Greek Yogurt Parfait Recipe: High-Protein, With Granola and Fruit

Quick answer: Layer 1 cup of plain Greek yogurt with 1/4 cup of granola, 1/2 cup of fruit and 1 tablespoon of chia seeds in a jar. It takes 5 minutes, and has about 413 calories and 32 g of protein by USDA data. Keep the granola separate until you eat so it stays crisp.

A parfait is just yogurt, something crunchy and something fresh, layered so every spoonful has all three. This Greek yogurt parfait recipe uses plain Greek yogurt, which is thick and tangy and gives the jar most of its protein.

What goes in the jar at a glance

Layer	Amount	Calories	Protein
Plain nonfat Greek yogurt	1 cup (245 g)	About 149	About 25 g
Plain whole-milk Greek yogurt	1 cup (245 g)	About 238	About 22 g
Homemade granola	1/4 cup (30 g)	About 149	About 4 g
Chia seeds	1 tablespoon (12 g)	About 58	About 2 g
Honey	1 teaspoon	About 21	Almost none

Values are from USDA FoodData Central, using the USDA weights; the chia tablespoon (12 g) is a common weight, not a USDA one. Store-bought granola and flavored yogurt vary, so check your labels.

Greek yogurt parfait recipe: how to make it

Start with plain yogurt so you control the sweetness, and let the fruit and a little honey do the rest. Spoon in half the yogurt, then half the fruit, the chia and half the granola, and repeat. Add the granola last, or at the table, so it stays crisp. The steps and photos are on the recipe card.

How many calories are in a Greek yogurt parfait?

With the amounts above and nonfat yogurt, about 413 calories, 32 g of protein, 45 g of carbohydrate and 12 g of fat per parfait. These are estimates: they use USDA values for homemade granola and an average of blueberries and strawberries. Most of the calories come from the yogurt and the granola, as the table shows.

Two choices change the number the most:

• The yogurt. Whole-milk Greek yogurt adds about 88 calories per cup compared with nonfat, and about 3 g less protein.
• The granola. Store-bought granola varies a lot, mostly in added sugar, so read the label and measure the quarter cup instead of pouring.

What is the healthiest Greek yogurt?

It depends on what you want from your breakfast. Per cup, USDA lists plain nonfat Greek yogurt at about 149 calories, 25 g of protein and 1 g of fat, and plain whole-milk Greek yogurt at about 238 calories, 22 g of protein and 12 g of fat. Pick the one you enjoy, because the parfait you like is the one you will make again.

Whatever you choose, plain is the base for a parfait. Flavored yogurts bring added sugar, and so do sweet granolas and honey, so measure those and taste before you add more.

Variations and substitutions

• Swap the fruit with the season: peaches in summer, pears or apples in fall.
• Use a nut-free granola if you are packing it for school.
• Stir in nut butter for a richer layer. It adds calories as well as protein, so a spoonful is enough.
• Make it overnight: stir the chia seeds into the yogurt and let it sit in the fridge, then add fruit and granola in the morning. For a version with oats, see our high-protein overnight oats.
• Prefer no dairy? Use a plain, unsweetened soy yogurt and check the protein on the label, because it differs from Greek yogurt.
• Other egg-free protein breakfasts: see our high protein breakfast without eggs guide, or try the cottage cheese bowl.

Serving suggestions and a parfait bar

A parfait looks best in a tall, narrow glass or jar, because the layers show. For a crowd, make a parfait bar: put the plain yogurt, a few kinds of fruit, granola, chia seeds and honey in separate bowls and let everyone build their own. Keep the yogurt cold until serving and put the granola out last.

Tips and common mistakes

• Spoon the yogurt in thin, even layers and wipe the rim of the jar before you add the next layer.
• Pat washed fruit dry before layering, and let frozen fruit thaw and drain first, so it does not make the layers watery.
• Add the granola last. Granola added too early turns soft, which is the most common parfait mistake.
• Stir the chia seeds into the yogurt instead of sprinkling them in clumps, and let them sit a few minutes.
• Taste before you add honey. Flavored yogurt and sweet granola already bring sugar, so you may need none.
• Common mistakes: granola added too early, wet fruit, flavored yogurt on top of sweet granola, and pouring the granola instead of measuring it.
• Troubleshooting a watery jar: drain the fruit or drain a little liquid from the top of the yogurt tub before you spoon it in.

Make it ahead and keep it fresh

Layer the yogurt and fruit in a jar with a lid and keep it in the fridge. Add the granola just before you eat, or pack it separately. Fridge food should be kept at 40°F (4°C) or below (USDA cold food storage chart). The USDA says not to leave perishable food out for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour when it is above 90°F, which matters for a lunchbox on a warm day. We found no official shelf life for an assembled parfait, so we suggest making it the evening before.

Safety and good to know

Yogurt is dairy and granola often contains nuts, so check the labels if you or your family have a milk or nut allergy, or if you are lactose intolerant. This is a breakfast idea, not dietary advice. If you follow a special eating plan or have a health condition, check with your doctor or a registered dietitian.

How we researched this

• Recipes: we read four Greek yogurt parfait pages on October 18, 2026 (Foolproof Living, Spice Cravings, Scrummy Lane and Dishes Delish) and write our own recipe and steps. A fifth result, a video, could not be read.
• Nutrition: values come from USDA FoodData Central for plain nonfat and whole-milk Greek yogurt, homemade granola, chia seeds, honey and an average of berries. The estimates change with your brands.
• Food safety: we read the USDA charts linked above.
• Not tested by us: we did not measure the nutrition of any jar in a lab.