Using Greek Yogurt In Pesto Sauce

Let’s face it. Most ingredients that promise to taste better than its non-healthy counterpart are usually and sadly not as good. Greek yogurt is one of the sole exceptions. It is an ingredient rich in protein, potassium, vitamin B, and probiotics. While boasting so many nutritious qualities, it is also quite a spectacular ingredient to cook with. Beyond yogurt and granola, there is so much you can do with Greek yogurt.

Greek yogurt is rich, tangy and can be substituted for cream in many recipes, from sweet to savory. Pesto in cream sauce is a favorite pasta dish of mine. It is creamy and herbaceous and hits all the right notes. I have been making this dish for years every Shavuot and for family dinners. I experimented with substituting heavy cream for plain Greek yogurt and this dish was born. I am always ecstatic when I can say that using a healthier ingredient not only achieves the desired results but actually tastes even better.

This dish does it. The Greek yogurt adds a refreshing tanginess to the sauce while also maintaining the creamy element heavy cream provides. It is also simpler to make: mix the pesto into the ready yogurt and add it to hot pasta, serve with toasted pine nuts and some grated parmesan. What can be better?

Nutritious tips:

You can use any version of spaghetti, fettuccine or linguini ranging from gluten-free to whole wheat or grain.
When making your own pesto, you can add ½ cup of baby greens such as baby arugula or baby spinach in place of some of the herbs to add extra nutrition value to pesto.

Try our Greek Yogurt Pesto Sauce on everything from pasta to fish to veggies.