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For a fun texture and killer nutritional profile, try adding chia seeds to your next batch of kombucha! Here’s how to make home brewed Chia Seed Kombucha (with a few helpful precautions)!
I’ve been really excited to share this one with you guys. Why? It’s simple. CHIA SEED KOMBUCHA IS MY FAVORITE.
I know I’m not supposed to pick favorites when it comes to all my kombucha flavor babies, but if my house was burning and I could save just one bottle of buch, it would be the chia seed kombucha.
Because chia seeds transform the texture of kombucha into thick, fun-to-drink greatness that I just can’t get enough of. And while I fall squarely on the side of loving it, chia kombucha is a love or hate thing. Some people don’t like the texture of the seeds in a drink.
But if you love it like I do, you’re going to want to try this recipe asap as possible. Let’s brew.
Benefits of chia seeds in kombucha
Chia seeds do so much more than just add a fun texture to kombucha. They’re nutritional powerhouses! They contain omega-3 fatty acids (the healthy fats), as well as protein and fiber. In fact, just 2 tablespoons of chia seeds contain half of your daily need for fiber!
How to add chia seeds to kombucha
Adding chia seeds to kombucha is not the same as adding fruit to kombucha (speaking from experience here guys…a very messy experience). When chia seeds are exposed to liquid, they swell up, creating a gel.
So if you were to – say – add dry chia seeds to a bottle of kombucha and seal it shut, the bottle is much more apt to explode (or at the very least, spray chia seeds literally everywhere upon opening) (I’m still finding chia seeds around my kitchen).
So how do you add chia seeds to kombucha? You simply hydrate them before adding them to your kombucha! Combine chia seeds and water (or juice), shaking or stirring for a few minutes to prevent the chia seeds from clumping. Let the seeds absorb the liquid for a few hours, then just add the gelled chia seeds to your finished kombucha (i.e. kombucha that has already gone through the second fermentation and is fizzy and ready to drink).
You can add chia seeds to virtually any flavor of kombucha, but I especially love it in a simple Strawberry Kombucha, Zingy Raspberry Kombucha, or a tropical Mango Kombucha. It’s also great in the nutritious Green Goddess Kombucha.
Chia Seed Kombucha
Ingredients
Large Batch
- 4 cups finished flavored kombucha (from second fermentation, 945 mL)
- 2 cups water or juice 475 mL
- 1/2 cup chia seeds 85 g
Small Batch
- 1 cup finished flavored kombucha (from second fermentation, 236 mL)
- 3 Tbsp chia seeds 30 g
Instructions
- LARGE BATCH
- Rehydrate the chia seeds by combining the seeds with the water or juice, stirring or shaking every few minutes for an hour until seeds have swelled up.
- Add chia mixture to kombucha. Serve immediately or seal and store in the fridge, burping the bottle everyday to prevent pressure buildup.
- SMALL BATCH
- Stir together kombucha and chia seeds until chias are hydrated. Chill if needed then serve.
Notes
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How long is the kombucha good for After you add Chia seeds?
You’ll need to drink it very shortly after adding them (and don’t fully seal it until the chia seeds have been soaking in the kombucha for at least a day, otherwise it could explode).
OMG this is wonderful! I added 1 tbsp of chia seeds to 1 cup of my blueberry kombucha and let it sit in the fridge for about 3 hours before drinking it. LUSCIOUS
YAY! So happy to hear it, Terri!
Okay so this clears up one thing I had a problem with in the past (ie. DON’T ADD THE SEEDS TO YOUR 2ND FERMENTATION). I tried adding them to the 2F dry the first time, then gelled the second time and neither time worked. HOWEVER. How does Synergy do it then? They sell all those yummy bottles of grape and cherry booch on the shelves at Whole Foods with a perfect chia seed-to-booch ratio just suspended in the liquid. I thought that’s what happens when you add a couple spoons of chia seed gel to your 2F. Isn’t there a way to do it like that?
Honestly I don’t know what magic they’re doing because their chic kombucha is so perfect, right?! 😅 I think they must hydrate the chia seeds before mixing them in.
I tried adding my pre swelled chia seeds to my finished kombucha and they are all clumping at the top. Any fixes?
You’ve just got to keep jostling them to keep them from clumping. Chia seeds are finicky like that!
Try soaking your chia seeds and then fill an empty bottle 1/2 to 3/4 full. Then pour in your finished kombucha to settle amongst them. This recipe is great for folk who have trouble swallowing thin liquids and helps getting nutrition into them too.
Depending on the flavor/fruit, when I burp some of them (strawberry or mango)!even after 1 day, it erupts like a volcano (yay for your bag/bowl tip)!even if I try to slightly open it at a time. So I can’t really burp them and let them sit longer. Had to rebottle allll of them, which may introduce bacteria.It was very time consuming too. Others I can just burp, close the lid, done. Any tips?
Are there chis seeds in these bottles? Because those would be cause for the eruption – chia should always be added right before serving.
Oh wow, gotta try this! I find that ginger always adds some nice fizz. And the most I ever got was from beet juice, but BE SURE to release the gas build up daily in a beet-juice second ferment or you’ll end up with walls and ceiling that look like a scene from Dexter. The inch worth that was left in the bottle tasted great though. Lessons learned ?? x H
???? Would love to hear how it goes!
Unless you want to be picking them out of your eyelashes, DO NOT add chia seeds to Kombucha during the fermentation period. Healthy Living How To
Yep! I learned this the hard way as well. Just add right before drinking 🙂
I use whole usually because I like the chewy texture, but ground works great and the nutrients are more available… I was told that you had to grind chia seeds so they don t just go right through you but I ve just been taking them whole are they just as good for you
That’s great to know! Thanks for dropping in 😀
I noticed you said if you do a large batch and add chia seeds and then refrigerate you need to curl it daily. Do you have to burp your refrigerated bucha if you are not adding chia sees?
Generally you shouldn’t have to burp it if it’s in the fridge because the fermentation slows down. The chia seeds just expand (whether in cool temps or not), so you need to burp it to relieve that pressure.
Hi,
I had just started home brewing my own kombucha. It’s so much tastier and cheaper than store-bought. I have a first fermentation brewing right now, and plan to add Chia seeds for the second fermentation when it is ready. This sounds like such an exciting option! Can hardly wait to try it! I love your site. Thanks so much for sharing all these wonderful options and beautiful pictures.
Yay! Chia seed is one of my favorites! Please be sure to do the second fermentation and THEN add the chia seeds (described in the post, but just want to make sure you caught it). If you add the chia seeds at the same time as the fruit (especially if you don’t hydrate the seeds first), your bottle will be much more likely to explode (speaking from experience)!