Add the cottage cheese, greek yogurt, hulled and halved strawberries, almond milk, vanilla, and sugar to a blender. Blend on high speed for 60-90 seconds until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy with no visible strawberry chunks or dairy lumps. This creates the foundation for your pudding and ensures a silky texture. I like to scrape down the sides halfway through blending to catch any cottage cheese that sticks to the edges.

Pour the blended mixture into a serving container or mason jar. Add the chia seeds and stir vigorously for about 1 minute to distribute them evenly throughout the pudding—this prevents them from clumping together at the bottom. Cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours, which allows the chia seeds to fully absorb the liquid and create that signature pudding texture. The pudding will thicken significantly as it sits, so don't worry if it looks thin immediately after mixing.

Remove the pudding from the refrigerator and give it a good stir to recombine any separation that may have occurred. If it's too thick for your preference, thin it with a splash of almond milk. Top with the diced strawberries (cut into 1/4-inch pieces) for fresh fruit texture and bursts of flavor. I find that adding the fresh strawberries just before serving keeps them crisp rather than getting soggy from sitting in the pudding overnight.