6 Ways Yogurt Can Liven Up Your Breakfast

I have three different types of yogurt in my fridge right now, and I guess that’s plenty. But really, I can never get enough of the creamy, tangy stuff. Yogurt has been single-handedly improving my breakfasts lately, and I want to tell you all about it. Plain yogurt can go sweet or savory. It can be whisked into pancake batter or dolloped on avocado toast. It’s protein you can eat by the cupful, and you should be using it in your breakfast—and I don’t just mean grabbing a single-serving cup to slurp down on your way to work.

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Here are just a few ways yogurt can liven up your breakfast:

A thick swipe of 2 percent or full-fat Greek yogurt (seasoned with a bit of lemon juice, salt, and pepper if you’d like) under a poached or fried eggs makes for a rich and creamy meal. For an even more flavor-packed version of eggs and yogurt, make Turkish cilbir.

Whether you’d prefer to mix yogurt into a recipe for overnight oats (or overnight quinoa, or barley, or rice) or top your oatmeal with a dollop or two, you won’t go wrong. Coconut yogurt and full-fat Greek yogurt work best as a topping and regular whole milk or lowfat yogurt work like a charm when stirred in. Though it’s technically classified as a cheese, Icelandic skyr is also killer here.

Whole milk plain yogurt thinned out with a bit of water is a perfect swap for milk or buttermilk in pancake and waffle batter. It also does a bang-up job in quick breads.

Slather your go-to type of yogurt (eater’s choice, but I like whole milk or 2 percent fat Greek) on toast or, better yet, a frozen waffle. Whisk the yogurt with a spoonful of tahini and top with a drizzle of honey for extra fun.

Mix whatever yogurt you have in the fridge with lemon juice, white wine vinegar, minced shallot, any chopped fresh herbs you have on hand, salt, and pepper for a super-creamy dressing for breakfast salads and savory crepes.

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Mix full-fat Greek yogurt or skyr with lightly sweetened whipped cream for a tangy topping like none other. Add a dollop to pancakes, chia pudding, fruit salad, or scones—really, most sweet things will welcome the addition.