Plain Yogurt Yearns for Excitement

You probably already know plain yogurt topped with fruit and honey is delicious. But did you know the dairy staple also tastes delightful spooned onto spaghetti or blended with cantaloupe, or that it can be added to cake batter? Here, 7 ways to gussy up your plain yogurt.

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Garlic-Herb Yogurt Cheese

Just like Boursin but healthier, our garlic-herb yogurt cheese is creamy, herby, and highly addictive. Draining the yogurt gives it a thicker consistency; adding garlic and herbs turns it into the perfect accompaniment for crudite and crackers.

1 quart homemade yogurt or store-bought plain low-fat yogurt
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper, or more to taste
Carrots and endive, trimmed, for crudites
Baguette slices, for serving

1. Fold a large piece of cheesecloth twice to form a 4-layer, roughly 18-inch square. Place in a sieve set over a large bowl, and spoon yogurt into center. Gathering the 4 corners, tie a piece of kitchen twine just above yogurt to form a tight bundle. Let yogurt (still in sieve over bowl) drain in refrigerator at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours.

2. Cut open cheesecloth. Transfer yogurt cheese to a bowl; set whey aside for another use. Stir chives, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper into yogurt cheese. Serve with crudites and bread.

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Whipped Yogurt with Pineapple and Dried Fruit

Our twist on the classic dessert swaps out cream for whipped plain Greek yogurt.

2 cups plain low-fat Greek yogurt
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
2 cups coarsely chopped fresh pineapple
Sliced dried fruits, such as papayas, plums, and strawberries, for serving
Shaved coconut or unsweetened shredded coconut, toasted, for serving
Freshly grated nutmeg, for serving (optional)

Cook’s Note
To toast the shaved coconut, spread it on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer and bake at 350 degrees until golden, about 5 minutes. Keep a watchful eye on it, as coconut burns easily.

1. Whisk together yogurt, cream, honey, and zest in a bowl until mixture thickens and holds soft peaks.

2. Divide half of pineapple evenly among 8 serving bowls. Top with yogurt mixture, then remaining pineapple, dividing evenly. Sprinkle with dried fruits, coconut, and nutmeg and serve.

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Fresh Orange and Yogurt Tart

In lieu of a traditional custard filling for a tart, try this yogurt-based version.

1/2 cup raw almonds
1/4 cup granulated sugar
Coarse salt
1 cup all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled)
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
2 teaspoons powdered gelatin (from a 1/4-ounce packet)
1/2 cup half-and-half
1 1/2 cups plain Greek yogurt (2 percent)
1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
3 medium navel oranges

1. In a food processor, pulse almonds, granulated sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt until finely ground. Add flour; pulse to combine. Add butter and pulse until mixture is crumbly and holds together when squeezed. Press crumbs in bottom and up side of an 8-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Freeze 15 minutes. (To store, cover and freeze, up to 1 month.)

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place tart pan on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until crust is golden brown and set, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack 10 minutes, then remove tart ring and let cool completely.

3. In a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over 2 tablespoons cold water and let stand 5 minutes. In a small saucepan, warm half-and-half over medium. When it begins to steam, add gelatin mixture and stir until dissolved, about 1 minute. In a medium bowl, whisk together yogurt, brown sugar, and pinch of salt. Stir warm half-and-half mixture into yogurt mixture. Pour filling into cooled tart shell and refrigerate until set, 2 hours (or up to 1 day).

4. With a sharp paring knife, slice off ends of oranges. Following curve of fruit, cut away peel, removing as much white pith as possible. Slice oranges into 1/4-inch-thick rounds and remove any seeds. Just before serving, arrange orange slices on top of tart.

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Chaas Three Ways

Lassis aren’t the only Indian yogurt beverage. Chaas, a refreshing drink popular in the country’s northern region, is thinner than a lassi but just as delicious.

Drink Base
1/2 cup plain yogurt (not Greek)
1/2 cup ice-cold water
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

Salty Lime Chaas
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (from 1/2 lime), plus 1 lime wedge for garnish

Sweet Lime Chaas
1/2 lime, cut into 2 wedges
1 tablespoon sugar
8 fresh mint leaves, plus a mint sprig (preferably flowering) for garnish

Curry-Leaf and Cumin Chaas
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 teaspoons safflower oil
1 small stem fresh curry leaves (about 10; available at Indian markets, some supermarkets, and kalustyans.com)

1. Drink base: Whisk together yogurt, water, and salt in a bowl until smooth and salt dissolves.

2. Salty Lime Chaas: Stir lime juice into yogurt base. Pour into a glass, garnish with lime wedge, and serve immediately.

3. Sweet Lime Chaas: Place lime wedges, sugar, and mint leaves in a glass and smash with a muddling stick or the blunt end of a thick wooden handle until lime juice is extracted, mint leaves are bruised, and mixture is fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir into drink base and garnish with mint sprig; serve immediately.

4. Curry-Leaf and Cumin Chaas: Toast cumin seeds in a small skillet over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a mortar and pestle or spice grinder and coarsely grind. Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering, add curry-leaf stem, and cook, undisturbed, just until leaves darken slightly and curl at edges, about 15 seconds. Stir cooking oil, half of curry leaves, and all but a pinch of cumin into drink base. Pour into a glass, garnish with remaining curry leaves and cumin, and serve immediately.

Greek Yogurt Cake

Folding plain Greek yogurt into this batter ensures a moist cake with a tender crumb.

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1 cup fat-free Greek yogurt
1/4 cup honey
Orange supremes, for garnish
Toasted walnuts, for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in middle position. Butter and flour a 9-by-3-inch springform pan.

2. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated. Beat in vanilla extract.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, stir together yogurt and honey.

4. Alternately add flour mixture and yogurt to stand mixer bowl in three additions, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

5. Transfer batter to prepared pan, smooth top, and bake until top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes.

6. Cool cake in pan for 10 minutes. Transfer cake to wire rack to cool completely. Slice and serve with orange supremes and walnuts.

Frozen Yogurt Pops

It doesn’t get any easier — or more delectable — than this. Simply fold strawberry jam into plain Greek yogurt, pour into ice-pop molds, and freeze.

1 1/2 cups Easy Strawberry Jam
2 cups low-fat Greek yogurt

1. Fold jam into yogurt. Fill ice-pop molds and freeze until firm, at least 6 hours; store for up to 3 days.

Spaghetti with Caramelized Onions and Yogurt

Yogurt on spaghetti? You betcha. Instead of pasta with alfredo sauce, try this creamy but light dish with slow-cooked onions, a touch of white wine, parsley — and a dollop of yogurt to bring it all together.

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
3 pounds onions, halved and cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
5 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons dry white wine
1 pound whole-wheat spaghetti
3/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 cups homemade yogurt or store-bought plain low-fat yogurt

Cook’s Note

Pasta with yogurt is a classic pairing in Greek, Turkish, and Lebanese cuisines.

1. Combine oil, onions, thyme, bay leaf, and 1 teaspoon salt in a large saute pan; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onions are tender and golden brown, about 1 1/2 hours. If the pan becomes dry, add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent onions from burning.

2. Add wine, and bring to a boil, scraping up browned bits with a wooden spoon. When wine has evaporated, remove pan from heat; discard thyme sprigs and bay leaf.

3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta; cook until al dente. Drain. Stir pasta, parsley, and 1 teaspoon salt into onions; season with pepper.

4. Divide pasta among 6 bowls. Top each serving with 1/3 cup yogurt, drizzle with oil, and season with pepper.

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