Substitutes for Greek Yogurt: 12 Best Alternatives +FAQs!
Greek yogurt is an excellent ingredient to keep on hand. It’s thicker and creamier than yogurt, and it’s fantastic in sauces, marinades, and baking.
The possibilities for Greek yogurt are infinite, as its tanginess and firmness provide a terrific taste to sauces and help keep baked items moist. But what if you don’t have any or can’t find any?
Options like tofu, sour cream, plain yogurt, cottage cheese, mayonnaise, and specific non-dairy alternatives are excellent Greek yogurt substitutes.
Let’s look at some of the most excellent Greek yogurt alternatives.
Greek yogurt substitutes
The following replacements can be used in place of Greek yogurt in your recipes to save the meal. So, let’s take a deeper look at each alternative and see what we can learn about them.
No. 1 The buttermilk
This ingredient has been used in cakes for decades since it gives them much moisture. It also has a somewhat acidic flavor similar to that of Greek Yogurt.
Buttermilk is an excellent substitute for Greek yogurt in baking and dressings. It can moisten cakes and make a creamy, rich, and slightly sour dressing.
Buttermilk is also known to tenderize meat, so you may use it instead of Greek Yogurt to marinate chicken or produce a sauce to accompany your meal.
No. 2 Cream of tartar
Because of its similar consistency and creamy, slightly tangy flavor, sour cream is one of the most famous Greek yogurt replacements.
Instead of Greek yogurt, sour cream can make salads, sauces, and marinate meat. Most people wouldn’t tell the difference because the flavors are so close.
Sour cream works wonders in the kitchen, and many bakers include it in their cakes for added moistness. You can replace buttermilk with the same sour cream and get the same results.
No. 3 Cream cheese
Cream cheese is a frequently available foodstuff that is an excellent substitute for greek yogurt due to its similar flavor profile and consistency.
Make sure that the cream cheese is at room temperature first, as mixing it straight from the refrigerator can be tricky.
If you’re replacing Greek yogurt with buttermilk, use a little less than the recipe calls for because buttermilk is more liquid than Greek Yogurt.
Cream cheese lends richness and moistness and a pleasant tanginess to savory dishes and sauces and baked items such as cakes. It’s also great in salads and pasta sauces. Also, as long as the cream cheese is brought to room temperature first, you can use it in place of Greek yogurt.
No. 4 Mayonnaise
Believe it or not, you may use mayonnaise in both sweet and savory recipes to replace Greek yogurt. It has a similar consistency and flavor profile to mayonnaise. It thickens and adds flavor to a variety of salad dressings.
It’s also fantastic in cakes since it provides a lot of moisture and you won’t be able to tell there’s mayonnaise within. Put it to the test! You can use the same quantity of mayonnaise as Greek yogurt and get beautiful results in various meals.
No. 5 Cottage cheese
Cottage cheese is thick and has a consistency similar to Greek yogurt. As a result, it’s an excellent substitute for your recipes.
It works well in both sweet and savory dishes. Keep in mind, though, that the texture is different. You can use cottage cheese if the texture isn’t too important.
However, you can combine it before throwing it in if you want it to be smoother or creamier. You may use it to make salads or baked products, and the quantities are the same.
No. 6 Yogurt (plain)
You can substitute plain yogurt for Greek yogurt if Greek yogurt is unavailable. Although it is not as thick as Greek yogurt, it has the same creamy, tangy flavor and can be used in place of it.
Dressings, marinades, and sauces all benefit from plain yogurt. You can also use it to produce moist cakes in the kitchen. Remember that plain yogurt is watery, so use a little less than the recipe calls for.
As time goes on, you can always add more. To add more taste to baked items, you can also try flavored yogurts.
No. 7 Tofu that is silken
It is an excellent non-dairy alternative to Greek yogurt. Silken yogurt is a soybean-based product with a creamy, somewhat tangy flavor.
As a result, it’s an excellent non-dairy alternative to Greek yogurt.
Make sure to choose silken tofu, which is softer and creamier than regular tofu, and mixed for an even creamier texture. To get the best results, combine it before using it in sauces and dressings in the same proportions as Greek Yogurt. For extra moistness, use silken tofu instead of Greek yogurt in cakes.
No. 8 Cream of coconut
It is another excellent non-dairy option found in most supermarkets and may be used in place of Greek Yogurt.
Coconut cream is rich and creamy, especially when chilled and whipped. It’s fantastic in a variety of baked products and sauces.
Due to the overwhelming coconut flavor, it may not be ideal for dressings. It is, nevertheless, ideal for baking and adding creaminess to sauces.
You can use the same amount of coconut cream as Greek yogurt in this recipe.
No. 9 Avocado
When it comes to cooking, You can use avocados for virtually everything. When mashed, they’re an excellent substitute for Greek yogurt.
Avocado is thick and creamy in texture. You can also add some lemon to your recipe for tanginess; however, it will not be as strong as Greek yogurt.
Avocados can be used in salad dressings as well as baked items. They may turn a slight green color after baking, but they will provide moisture, and you won’t be able to tell.
Avocado is an excellent dressing substitute and works well with salads, but you should not use it in cooked sauces because it will change the flavor.
No. 10 Bananas mashed
Mashed bananas are a terrific dairy-free substitute for sour cream, but you should only use them in baking recipes; they won’t work in savory dishes.
Instead of sour cream, mashed banana provides a lot of natural sweetness and moistness to any baked dish, and it will improve your cakes.
You can replace sour cream with the same amount of mashed banana. It may have a subtle banana flavor to it. It will, however, make your cakes incredibly moist.
No. 11 Butter made from almonds
Almond butter is a great dairy-free alternative to cream sauces. It also has a natural sweetness that complements baked goods well.
It can be substituted for sour cream in vegan baking for added moistness and binding of the ingredients. On the other hand, almond butter does not work with savory recipes like sauces since it drastically changes the flavor of the dressing or sauce.
In baked items, use half the amount of almond butter to make it simpler to blend in with the other ingredients, you can melt it in the microwave for 20 seconds before adding it.
No. 12 Greek yogurt made from scratch
It may surprise you, but making your own Greek yogurt with natural yogurt is quite simple! Plain yogurt, cheesecloth, and a sieve are required.
Pour the yogurt into a cheesecloth-lined strainer and set it aside for 3 hours, covered. The yogurt will thicken and cream up when the liquid is dumped out.
You don’t need to buy Greek yogurt to utilize this in your recipes.
In a curry, what can you use instead of Greek yogurt?
Sour cream, plain yogurt, or coconut milk are excellent options for Greek Yogurt in curry. In curries, coconut milk is commonly used. As a result, if you don’t have any Greek yogurt, it’s a perfect substitute.
You can also use plain yogurt in place of flavored yogurt. It has the same flavor profile as coconut milk and will add much creaminess to your curry without changing the flavor.
Baking substitute for Greek yogurt:
- Sour cream and buttermilk are excellent Greek yogurt substitutes for baking. They are used in many baking recipes and give moisture to baked goods. They also have flavor characteristics identical to Greek yogurt so that the flavors won’t vary.
- Mashed banana, coconut cream, and almond butter are all dairy-free alternatives to Greek yogurt in baking. Coconut cream, like mashed bananas, has a similar consistency and will add much moisture to your cake. Mashed banana, on the other hand, has a faint flavor.
- Almond butter will also give your cake a creaminess and softness but only use about half of it because it is thicker than Greek yogurt.
FAQs
Is it possible to substitute plain Greek yogurt?
- For sweet and savory recipes, sour cream, buttermilk, cottage cheese, and ordinary yogurt are excellent options for plain Greek yogurt.
- All of the following can replace plain Greek yogurt in baking. However, you can also use mashed bananas, coconut cream, and almond butter.
- Some of these will change the flavor significantly, but the result will be a moist cake.
Is milk a good substitute for Greek yogurt?
- You can substitute milk for Greek yogurt, but keep in mind that milk is much more a liquid than Greek yogurt; thus, you will drastically alter the texture.
- It can still work in recipes like sauces. However, because Greek yogurt is thicker, you should add half the amount first.
- You may also use half the amount of milk while baking, and the cake will still be moist. To add tanginess, squeeze the juice of half a lemon into the mixture.
- As a substitute for yogurt in dressings, milk is not a good option since the texture will be overly watery. If you’re in a hurry, half a cup of full-fat milk can be used as a Greek yogurt substitute.
Can Greek yogurt be used instead of sour cream?
Because of its consistency and flavor profile, sour cream is one of the most significant Greek yogurt alternatives. You may use the same amount of Greek yogurt as sour cream in any recipe, and the results will be excellent.