What to Make With Greek Yogurt

Spoon 1 to 1 1/2 cups of Greek yogurt into a bowl and top it with 1/2 cup of fruit, 1/4 cup of granola or nuts, and a drizzle of honey. That's the whole recipe, and it's what most Greek yogurt tubs are actually bought for.

The one detail that matters: fruit first, granola last, right before you eat. Granola that sits on yogurt for ten minutes goes soggy; added at the table, it stays crisp against the cold yogurt. Frozen berries work straight from the freezer if you give them 5 minutes to start thawing — they cool the yogurt and release juice that acts as syrup.

One cup of Greek yogurt, 1 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt turn into six soft skillet flatbreads in 30 minutes. Knead 2 to 3 minutes, rest 10, roll 1/4 inch thick, and cook in a hot dry-ish skillet 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden with brown freckles.

The trick is the heat. A skillet hot enough that water sizzles on contact makes the flatbreads puff; a lukewarm pan dries them out before they brown. Keep finished ones under a towel so the steam keeps them soft while you cook the rest.

Stir 1/2 cup of Greek yogurt with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the juice of half a lemon, 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon of salt, and a teaspoon each of cumin and paprika. Coat 1 1/2 pounds of chicken thighs or breast and refrigerate 2 to 12 hours, then grill or roast as usual.

The acid and enzymes in the yogurt break down tough fibers in the meat, which is why this is the classic base for tandoori and souvlaki marinades. Wipe off the excess before cooking so the yogurt crust chars instead of steaming, and discard any marinade that touched raw meat rather than reusing it.

Whisk 1 cup of Greek yogurt with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the zest and juice of one lemon, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1/4 cup of chopped dill or parsley, and salt to taste. Chill 15 minutes so the flavors settle in.

This sauce goes on everything a sour-cream-based sauce goes on — tacos, baked potatoes, grilled fish, roasted vegetables. The trick is adding the salt last and tasting: Greek yogurt varies in tang, and the right amount of salt is what makes it taste like a sauce instead of flavored yogurt.

In baking, Greek yogurt replaces sour cream or part of the fat in muffins, quick breads, and pancakes. Swap it in at a 1-to-1 ratio for sour cream in any recipe; the batter gets tangier and moister, and the extra protein sets the crumb so it holds together well.

It also makes a rich cold breakfast when blended with frozen fruit: 1 cup of Greek yogurt, 2 cups of frozen berries or mango, and a spoonful of honey, blended until thick like soft serve. Because the yogurt is thick to start with, you need no banana and no ice — it holds its shape in the bowl.

When you're down to the last few spoonfuls of a tub, stir them into things rather than eating them plain. Fold 1/4 cup into scrambled eggs for creamier curds, whisk 1/2 cup into a pot of soup off the heat for body, or blend 1/2 cup with frozen fruit for a one-person smoothie.

For cooking, always add yogurt off the heat. Stirring it into a boiling pot makes it curdle into grainy bits, but stirring it into soup that has come down to serving temperature keeps it smooth. Full-fat yogurt is noticeably more forgiving than non-fat for this.

An opened tub of Greek yogurt keeps 5 to 7 days in the fridge, tightly sealed, and it's fine as long as it smells normal and has no mold. The liquid that pools on top is whey — pour it off or stir it back in. The use-by date on the tub applies to an unopened container; once opened, go by smell and appearance, and when in doubt, throw it out.

Store it upside down or press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to keep it from drying out. For long storage, freeze in 1/2-cup portions for up to 2 months; thawed yogurt is best for cooking and baking, where the changed texture doesn't matter.