01
Cream Cheese
6.0best for raw1 cup : 1 cup
Denser and richer; soften and thin with milk to match yogurt consistency, adds richness to dips and frostings
6.0
plain yogurt substitute
for raw.
Uncooked yogurt sits at refrigerator temp where its live cultures (typically 10^7 CFU/g of L. bulgaricus) keep tang sharp and texture spoonable for 2-3 hours on a buffet. Substitutes ranked here must be safe at room temp without cooking and hold body without weeping. Cream cheese softened to 65°F spreads cleanly; thin pourables like buttermilk shift a dip into a dressing register.
top substitutes
adjustment for raw
For raw uses like dips and spreads, cream cheese softened to 65°F holds its shape on a cracker for 30 minutes without weeping, where yogurt would pool by minute 10. Whip 2 tbsp milk per cup to match yogurt's spoonability while keeping that no-pool body.
02
Buttermilk
8.0best for raw1 cup : 1 cup
Tangy pourable liquid; use cup-for-cup in baking, slightly thinner so reduce other liquids by 2 tbsp
8.0
adjustment for raw
Buttermilk poured raw onto cold dishes carries yogurt's tang at one-third the body. Use in chilled soups (vichyssoise, gazpacho) or as a pour-over for roasted veg salads served cold. For a true yogurt-thickness dip, whisk in 1 tbsp Greek yogurt or sour cream per cup.
03
Mayonnaise
5.0best for raw1 cup : 1 cup
Rich and eggy; same creamy texture in dressings and slaws, adds fat not tang
5.0
adjustment for raw
Raw mayo brings 70% fat versus yogurt's 3-5%, swinging a dip from tangy-light to rich-savory. Acid is roughly half yogurt's, so squeeze in 2 tsp lemon per cup. Safe to leave at room temp for 2 hours like yogurt; commercial mayo is acidified to pH 4.0-4.2.
show 6 more substitutes
04
Greek Yogurt
10.01 cup : 1 cup
Thicker, thin with 2 tbsp milk to match consistency
10.0
adjustment for this dish
Greek yogurt straight from the tub is denser than regular yogurt and holds peaks. For a tzatziki or labneh, use cup-for-cup. For a dressing-style dip, thin with 2 tbsp milk per cup to recover pourable spoon-coating consistency yogurt would naturally have.
05
Cottage Cheese
6.01 cup : 1 cup
Thick curds with mild flavor; drain excess liquid first, adds protein but less tang than yogurt
6.0
06
Half and Half
6.01 cup : 3/4 cup
Lighter, pourable cream; less tangy, use in soups and sauces where yogurt thickness is not needed
6.0
07
Skim Milk
6.01 cup : 3/4 cup
Thinner with less fat; add 1 tbsp lemon juice per cup for tang, works in smoothies and light baking
6.0
08
Sour Cream
8.01 cup : 1 cup
Thick and tangy; nearly identical in baking and dips, sour cream is slightly richer with more fat
8.0
09
Milk
7.51 cup : 1 cup
Thin liquid, no tang; use in baking where yogurt adds moisture, add 1 tsp lemon juice per cup for acidity
7.5