Wanna make some delicious Mac and Cheese on a weekend but you just discovered there’s no yogurt in the house? OR Are you vegan and want to savour tasty dishes just like everyone else around you does? We also have options in the end for you! Here are some amazing Yogurt substitutes.
10 Best Yogurt Substitutes
This is for people who are in love with dairy products and are looking for yogurt substitutes:
Mayonnaise
Mayo is made out of fresh whole eggs, making it rich in protein (great for muscle development). You can go for any variant of Mayo, plain mayo or flavoured. Instead of using basic yogurt, give a try to the creamy and mouth-watering flavour of mayonnaise. The ratio of yogurt as compared to mayo should be 1 to 1 just as you would add Greek yogurt to all your favourite recipes. It’s just a mix of eggs and oil you see. Also, if you’re a vegan, try Veganaise if you want a substitute for mayo. If you’re making salad dressing or sandwich spreads, there’s no better option than mayo.
Cottage Cheese
Another dairy product that you can be included in the list of yogurt substitutes is cottage cheese. One of the healthiest options that you can find, it is almost like yogurt. It is rich in calcium, protein and low in fat. The only dissimilarity is taste and texture. Whenever you’re out of yogurt, especially when you’re including fruits and vegetables in the dish, go for Cottage Cheese.
Buttermilk
Rich in flavour, helps cakes and breads rise and gives the dish a bit of tang and tenderness. It is the liquid left after butter is churned. And some may throw it but it’s again a dairy substitute for yogurt which just adds to the taste. Buttermilk should always be used 1/4th of the amount of yogurt the recipe requires.
Sour Cream
Mostly, plain yogurt or Greek yogurt can be substituted instead of yogurt if it isn’t available—and vice versa. Sour cream gives a similar texture and tang, and substituting sour cream for yogurt with a simple 1-to-1 ratio is a GO FOR IT. The texture will be off if you’re using a fat-free variety of sour cream. It works only for cold recipes such as dips.
Cream Cheese
To add creaminess and flavour to your meal, add Cream Cheese. It is also an excellent frosting for cakes and cupcakes, for all desserts. You should avoid using cream cheese as a swap for yogurt if you’re baking. However, if you’re using yogurt as a spread then cream cheese is a delicious option. It has a long shelf life, so you’ll never run out of cream cheese. Just store it in a fridge and use it before it expires.
Greek Yogurt
Regular yogurt and Greek yogurt are fermented (or cultured) dairy products, just like sour cream, buttermilk, cottage cheese or kefir. Greek yogurt is just as tasty and healthy as regular yogurt for baking and dips. Greek Yogurt is also added as a substitute in 1 to 1 ratio, just as we said about Sour Cream. Plus, there are many other benefits of Greek Yogurt. Additionally, Plain yogurt has a lighter texture than Greek Yogurt. If you are using the replacement in baking or pancakes, you can use plain yogurt as a 1:1 substitute for Greek yogurt.
Sour Milk
Sour cream and sour milk are two different things. They’re both dairy products but are still totally unalike. If the recipe you have in hand calls a bit of creaminess to your dish just like stews and curries, our option Sour milk will work just okay. If you don’t have yogurt or buttermilk available while baking, sour milk is a good option and will still achieve a creamy and tang in your dish. I love using this option in baking, the reason is that sour milk encourages the dough to be moist, fluffy, and dissolute.
Also, try out the Best Tasting Sugar-Free Yogurt in 2021.
Here’s something for the Vegans now if you are looking for yogurt substitutes!
Avocado
Almost everyone likes eating avocados nowadays and research showing avocados can help in keeping your heart healthy, fulfilling your appetite, and even help Diabetic Patients. Also, In case you’re a vegan or you love avocado, try using Greek yogurt with the same amount of avocado. This substitution does wonders with sauces, salad dressings and some baked dishes. The flavour may be a bit different, but tasty nevertheless, I’ve tried it. Although avocado is mostly neutral in taste so it shouldn’t change the taste of the final dish too much. Have you heard of it? Avocados are natures’ butter!
Blended silken tofu
This again is for Vegans. You must be looking for a no-dairy substitute for plain yogurt. Here’s an idea-
You will have to either whip the tofu up in a bowl using a fork or run it through your blender to get the necessary consistency and texture. Tofu has water, so you will need to pat dry the excess water so that there is no unwanted liquid in your final dish. Try to blend some silken tofu and then add it to your baked dishes. While it won’t have the exact same taste as yogurt, it will still have a similar texture. Also, tofu is a good source of protein (rich in protein), which is so needed in vegan and vegetarian diets.
Coconut Milk
Coconut milk can be your go-to baking and cooking ingredient at home. Instead of using milk, I love the creaminess, delicious aroma, and texture of coconut milk in a dish. Whatever you may be baking, be it a cake, cookies, or any other desserts, adding coconut milk makes a huge difference. You can also use it for soups, curries, drinks, and smoothies. I’m sure you will love it.
While baking with coconut milk, its elements are just like plain yogurt. If you’re using it as a substitution, you should just follow the 1:1 ratio rule, like we have done in many substitutes before. For curries, coconut milk has always been a staple so there should not be any issues when using it instead of yogurt. Whatever you are cooking will still turn out creamy, thick, aromatic and totally flavorful.
I’m sure you have not heard of the next substitute that I’m going to list in front of you now. Here it goes-
Almond Milk
Here I give you another vegan-friendly option that you can consider. Whatever you are baking, or if you are making a flavorful curry, bread, or assembling delicious soups and stews, almond milk will again add creaminess and body to your dish. Recently almond milk has been a popular choice to make healthy desserts, especially for those who have a sweet tooth and are vegan.
If you have a lot of time in hand, you can even make your own homemade almond milk. What could be better? You just need a blender or a food processor. Just mix the whole almonds and water together and mash them. Then spice them up with your favourite spices like cinnamon to add some flavour. If not this, you already have the above list of yogurt substitutes to guide you next time you wish to have something interesting.
