Greek Yogurt substitutes
Greek Yogurt is Thick, creamy yogurt with tangy flavor, used in cooking, baking, and as a topping.
Regular Yogurt
Use the same amount as the greek yogurt you are replacing
The best substitutes for Greek yogurt are regular yogurt, sour cream, or buttermilk, depending on the use.
At a glance
| # | Substitute | Instead of greek yogurt, use | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Regular Yogurt | Same amount | Different texture |
| 2 | Sour Cream | Same amount | Different taste |
| 3 | Buttermilk | Same amount | Taste and texture differ |
Every greek yogurt substitute
Substitutes for Greek Yogurt with ratios
1. Regular Yogurt
Different textureUse the same amount
Similar dairy with different texture
What changes
- Covers
- Fat & richness
- Moisture & hydration
- Acid
- Misses
- Thickening — not covered
2. Sour Cream
Different tasteUse the same amount
Similar dairy with different source
What changes
- Covers
- Fat & richness
- Moisture & hydration
- Acid
- Thickening
3. Buttermilk
Taste and texture differUse the same amount
Similar dairy with different form
What changes
- Covers
- Moisture & hydration
- Acid
- Misses
- Fat & richness — not covered
- Thickening — not covered
Which one for your recipe?
It is a dip, a raita, a tzatziki, or a spoonful on top of a curry or a chili — the yogurt has to be thick and stay where you put it.
Sour cream is the straight swap: the same thickness and a little richer. Regular yogurt will do this job only if you strain it first, and buttermilk is pourable and will not do it at all.
It is a wet ingredient in a cake, muffin or quick bread leavened with baking soda.
The acid is the part that matters and all three options have it, so this is the forgiving case. Regular yogurt is fine and brings back some of the liquid; buttermilk is excellent here because thin is no disadvantage in a batter.
It is a marinade for chicken, lamb or paneer.
You want acid to tenderise and enough body to cling. Regular yogurt is the natural choice and clings well enough. Buttermilk is the classic tenderiser and works, though it drips rather than coats, so marinate in a bag or a bowl rather than on a tray.
It is going into a sauce that will be simmered.
Greek yogurt is a poor choice for this to begin with, and regular yogurt is worse — both split. Use sour cream, add it off the boil, and stir it in at the very end. If the sauce genuinely has to boil, reach for crème fraîche or heavy cream instead.
What greek yogurt does in a recipe
Greek yogurt is ordinary yogurt with the whey strained out. Removing that liquid leaves it thick enough to stand up in a spoon and concentrates the protein, but the tang is the same lactic acid it started with. So it is doing two jobs at once: it is the acid in a batter or a marinade, and it is the body in a dip. Most swaps give you one of those and not the other.
Tips for substituting greek yogurt
- To thicken regular yogurt, strain it through cheesecloth for 2-4 hours
- Greek yogurt has more protein and less sugar than regular yogurt
- For baking, Greek yogurt adds moisture and tanginess to recipes
- Greek yogurt can be used as a healthier substitute for sour cream