When you think of Greek yogurt, you probably pictured it layered in a parfait with fruits, nuts, seeds, and/or other toppings. But Greek yogurt is actually a lot more versatile than that. It can be used in a range of other sweet and savory dishes and as a healthy replacement for other ingredients. Read on to discover all the creative ways you should start eating Greek yogurt that don’t involve your typical layered snack.
Sweet Dishes
1. Pancakes
Photo by Zoe Zaiss
Adding Greek yogurt to your morning pancakes gives them an extra taste of sweetness and provides them with some protein. You can use any flavor of Greek yogurt you’d like, depending on whether you like your pancakes fruity or plain. You can even add some extra fresh fruit into the batter, experimenting with a combination of fruits or using the same kind that’s in your yogurt. Finally, top with a waterfall of maple syrup. We know Buddy the Elf would.
2. Crepes
Photo by Rebecca Siminov
Crepes are a super versatile breakfast that can be made sweet or savory, depending on what you stuff them with. While they might look a bit challenging to make, they’re actually super easy with this recipe that gets them done in only 12 minutes. Fill your crepes with a Greek yogurt cream and top them with fruit compote, which is healthier than jam and tastes way more fresh. You have to take advantage of all the summer fruits while you can.
3. Cookies
Photo courtesy of @skinnyfitalicious on Instagram
Take the guilt out of your favorite cookies by making them with Greek yogurt and applesauce, and replacing chocolate chips with fresh fruit like blueberries. They still satisfy your sweet tooth and come out fluffy and chewy like your regular chocolate chip kind, but are way healthier. Which means you can eat more of them right?
4. Banana Poppers
Photo by Abigail Wilkins
This snack is going to make you go bananas, because of how easy they are to make and how good they are to eat. All you have to do is slice up a banana and coat it in your favorite flavor of Greek yogurt. Freeze them for at least 1 hour and bam, you’ve got a treat that’ll cool you off all summer long. If you don’t like bananas, you could also use fresh strawberries, blueberries, or grapes.
5. Brûlée
Photo by Megan Tang
Desserts are so much more fun to make when you get to light them on fire. While creme brûlée is definitely a bomb ass dessert, this version made with Greek yogurt is equally amazing. All you have to do is spoon some Greek yogurt into a ramekin, cover it with a generous amount of sugar, and torch it. There’s nothing more satisfying than breaking apart that sugar crust and reaching the thick, creamy layer of Greek yogurt.
6. Cookie dough dip
Photo by Rayna Mohrmann
By using greek yogurt, this dip allows you to eat cookie dough without the risk of getting salmonella #score. It also incorporates peanut butter, making it even better than you ever thought it could get. This dip goes great with sliced apples or other any other fresh fruit, or epic funfetti sugar cookie nachos. Combining two different types of cookies together never hurt anyone, right?
7. Cheesecake
Photo courtesy of ohsweetbasil.com
I bet you thought your typical cheesecake couldn’t get any better than it already is. Well, think again. Adding in Greek yogurt takes your cheesecake to a whole new level of sweetness, creaminess, and altogether amazingness. Top it with a fresh raspberry sauce and I guarantee you’ll never make cheesecake any other way.
8. Banana bread
Photo by Mackenzie Barth
Always trust your great grandma when it comes to family favorite dishes like banana bread. She’s probably been whipping this recipe up for years. However, by substituting Greek yogurt for sour cream grandma’s banana bread gets a delicious makeover that I’m sure even she’ll adopt from now on. Now prepare to have your recipe get passed down generation after generation.
9. Yogurt Bark
Photo by Maria Serghiou
Is it just me or is it a little weird to melt a bunch of chocolate only to have to freeze it back together again? Good, but weird. Personally, I think this Greek yogurt bark makes a little bit more sense. Additionally, it’s healthier, and you can add any sort of mix-ins you want to it, whether it be Nutella, fruit, nuts, seeds, or something else you just decide to throw in on a whim.
Savory Dishes
10. Chicken salad
Photo by Keri Gawlik
Chicken salad usually gets a bad rap, because it’s made from a mostly mayo base that’s very unhealthy and disliked by many people. But you can change that by using Greek yogurt as your base instead, and adding in some additional fresh ingredients. For ultimate healthiness serve on multi-grain bread for lunch, or on sliced cucumbers as an appetizer. Prepare to have all of your chicken salad hating friends become die-hard fans.
11. Pasta
Photo by Parisa Soraya
Plain old marinara sauce can get way boring when you top your pasta with it almost every time you make it. Mix things up with this yogurt pesto sauce that’s creamy, flavorsome, and uses fresh ingredients. You could also use the sauce to top zucchini noodles, and add in some shrimp or chicken to make the meal more hearty. You’re no doubt going to want to sop up any extra sauce when you’re finished, so whip up a batch of classic, homemade garlic bread to go with your pasta.
12. Loaded baked potatoes
Photo courtesy of kellytoups.com
Personally, I’m not a big fan of baked potatoes unless they’re stuffed with tons of cheese, sour cream, and/or other delectable toppings. However, all those fillings tend to be fattening and take away any measure of healthiness you were trying to achieve. Load those baked potatoes up with Greek yogurt however, and you’ve got yourself some of that healthiness back. This recipe also incorporates steamed broccoli, because you always gotta have your greens. And, no worries, there’s still plenty of cheese.
13. Eggs Benedict
Photo courtesy of liveanddiet.com
Eggs Benedict is a super filling savory breakfast that allows you to start your day off with tons of energy. There are several variations and different add-ons you can use to personalize them in whatever way you prefer. Making them with this lightened-up “hollandaise” sauce using Greek yogurt will give you a slighter smaller food baby once you’re finished with them. Top your eggs Benedict with fresh veggies and turkey bacon to make them extra healthy.
14. Mac and cheese
Photo by Alia Wilhelm
Mac and cheese is perhaps one of the greatest comfort foods of all time, whether it’s from a Kraft mac & cheese box or your Grandmother’s kitchen. This comfort food gets a healthy makeover when made with nonfat Greek yogurt, resulting in the same mouth-watering dish only with less fat and calories. Use whole wheat macaroni and reduced-fat cheese to clock in at less than 250 calories per serving. Greek yogurt might just be a miracle worker.
15. Kebabs
Photo courtesy of whatsgabycooking.com
Nothing beats grilling out with friends and family on a warm summer night. Reinvent your typical barbecue marinade with these Greek yogurt-marinated chicken kebabs, made with fresh spices and seasonings. Serve them with Tzatziki sauce to give your all-American cookout a little Greek zest. Get ready to have everyone calling you the new grill master.
16. Deviled eggs
Photo courtesy of Steph Cozza
Make your deviled eggs “not so devilish” with this recipe that replaces mayo with Greek yogurt, making your favorite party app way healthier. Meaning you can eat more than a few and not feel bad at all. If you’ve never made deviled eggs before, you may have a little trouble with the first step of boiling your eggs. No worries, though, this video shows you how to boil eggs like a pro.
17. Biscuits
Photo by Amanda Shulman
If you live in the South like I do, biscuits seem to be a staple of almost all meals. It’s rare that you go to a Southern restaurant and don’t get biscuits brought out to you before your main course. No complaints there. But soon enough, those four biscuits that you ate before your meal start to feel like a brick in your stomach. Make these biscuits that are on the lighter side thanks to Greek yogurt but still result in the same flaky biscuits you know and love. Experiment a little and spread your biscuits with honey butter, apple butter, or one of these other varieties.
18. Spinach and artichoke dip
Photo by Tess van Donkelaar
If you ask me, spinach and artichoke dip is the dip to rule all dips. If it’s ever being served at a party, you can bet that I will be right next to it, munching on it all night. This recipe gets rid of some of the shame you might have devouring a whole bowl of dip by using Greek yogurt in place of mayonnaise. Don’t worry, it still contains plenty of cheese. My favorite way to serve it is in a large loaf of King’s Hawaiian Sweet Round Bread, but it also goes great with any type of crackers.
19. Salad dressing
Photo courtesy of @nicole.chenn on Instagram
Greek yogurt adds the creaminess to salad dressing, without using any actual cream, which can take away the overall healthiness of a salad. Use these recipes to recreate 5 of your favorite salad dressings using Greek yogurt, allowing you to #pouritup guilt-free. To ensure the rest of your salad stays healthy, be conscious of these add-ins that can up the calorie content even when using just a little of them.
20. Pizza
Photo by Phoebe Melnick
By using Greek yogurt instead of yeast in this homemade pizza dough, you save a ton of time and energy, leaving for more time to actually enjoy your pizza creation. The crust is still the same chewy, flaky texture you look forward to at the end of a slice. Get creative with your toppings by taking inspiration from these ideas.
21. Quesadillas
Photo courtesy of tastefullygf.wordpress.com
Sure, you could top your quesadilla with boring sour cream, or you could spice things up by making this spicy yogurt sauce. This sauce is similar to Taco Bell’s quesadilla sauce, which is so good I could probably eat it straight up. In this recipe, you’ll swap out sour cream for Greek yogurt, leaving you with a thick, creamy topping to your quesadillas that will have you “liv más.”
22. Bagels
Photo by Ashley Hamati
While bagels and bagel sandwiches are without a doubt the greatest breakfast creation every invented, all that cream cheese you typically load it up with takes a hefty toll on your waistline. Especially if you’re grabbing a bagel every single morning before class. You can make it healthier by replacing that cream cheese with a yogurt topping, made from mixing plain Greek yogurt with everything-bagel seasonings like poppy seeds, sesame seeds, onion, and garlic. Or, make it sweet by combining your favorite flavor of Greek yogurt with some fresh fruit.