15 Ways To Add More Flavor To Yogurt

Yogurt is a magical dairy product used in cuisines from all over the globe. From desserts and snacks to meat marinades, there are a plethora of ways to use yogurt and add flavor to it. With several types of yogurt on the market, consumers are given versatility in taste and usage. There's non-fat, low-fat, full-fat, Greek yogurt, cow milk, goat milk, and so many more. 

In addition to its range of options, ways to flavor it, and varying usage, yogurt supposedly comes with nutritional benefits: One cup of plain low-fat yogurt has protein, fat, carbohydrates, sugar, calcium, magnesium, potassium, vitamin A, folate, and more. They have different consistencies and assorted flavor profiles, but no matter which one you end up purchasing, you might feel inclined to jazz it up a bit. Whether you want to color your yogurt naturally with beets or sweeten it with your favorite sauce, there are loads of creative ways to add more flavor to yogurt. Find inspiration from this list for your next meal or snack.

Introduce a new flavor profile to plain yogurt with fresh or dried herbs, such as mint, basil, or thyme. Choose the herbs depending on what you will use the yogurt for. If it's a side dip for a grilled chicken seasoned with basil and parsley, use similar herbs in your yogurt. The ingredients will brighten the flavor and create a complementary pairing, such as a dill and garlic yogurt spread on salmon or a mint yogurt with lamb. Need a couple more ideas? Make a lamb burger with herbed Greek yogurt with lemon zest, oregano, cilantro, mint, and parsley. For something cozy, try a bowl of hearty lentil soup topped with herbed yogurt seasoned with tarragon, parsley, lemon zest, salt, and pepper.

As a tip, it's important to finely chop the herbs so they get evenly spread throughout the yogurt. Fresh greens tend to come with moisture and can often clump together, so make sure to give them a good chop. They also provide an aromatic component to the yogurt, creating a side dish or an accompaniment to protein. It's an added benefit that yogurt makes a protein-rich side, snack, or marinade.

When you're at a loss for enriching the taste of your yogurt, spices can be the simplest method to do so. Plus, it's a good option if you're looking for a way that doesn't add even more sugar. You likely have at least one spice, if not multiple, in your cabinet. Go for a classic cinnamon yogurt, or give it more depth with additional spices.

For example, ginger transforms yogurt with minimal effort while making it a scrumptious and aromatic breakfast. Other warming spices like cinnamon, clove, cardamom, and star anise would make a comforting treat for the cooler months. Speaking of chilly weather, when fall rolls around, you can enjoy pumpkin-flavored yogurt using freshly ground pumpkin pie spice or a premade one left over from last Thanksgiving. 

Whatever you use, you can even toast your spices in a pan to enhance the flavor and aroma.

While adding cream cheese to yogurt might sound a little odd, it makes sense when you think about it. They're both dairy-based, and they both have a bit of a tang to them. The cream cheese can make your yogurt lighter, smoother, and fluffier. Compared to the potency of yogurt, especially Greek yogurt, cream cheese leans more on the mild side, so you can use this combination for any sweet or savory dish, acting as a neutral base for whatever you want to pair it with. 

To sweeten the yogurt-cream cheese combination, reach for honey or use a flavored yogurt like vanilla or strawberry. They would make a terrific breakfast or dip, whereas salt, crushed garlic, or dried red chili flakes can give the cream cheese and Greek yogurt blend a savory twist that you can eat with pita chips, slather on naan, or however you see fit. 

Though adding cream cheese makes the yogurt richer than plain yogurt, it's not to an overwhelming point. Use this base for many tasty dishes, from dips to desserts, or simply spread it on a piece of toast.

Stir some sweetness and flavor into your plain yogurt with sweet sauces, such as butterscotch, hot fudge, caramel, or toffee. Many brands sell their own versions, so there are plenty of sauces to select. It turns your yogurt into a full-fledged dessert with little effort. You can choose to stir it in, drizzle it on top, or thoroughly incorporate it for an evenly distributed taste. The tartness of the yogurt and the sweetness of the sauces pair together for a bright and balanced flavor composition.

You can even play with temperatures, such as freezing toffee yogurt and eating it like a mini ice cream bar or warming up hot fudge sauce to create a warm and cool yogurt. To further elevate the yogurt, sprinkle some coarse sea salt over the caramel or butterscotch yogurt for a salted caramel dessert. The enhanced yogurt can also be used as the base of a dessert. Rather than an ice cream sandwich, make a yogurt cookie sandwich by sandwiching frozen butterscotch yogurt between two chocolate chip cookies. 

Edible flowers and botanical infusions can mold your yogurt into a sophisticated snack. Store-bought yogurt comes in a range of unexpected flavors, such as berries with chamomile, mango orange blossom, strawberry hibiscus, and more. While these aren't your standard flavors, they might be appealing to you. Replicate these at home with edible flowers, tea infusions, syrups, and whatever else you can find. 

You could integrate edible flowers in a couple of ways. Create a strong infusion by steeping it like you would for tea, putting the flowers or a tea bag in a small amount of hot water. Let it steep until the water cools down, then pour it into the yogurt. Start with a small amount of liquid and mix; repeat this step until you get the consistency you want. This offers a smooth texture and gentle botanical flavor. Another way to do it is to crush or blitz the florals in a food processor or mortar and pestle before combining them into the yogurt. This method will give the yogurt some texture.

Try it with apple blossoms, chamomile, calendula, elderberry, lavender, or hibiscus, and then branch out to other edible flowers once you're familiar with the technique. If you're not sure where to begin, chamomile has a floral element that's not too overpowering. For something more prominent, use lavender in your yogurt.

Another alternative to plain yogurt is to get creative with the toppings. Many yogurt brands have captivating flavors that you can mimic at home. No need to pay a few bucks for a small one-serving flavored yogurt when you can create some yummy concoctions from your own cabinet. Just open your pantry, and you'll probably find a few goodies to toss onto your yogurt. For something sweet, try chocolate chips, crushed cookies, graham crackers, brownie bits, or granola.  

Think of it like a frozen yogurt station with its rainbow of toppings. You can do the same thing with your yogurt — and it doesn't always have to be sweet. To possibly include nutritional variety, go for chia seeds, nuts, pumpkin seeds, or coconut flakes. Turn the yogurt savory with olives, cooked grains like quinoa or farro, or bagel seasoning. Whether you have that last piece of brownie leftover or some chia seeds hidden in the back of your pantry, you can integrate them into your yogurt as a topping.

From raita to tzatziki, many traditional recipes from different cultures incorporate yogurt to create masterpieces that range from sweet to cooling to savory. Gather inspiration and ingredients from around the world and channel them into tasty ways to use yogurt, be it condiments or dips served with meat, such as gyros with tzatziki. 

Consider making the satisfying Turkish toyga soup, which mainly consists of yogurt, wheat berries, chickpeas, and herbs. Or transform your yogurt into the cooling beverage mango lassi by blending yogurt, milk, mango pieces, cardamom powder, honey, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. You could also make a refreshing raita to pair with Madras curry or biryani. In Persian culture, plain yogurt is often served on the side with something like kabob and rice, so you don't necessarily have to add a bunch of ingredients to your yogurt. There's even doogh, which is a carbonated yogurt drink.