Yogurt Substitute: Best Alternatives for Indian Cooking

When a recipe calls for yogurt, a fermented dairy product used to tenderize meat, balance spice, and add tang to batter. Also known as curd, it’s a backbone of South Indian cooking—from dosa batter to tandoori marinades. But what if you’re vegan, lactose intolerant, or just out of yogurt? You don’t need to skip the recipe. Real substitutes exist, and they work just as well—if you pick the right one.

The key is understanding what yogurt does in the dish. In dosa batter, a mix of rice and urad dal fermented with natural bacteria, yogurt helps speed up fermentation and adds mild sourness. In tandoori chicken, a marinade that relies on yogurt to break down proteins and lock in moisture, it’s the tenderizer. Replace it with something that mimics acidity, thickness, and moisture—and you’re good.

For dosa and idli batter, buttermilk, a thin, tangy dairy byproduct works perfectly. It’s already fermented, so it kicks off bubbling faster than water alone. If you need dairy-free, try unsweetened coconut milk yogurt, a thick, mildly sweet plant-based option. It won’t ferment like dairy yogurt, but it adds the right texture and a subtle tang that blends into the batter. Avoid sweetened versions—they’ll make your dosa sticky and cloying.

For marinades like tandoori chicken, lemon juice mixed with a little water and a pinch of salt can replace yogurt’s acidity. But here’s the trick: add a spoon of cashew paste, ground raw cashews blended with water into a smooth cream. It mimics yogurt’s creamy body and helps spices cling to the meat. You’ll get the same tender result without dairy. Apple cider vinegar works too, but use less—half a teaspoon per cup of liquid. Too much and your chicken tastes pickled, not spiced.

Some people try silken tofu or blended beans as substitutes. They’re fine in curries, but don’t work in fermentation-heavy recipes. Fermentation needs live cultures, and tofu won’t feed the bacteria. Same with store-bought vegan yogurts—they often contain gums and stabilizers that interfere with batter texture. Stick to simple, whole-food swaps.

And don’t forget the role of lemon, a souring agent that brightens spice and keeps rice fluffy. In biryani or dal, lemon juice can step in where yogurt’s acidity is needed. It’s not a direct swap, but it’s part of the same flavor family. If you’re missing yogurt, reach for lemon first. Then adjust with a creamy thickener if the dish feels too thin.

The best yogurt substitutes aren’t fancy. They’re what’s already in your pantry: lemon, buttermilk, cashew paste, coconut milk yogurt. They’re not perfect replicas—but they’re real, functional, and tested in kitchens from Mysore to Mumbai. You don’t need to buy specialty products. You just need to know what each one does.

Below, you’ll find real recipes where people swapped yogurt and still got perfect dosas, juicy chicken, and balanced curries. No theory. No guesswork. Just what worked—and why.