15 tips you need to know when cooking with yoghurt

When people think of yoghurt, they probably picture their familiar bowl of yoghurt with muesli. But yoghurt can be so much more than your breakfast. You can cook with it perfectly well, too. Soups, sauces, dressings… The possibilities are endless. Would you like to cook with yoghurt more often? With these 15 tips, it will be a success every time.

1. Watch out for spoilage

Yoghurt is one of those products you may always have in your fridge. It lasts quite a long time: you can use it for 1 to a maximum of 2 weeks after purchase. After that, its freshness quickly declines. So how do you know when it’s really time to say goodbye to your beloved tub of yoghurt? Of course, you can check the best-before date, but that isn’t always decisive. It’s better to trust your senses. Is the layer of water (or whey) on the yoghurt cloudy? Is the yoghurt slowly turning yellow? Is there a very strong smell coming from it? Or do you see mould anywhere? Then it’s time to open your bin.

2. Don’t put your yoghurt in the freezer

Nope, not a good idea. Especially not if you want to use your yoghurt later for soups or sauces. If you freeze your yoghurt, the curds (the solidified milk proteins) separate from the whey (the liquid by-product of yoghurt). This changes the texture of your yoghurt – and not in a good way. It becomes grainy, which simply isn’t pleasant. So save that freezer for ice cream and leftovers.

3. Make your dips with yoghurt

Making your own dips is great. Much tastier than the packaged kind. Does the recipe say you should use mayonnaise? Try yoghurt instead. Greek yoghurt works especially well in many dips. Just as firm and creamy as mayo, but with far fewer calories. You can add a spoonful of olive oil if you want to recreate the taste of mayo. Need inspiration? These are our favourite yoghurt dips from around the world.

4. Be careful when substituting yoghurt

Yoghurt is a worthy substitute for many ingredients. For example, you can replace sour cream and mayonnaise with yoghurt on a one-to-one basis without any problems. But this doesn’t apply to all ingredients. If you replace butter or eggs one-to-one with yoghurt, your batter will probably become far too thin. The rule of thumb is to start by replacing a small amount with yoghurt. You can then gradually add more. For example: if you use a cup of butter in a recipe and want to replace part of it with yoghurt, start with half a cup of butter and a quarter cup of yoghurt.

5. Never pour yoghurt into aluminium

Yoghurt and aluminium are not good friends. Aluminium gives your yoghurt a nasty, metallic taste. What’s more, your yoghurt burns quickly when you heat it in an aluminium pan or dish. So don’t. Do you want to heat yoghurt on your hob? Choose a stainless-steel pan. If you want to heat your yoghurt in the oven, it’s best to use a glass, silicone or earthenware dish.

6. Don’t combine your yoghurt with everything

Or do it and you’ll see for yourself that it isn’t a good idea. Why, for example, do you never see chocolate-chip-flavoured yoghurt in shops? Because yoghurt and chocolate aren’t a good combination. Yoghurt is simply too acidic for a non-acidic product like chocolate. No, it’s better to combine your yoghurt with ingredients that have roughly the same acidity. Fruit, jam and lemon are better options in this case.

7. Be gentle with yoghurt

Yoghurt is a fairly delicate product. If you whisk your yoghurt like a maniac, you’ll separate the curds from the whey and won’t be able to do anything with it anymore. Instead, it’s better to fold your yoghurt in gently. A rubber spatula is perfect for this.

8. Marinate your meat in yoghurt

Huh? Yes, really. You’ll see that it has a much better effect on your meat than a marinade made with citrus, vinegar or wine. How does that work exactly? Yoghurt contains lactic acid. Unlike the harsh acids in citrus, vinegar and wine, lactic acid is mild. Marinate your meat in lactic acid, and it will become incredibly tender very gradually. A marinade made with citrus, wine or vinegar, on the other hand, makes your meat tougher. So for your next barbecue, stock up on plenty of tubs of yoghurt.

9. Ferment your vegetables with yoghurt

Another tip you probably didn’t see coming. Yoghurt is a great ingredient for fermenting your vegetables. Ideal if you want to make kimchi, for example. Why does this work so well? Both yoghurt and vegetables contain lactobacillus. This is a probiotic that produces lactic acid and helps with the absorption of nutrients. In yoghurt, lactobacillus develops as a result of the fermentation process; in vegetables, it occurs naturally. So it makes perfect sense that you can use yoghurt to ferment your vegetables. How do you do it? Put your vegetables in an airtight preserving jar and cover them with non-iodised salt, distilled water and some whey from the yoghurt. The fermentation process will then start by itself.

10. Add yoghurt to your instant mac ‘n cheese

Is boxed mac ‘n cheese your ultimate guilty pleasure? Then you’ll love this hack. Replace the milk and butter – which you use to mix with the cheese powder – with yoghurt. Not entirely: half a cup of yoghurt in place of 5 tablespoons of milk and butter is enough. Thank us later (also for the extra serving of protein you’ll get this way).

11. Give yoghurt the starring role in your salad dressing

Promise us you’ll never make salad dressings without yoghurt again. Combined with some oil and your favourite herbs, it’s the dressing that takes your salad to the next level. Add some vinegar for extra acidity and honey for sweetness, and your diners will be left drooling with delight.

12. Add yoghurt to your scrambled eggs

This may sound a little random, but believe me: it makes the best scrambled eggs. Yoghurt ensures that your eggs become super fluffy. Exactly what you want for your scrambled eggs, right? A tablespoon or two is enough. And as an added bonus, you’ll get some extra protein, too. A perfect after work-out snack.

13. Make yoghurt ice lollies

I’m addicted to yoghurt and forest-fruit ice cream. I can effortlessly finish a tub of the Albert Heijn own-brand version in one go. I realised that I could easily make my favourite ice cream myself, too. All you need is silicone ice-lolly moulds, yoghurt and forest fruits (or other fruit, if you prefer). Fill the moulds, put them in the freezer for a few hours and you’re done. Easy as pie.

14. Use yoghurt in your cocktail

Yoghurt cocktails are becoming increasingly popular. Here in the Netherlands, you don’t (yet) see them on many menus, but in American cities such as Washington and San Francisco, they’re flying off the shelves. And actually, it’s not so strange. Cocktails such as the whisky sour contain egg white. Why couldn’t you replace that with yoghurt, which also contains protein? It gives your cocktail a lovely body. One spoonful of Greek yoghurt does the magic trick. Mix it with a clear spirit (such as gin or vodka), a splash of lemon juice, syrup and ice, and your yoghurt cocktail is ready to serve. Yummy!

15. Add a spoonful of yoghurt to your soup

Many soup recipes recommend finishing the soup with a spoonful of crème fraîche or a splash of cream. Delicious, but also small calorie bombs. A spoonful of thick Greek yoghurt is an excellent substitute. It makes your soup just as creamy, but is a healthier addition than cream or crème fraîche. It can be that simple.

Also read:

• Eddie’s food pet peeves: that you’re almost afraid to order ‘regular’ yoghurt
• What is the difference between Greek yoghurt and quark?
• Why you should start eating your crisps with Turkish yoghurt

Source: Tasting Table