Substitutions

What can I use instead of plain yogurt?

Q: Can I use sour cream thinned with milk instead of plain yogurt?

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.

Q: Can I use unsweetened soy yogurt instead of plain yogurt?

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.

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

3substitutes

1close matches

Dairy & milkscategory

Quick answer

Buttermilk

1 cup plain yogurt = 3/4 cup buttermilk (reduce other liquid slightly)

All substitutes, best first

3 ways to replace plain yogurt

Buttermilk

Closest match

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.

BakingCookingVegetarianGluten-freeNut-freeEgg-freeSoy-free

Sour cream thinned with milk

Reliable

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.

Trade-offConsiderably richer.

BakingCookingSaucesVegetarianGluten-freeNut-freeEgg-freeSoy-free

Unsweetened soy yogurt

Reliable

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.

BakingRaw / no-cookVeganVegetarianGluten-freeDairy-freeEgg-freeNut-free

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

Plain yogurt in summary

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-free Egg-free Gluten-free Nut-free Soy-free Vegan Vegetarian
Number of substitutes	3

More dairy & milks

Almond milk3 substitutes Buttermilk5 substitutes Cheddar3 substitutes Coconut milk (canned)3 substitutes Cottage cheese3 substitutes Cream cheese3 substitutes

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.