2-Ingredient Yogurt Cheese Recipe (Plus the Difference Between All the Types of Yogurt) by Ann Marie G. Halstead

I shared a vanilla cheesecake recipe here at 30Seconds, which calls for Greek yogurt or yogurt cheese. I use Greek yogurt in this vanilla cheesecake. To be honest, I’ve never used yogurt cheese and didn’t know much about it, until my curiosity got the best of me. I did some reading on the similarities and differences among Greek yogurt, regular yogurt and yogurt cheese, and found it quite interesting. I also found a yogurt cheese recipe!

Both Greek and regular yogurt are full of nutrients and offer multiple health benefits (read about the health benefits of Greek yogurt and health benefits of regular yogurt). They’re also both made with the same main ingredients: fresh milk and starter cultures called Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus.

Despite these commonalities, regular yogurt and Greek yogurt have differences as well – namely their taste, consistency and type of nutrients – as a result of how they’re made. Greek yogurt, also known as concentrated or strained yogurt, is made by eliminating whey and other liquids from regular yogurt. The longer you strain the yogurt, the thicker it will be. Greek yogurt also requires more milk than regular yogurt. As a result, Greek yogurt tends to be thicker, tangier and more spreadable, which makes it ideal for dips or spreading on crackers.

Yogurt cheese, on the other hand, is not really a cheese, despite its name (though it does resemble cream cheese). I’ve learned that yogurt cheese is quite versatile. Yogurt cheese can be used in place of cheese in salads, savory dips, fruit dips and pizzas, or spread on sandwiches, bagels, crackers or flatbreads. Yogurt cheese is low in fat, rich in calcium and contains protein. In addition, it boosts your immune system, helps lower cholesterol and helps with digestion.

The most popular yogurt cheese recipes are budget-friendly, simple and easy to make. You only need one ingredient, fat-free plain yogurt, and a cheesecloth or cheese strainer (or you could use a yogurt cheese maker.)

Yogurt cheese is quite customizable. You may choose to add spices or herbs such as basil, chives, parsley or cilantro. You could add pepper, garlic salt or garlic powder to cracker spreads. To make a fruit spread or dip, add cinnamon or honey for some sweetness. Here’s a simple recipe for yogurt cheese that is low-sodium and gluten-free!

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Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Prep Time: 5 minutes plus 24 hours to drain
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes plus 24 hours to drain
Servings: 8 (makes about 1 cup)

Ingredients

• 2 cups plain yogurt
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Helpful Products

• Cheesecloth
• Mesh Strainer
• Mixing Spoon
• Measuring Cups
• Measuring Spoons
• Salt and Pepper
• Airtight Containers
• Kitchen Towels

Recipe Notes

• You can pour the whey down the drain, though note that it is probiotic and healthy, so you may want to save it for another purpose, such as adding it to smoothies.

• Store yogurt cheese in the fridge and consume within two weeks.

Here’s how to make it:

1. Line a strainer with two layers of cheesecloth. Pour in the yogurt and let it drain for 24 hours (if your house is warmer than 70 degrees F, allow the yogurt to drain in the refrigerator). Discard the whey or see Recipe Notes.
2. Scrape the strained yogurt into a storage container, then add the salt and mix. Add additional herbs and spices, if desired. 

Nutrition Facts Per Serving

Calories: 44

Total Fat: 0.8g

Saturated Fat: 0.6g

Cholesterol: 4mg

Sodium: 117mg

Total Carbohydrate: 4.3g

Dietary Fiber: 0g

Total Sugars: 4.3g

Protein: 3.5g

Vitamin D: 0mcg

Calcium: 112mg

Iron: 0mg

Potassium: 143mg

Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. This recipe has been analyzed by VeryWellFit. However, any nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and it is up to the individual to ascertain accuracy. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography.

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