Substitutions
Milk fermented with live cultures until it thickens and sours, left unstrained so it stays pourable-thick.
What it does in a recipe: Mild acidity plus liquid - the reason it works in both marinades and quick breads. Pick the swap that covers that job - the ratios below are written so you can act on them without doing any arithmetic.
Also called: Natural yogurt, Unstrained yogurt
Quick answer
Buttermilk
1 cup plain yogurt = 3/4 cup buttermilk (reduce other liquid slightly)All substitutes, best first
1 cup plain yogurt = 3/4 cup buttermilk (reduce other liquid slightly)Same cultured lactic acidity, just thinner, so you pull back a little to keep the batter's hydration right.
1 cup plain yogurt = 3/4 cup sour cream + 2 tbsp milkCultured and acidic like yogurt; the milk brings it down to yogurt's looser consistency.
Trade-offConsiderably richer.
1 cup plain yogurt = 1 cup unsweetened soy yogurtSoy has enough protein to ferment into a genuinely yogurt-like set, unlike thinner plant bases.
Allergen checkSoy is a top allergen. Read the tub, and for a severe allergy verify the product rather than assuming all plant yogurts are equivalent.
At a glance
| Category | Dairy & milks |
|---|---|
| Job in a recipe | Mild acidity plus liquid - the reason it works in both marinades and quick breads |
| Suits | Vegetarian, Gluten-free, Nut-free, Egg-free, Soy-free |
| Swaps available for | Dairy-freeEgg-freeGluten-freeNut-freeSoy-freeVeganVegetarian |
| Number of substitutes | 3 |
Questions
1 cup plain yogurt = 3/4 cup buttermilk (reduce other liquid slightly). Same cultured lactic acidity, just thinner, so you pull back a little to keep the batter's hydration right.
1 cup plain yogurt = 3/4 cup sour cream + 2 tbsp milk. Cultured and acidic like yogurt; the milk brings it down to yogurt's looser consistency. Considerably richer.
1 cup plain yogurt = 1 cup unsweetened soy yogurt. Soy has enough protein to ferment into a genuinely yogurt-like set, unlike thinner plant bases.
Related
Cooking around an allergy? Diet tags here describe the ingredient itself, not any particular brand. Processed products change formulation without notice and shared production lines are common, so read the label on everything you use. A severe allergy is a medical matter - confirm with the manufacturer or your clinician rather than relying on a substitution chart.