Now, we know what you’re thinking: “Yogurt without dairy? That sounds udderly ridiculous!” But fear not, dear friends, because there are plenty of plant-based options that are just as creamy and delicious as their dairy-based counterparts. From soy-based to almond-based to coconut-based and beyond, you’ll be amazed at the variety of vegan yogurt on the market today. And let’s be real, it’s always fun to try something new and different, right?
In fact, this decade has seen more vegan dairy alternatives available to enjoy than ever before in human history. When it comes to vegan yogurt, you no longer have to settle for making yogurt out of powdered soy milk, as was the case not so long ago. If you’re searching for dairy-free and plant-based alternatives to the creamy goodness, you’ve got many options.
So whether you’re a vegan, lactose intolerant, or simply looking to switch up your yogurt routine, we’ve got you covered with this guide to the best vegan yogurt brands out there. It’s time to get cultured with these plant-based options that will have you singing “Holy cow, this is good!”
Sometime, yes! Other times, no. Yogurt is often made from dairy (cow’s milk, specifically), and dairy-based yogurts are not vegan. However, dozens of vegan yogurt brands have sprouted into existence and you can now find a variety of vegan yogurts at most grocery stores!
Vegan yogurt can be made from a variety of ingredients. The most popular base seems to be coconut, and for good reason! Due to its high fat content, coconut makes an excellent base for vegan yogurt. But don’t worry, coconut-haters. There are lots of other plant-based yogurt bases too!
Most Common Dairy-Free Yogurt Bases:
But there are endless nuts, seeds, and other ingredients that work for crafting creamy, dairy-free yogurt. One brand, Lavva, uses the Pili nut along with coconut and cassava to make their vegan yogurt!
The following brands only make yogurts that are 100% free of any animal products. Their bases and flavors vary so you may have a preference of certain brands over others!
The most widely available of these are: Silk, Oatly, Forager, So Delicious, and Kite Hill.
These brands offer vegan options, but not all of their yogurts are vegan. Most of these originated as dairy brands and are now branching into the popular and profitable plant-based scene.
Many stores now carry vegan yogurts under their own label. These are typically one of the brands above, but secretly packaged to look like the store brand. Here are a few you may find:
Greek yogurt lovers enjoy that extra thick, tangy element in yogurt. But is Green Yogurt vegan? Most Greek Yogurts are not vegan—they are made from dairy. Admittedly, Greek Yogurt can be harder to find if you’re vegan. But there are several brands that have started making it! And people love them.
Here are the two most popular dairy-free greek yogurt options in stores today:
We get it, things change and nothing lasts forever. In this section of our vegan yogurt guide, we’d like to commemorate some of our favorite vegan yogurts of days long past. You may be gone, but you are not forgotten!
If you enjoy getting crafty in the kitchen, you can make your own vegan yogurt from scratch! There are zillions of vegan yogurt recipes online to choose from. Here is a very simple one from Minimalist Baker. You can even make yogurt in the Instant Pot pressure cooker.
One of the beautiful things about yogurt is the variety of ways in which it can be enjoyed. While yogurt is often thought of a breakfast food or snack, it can actually be an incredible secret ingredient! Because of its high fat content and tangy taste, yogurt is ideal for adding to a variety of recipes.
Here are just some ideas of what you can do with plain vegan yogurt:
Yogurt and granola go together like two peas in a pod! Chop up some fresh fruit, drizzle on the maple syrup, and bask in the glory of these delicious foods coming together.
If you have a thick enough yogurt, you can easily whip up a quick dressing with just a few spices or herbs! Garlic powder, dill, salt, pepper, and nutritional yeast is just one of many ideas for what you could mix in with yogurt to make a super simple and delightful dressing.
If you’re looking for a simple way to thicken up a soup, just add some vegan yogurt! The tangy touch will easily take your broth from boring to bangin’.
Making a creamy vegan pasta sauce from scratch? Adding yogurt will help make it smooth, creamy, and downright delicious.
Using yogurt for baking is an excellent way to bring extra moisture into a dish. Cakes, muffins, and more will be made all the better by a heaping helping of yogurt, both baked in and served on top!
You can easily make plain yogurt into more of a “pudding” by blending it with chocolate, banana, and other sweet ingredients!
One brand of vegan yogurt can taste, look, and feel dramatically different from the next. So World of Vegan founder Michelle Cehn joined Plant-Based on a Budget founder Toni Okamoto for a taste test! Please note that everyone has different taste preferences, so these are just two people’s opinions. We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
Photos and videos by Michelle Cehn. This vegan yogurt guide and list of plant based yogurt brands is not sponsored.
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I recently tried a new yogurt made with chickpeas (called CHKP). It was delicious!
How cool! We’ll have to keep an eye out for it in stores!
I work with the CHKP brand and I’d be more than happy to coordinate a sampling for you!
Thank you so much! We added CHKP to the guide, and Bea from our team will reach out to you—we love CHKP!
KVARG yoghurt was missed in this article.
A vegan friendly, high protein low fat yoghurt.
Thanks for letting us know about this yogurt! It might not be in stores around us yet, but we’ll keep an eye out for it 🙂