Indian Yogurt Substitute: Best Alternatives for Curd in Indian Cooking

When a recipe calls for Indian yogurt, a thick, slightly tangy cultured dairy product used in curries, marinades, and breakfast batters. Also known as curd, it’s the secret behind fluffy dosas, tender tandoori chicken, and cooling raitas. But what if you’re vegan, lactose intolerant, or just out of yogurt? You don’t need to skip the dish—you just need the right substitute.

Not all yogurt replacements are created equal. Coconut milk yogurt, a plant-based thickener made from fermented coconut milk and often used in South Indian vegan cooking works well in chutneys and marinades but can add sweetness you didn’t ask for. Buttermilk, a thinner, tangy byproduct of churning butter, commonly used in North Indian cooking to tenderize meats can substitute in some cases, but you’ll need to thicken it with a splash of lemon juice or a pinch of cornstarch. Then there’s cashew cream, a rich, neutral blend of soaked cashews and water that mimics yogurt’s creaminess without the tang—perfect for creamy gravies but not for fermentation-heavy recipes like dosa batter.

The real trick? Match the function, not just the texture. If you’re marinating chicken like in tandoori recipes, you need acidity to break down proteins—so lemon juice or vinegar mixed with water or plant milk works better than plain coconut milk. For dosa or idli batter, fermentation is key. That’s where curd isn’t just an ingredient—it’s the starter. In those cases, store-bought vegan yogurt with live cultures or even a spoonful of leftover fermented batter from a previous batch can do the job. Skip the almond milk or soy yogurt unless they’re labeled with active cultures—most won’t ferment properly.

You’ll find these swaps tested and trusted in the recipes below. Some posts show how to fix a soft dosa without dairy, others reveal why coconut milk curdles in curry and how to avoid it, and a few even break down how to make your own vegan yogurt starter from scratch. Whether you’re replacing yogurt in biryani rice prep, raita, or marinades, the solutions here are practical, tested, and rooted in real Indian kitchens—not food blogs.