What Can You Use As a Yogurt Substitute?

In baking, yogurt is a popular ingredient for people looking to cut down on calories or fat. But if you’re looking to avoid dairy or you’ve simply run out of yogurt, you might find yourself needing a yogurt substitute.

Fortunately, there are plenty of other common ingredients that you can use in place of yogurt — including dairy-free options. In this post, we’ve put together five alternatives that you can easily swap when your recipe calls for yogurt. Even better, you might even have some of these options already sitting in your fridge.

Greek yogurt

If you like the taste of yogurt, you could try swapping plain yogurt for Greek yogurt. It’s considered to be a nutritious alternative to regular yogurt since it’s packed with protein and contains less sugar and carbs.

However, Greek yogurt is a lot thicker than regular yogurt. So if you plan on using it as a yogurt substitute, you should add a bit of water to match the consistency.

Buttermilk

Buttermilk is often used in baked goods and savory dishes, which makes it a good yogurt substitute in many recipes. If you aren’t familiar, buttermilk is a combination of milk and a bit of acid (often lemon juice), giving it a tangy taste.

When you use buttermilk in place of yogurt, it’s recommended that you add a dash of baking soda to your dry ingredients. This helps your baked goods rise and achieve the most desirable texture.

Sour cream

Like buttermilk, sour cream is a balance of dairy and acidic ingredients. This blend works well as a yogurt substitute since it also creates moisture and a tangy taste.

As you might expect, sour cream isn’t the go-to yogurt substitute for people who are looking to cut down on calories or fat. Sour cream is quite rich and has a high caloric content, so keep that in mind before using it in your recipes.

Cottage cheese

If you like cottage cheese, you can easily substitute it for yogurt in your baked goods. Since cottage cheese is a bit lumpy, you’ll probably want to throw it in a blender and smooth it out before using it.

Like yogurt, cottage cheese adds that critical bit of moisture that you need to make a delicious scone or cakes. Just be sure to use it fresh out of the container and don’t drain it.

Silken tofu

For people who follow vegan or dairy-free diets, silken tofu works well as a yogurt substitute. Plus, it has high levels of protein and relatively low amounts of calories and fat.

Of course, tofu won’t replicate the taste of yogurt, but it can offer a similar consistency in your food. Ensure that your tofu is smooth and creamy by putting it in a food processor before using it.

With a bit of creativity and a few kitchen staples, you should have no problem finding a yogurt substitute that you like. It might take a bit of trial and error to find the best one for you, but any of these five alternatives will work quite well.

For more recipe ideas and suggestions, check out the Tastessence blog.