Looking to Try Dairy-Free Greek Yogurt? These Cookbooks Can Help

If there's one dairy dish that's definitely worth substituting and adding to your vegan diet, it's Greek yogurt. Compared to traditional yogurt, it boasts a richer, creamier texture and a more complex flavor profile—and we haven't even touched on its health benefits yet! Greek yogurt contains significant amounts of bone-strengthening calcium, as well as potassium, iodine, phosphorus, and Vitamin A. That means it can also reduce your risk of developing heart disease and diabetes. It's no wonder sales for Greek yogurt reached over $3.7 billion in the past couple of years alone!

According to registered dietitian Krystal George, the best part is that dairy-free Greek yogurt is that it offers all the same benefits, just with a lower calcium content. So how exactly do you replace the cow's milk that forms the heart of Greek yogurt and make a treat you can enjoy on its own or as part of other vegan dishes? Cookbooks are arguably the best answer. Here's why—along with a quick list of recommended titles to get you started.

Why cookbooks?

The best cookbooks for trying dairy-free Greek yogurt

The Learn to Make Yogurt ebook by Cultures for Health

The best kind of cookbook to start with will be one that teaches you how to make dairy-free Greek yogurt itself. Cultures for Health's range of blog posts already make it an authority in the world of fermentation, which is why you may want to look into its ebook, Learn to Make Yogurt. This informative read discusses everything involved in making different kinds of yogurt. That includes the Greek variant—which it explains is made by allowing milk to ferment before slowly draining the whey from it. With dedicated sections for making dairy-free options, this cookbook is the way to go for those new to the craft of creating vegan Greek yogurt at home.

As we noted in our post, quality vegan cookbooks are a must. Given the limited options for tasty vegan treats on the market, the recipes they contain are great for inspiring you to try new dishes and expand your vegan palate. But what makes them different from, say, vegan YouTube videos and online recipe articles? Expertise.

These books stand out because they're written by culinary authorities who best know how to turn plant-based ingredients into true delights for your tastebuds. The works you'll find in Everand's collection of cookbooks exemplify this. Here, you'll find trending gems like Vegetables Unleashed, a cookbook written by Spanish-American celebrity chef José Andrés and James Beard-winning writer Matt Goulding—and even more niche works like popular plant-based blogger Richa Hingle's Vegan Richa's Indian Kitchen. With the true diversity of cookbooks available, you'll find plenty of insights on dairy-free Greek yogurt to get you started. Don't believe it? Try these titles.

The best cookbooks for trying dairy-free Greek yogurt

The Learn to Make Yogurt ebook by Cultures for Health

The best kind of cookbook to start with will be one that teaches you how to make dairy-free Greek yogurt itself. Cultures for Health's range of blog posts already make it an authority in the world of fermentation, which is why you may want to look into its ebook, Learn to Make Yogurt. This informative read discusses everything involved in making different kinds of yogurt. That includes the Greek variant—which it explains is made by allowing milk to ferment before slowly draining the whey from it. With dedicated sections for making dairy-free options, this cookbook is the way to go for those new to the craft of creating vegan Greek yogurt at home.

The Greek Yogurt Cookbook by Lauren Kelly

One key reason why Greek yogurt is so popular is its versatility. A Strava post on the ABCs of sports nutrition notes that if you simply want to eat it on its own, you can enjoy it by itself or mixed with fruits, muesli, and granola. If you want to go beyond those variations, though, pick up The Greek Yogurt Cookbook. Written by nutritionist Lauren Kelly, this comprehensive guide lists a whopping 125 recipes to inspire your Greek yogurt adventures. Though not explicitly a vegan cookbook, it contains plenty of plant-based recipes where you can make dairy-free Greek yogurt the star of the show. Savor a Greek yogurt parfait with quinoa granola, or whip yourself up tasty ice cream alternatives in the form of frozen yogurt in flavors like vanilla bean and strawberries and cream.

The Everything Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free Cookbook by Audrey Roberts

Want to use Greek yogurt as an ingredient in other tasty vegan dishes? Look no further than The Everything Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free Cookbook by recipe developer Audrey Roberts. Boasting over 300 recipes, it's great for expanding your overall know-how for cooking with dairy-free Greek yogurt. Learn how to turn it into a seven-layer dip perfect for carrots and celery sticks, tasty pastries like soft pretzels, and even vegan versions of savory dishes like chicken fajita soup and steak sandwiches.

Our Top Picks for Dairy-Free Greek Yogurt

Vegan Greek yogurt isn’t very easy to find on grocery store shelves, but there are a few brands you can look into that are available online:

• For US-based yogurt lovers, you can try Silk’s Greek-Style Coconutmilk Yogurt Alternative. It is combined with pea protein and comes in sweetened vanilla, lemon, strawberry, and blueberry flavors. Many people enjoy Silk’s thick, dense, and smooth texture, though it lacks the tang you might traditionally associate with Greek yogurt.
• Danone, Silk’s maker, also sells two dairy-free Greek yogurts exclusive to the UK. There’s Alpro Greek Style made with soy, which comes in plain, strawberry, blueberry, passionfruit, and mango flavors. Danone also has Oykos, a sweetened coconut yogurt inspired by Italian stracciatella, on the more premium end of the market. Oykos has a salted caramel flavor with 58% coconut milk content and caramelized sugar, as well as a chocolate flavor made with chocolate flakes and concentrated lemon juice to balance the flavor profile.
• Another widely available option online is Kite Hill’s Greek Plant-Based Yogurt. These are made with almond milk and come in unsweetened, plain, or vanilla variants. Kite Hill’s yogurts have high protein content while being preservative- and gluten-free, though some might not love the texture. Still, their plain yogurts do well for savory recipes like dips and dressings.
• There is also the Forager Organic Dairy-Free Greek Style Yogurt, which comes in plain, unsweetened, vanilla, and strawberry flavors. It is prepared with coconut and cashew milk and has the tang and sourness you might want in a dairy-free Greek yogurt but not much thickness. Again, this yogurt is a good choice for cooking.
• Finally, for those in Australia, Hong Kong-based Vitasoy launched its Greek Style Soy Yogurt made of soy milk and soy protein, which you could get in plain, vanilla, strawberry, mango, and passionfruit flavors — with varying sizes.

If you live in an area where vegan Greek yogurt is difficult to buy (even if you order online), you might want to consider making it from scratch. All you need is some coconut milk and probiotic capsules, which you combine, cover with a cheesecloth, and then wait until ready. Not only will you get a smooth, creamy texture and that signature Greek yogurt tang, but you can also customize it according to your preferences with vanilla, lemon, or other fruit flavorings.