Vegan Yogurt Parfait: Berries & Granola Edition!

Vegan yogurt parfait is a delicious and nutritious breakfast. Creamy yogurt is layered with homemade granola and fresh berries for a tasty and filling snack.

Our vegan yogurt parfait recipe is super easy to make and ready in just a few minutes.

How to Make Vegan Parfait

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. I love vegan pancakes and waffles and tofu scrambles and tempeh bacon, and okay I’m getting hungry just writing that out.

But honestly, most days I just need something quick, healthy, and delicious for breakfast. And so we have this easy vegan parfait recipe!

Some vegan parfaits list the specific yogurt and nut and seed mix you should use. But I prefer a recipe that lets you use what you have in your pantry and fridge. This recipe is infinitely customizable with your favorite fruits and granola mixes, for whatever your breakfast mood may be.

• 5-minute breakfast with 3 ingredients. This parfait recipe is quick to make. You can layer a cup of vegan yogurt parfait while you’re bleary-eyed and waiting for your coffee to brew.
• Easy and FUN! If you have kids or are entertaining friends for brunch, you can leave out bowls of yogurt, granola, and fresh fruit, and let them make their own parfait. It’s easy, it’s fun, and when you let kids participate in preparing their own food they are more likely to enjoy eating it.
• Make it all from scratch or use store-bought. Vegan parfait is delicious and easily made from granola and yogurt you bought at the store. But if you’re feeling extra crunchy, you can make homemade granola and yogurt from scratch.
• Packed with nutrition. These vegan parfaits are loaded with healthy fats, protein, fiber, iron, calcium, vitamin C. Just be careful about the added sugar in store-bought yogurt (try unsweetened!) and granola.

Q&A

What is the best vegan yogurt?

Vegan yogurts have come a long way over the past ten years. Now instead of just the Silk brand, your average grocery store probably has plenty of variety for you to pick from.

My favorites are Forager Project cashew milk yogurt and Kite Hill almond milk yogurt. Both are plain and unsweetened, so you can add a bit of sweetener instead of getting something that is loaded with 20 grams of sugar.

However, I do like the Silk Vanilla soy milk yogurt when I need that sweet treat.

What does parfait mean?

Parfait just means perfect in French, which is why I can’t resist calling them perfect.

Should I use fresh or frozen fruit for a yogurt parfait?

Fresh and frozen fruit are both delicious in a vegan parfait, so you can use whichever you have. However, each does have its individual merits:

• Fresh fruit looks best. It’s what I pick if I’m serving a pretty brunch spread, or taking photos. It’s also a bit lighter and fresher, and perfect during summertime when many fruits are in season.
• Frozen fruit tastes best. Thawed fruit often develops this syrupy juice which flavors the yogurt. But it oozes all over the parfait, and can sometimes end up looking a bit messy. I choose frozen fruit if I want a yummy treat, or if I want my kids to gobble it up.

Is a vegan yogurt parfait healthy?

Yes! (As long as you use unsweetened yogurt.)

This vegan parfait is loaded with fiber, and healthy fats, as well as protein, vitamins, and antioxidants. Of course, the nutrition profile will depend on the specific yogurt, granola, and fruit you pick. For a healthy parfait, choose options that are low in sugar and salt, and include lots of nuts or soy yogurt for extra protein.

Be especially careful of flavored store-bought yogurt, as they can be loaded with up to 20g of added sugar.

How can I stop the granola from getting soggy in a yogurt parfait?

Want to make these vegan parfaits ahead of time? The biggest issue is that granola will get soggy when it’s next to something liquidy, like plant-based yogurt.

If you like soggy granola, you’re all set, go ahead and make your breakfast parfait the night before.

But if you want that granola to stay crunchy, here’s what you do:

Use a container that has a lid (I like to use half-pint mason jars). You layer the yogurt, and then a thick layer of fruit to seal off the yogurt. Put the granola on top of that, so it isn’t actually touching the yogurt, and can’t get soggy.

If you are using real liquidy fruit (like thawed frozen berries), you can even put a layer of plastic wrap on top of the fruit, and put the granola on top of that. Then you just slide out the plastic wrap when you want to eat!

Is this vegan yogurt parfait recipe gluten-free?

It’s super easy to make a gluten-free parfait. Just make sure that your granola and yogurt are gluten-free. Most granolas are gluten-free (the most common grain is rolled oats), so should be easy to buy or find a recipe that suits you.

Ingredients and Substitutions

There are just 3 ingredients you need:

• Granola. Use your favorite granola! If you want something simple and delicious, try my homemade almond maple granola. This stuff keeps for a month, so I usually make a big double batch so it’s ready in the cupboard whenever I need a breakfast parfait or a snack. Granola adds fiber and protein and iron in a sweet and crispy package.
• Plant-based yogurt. I use plain, unsweetened yogurt because I like to let the flavors of the granola and fruit shine through. But any plant-based yogurt will work!
• Fruit. I prefer using fresh berries, but you can use ANY fresh or frozen fruit. Cut up fruit into small bite-size pieces.