How to use up leftover yogurt

If a scone recipe calls for buttermilk, you can replace it with yogurt. Simply loosen the yogurt with 1 tbsp milk before using. Check out our best scone recipes here.

2. Meat marinade

Mix leftover yogurt with spices, garlic, lemon or herbs to create a moreish marinade for meat. We recommend coating chicken thighs in a mixture of yogurt, ground turmeric, grated ginger, garlic and seasoning. Yogurt tenderises the meat, allowing the flavours to penetrate. This is also a great way to prepare chicken before barbecuing as with our spiced yogurt spatchcock chicken. Here, the marinade helps to keep the inside of the meat moist whilst the outside becomes crispy and charred.

3. Flatbreads or pizza bases

Mix equal quantities of natural yogurt and self-raising flour with a pinch of salt to make a dough. Press or roll into a flat disc, then use as a pizza base. Or, cook for a few minutes on each side in a dry frying pan until puffed and browned, then brush with garlic butter and serve with a curry. Try John Torode's easy yogurt flatbreads, or check our more flatbread recipes.

4. Smoothie lollies

Blitz leftover yogurt with any fruit that needs to be used up, such as bananas or berries. Spoon into lolly moulds and freeze, or loosen with a little milk and enjoy as a smoothie.

5. Yogurt & tahini dressing

Yogurt and tahini make the start of a great dressing for jacket potatoes, coleslaw, roasted vegetables, salads or falafel. Mix 60g Greek yogurt with 2 tbsp tahini and a little lemon juice, then drizzle over your dish of choice.

6. Yogurt cakes

Incorporating yogurt into cake batter can result in a beautifully moist sponge. This citrus and almond cake also uses a couple of tablespoons of natural yogurt in the icing to give a silky smooth texture, which contrasts well with a crunchy nut topping.

7. Breakfast topping

Give your breakfast an extra touch of luxury by dolloping some yogurt over granola, porridge or baked oats. Alternatively if you’ve got a decent amount leftover you can use it as a base for cereal, fruit compote, honey and all kinds of other toppings.

8. Harissa yogurt topping

Combine spicy rose harissa with cooling yogurt to make a mouthwatering marinade or topping for savoury brunches and dinners. This recipe for courgete and ricotta fritters with poached eggs and harissa yogurt uses just 60g Greek yogurt so is ideal for finishing off a pot. This tangy combo also works a treat spooned over our creamy spinach dhal.

9. Soup topping

Substitute yogurt for cream as a lower fat topping in soups and stews. It still gives a luxuriously creamy consistency and coolness which balances well with any spices or chilli. Spoon a dollop over this spiced carrot and lentil soup or combine it with crunchy dukkah in our beetroot and cumin coriander soup.

10. Pancake batter

We know that yogurt makes a great topping for pancakes, but have you tried adding it to the batter too? These easy cinnamon pancakes are given a satisfyingly thick and fluffy texture by mixing 125g natural yogurt with eggs and milk, then combining with the dry ingredients. It's a handy backup if you are low on milk too.

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