What Can You Use Instead of Strained Yogurt?

If you do not have strained yogurt, you can use cream cheese, sour cream, or thick plain yogurt instead. The best choice depends on the consistency and tartness the recipe needs. Strained yogurt is much thicker than regular yogurt because some of its liquid has been drained off.

Which recipes work with cream cheese or sour cream?

Cream cheese is close to strained yogurt in thickness, but it is less tart and higher in fat. It can replace strained yogurt in sweet sauces and cakes, although the recipe will be a little less tangy. To compensate, add a few drops of lemon juice to the cream cheese. Sour cream is a little thinner than strained yogurt and has a similar tart flavor. It can be substituted directly in saucy dishes and recipes with garnishes, but it may release more water in baked recipes, so you may need to increase the flour slightly.

How can you thicken regular yogurt by straining it?

If you do not have strained yogurt, you can thicken regular yogurt by leaving it for a few hours in a strainer lined with cheesecloth or a coffee filter. This drains off some of the liquid and gives the yogurt a consistency close to strained yogurt. The longer it drains, the thicker it becomes; in some recipes, this method can even produce a labneh-like, spreadable consistency.

Are there vegan alternatives?

For people who do not consume dairy, coconut-based yogurt can be strained to a similar thickness, although it will have a mild coconut note. Cashew cream is made by blending soaked cashews and provides a texture close to strained yogurt in both sweet and savory recipes.

Is there a difference in probiotic content?

Strained yogurt is a fermented product containing live bacterial cultures, and it generally has more probiotics than cream cheese. Most of these cultures are lost during cream cheese production. Sour cream is also fermented and contains some probiotics, but less than strained yogurt.

How can you maintain the flavor in sauces and mezze?

In yogurt-based appetizers such as cacık (cucumber-yogurt dip) and haydari (herbed strained-yogurt dip), increasing the amount of seasonings such as garlic and mint a little when using cream cheese helps balance the lost tartness by adding more aroma. When using sour cream, no extra seasoning is needed because its own tartness is already similar to yogurt; this makes it a practical choice for appetizer recipes that need fewer adjustments.

What should you keep in mind?

Whichever substitute you choose, its fat content will differ, so watch the consistency of the recipe and, if needed, add a few tablespoons of milk or water to reach the desired texture. In baked recipes, cream cheese and sour cream release more moisture than strained yogurt, so the baking time may need to be extended by a few minutes. For delicate recipes such as cakes, the most reliable way to check near the end of baking is to use a toothpick. If it does not come out clean, wait a few more minutes and check again.