What if I don't have Greek yogurt?

[nm1999]

I don't always have Greek yogurt on hand. I tend not to keep it in the fridge and only buy it when I need it. I do, however, tend to have plain, regular yogurt.

Can I substitute that in recipes if I make something Greek at the last minute?

I have heard of some people straining it through cheesecloth. If you guys recommend I do that, How long does it need to strain?

 

[Luana]

Any whole milk full-fat yogurt should sub well. If the "plain regular yogurt" you have is non- or low-fat, not a good idea. It's a shame there is not more full-fat whole milk yogurt available in grocery stores, as everything seems to be the yucky stuff and loaded with fruit. If you want to strain it, you can, 20 minutes or so should be adequate. Curious as to what you're using it in, if you care to share that.

 

[PemiKanavos]

Hi nm1999,

Although any full fat yogurt should be ok, just keep in mind that greek yogurt is thicker which means it has less liquid whey. So just keep that in mind when making a cake.
If you are planing on making tzatziki then I suggested either straining the yogurt for at least 30 min, preferably a couple of hours or just run to the store and get some greek yogurt.

 

[Luana]

You can strain any regular plain yogurt through cheese cloth, and let sit in 'fridge for a few hours to get extra liquid out. Do get full-fat yogurt, not anything low- or no-fat.

 

[Linda554]

paper coffee filters work well if no cheesecloth.

 

[nm1999]

Thank you guys for the tips! I like the idea of simply straining it - and using a coffee filter sounds great, I always have those on hand. I never have cheesecloth on hand. Thank you so much! I will lay the coffee filter into a strainer and let it drip for a bit until it thickens, right?