7 Ways With Yogurt

Like a talented character actor, yogurt can take on many roles. A cultured dairy product that relies on healthy bacteria and mild fermentation for its rich texture and mild tang, yogurt offers infinite flexibility in sauces, marinades, and desserts. One taste of our creamy and filling recipes and you're sure to book yogurt for a starring role in your kitchen.

Let the strainer do all the work in this simple appetizer. After draining overnight, plain yogurt emerges as a fresh, spreadable cheese easily dressed up with herbs, olives, and warm pita slices for a party.

Recipe: Yogurt Cheese Appetizer

Although panna cotta means "cooked milk" in Italian, using whole-milk yogurt adds richness and incomparable flavor to this simple show-stopper. The fragrance of orange peel and vanilla beans enhances yogurt's subtle tang.

Recipe: Yogurt Panna Cotta

In this Indian favorite, an ample dose of spice gives the chicken a mouth-warming flavor, while marinating in yogurt adds tang and helps tenderize the meat.

Recipe: Tandoori Chicken

Yogurt imparts a moist crumb and complex flavor when used in cakes and quick breads. This recipe creates a rich, dense coffee cake with nutty streusel crowning the top and running through the middle.

Recipe: Blueberry Yogurt Cake

Refreshing, hearty, and zesty all at once, this salad uses fat-free yogurt as the foundation for a creamy dressing to toss with colorful vegetables. It's great for a light yet filling dinner or a packed lunch.

Recipe: Chickpea-Vegetable Salad with Curried Yogurt Dressing

Creamy sauces don't have to rely on whipping cream for their silky texture. Here, nonfat yogurt and light ricotta join forces to create a smooth, basil-scented pasta sauce with only 26 percent of calories from fat.

Recipe: Fettuccine with Creamy Basil-Pine Nut Sauce

This four-ingredient smoothie combines vanilla yogurt with frozen blueberries, peaches, and pineapple for a delicious after-school snack or healthy breakfast.

Recipe: Three-Fruit Yogurt Shake