Dairy & Eggs
Plain Yogurt Conversion
Plain Yogurt weighs 245g per US cup.
| Amount | Grams | Ounces |
|---|---|---|
| 1 cup | 245.0 g | 8.64 oz |
| 1/2 cup | 122.5 g | 4.32 oz |
| 1/4 cup | 61.3 g | 2.16 oz |
| 1 tbsp | 15.3 g | 0.54 oz |
| 1 tsp | 5.1 g | 0.18 oz |
| 100 g | 100.0 g | 3.53 oz |
Need a different amount? Use the full Ingredient Converter tool.
Plain yogurt weighs 245 grams per cup, slightly heavier than milk, reflecting the fact that yogurt is milk that's been fermented by live bacterial cultures — those cultures consume some of the milk's lactose and thicken its proteins into yogurt's characteristic custard-like set, concentrating it somewhat compared to the liquid milk it started as.
Unlike Greek yogurt, plain yogurt hasn't been strained to remove excess whey, which is exactly why it's thinner and pours more easily than Greek yogurt even though the two share this site's identical 245g-per-cup figure — the straining step that creates Greek yogurt removes liquid weight but concentrates the remaining solids, roughly balancing back out to a similar overall cup weight despite the very different textures.
Plain yogurt's mild tang and thick-but-pourable texture make it a genuinely close substitute for both sour cream and buttermilk in many recipes, though it's worth noting when a recipe specifically wants Greek yogurt's thicker body versus plain yogurt's looser consistency — the two aren't fully interchangeable in a recipe where texture, not just tang, is doing real work.
Plain yogurt's cup weight (245g) is close to milk's own, since yogurt is simply milk cultured with live bacteria that thicken it through fermentation rather than through removing water — that distinction is why plain yogurt (undrained) substitutes reasonably for sour cream or buttermilk by volume in many recipes, while Greek yogurt's strained, thicker texture behaves somewhat differently.
Yogurt with live active cultures continues a very slow fermentation even under refrigeration, which is part of why it grows gradually more tart the longer it sits in the fridge, well before it's actually spoiled — a genuine, harmless flavor drift rather than a spoilage sign on its own.
How long does it last?
Storage & shelf life →
Frequently asked questions
Why does plain yogurt weigh about the same as Greek yogurt despite being thinner?
Straining removes liquid whey to make Greek yogurt, but that process also concentrates the remaining solids — the two effects roughly balance out, landing both yogurts at a similar overall weight per cup despite plain yogurt's noticeably thinner, more pourable texture.
Is plain yogurt a good substitute for sour cream?
Reasonably, though it's thinner and slightly less tangy — the swap works fine in baking and most cooked applications, but as a cold topping it produces a looser result than real sour cream.
Does plain yogurt contain live active cultures the way probiotic yogurts advertise?
Most commercial plain yogurt does contain live active cultures from the fermentation process itself, though the specific strains and their marketed "probiotic" claims can vary by brand — check the label if that's specifically what you're looking for.
Can I substitute plain yogurt for buttermilk in baking?
Yes, thinned slightly with milk or water to approximate buttermilk's thinner consistency — plain yogurt's natural tang provides a similar acidity for reacting with baking soda, the main chemical job buttermilk does in most recipes that call for it.
How long does plain yogurt last once opened?
Roughly 1-2 weeks past the printed date if unopened and kept consistently cold — a fuzzy patch of mold, a smell that's turned sharply sour beyond yogurt's normal tang, or watery liquid separating out that doesn't stir back in are the signs it's finally past its window.