How to Make and Use Yogurt Cheese

The phrase yogurt cheese might sound unappetizing, but it's delicious no matter what you call it. Yogurt cheese is very easy to make and is perfect for people who are trying to take is less fat or who are lactose intolerant. It's a great snack and good in recipes to replace things like mayo, sour cream, and cream cheese. In essence it is simply thickened yogurt. Yogurt cheese made with plain yogurt is generally the most versatile choice.

How to Make Yogurt Cheese

To make the yogurt cheese, all that needs to be done is to allow the liquid to drip from the yogurt, leaving the solids behind. There are various ways of doing this, including using a scrap of plain cotton fabric, such as a sheet or pillowcase, using a store bought yogurt cheese maker, or lining a colander with cheesecloth.

My favorite method is to use a coffee filter lined strainer, set over a large measuring cup to catch the whey. All I need to do is fill the strainer with yogurt the night before I'd like the yogurt cheese. I cover it all lightly with plastic wrap and set it in the fridge to drip and drain overnight. The yogurt cheese will get firmer the longer it sets, and there are different uses for the different consistencies that can be achieved just by allowing the yogurt to drain for longer or shorter times. The yogurt can be salted or sugared, depending on it's final use, and it can be flavored before or after draining.

How to Use Yogurt Cheese

After the whey is drained, the thickened cheese left in the strainer can be used for any number of great dishes. When sour cream is usually used, salted yogurt cheese can be used in place of it without much of a difference. It's great seasoned with cumin and little hot sauce as part of a Mexican seven layer dip, or served on soups or baked potatoes.

If the yogurt is left until it's very firm, it can be seasoned with any number of herbs, such as chives or parsley, and used as a cracker spread or dip. One delicious way to serve it is to mix in dried spices or herbs for different effects. It could be slightly sweetened with sugar or honey and served with apple slices and graham crackers for dipping, or it's great in savory applications, with garlic powder and oregano as the spices, and bread sticks or crackers as the dippers.

I enjoy very firm and savory flavored yogurt cheese as a spread on sandwiches to replace the mayo or mustard. It's a great low-fat way to add moistures and extra flavor to a regular sandwich. It could also be flavored with a little chocolate or strawberry powder and used as a spread on a fruit wrap or for dipping.

My favorite use for yogurt cheese is as the replacement for the mayo in dressings for dishes like chicken salad, egg salad, and pasta salad. It's great with a little juice from the dill pickle jar mix in, with a sprinkling of garlic and lots of chopped chives. It could also be sweetened instead of salted and used to make a great creamy fruit salad. Topped with granola, a dish like that would sure to be a hit with friends and family.

So, even if you have to call it "yogurt spread" to get the kids to eat it. Or perhaps leave the little fact that there's yogurt involved entirely out of the conversation, one taste and people will be craving the great things that can be made with yogurt cheese.