Best Greek Yogurt: 9 Best Plain Greek Yogurts (Full Fat, Nonfat, and Lactose Free! )

Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon / Instacart / Target

Homemade Plain Greek Yogurt

Learning how to make Greek yogurt at home is simple with this easy recipe. Start by making homemade yogurt: heating milk, combining it with a little bit of already-cultured yogurt and letting it sit in a warm spot until the milk turns into yogurt. Making protein-rich Greek yogurt takes one step more than making regular yogurt: straining the yogurt to thicken it. You can add the leftover liquid—also known as whey—to smoothies, or you can use it in place of buttermilk in baking.

The EatingWell Test Kitchen is comprised of a group of culinary professionals who develop and test our recipes. Our recipes go through a rigorous process, which includes testing by trained recipe testers, using different equipment (e.g., gas and electric stoves) and a variety of tools and techniques to make sure that it will really work when you make it at home. Testers shop major supermarkets to research availability of ingredients. Finally, a Registered Dietitian reviews each recipe to ensure that we deliver food that’s not only delicious, but adheres to our nutrition guidelines as well. Learn more about our food philosophy and nutrition parameters.

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What You’ll Need to Make Greek Yogurt

Making your own yogurt is easier than you might expect. For this recipe, you’ll need 4 cups of low-fat or nonfat milk and 1/4 cup of low-fat or nonfat yogurt. Your homemade yogurt will take on the flavor of the plain yogurt you use in the recipe, so make sure it’s one you like! You will also need a 5- to 8-cup container with a lid, a thermometer, a large fine-mesh sieve and cheesecloth.

How to Keep Your Yogurt Warm for Fermenting

In order for the live active cultures (bacteria) to multiply and transform the milk into yogurt, you will need to keep the mixture in a warm environment (about 110°F) for 8-12 hours before it hits the fridge. There are a few ways to do this:

Oven Method

Turn your oven on to 200°F for about 5 minutes, then turn it off. Add the towel-wrapped container of yogurt and if you have an oven light, turn it on for added warmth.

Cooler Method

Place a hot water bottle (or other small container) filled with very hot water alongside the towel-wrapped container in a small cooler.

Heating Pad Method

Wrap a heating pad set to High around the towel-wrapped container.

How to Thicken Yogurt

Greek-style yogurt is typically thicker than regular yogurt. To get that texture, liquid (the whey) is removed by straining it out using a fine-mesh sieve and cheesecloth. The less liquid there is, the thicker the yogurt becomes. It will take a minimum of 8 hours to strain enough whey out of the yogurt to get a thicker texture, but you can strain it for up to 24 hours if you like your yogurt very thick.

How Long Does Homemade Greek Yogurt Last?

Refrigerate yogurt in a covered container for up to 1 week.

Ingredients

4 cups nonfat or low-fat milk
¼ cup nonfat or low-fat plain yogurt

Directions

Heat milk in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until it is steaming, barely bubbling and registers 180°F on an instant-read or candy thermometer. (Do not leave it unattended—it can boil over very quickly.)

Line a large fine-mesh sieve with 2 layers of cheesecloth and place over a large bowl. Spoon the cooled yogurt into the cheesecloth, then cover and refrigerate for 8 to 24 hours, depending on how thick you want it.

Originally appeared: EatingWell.com; updated November 2022

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

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Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 2
Serving Size 1 cup
Calories 184
% Daily Value *
Total Carbohydrate 27g	10%
Total Sugars 27g
Protein 18g	37%
Total Fat 0g	1%
Saturated Fat 0g	2%
Cholesterol 10mg	3%
Vitamin A 76IU	2%
Vitamin C 0mg	0%
Folate 28mcg	7%
Sodium 229mg	10%
Calcium 659mg	51%
Iron 0mg	1%
Magnesium 60mg	14%
Potassium 843mg	18%

Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate.

* Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.)

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.

Best Greek Yogurt: 9 Best Plain Greek Yogurts (Full Fat, Nonfat, and Lactose Free!)

best greek yogurt

Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon / Instacart / Target

For a long time, the best Greek yogurt was whatever brand your grocery store carried. The choice was easy. But now there are many, many, many Greek yogurt brands, all boasting high protein and tangy flavor. So, what is the best Greek yogurt? We tasted nearly 20 different types of Greek yogurt over the course of two taste tests to find out. This was an eye-opening experience for me. I came into it thinking every plain Greek yogurt would taste the same, give or take some differences in liquidity. But I was wrong. Some Greek yogurt is extremely tangy, some is almost sweet, and some leans savory. Some is thin, while some is so thick it’s practically cheese. Here’s what I was looking for in the best Greek yogurt brand: The best tasting Greek yogurt should be tangy and tart but not to the point of making you pucker. It should be creamy—even the best nonfat Greek yogurt should be creamy. It should taste like milk—and if you don’t think milk has a flavor, you need to drink better milk. And, finally, the best Greek yogurts should be useful—you should be able to eat them plain or in a parfait or in tzatziki sauce or on a baked potato in place of sour cream. The best Greek yogurt should be a staple in your fridge. Whether you’re looking for the best nonfat Greek yogurt or the best full fat Greek yogurt, we’ve got you covered. Here are the best Greek yogurt brands making the best plain Greek yogurt out there. (And if you’re looking for the best Greek yogurt flavors, we ranked those, too.) Note: We didn’t include the best low fat Greek yogurt on this list because none of them were up to snuff. If you’re buying Greek yogurt, go for the best full fat Greek yogurt or the best nonfat Greek yogurt. It’s not worth messing around with those containers of 2%.

Fage BestSelf Lactose Free

If you’re not trying to avoid lactose, keep reading. This is not the best Greek yogurt for you. But if lactose gives you trouble, Fage is the best Greek yogurt brand you can find. Their lactose free yogurt is very creamy and it leans savory (so it’s a perfect base for dips or to use on baked potatoes or in burritos). It’s not very tangy, unfortunately (there’s a touch upon first taste but not a lot), but it’s still much more convincing than any dairy-free Greek yogurt we’ve tried. So if you’re deciding between vegan Greek yogurt and this lactose free Greek yogurt, choose this. Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart