Making Your Own Homemade Yogurt Cheese & How to Use it

Yogurt cheese is a simple, yet tasty, alternative to sour cream and/or cream cheese. It can be used in a variety of recipes, from desserts to beverages. You can make your own homemade yogurt cheese very easily. Plus, you can adjust both the taste and consistency to fit your liking. It is easier than you think to make your own homemade variety. Let's explore..

Here are the equipment/preparation items you will need to make your own homemade yogurt cheese.

1) Muslim or cheesecloth. Have a few clean sheets on hand. (A clean pillowcase works just as well!)
2) Large Colander.
3) Large Bowl or sink. This is used as a drainage device, explained later.

Homemade Yogurt Cheese Recipe (makes one quart):

2 cups yogurt, plain

1) Put the yogurt into either a muslin cloth or cheesecloth. Twist tightly shut until the liquid (whey) starts dripping out.
2) Place ball in a colander, which has been put into the sink. If you want to collect the whey, put another pan under the colander. (Whey adds extra nutrients to a variety of foods. It can be added to drinks, sauces, or anything requiring liquid. You might want to think about saving it in a container in your fridge.)

I find the above method works best for me, however, you can also hang the ball over the sink. This way you do away with the colander.

3) Leave the ball alone for several hours, until it is not dripping anymore. (Many times it is best to make your homemade yogurt cheese before going to bed. That way you can let the ball drip overnight.) Then, squeeze out the remaining liquid (whey).
4) Untie the ball, remove contents with a rubber or wooden spatula, and put into airtight container.
5) The best results are obtained if you eat the yogurt cheese the same day it is done.

Hints: The longer you let the ball drip, and the less liquid it has, the firmer your yogurt cheese will be. The taste of your yogurt cheese will not be affected by how long you drain it. That is determined by the original yogurt you used to prepare your cheese.

See how easy it is to make your own homemade yogurt cheese? Now, how can you use it?

1) Sprinkle it on your favorite salad. This way, it is used like Feta or any crumbled cheese.
2) Spread some on your favorite cracker or toast. It makes for a great appetizer or picnic food.
3) Mix some with a little fruit juice and chunked fresh fruit. This is a wonderfully appealing fruit yogurt dip.
4) Dip your potato chips into it. Yes, that's right. I do this to convince myself that I'm eating healthy. You may be surprised how good it tastes!
5) Mix some with fresh herbs and stuff a pork chop with it. Or, a chicken breast.

There you go! You made your own homemade yogurt cheese and found ways to use it! Right on! Enjoy! Experiment with other ways, there are bound to be many, many more.