FOOD NEWS
Yogurt Is The Sourdough Starter Substitute You Need For Tangy Bread
BY MOLLY HARRIS
To give your sourdough bread that distinctive tangy flavor and chewy texture while creating a unique twist, use yogurt as a sourdough starter substitute.
While this swap doesn't result in true sourdough bread since yogurt lacks wild yeast and bacteria cultures, it provides a comparable tangy flavor and some leavening action.
To make this swap, choose plain yogurt with live cultures, which are key to infusing your bread with tanginess. Most recipes will call for 1/3 or 1/2 cup of yogurt.
Mix the yogurt with flour, water, and other bread ingredients. Give the dough extra time to ferment and develop flavor by letting it sit overnight.
Keep in mind that the bread may not rise as much as a traditional sourdough loaf due to differences in leavening strength. It also might lack sourdough's open crumb texture.
The bread will still have a slight chewiness that you would expect from sourdough, but it will be more tender than real sourdough and may not have the same depth and complexity.