12 Types of Yogurt

Ever notice how large the yogurt section of the grocery store has gotten? With so many types of yogurt on the shelves, from thick Greek and Icelandic styles to plant-based options, it helps to know what’s what before you shop and cook.

Yogurt is the base of a delicious parfait, creamy dips and sauces, tender baked goods, and flavorful marinades. Knowing how each type tastes and behaves makes it easy to pick the right one for your recipe.

How Yogurt Is Made

Yogurt is milk that’s been fermented with live bacterial cultures, most often Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus. The cultures convert the lactose (milk sugar) into lactic acid. As the milk becomes more acidic, its proteins coagulate, turning the liquid milk into a thick, creamy gel with a pleasant tang. Some manufacturers add other strains of cultures to create their desired texture and flavor.

Straining is what sets many styles apart. Removing the liquid whey makes yogurt thicker and more concentrated, which is why Greek and Icelandic yogurts are so dense and creamy.

Types of Yogurt at a Glance

Type	Texture	Flavor	Best Uses
Traditional	Medium to thin	Mild to tangy	Smoothies, baking, marinades
Greek	Thick	Tangy	Dips, sauces, sour cream swap
Icelandic (skyr)	Very thick	Mildly tangy	Parfaits, spreads, toppings
Australian	Thick, velvety	Rich, often sweetened	Snacking, desserts
French-style	Set and creamy	Mild, delicate	Eating plain or with fruit
Goat’s milk	Creamy	Earthy, slightly sweet	Savory dips, dressings
Sheep’s milk	Thick, rich	Earthy	Savory sauces, desserts
Soy	Similar to traditional	Slightly sweet, tangy	Dairy-free baking and cooking
Almond	Dense	Mild, a little tart	Smoothies, breakfast bowls
Cashew	Very creamy	Tart when unsweetened	Dairy-free dips and sauces
Coconut	Rich, thick	Coconutty	Curries, desserts, smoothies
Kefir	Thin, drinkable	Tangy, slightly fizzy	Smoothies, dressings, marinades

Traditional Unstrained Yogurt

This is your everyday yogurt. Much like milk, you can buy it made with whole milk, low-fat, or nonfat milk. Because it’s unstrained, it has a medium to thin texture and can taste quite tangy when plain. Many brands add sugar, fruit, or flavorings to balance the tartness, so choose plain for cooking.

Greek Yogurt

Greek yogurt is strained after fermenting to remove much of the whey. The result is a thick, rich texture and a tangier flavor than traditional yogurt. Its thickness makes it ideal for dips like tzatziki sauce, creamy dressings, and as a swap for sour cream. Check the label for milk and live cultures as the main ingredients.

Icelandic Yogurt (Skyr)

Icelandic yogurt, also called skyr, is strained even longer than Greek yogurt, which removes more whey and makes it extra thick. It tastes a little less tangy than plain Greek yogurt and is great for parfaits and spreads.

Australian Yogurt

Australian-style yogurt is often grouped with Greek and Icelandic yogurt because of its thickness, but there’s one key difference: it isn’t strained. Instead, it’s cultured longer and typically made with whole milk, which gives it a velvety, creamy texture. Many brands are lightly sweetened.

French-Style Yogurt

French-style yogurt is made in small batches and set in individual containers rather than fermented in a large vat and then portioned. It’s often sold in the same pot it was made in. Like traditional yogurt, it’s unstrained, with a smooth, delicate texture and a mild flavor.

Goat’s Milk Yogurt

If you like goat cheese, you might also be a fan of goat’s milk yogurt. It has a similar earthy, slightly sweet flavor. The texture is rich and creamy, but not quite as thick as Greek yogurt, and it’s delicious in savory dips and dressings.

Sheep’s Milk Yogurt

Made from sheep’s milk, this yogurt has an earthy, natural flavor. Sheep’s milk is naturally richer than cow’s milk, so the yogurt is thick and creamy like Greek yogurt, even without straining.

Soy Yogurt

Of all the dairy-free yogurts, soy yogurt may be the closest in texture and thickness to traditional cow’s milk yogurt. It’s a popular choice for a vegan diet and is one of the easier dairy-free yogurts to find. Like soy milk, it tastes a little sweet, with some of the tang of traditional plain yogurt.

Almond Yogurt

Almond yogurt is typically made by adding a thickener to almond milk, heating it, and then adding live cultures. It’s denser than traditional yogurt but similar in taste and texture, not overly sweet, and a little tart.

Cashew Yogurt

Cashew yogurt is known for being extra creamy. It’s made by soaking and blending cashews, then adding cultures and letting the mixture thicken. Because it’s so creamy, it’s a great dairy-free alternative to cream in dips and sauces. Unsweetened versions can taste quite tart on their own.

Coconut Yogurt

Coconut yogurt is made with coconut milk or coconut cream, giving it a rich, thick texture and a distinct coconut flavor. It’s delicious in smoothies and desserts, and its richness also works well in curries.

Kefir

Kefir is a fermented milk drink with a thin, pourable texture. Unlike yogurt, it’s cultured with kefir grains, a mix of bacteria and yeast, and ferments at room temperature, which gives it a tangy, slightly fizzy flavor. Use it in smoothies, salad dressings, and marinades.

You’ll also see drinkable yogurt in bottles. It’s simply yogurt or kefir thinned to a drinkable consistency and packaged to sip on the go.

How to Choose Yogurt for Cooking

• Pick plain for savory dishes. Flavored and sweetened yogurts can make dips, sauces, and marinades taste sugary, so check labels for added sugar.
• Choose thick for dips and toppings. Greek yogurt and skyr hold their shape, while traditional yogurt works better in batters and smoothies.
• Go full-fat for heat. Whole milk yogurt is richer and less likely to curdle in warm sauces than nonfat yogurt.
• Look for live and active cultures. If you want yogurt with live cultures, check the label for “live and active cultures” or the Live & Active Cultures seal.

Ways to Cook and Bake with Yogurt

Yogurt makes a great base for sauces, dips, and marinades. Its acidity helps tenderize meat, like in chicken tikka masala. You can often swap it for sour cream or mayonnaise, as in this creamy potato salad with yogurt, and you can usually substitute soy yogurt for dairy yogurt in the same amount.

In baking, yogurt adds moisture and a subtle tang to cakes and quick breads, and its acidity reacts with baking soda to help them rise. When using yogurt in a hot dish, bring it to room temperature first and stir it in gently off the heat to help prevent it from separating.

Keep in mind that heat kills yogurt’s live cultures, so cooked or baked yogurt won’t contain active cultures. Freezing doesn’t kill them, but it makes them dormant.

How to Store Yogurt

Store yogurt in the refrigerator, even shelf-stable pouches once they’re opened, and keep it tightly sealed. Check the date on the container, and use a clean spoon each time to keep it fresh longer. If you see mold or notice an off smell, discard it. A little liquid on top is just whey, so stir it back in.

Recipes with Yogurt

• Creamy Potato Salad with Yogurt
• Tzatziki Sauce
• Vegetable Fritters with Avocado Yogurt Sauce
• Lemon Yogurt Cake with Chia Seeds
• Custard Yogurt Toast
• Greek Yogurt Coleslaw
• Strawberry Yogurt Popsicles
• No-Bake Blueberry Yogurt Tart

Frequently Asked Questions