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Vegan Breakfast Parfait

Name: Vegan Breakfast Parfait (Easy, 5 Minute Recipe!)
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 12 ounces yogurt (any flavor you prefer (a 6 ounce container is about ¾ cup yogurt)); ½-¾ cup granola (you'll use about ½ cup per parfait); 6 tablespoons jelly (jam or other fruit spread - you'll need 3 tablespoons per parfait (see note)); 1 cup chopped fruit (any kind you prefer (you'll need ½ cup per parfait))

By Sophia DeSantis, Reviewed by Anjali Shah on April 17, 2025

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This easy vegan breakfast parfait is one of my favorite make-ahead breakfasts. It takes just 5 minutes to prep and is endlessly customizable with your favorite yogurt, granola, fruit, and spreads. Whether you’re rushing out the door or looking for a light midday snack, this parfait delivers on flavor, texture, and convenience.

A layered breakfast parfait with yogurt, granola and fruit in a glass jar topped with an orange slice.

Parfaits are one of those things that feel a little fancy, but they’re secretly the easiest breakfast ever! I started making these during busy school mornings, and now I always keep a few jars prepped in the fridge.

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👩🏽‍🍳 Why I Love This Recipe

🍽 Serving Suggestions

🧊 Storage Directions

❓Recipe FAQs

🥣 More Easy Vegan Breakfast Recipes!

📋 Recipe Card

My kids love layering their own with different fruits and spreads, and I love that I can pack in fiber, protein, and healthy fats without any morning stress!

👩🏽‍🍳 Why I Love This Recipe

This recipe is basically the choose-your-own-adventure of breakfasts. I can switch it up every day with different yogurts, fruits, nut butters, or even leftover cranberry sauce (such a good post-holiday trick!)

It’s naturally vegetarian and vegan, easy to make gluten-free, and super kid-friendly.

As a nutritionist and mom, I also love how simple it is to sneak in extra nutrients. I’ll add chia seeds or chopped nuts for omega-3s, use protein-packed yogurt, or layer in antioxidant-rich berries. It’s a balanced meal that feels like a treat, and keeps me (and my kids) full for hours.

It’s also one of the best ways I’ve found to reduce food waste. If I have fruit that’s slightly overripe or an almost-empty jar of jam in the fridge, it all goes into a parfait. It feels fresh and intentional, but it’s also a smart, budget-friendly way to use what I already have on hand.

🥘 Ingredients

Layers of crunchy granola, creamy yogurt, and fresh fruit are easy to customize to your taste and nutritional preferences! Here are the basics of what you need for this breakfast parfait recipe:

Yogurt: Use your favorite plant-based yogurt! I like plain or vanilla almond milk yogurt, or protein-rich dairy-free yogurt (which is often made with pea protein). A 6-ounce container equals about ¾ cup. If you don’t need this recipe to be vegan, I recommend using plain, low-fat, Greek yogurt.

Granola: Your favorite granola will do the trick. Make your own homemade low sugar granola or buy it at the store in a variety of flavors. Find certified gluten free if needed. I like one with some crunch to balance the creamy layers, and I recommend choosing a low sugar granola (with minimal added sugar) to keep this on the healthier side.

Jelly: Any jelly, jam, or fruit spread works here. I even use leftover cranberry sauce during the holidays.

Fresh And Dried Fruit: I like to use a combination of fresh and dried fruit for more variety in texture. For fresh fruit, I recommend using whatever is in season or what you have on hand! Some of my favorites include berries, chopped apples, pears, mango, pineapple, and dried fruit like currants or raisins. Frozen fruit works too, but it is best to defrost before adding in.

🔪 How To Make

This layered parfait comes together in under 5 minutes! Here’s exactly how I build it:

Start With Granola: First, I add ¼ cup granola to the bottom of my jar or bowl.

Granola at the bottom of three glass jars sitting on a tan speckled surface with cranberries and rosemary sprigs.

Layer In Yogurt And Fruit Spread: Then, I spoon in ¼ cup yogurt, followed by 1-2 tablespoons of jelly or fruit spread.

Yogurt and jelly layered in a glass jar and two other jars behind it all sitting on a tan speckled surface.

Add Fruit: I top with ⅓ of my chopped fresh fruit and I usually will add a sprinkle of dried fruit as well.

Yogurt, jelly and fruit layered in a glass jar in front of two other jars and cranberries and rosemary sprigs laying next to it.

Repeat! I repeat those layers two more times until all the ingredients are used up. Sometimes I’ll serve this right away, or I’ll cover and chill for later. I also like to top mine with a sprinkle of chia seeds or a drizzle of maple syrup just before eating!

Three glass jars layered with yogurt, granola and fruit in two layers on a tan speckled surface.

💭 Expert Tips

My #1 Secret Tip for this recipe is to layer with intention! The order of the layers matter: if you want those pretty parfait layers (and better texture), always start with granola at the bottom and finish with yogurt on top.

This keeps the bottom layer from getting too soggy and helps the parfait hold its structure if you’re storing it in the fridge.

Other Tips To Keep In Mind:

Chop Fruit Into Small, Even Pieces: Whether it’s apples, mango, or berries, cutting your fruit into similar-sized pieces helps distribute flavor in every bite and makes the parfait easier to eat with a spoon.
Don’t Overfill: Leave at least a half-inch of space at the top so you can add a drizzle of nut butter or extra fruit before serving, without it overflowing when you close the lid.
Save Some Granola: Layering granola directly on top of yogurt helps it to soften slightly, which I love! But if you want to keep it extra crunchy, save some for the top right before serving.
Use Clear Jars: This is purely aesthetic, but clear jars helps to show off the layers and makes breakfast feel a little more special (my kids really love the look of it too!)

📖 Variations

This recipe is endlessly customizable! Here are a few of my favorite ways to change it up:

Nut-Free: Make sure to use a nut-free granola, and you can also use sunflower seed butter or sunflower seeds for crunch.

Protein Boost: To add more protein, I’ll use a protein-rich yogurt or mix in a scoop of vegan protein powder, hemp seeds, or nut butter for an added boost.

Yogurt Flavors: One of the easiest ways to customize yogurt parfaits is by switching up the base! All yogurt flavors will work well – try vanilla, strawberry, raspberry, peach, mango, cherry, blueberry, coconut and even lemon! Keep in mind though that flavored yogurts often have a lot of added sugar, making this more of a dessert than a healthy breakfast.

Different Mix-Ins: I love adding mix-ins to my parfaits! Some that work well include nuts (like chopped pecans, peanuts, chopped walnuts, slivered almonds, etc), peanut butter, almond butter, dairy-free chocolate chips, chia seeds, hemp seeds, strawberry crunch topping, and all kinds of drizzles like vegan honey, maple syrup, vegan Nutella and more!

🍽 Serving Suggestions

My vegan breakfast parfait is perfect for busy mornings when I’m looking for something quick, satisfying, and nourishing. I love making a batch the night before so I can just grab it from the fridge and start my day!

For a more filling breakfast, I’ll pair it with a slice of vegan protein banana bread, a tofu scramble, or one of my vegan breakfast cookies. It also goes great with a warm drink like homemade golden milk or a healthy matcha latte if I want something cozy alongside it.

🧊 Storage Directions

Make Ahead: I frequently make these for meal prep! I’ll assemble them the night before and store them in individual containers in the fridge. They’ll keep for up to 2 days, just know the granola will soften a bit (which I personally love). You can also add just half the granola in the jar and store the rest separately to mix in right before eating to give you a mix of soft and crisp textures.

Longer-Term Storage: If you want to keep the granola crunchy, store it separately at room temperature and layer it in right before serving. You can also prep each component individually (yogurt, fruit, jam, and granola) and store them in separate containers. Then build your parfait when you’re ready to eat! I don’t recommend freezing these parfaits.

❓Recipe FAQs

Can I use frozen fruit?

Yes! Just make sure to thaw and drain it first so your parfait doesn’t get watery.

Can I make this recipe without added sugar?

Definitely! Use unsweetened yogurt, fresh fruit, and skip the jam (or use no sugar added preserves), or replace it with mashed banana or blended dates for a naturally sweet, no-added-sugar version.

What’s the best kind of granola to use for this recipe?

I recommend choosing a granola that’s low in added sugar and has a good mix of whole oats, nuts, or seeds. I like one that’s crunchy and not too powdery, so it holds up against the yogurt without turning mushy too quickly.

A spoon getting a bite from a glass jar with a yogurt granola fruit parfait in it in front of two more jars.

🥣 More Easy Vegan Breakfast Recipes!

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