{"id":171306,"date":"2012-07-02T08:00:02","date_gmt":"2012-07-02T15:00:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/s117539703.onlinehome.us\/?p=171306"},"modified":"2018-08-01T11:46:07","modified_gmt":"2018-08-01T18:46:07","slug":"how-to-substitute-yogurt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.godairyfree.org\/dairy-substitutes\/how-to-substitute-yogurt","title":{"rendered":"How to Substitute Yogurt"},"content":{"rendered":"

Most of the\u00a0information below on how to substitute\u00a0yogurt\u00a0for dairy-free and vegan diets\u00a0is excerpted from my book, Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook<\/a><\/strong>. <\/em>However, I’ve also added product reviews and a few fun recipes that are here on the website.<\/p>\n

\"How<\/p>\n

Quick\u00a0Ideas to Substitute Yogurt<\/h2>\n

Easy Buttermilk Alternative<\/h3>\n

This works very well for marinating and cooking purposes, and is also recommended when yogurt is called for in baked goods, dressings, and sauces. You can substitute one cup of Buttermilk Alternative<\/a>\u00a0for one cup of yogurt in recipes.<\/p>\n

Coconut Cream<\/h3>\n

This is a dairy-free wonder food. Refrigerate a can of full-fat coconut milk<\/a>\u00a0for several hours or overnight. The coconut cream will rise to the top and can easily be skimmed off. Depending on your needs, coconut cream can substitute yogurt in a 1:1 ratio. Be aware that Coconut Cream is much higher in fat than the other options listed.<\/p>\n

Homemade Dairy-Free Yogurt<\/h3>\n

Some people love to make dairy-free yogurt at home. It can be much more economical, tastier, and a fun DIY project. Homemade dairy-free yogurts are often thinner than dairy yogurt, so I recommend starting with one of our tested recipes below.<\/p>\n

Pureed Silken Tofu<\/h3>\n

Medium Firm Silken Tofu<\/a> will puree into a nice consistency, and may substitute yogurt using a 1:1 ratio. Obviously, this sub is only for recipes, and since it does lack the tartness of yogurt, it is most suitable for \u201cheartier\u201d dishes. You can add a little lemon juice to your recipe if some tang is desired.<\/p>\n

Sour Cream Alternative<\/h3>\n

This works well as a straight substitute for yogurt in salad dressings and dips. Use one of our Sour \u201cCream\u201d<\/a> recipes for a simple option if you can’t locate a variety in store.<\/p>\n

Store-Bought Dairy-Free Yogurt<\/h4>\n

Soy-, coconut-, almond, and cashew-based\u00a0yogurts are popping up all over the place, and they contain that same great \u201chealthy bacteria.\u201d For the most part, dairy-free brands work as an equivalent substitute yogurt. Some brands have received rave reviews, and others, well \u2026 let\u2019s stick to the ones with rave reviews. Check our product reviews<\/a> for some options.<\/p>\n

Recipes: Homemade Yogurt Alternatives<\/h2>\n

Dairy-free yogurt is becoming so popular that it can even be found in many small towns. Unfortunately, it can also be expensive. So many people like the option of making their own. Homemade yogurt takes a little bit of time to make, but it involves very little hands on work. Yogurt is a cultured product, so most of the time involves waiting for the yogurt to ferment.<\/p>\n

Homemade dairy-free yogurt will almost always differ a bit from store-bought, but in many people’s opinions, that isn’t a bad thing. And if at first you don\u2019t succeed, definitely try again. Very few people have complete success on their first batch of yogurt. It takes a bit of practice to get it right. But once you do, the financial and edible rewards are great. And I have\u00a0some helpful tips to get you started on that journey to your perfect homemade dairy-free yogurt.<\/p>\n

Yogurt Starter<\/h3>\n

To make your own dairy-free yogurt, you need to begin with a starter culture. This is live active cultures that will help populate your yogurt with good bacteria, or probiotics. Starter culture itself is merely bacteria. It doesn\u2019t contain ingredients such as milk. However, the bacteria must be grown on a medium, and that medium is often dairy.<\/p>\n

For most dairy-free or dairy-low consumers, a starter culture grown on dairy isn’t a problem, since the bacteria or starter is completely removed from the medium before use. However, if you are dealing with a severe milk allergy, have any concerns about trace dairy, or are strictly vegan and want to ensure there was no dairy used in the making of the product, look for a dairy-free or vegan label, and then contact the company to verify their processes.<\/p>\n

I also want to give you a heads up that the bacteria names themselves can sound like dairy. Many start with “lact” or have the term “casei” in them, which can sound like lactose and casein. These are just scientific bacteria names based on what they do. The names do not reflect the medium that the bacteria was grown on.<\/p>\n

There are three things that are commonly used as a starter for homemade yogurt.<\/p>\n

Another Yogurt<\/h4>\n

You can use a store-bought dairy-free yogurt or a finished homemade dairy-free yogurt as the starter for your next batch. If going with store-bought, make sure\u00a0the container says something to the effect of: made with live cultures.<\/em><\/p>\n

Alternatively, you can save a little of your homemade dairy-free yogurt to use as the starter. It has been reported that using your own starter can lose potency over time, so you might want to use a fresh starter periodically.<\/p>\n

In terms of how much dairy-free yogurt to use, I’ve read varying reports. Some say as little as 1\/4 teaspoon of dairy-free yogurt per 4 cups of liquid, while some recommend a full 1\/2 cup. I usually say around 2 to 4 tablespoons, to stay on the safe side without getting excessive. Keep in mind that the longer you ferment, the more it will populate. So if you do start with a lesser amount of dairy-free yogurt or starter, allow a longer amount of incubation time.<\/p>\n

Starter Culture<\/h4>\n

You can actually purchase yogurt starters. Most are grown on a dairy medium, but if you need dairy-free purity, a few brands do claim to be non-dairy, dairy-free, and\/or vegan. These include\u00a0Custom Probiotics<\/a>, Eugurt<\/a>, Cultures for Health Vegan<\/a>, Vegan Bio Yogurt<\/a>, and Belle+Bella<\/a>. But check the label and with the manufacturer to ensure ingredients and processes are safe for your needs.
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