Jar of yogurt whey with bread and pancakes

Recipes Using Whey from Yogurt You Can Make at Home

ByCraig Brockie Last updated

What yogurt whey does in a recipe

Whey from yogurt is sour, slightly salty and thin, so it works wherever a recipe uses water or buttermilk. Cornell University researchers used yogurt acid whey in place of water in pancakes and pizza crust and buttermilk in ranch dressing. Consumers liked at least one whey version of each baked good as much as the commercial one, and sourness was the main complaint. Start by swapping whey for part of the liquid.

Straining a quart of yogurt into Greek yogurt leaves roughly 2 cups of whey; how to make Greek yogurt walks through it, and whey from yogurt explains what the liquid contains.

Recipes using whey from yogurt

Overnight oats soaked in whey with berries

1. Whey pancakes

  • Makes: about 10 four-inch pancakes
  • Time: 25 minutes
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/4 cups whey
  • 1 large egg
  • 3 tablespoons melted butter, plus more for the pan
  1. Whisk the dry ingredients in a bowl.
  2. Whisk the whey, egg and melted butter, pour into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
  3. Rest 5 minutes while a griddle heats over medium heat.
  4. Cook 1/4 cup of batter per pancake for 2 to 3 minutes, until bubbles form and the edges look set, then flip and cook 1 to 2 minutes more.

2. Whey sandwich bread

  • Makes: 1 loaf (9 x 5 inch)
  • Time: about 3 hours, mostly rising
  • 3 cups bread flour
  • 1 cup whey and 1/4 cup water, warmed to 105 to 110°F
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons (1 packet) instant yeast
  • 1 tablespoon honey or sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 tablespoons softened butter or oil
  1. Mix everything into a dough and knead 8 to 10 minutes, until smooth.
  2. Cover and let rise in a warm spot for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until doubled.
  3. Shape into a loaf, place in a greased pan, cover and let rise 45 to 60 minutes.
  4. Bake at 375°F for 30 to 35 minutes, until deep golden. Cool on a rack before slicing.

In the Cornell study, whey pizza crusts scored lower than the control, mainly for sourness. The 1/4 cup of water here softens the tang; use all whey once you know you like it.

3. Overnight oats soaked in whey

  • Makes: 1 serving
  • Time: 5 minutes, plus overnight in the refrigerator
  • 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup whey
  • 1/4 cup milk or plain yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey
  • 1/2 cup berries or chopped fruit
  1. Stir the oats, whey, milk and sweetener together in a jar.
  2. Cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.
  3. Stir, top with fruit and eat cold.

4. Berry whey smoothie

  • Makes: 1 large smoothie
  • Time: 5 minutes
  • 1/2 cup whey
  • 1/2 cup plain yogurt
  • 1 ripe banana
  • 1 cup frozen berries
  • 1 teaspoon honey, optional
  1. Blend everything until smooth, about 1 minute.
  2. Thin with more whey if needed.

For more combinations, see our yogurt smoothie guide.

5. Rice, grains or soup cooked with whey

  • Makes: about 3 cups cooked rice
  • Time: 25 minutes
  • 1 cup long-grain white rice, rinsed
  • 1 cup whey
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon butter or oil
  1. Bring the whey, water, salt and butter to a boil in a medium saucepan.
  2. Stir in the rice, cover, reduce the heat to low and cook 15 to 18 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed.
  3. Rest 5 minutes off the heat, covered, then fluff.

The same half-and-half swap works for barley or a pot of lentil soup. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and eat them within 3 to 4 days, as the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service advises for leftovers.

6. Whey-brined chicken

  • Makes: 4 servings
  • Time: 15 minutes active, 4 to 8 hours marinating, 25 minutes cooking
  • 2 cups whey
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano or thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken thighs
  1. Stir the whey, salt, garlic, herbs and pepper together in a bowl or zip-top bag.
  2. Add the chicken, seal or cover, and marinate in the refrigerator for 4 to 8 hours, never on the counter.
  3. Lift the chicken out, pat it dry and discard the used marinade.
  4. Roast at 425°F or grill until the thickest piece reaches 165°F on a food thermometer, about 20 to 25 minutes in the oven.

These steps follow USDA FSIS guidance: marinate in the refrigerator, reserve sauce before raw meat goes in, boil used marinade before any reuse, and cook poultry to at least 165°F. Expect flavor, not tenderness: two small lab studies from Greece found chicken marinated in yogurt acid whey for 10 to 15 hours or 20 hours was no more tender than unmarinated chicken, though pork became more tender. For a thicker, clingier coating, try Greek yogurt marinated chicken.

What about fermenting vegetables with whey?

Many online recipes add whey to sauerkraut or pickles as a starter. Extension guidance does not. The University of Illinois Extension explains that the lactic acid bacteria that drive fermentation are already present on the surface of fruits and vegetables, and gives a 3% brine as about 2 tablespoons (27 g) of salt per quart of water. Virginia Cooperative Extension says sauerkraut ferments best at 2.25 to 2.5% salt and 68 to 72°F, and stresses following tested recipes.

Salt brine alone works. If you add whey anyway, do not cut the salt: University of Minnesota Extension advises using the recommended amount of salt and a research-based, tested recipe. Are pickles fermented? explains how to tell fermented pickles from vinegar ones.

Can you make ricotta from yogurt whey?

Not well. Whey cheeses such as ricotta are made from sweet whey left over from cheese making; in one whey cheese study, sweet cheese whey was acidified to pH 4.6 to 4.8 and heated to 85 to 90°C (185 to 194°F) to make the proteins curdle. Yogurt whey starts with little protein to curdle: USDA lists fluid acid whey at 0.76 g protein per 100 g. A 2022 Greek yogurt study also found that the more intensely milk is heated for yogurt, the more of its whey protein is denatured, and less soluble whey protein is lost to the whey. Expect almost no curd. For homemade ricotta, start with milk instead.

How to store whey

Keep whey covered in the refrigerator at 40°F (4°C) or below. With no official shelf life for homemade whey, use it within the 14 days Illinois Extension gives for eating homemade yogurt, counted from the day you made the yogurt. Freeze extra in ice cube trays; FoodSafety.gov notes that food kept at 0°F stays safe indefinitely, with freezer times set for quality. Discard whey that smells off or shows mold.

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Sources

Craig Brockie is the founder of Ultimate Health Solutions, the company behind Ultimate Gut, and the author of Ultimate Health, The Ultimate Gut Health Guide and The Unlimited Probiotics Guide. After injuries and chronic health problems in his twenties that conventional care didn’t resolve, he began researching health on his own and has studied natural health for 30 years. He is not a medical professional, and his articles are general information, not medical advice.

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