking too, but I find that ingredients can get expensive. Your blog is a LIFESAVER. I feel like I’m able to cook creative and healthy foods for a low cost. Thanks so much!
Thank you!!
I just made this last night, but didn’t put in any sugar (completely forgot!) but I loved the flavour and I think there was enough sweetness from the mango and coconut milk to satisfy my morning sugar cravings. I think this would also be lovely for a lighter dessert in the evening.
And I sprinkled just a few blueberries on top for fun and colour- pretty and delicious! Thanks Beth for the recipe!
Pretty tasty! I doubled the recipe and split it into 4 containers instead. I also added a little bit more sweetener. It makes a filling breakfast.
This looks sooo good! I can’t wait to try it! I work overnights, and this is perfect when
I come in and am STARVING, but too tired to cook.
This is great! I may have a serious sweet tooth but I thought it was a little blah — until I sprinkled some brown sugar on the top of each jar — then it was marvelous!
I also used full-fat coconut milk and it worked out just fine!
I just mixed up a variation of this recipe. Didn’t have mango, so I used pineapple. Also didn’t have lite coconut milk so I just used half full fat coconut milk and half unsweetened almond milk. And because I want this for dessert, I used a tablespoon of honey instead of a tsp of sugar. Start to finish the whole recipe took under 10 minutes and now I have desserts ready to go when my sweet-tooth inevitably kicks in after dinner.
Ugh, I realize I’ve become something I hate…one of those recipe commenters who changes literally everything about the recipe. LOL But honestly, this is a very versatile recipe and can be modified quite a bit with great results.
Haha, I love it when people make the recipes their own! And sharing what you’ve altered can help other people learn how to customize recipes. Now, when someone changes everything and doesn’t like the result, then blames it on the recipe, that’s a different story. ;)
Lite coconut milk is just regular coconut milk plus water, usually for the same price. You might be able to save money by using regular coconut milk and water.
Thank you for giving this advice, I couldn’t find lite coconut milk at my grocery store at all. I will try this recipe with water and regular coconut milk!
Love it, this has become one of my “go-to” healthy snack recipes. Thanks Beth!!
Could you use a big bowl instead of four small containers? And just scoop out the pudding when you want some?
Probably. I’d suggest stirring it every time before you scoop some.
This is the first Recipe on this site that I have not liked. I personally think that it just wasn’t for me. The Chia seeds made everything just slimy and I didn’t think there was enough flavor.
I love mango so had to try this recipe after purchasing chia seeds at Aldi. Now it is my favorite lite treat when I want a healthy snack. My 11YO daughter likes it too. Thanks, Beth!
If I only have full fat, can I add a little whole milk to hydrate the chia seeds?
Yep!
Could you use other fruits to make this? Pineapples, peaches, strawberries? I’m not a huge fan of mango
Yep, you can use virtually any fruit. Just keep in mind that if you use a fruit that is more acidic than sweet, your pudding will not be as sweet.
This recipe inspired me to cook with more chia seeds and it turned out great!
I misread and added the seeds to the blender which resulted in a thicker consistency to what is shown in the photos but still tasted great and was appreciated by non-vegan housemates!
OMG BETH YOU ARE A FOOD WIZARD! Thanks for sharing your magic with us Muggles.
I just made this and absolutely love it! Now I’m wondering, what other combinations work well with coconut milk and chia seeds? Hoping to make this a part of my life. ❤️
Chocolate and banana!
This is good, and incredibly easy. I’ve made it for my breakfasts several times now, and it keeps well for the four days.
It’s also delicious with pineapple
Really good and easy! Going to start eating this instead of ice cream when i get those cravings. Two thumbs up!
I made it this weekend, super easy and delicious.
can you use almond milk instead of the coconut milk.
thanks.
You’d need to adjust the liquid amount because this coconut milk has a high percentage of fat solids (it’s not the type of coconut milk that is sold as a dairy milk substitute). Almond milk is quite a bit more watery than canned coconut milk.
This is essentially the smoothie I make for after gym workouts, except I add hemp hearts (awesome protien) which are extremely cheap at Costco. And i use coconut water.
Aldi’s carries chia seeds pretty cheap, although I don’t remember the exact price
Chia pudding is so good, I usually stick to cinnamon and chocolate flavors, I will have to give this a try.
With a drizzle of honey, this was delicious!
I love to play the how much would this be if I got it at a restaurant game! 😉
I need to try that in the summer. I’m a sucker for anything mango. This morning I had strawberry-vanilla-chia-pudding. Pureed strawberrys, vanilla sugar and milk. Although I’m pretty sure you can leave the sugar out if the strawberries are sweet enough and use vanilla almond milk instead of regular milk.
Interesting dessert. I had never tried chia pudding but it is nice. Not sweet, nice clean flavor of coconut and mango, and the chia seeds are addictive when eating. I will make it again.
I love making chia pudding with pumpkin puree, but this is a great option for the warmer weather. Thank you!
Don’t buy lite coconut milk! You’re spending your money on water. Buy full-fat, then dilute it with water at home. :) Twice as much for the money!
How much water do you recommend adding?
Would almond milk work in place of coconut?
It definitely won’t be as creamy or thick, since this coconut milk is pretty rich (even though it’s the “lite” version).
What a wonderful, fast and healthy idea! My husband is always looking for a little desert–and likes sweet breakfast, too– and I can see this as a terrific vehicle for lots of fruits–blueberries, blackberries, etc. Having some chia seeds and frozen mango, I tried this for breakfast–easy and delicious
I tried this right away, but used what I had on hand instead – unsweetened vanilla almond milk plus two tablespoons of unsweetened shredded coconut, and omitted the sugar. Turned out absolutely delicious! This will be going into my meal prep rotation for breakfast ASAP, especially since all the ingredients are inexpensive and accessible at Trader Joe’s. Thanks, Beth!
Trader Joe’s carries chia seeds, too, at a reasonable price for those lucky enough to live near one.
HI!
The cheapest place to buy chia seeds is Aldi’s. By far the most economical choice.
You were reading my mind! I was just thinking last night that I needed to look up chia pudding recipes! I love the idea of blending in some of the fruit with the coconut milk!
How long can these keep in the fridge? I imagine one container in the morning is plenty for a breakfast!
About 4-5 days.
Can I use other fruit besides mango
You can just just about any fruit that you’d like, but tropical fruits tend to go best with coconut, flavor wise.
This should be good with pineapple too! (sort of piña colada chia pudding?) I will definitely try it soon. Thanks for sharing!