Not only does Greek yogurt make a fantastic replacement for various condiments, like sour cream and mayonnaise, but it also works flawlessly in other recipes, too.
This humble ingredient can add oomph to so many meals, you’ll wonder how you ever got along without it. Below, you’ll find some tips for cooking (and baking) with Greek yogurt, along with 11 of our favorite recipes.
Table of Contents
- The Difference between Greek and Regular Yogurt
- How to Incorporate Greek Yogurt Into Your Cooking
- Go Classic with Tzatziki
- Make a Dressing: Greek Yogurt Ranch
- Bake a Springtime Quick Bread: Lemon Blueberry Bread
- Sub It for Sour Cream: Chicken Tacos with a Chipotle Crema Drizzle
- Replace the Mayo: Greek Yogurt Tuna Salad
- Healthier Alfredo Sauce for the Win
- Make a Marinade: Middle Eastern Chicken Kebabs
- Greek Yogurt Cake Frosting
- Delicious Greek Yogurt Brownies
- Fall In Love with Apple Streusel Cake
- A Yummy Summer Treat: Homemade Frozen Yogurt
The Difference between Greek and Regular Yogurt
Yogurt (both regular and Greek) are fermented dairy products made from the same ingredients, like milk and certain bacteria or starter cultures. The main difference between the two yogurts is how each is made.
Making regular yogurt requires you to heat milk, add bacteria, and let it ferment until it reaches a certain pH. Then you can add other ingredients to sweeten it or spruce it up.
Greek yogurt is heated, and bacteria is added (just like regular yogurt) and strained multiple times to remove the whey and other liquids. This leaves you with a tangier and much thicker yogurt in the end.
Generally, Greek yogurt is more expensive because it takes much more milk to make than the same amount of regular yogurt. However, it’s also packed with way more protein and healthy vitamins than regular yogurt.
How to Incorporate Greek Yogurt Into Your Cooking
Greek yogurt has been popular for years due to its ability to work in multiple meals while packing more nutrients than regular yogurt. Below are some things you can replace with Greek yogurt:
- Sour cream: This is one of the most popular ways to use this ingredient. The texture and flavor are so similar, many say they don’t notice any difference at all, so opt for yogurt if you’re looking for a health-conscience replacement. Add a dollop to a taco, spoon it over a bowl of soup or chili, or anything you would normally use sour cream for.
- Mayo (sometimes): The tangy or sour flavor works well in tuna, chicken, or egg salads. However, for favored foods like BLTs or cold lobster rolls, we recommend you stick with mayo.
- Heavy cream or buttermilk: Keep in mind that yogurt is much thicker, so you’ll want to thin it out a bit with milk or water before measuring and adding it to your recipe.
Replacing foods with this versatile ingredient is only one way to make the most of that large tub in your fridge. Let’s look at 11 delicious recipes that call for Greek yogurt.
Go Classic with Tzatziki
We love making homemade Tzatziki for its fresh and tangy flair! The best part about tzatziki is that it’s fit for so much more than just plain old pita bread. Grill some kabobs and fresh veggies, then accompany it with this lemony dill-infused masterpiece.
Or, you can serve it as a dip with fresh raw veggies at your next get-together. It’s delicious in sandwiches, too!
Get the Recipe: Love and Lemons
Make a Dressing: Greek Yogurt Ranch
Remember when I said Greek yogurt makes a fantastic sour cream or mayonnaise substitute? Well, here’s a prime example. It’s so good that the author of this recipe even wrote a song about it, and her masterful lyrics are spot-on: “it’s totally guilt-free, so dip it away.”
Using all the ranch-inspired flavorings like garlic powder, dried dill, and salt, you’ll learn to whip up a healthy version worth every bite. Dip your veggies and pizza, or throw a dollop over a salad.
Get the Recipe: Well Plated by Erin
Bake a Springtime Quick Bread: Lemon Blueberry Bread
We love quick bread for so many reasons! There’s no kneading or yeast required, and you can still end up with a sweet or savory loaf. Plus, Greek yogurt tastes amazing in a seasonal quick bread like this Lemon Blueberry Bread.
The tangy lemon zest combined with sweet bursts of blueberries creates a delicious little snack or breakfast treat. Please don’t skimp on the lemon glaze drizzle; it’s the perfect finish to a lovely loaf.
Get the Recipe: Tastes Better from Scratch
Sub It for Sour Cream: Chicken Tacos with a Chipotle Crema Drizzle
Here’s another fantastic sour cream sub idea. Using adobo sauce leftover from canned chipotles, Greek yogurt, a few other spices, and lime juice, you’ll have a crema sauce with a bite.
The sauce accompanies tacos just right, but you can also drizzle it on a taco salad or dip a few quesadillas in it, too! The possibilities are endless.
Get the Recipe: Baking Mischief
Replace the Mayo: Greek Yogurt Tuna Salad
Tuna, yogurt, crunchy veggies, avocado, and lemon juice, work flawlessly in creating a fresh and flavorful tuna salad.
Serve it with crackers, make a sandwich or plop a large spoonful over a tasty salad. Either way, you’ll have a wholesome meal to enjoy.
Get the Recipe: Girl Heart Food
Healthier Alfredo Sauce for the Win
If you love all the delicious components of rich alfredo but can’t manage to nix the guilt afterward, we have a healthy solution. Using protein-packed Greek yogurt, garlic powder, parmesan, and butter, you’ll learn to whip up a quick and creamy alfredo sauce worth indulging in.
Make a Bianca pizza topped with fresh veggies, toss it over some pasta, or dip your favorite crusty warm bread in it. There is so much you can do with this rich and creamy sauce.
Get the Recipe: Creme de la Crumb
Make a Marinade: Middle Eastern Chicken Kebabs
Grilling chicken with a Greek yogurt marinade is one of our absolute favorite ways to cook with Greek yogurt. The tanginess combined with lemon garlic and various spices works flawlessly to create a savory grilled dinner.
Pair it with grilled veggies and a bed of saffron rice, or your pilaf of choice.
Get the Recipe: Once Upon a Chef
Greek Yogurt Cake Frosting
Greek yogurt has similar characteristics to heavy cream, which makes it a perfect frosting option. You just combine yogurt with vanilla extract, coconut flour, and powdered sugar in this recipe.
It’s particularly perfect for cakes topped with fresh berries!
Get the Recipe: Healthy Recipes
Delicious Greek Yogurt Brownies
Who knew you could make fudge brownies that both taste amazing and aren’t so bad for you? Using flour, sweetener, cocoa powder, and Greek yogurt, you’ll learn to make a batch of gooey brownies that boast 100 calories in each square.
Now that’s a brownie worth biting! The recipe calls for vanilla or plain yogurt, but the author prefers using Greek yogurt.
Get the Recipe: The Big Man’s World
Fall In Love with Apple Streusel Cake
Similar to our favorite spring and summer quick bread, you’ll have an opportunity to use Greek yogurt through fall with this apple streusel cake, too. While granny smith apples play a huge role in this recipe, we mustn’t forget about our star ingredient: Greek yogurt. Its natural ability to provide a moist loaf is incomparable to other ingredients.
Get the Recipe: Tori Avey
A Yummy Summer Treat: Homemade Frozen Yogurt
Enjoy those breezy summer evenings with a bowl of homemade frozen yogurt—no ice cream maker required!
Just mix your few ingredients, freeze, stir, then freeze a little while longer. Within a few hours, you’ll have a delicious (and healthy) dessert.
Get the Recipe: Healthy Recipes
As you can see, Greek yogurt has made its way into breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert recipes. Which one do you plan to try? Your body (and taste buds) will thank you!
