13 Substitutes for Greek Yogurt | The Michigan Dietitian

If you are making a recipe, you may need substitutes for greek yogurt if this isn’t an item you consume regularly. Decide between these 13 greek yogurt substitutes for the best option in your recipe!

Greek yogurt is a delicious and creamy dairy product that is often paired with fruit and granola as a breakfast option but also included in many recipes for its consistency and nutrition!

What is Greek Yogurt?

Greek yogurt is a more-strained version of regular yogurt. Due to the processing techniques and certain ingredients a tangy, thick, high-protein product is created!

How Greek Yogurt is Made

Greek yogurt actually begins just as regular yogurt. It begins as pasteurized milk and bacteria starter cultures. It is fermented, then strained. What remains is the thick and tangy product you know as greek yogurt.

Because it has to be strained to make it more thick, more dairy is needed to make greek yogurt compared to regular yogurt. Now you’ll know why a tub of regular yogurt may be around $4 and a tub of greek yogurt is about $6- it requires more input of dairy!

Greek Yogurt Compared to Regular Yogurt

Greek yogurt and regular yogurt (I’ll just be referring to it simple as yogurt from here on out) are similar but have many key differences.

Greek yogurt is quite a bit thicker than yogurt. It will stay together without dripping if on the prongs of a fork. On the other hand, yogurt would slip right through the prongs!

Another key difference between the two is the nutrition. As you can see below, an equal 200g serving of each has about the same amount of calories and fat while the greek version has double the protein and nearly half the carbs.

	Greek Yogurt	Plain Nonfat Yogurt
Calories	100	90
Protein	20g	10g
Carbs	8g	13g
Fat	0g	0g

Reasons to Substitute Greek Yogurt

There could be any number of reasons you would need substitutes for greek yogurt in your recipe. You may be allergic, you may be looking for a different texture or taste, or you may just not have any on-hand!

Selecting Substitutes for Greek Yogurt

Not all substitutes for greek yogurt are an easy 1-for-1 swap. Certain replacements would be a delicious swap, while others would not pair well.

Substitutes for Greek Yogurt

Cottage Cheese

Cottage cheese is a similar food item in both look and nutrition. It does have the classic ‘lumps’ you think of when you picture cottage cheese but if used in certain recipes, you won’t notice!

If you are replacing the yogurt in a baked good mixture with cottage cheese, when all is said and done, you won’t be able to notice the texture differences.

Sour Cream

Sour cream has a similar texture and look to greek yogurt. This makes it one of the best substitutes for greek yogurt. Sour cream is something many people keep in their fridge at all times, so it can easily be swapped in a pinch.

Have you heard some people replace their sour cream with greek yogurt on taco Tuesdays. That’s because it is so similar. Hence, the swap in reverse can also be made.

Mashed Banana

Mashed banana works as a replacement for greek yogurt in some recipes. It may be able to retain some similar texture, but the ultimate consistency may vary.

If you are making a batch of overnight oats that calls for a serving of greek yogurt and you would rather omit it, mashed banana would be a great replacement! Plus, there’s still great nutrition in the mashed banana!

Cream Cheese

Cream cheese is an awesome greek yogurt substitute! It has a thick consistency just like greek yogurt yet is also plain enough to work in nearly any recipe. An added bonus? It’s pretty likely you have a block of cream cheese already in your fridge.

Yogurt

A plain yogurt will be a useful swap in many recipes. Really, the only difference you would see is a bit less ‘held together’ and more sweet of a recipe.

Mayo

Now, using mayo as a greek yogurt substitute sounds a bit wacky, but it works. Both mayo and greek yogurt have a similar texture and a sour taste.

Buttermilk

After butter is churned there is a sour liquid that remains. This is buttermilk. Basically, the milk of butter! Using buttermilk is a great replacement for greek yogurt as it naturally has a similarly tangy flavor.

One difference with this swap is the consistency. Buttermilk is more liquidized than greek yogurt. Depending on your recipe, you may need to use additional dry ingredients to make up for the difference.

Tofu

Tofu is something you can keep shelf-stable in your pantry as a backup.

All you have to do it pop a block of silken tofu into a blender and buzz it up! If you are needing the more sour taste of greek yogurt, add a teaspoon of lemon juice at a time until you reach a taste you enjoy.

Coconut Cream

When I say coconut cream I don’t mean coconut milk. When you open a can of coconut milk the thick top layer is what would work as the substitute for greek yogurt.

It will be thick and creamy but also comes along with a coconut flavor. This may be a great addition to your recipe or may completely clash.

Milk

It is possible to milk as a substitute for greek yogurt, although it is a bit difficult.

Milk is quite a bit more liquid than greek yogurt, that means you end result may also end up more liquid. The plus side is that if you add a touch of lemon juice to increase the acidity it would have a similar taste!

Mashed Avocado

Similar to mashed banana, mashed avocado is a useful swap for some situations, but not all. It has a bit o a higher fat content than greek yogurt so it may slightly alter a baked treat recipe. On the bright side, this is a way to get an easy dose of healthy fats that are great for you!

Nut Butter

Nut butter has an awesome texture and consistency that resembles greek yogurt.

Opt for a natural nut butter if the recipe doesn’t rely on the yogurt for stability. Use a more processed nut butter (such as Jif) if you need it for stability.

Homemade Greek Yogurt

Now, you may get mad at me for suggesting this one. If you are in dire need of greek yogurt and aren’t wanting any of the prior substitutes, you can always make your own! Use this recipe from Live Eat Learn using just whole milk and nonfat yogurt.

Jumbo morning glory muffin with greek yogurt

Make Something with Your New Knowledge!

Now that you know all of these different substitutes for greek yogurt here a couple recipes that include greek yogurt. Try out one of these substitutions if you don’t have greek yogurt on hand!

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