Easy Greek Yogurt Bread Loaf With Yeast

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This delicious Greek yogurt bread recipe produces a delicious fluffy white bread that is perfect for sandwiches. Best of all, it’s easy to make!

Freshly baked greek yogurt sandwich bread on a wood cutting board. The bread has not been cut yet.
This soft white bread is perfect for sandwiches

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Why You’ll Love This Easy Greek Yogurt Bread Recipe

  • Easy to make! Perfect for first time bread bakers
  • The PERFECT soft and fluffy texture for sandwiches
  • Uses simple ingredients that you can find at any grocery store
  • Greek yogurt adds a sourdough-like flavor. Lots of flavor!

Key Ingredients and Why

Bread ingredients on a table: flour, sugar, salt, milk, greek yogurt, and yeast.
A few simple ingredients that are easy to find.
  • Flour: Bread flour. All-purpose flour also works.
  • Plain Greek Yogurt: Use whole milk Gree yogurt. The tangy flavor of Greek Yogurt is great in bread and adds a sourdough-like flavor. It relaxes the gluten in the dough and makes the bread tender!
  • Milk: Whole milk
  • Butter: Melted and unsalted. 
  • Sugar: To feed the yeast. Adds subtle sweetness.
  • Salt: Flavor enhancer. Every recipe must have salt.
  • Yeast: Active dry yeast or Instant Yeast. This is the leavening agent and is responsible for making the bread dough rise.

Ingredients should NOT be cold!

Using cold ingredients will prolong the rise times of your dough. I go into detail in the “Recipe Tips” section down below. 

Sliced greek yogurt bread aligned on a cutting board. There is butter and a bread knife.
Look at that soft crumb!!!

Greek Yogurt Bread Ingredient Substitutions

  • Flour: I recommend sticking with bread flour or all-purpose flour. I have yet to try this recipe with other types of flour.
  • Plain Greek Yogurt: Regular yogurt, sour cream, and milk are suitable substitutes. You can also substitute it with flavored yogurt such as coconut yogurt. 
  • Milk: Water or plant-based milk (such as oat or almond milk) will work.
  • Butter: Ghee, Vegetable oil, avocado oil, or coconut oil.
  • Sugar: Brown sugar.
  • Salt: Trust me when I say that every recipe needs salt lol. Do not leave this ingredient out, you will notice!
  • Yeast: Since this is a yeast bread recipe, you’ll need instant yeast or active dry yeast. 
Slices of greek yogurt bread on a red kitchen towel.

Step By Step Photos for Greek Yogurt Bread Recipe

Scroll down for a printable recipe card

Mix The Ingredients

Microwave the milk for 20 seconds or until warm. It should be around 110°F

Whisk the warm milk and yeast together in the bowl of a stand mixer. Cover and let sit for five minutes. If you don’t have a stand mixer, use a large mixing bowl.

Placing yeast in a bowl. Then adding butter, flour, salt, sugar, milk, and greek yogurt
Let the yeast bloom for five minutes before adding all the ingredients

Add the rest of the ingredients into the stand mixer bowl. With the dough hook attachment, knead the dough on medium-low speed for one minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula.

Kneading The Bread Dough

kneading bread dough in a stand mixer.

Then knead the dough on medium-low speed for five minutes until the dough comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can knead with a wooden spoon or knead by hand.

Knead the dough ball for an additional five minutes. This will help develop the gluten in the dough.

First Rise of The Bread Dough

Before and after the first rise of bread dough. The dough has doubled in size
First rise will take between 1-2 hours

Lightly grease a large bowl with oil to prevent dough from sticking to it. Place the dough in the oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rise at room temperature for 2 hours or until doubled. (Rise time depends a lot on the environment.)

For an accurate first rise time, check out the “How Long Does Rise Time Take For Recipes With Yeast?” section in my Ultimate Baking With Yeast guide.

Shaping

shaping the bread dough into a log so that it becomes sandwich bread
Roll the dough into a tight log. Don’t worry about degassing it!

Lightly flour a clean work surface. On that work surface, position the dough ball and lightly dust the top with flour. Use a rolling pin to flatten the dough into a rectangle measuring approximately 8×15 inches and about half an inch thick.

Roll the dough into a 7-inch log and carefully transfer it into the greased loaf pan. Don’t worry if it’s not perfectly shaped! (Refer to the pictures above for a visual guide.)

Bread dough that was rolled into a log after its first rise. It is in a bread pan for its second rise

Second Rise

For the second rise, use greased plastic wrap to cover the loaf pan. You can also use an inverted pan to cover the loaf pan if you have a second one.

Let the dough rise in a warm place until the top of the dough reaches a height of one inch above the edge of the bread loaf pan. This process typically takes around one to one and a half hours.

Greek yogurt sandwich bread loaf that has finished its second rise. The dough is one inch over the pan and is ready to be baked.
Notice the height of the bread dough

Preheat Your Oven: Move the oven rack to the bottom third of the bottom. Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). It’s smart to bake the bread in the lower part of the oven to avoid the top burning.

Bake The Bread: Put the bread in the oven and bake it for about 30 minutes or until the top turns a nice golden brown.

Remove the bread from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Slice when ready to eat!

Sliced greek yogurt bread on a red tea towel

Recipe Tips To Make An Amazing Greek Yogurt Bread With Yeast

Do NOT use cold ingredients!!!

Yeast does not like the cold. Cold environments will slow down the yeast. Moreover, it will take longer for your ball of dough to rise. 

For best results, make sure to microwave your milk and use room temperature Greek Yogurt. 

Make sure to check out my Ultimate Baking With Yeast Guide to learn everything you need to know about baking yeast breads at home.

Wait for the bread dough to be one inch over the bread pan before baking

Resist the urge to bake the bread before it has finished its second rise. If you bake too early, then you will have a flat loaf.

Always Watch The Bread Dough Rise and NOT the clock

Yeast is a living organism and acts differently depending on its environment. Make sure NOT to move onto the next steps until your dough has doubled. Even the staff at ICE recommend that you wait for your dough to be ready.

Freshly baked greek yogurt bread loaf. It is still in the bread pan.
Notice the height of the bread loaf compared to the pan

How To Store Your Homemade Greek Yogurt Bread Loaf

You can store this homemade bread at room temperature in an airtight container. It will last for up to four days.

If you don’t plan on eating it soon, it is best to store it in the refrigerator or freezer. Simply place the yogurt loaf in an airtight bag (freezer bag or ziplock bag). 

Greek Yogurt Bread FAQ

Why does Greek yogurt work in bread?

Greek yogurt gives the bread a mellow tang that leads to great flavor of the bread.

What happens when you add yogurt to bread dough?

Adding yogurt to bread dough helps keep it moist while also adding a tanginess.

What does Greek yogurt replace in baking?

Greek yogurt can replace higher fat and dense ingredients. It is a great substitute for butter, sour cream, or buttermilk. 

Other Bread Recipes You May Like

Easy Dutch Oven Rosemary Parmesan Cheese Bread Recipe

Quick Sourdough Flatbread With Greek Yogurt

Soft Italian Sandwich Bread With Olive Oil

Ultimate Baking With Yeast Guide

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Printable Recipe Card

a loaf of greek yogurt bread. It is on a wooden cutting board
5 from 3 votes

Simple Greek Yogurt Bread

This delicious Greek yogurt bread recipe produces a delicious fluffy white bread that is perfect for sandwiches. Best of all, it's easy to make!
Xena Kai
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Rise Time 3 hours
Total Time: 3 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 12 Slices

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Recipe Card

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 Cup Milk Microwaved to 110°F
  • 2 Tablespoons Sugar
  • 2 1/4 Teaspoons Yeast one packet
  • 1/2 Cup Greek Yogurt Room Temperature
  • 1/4 Cup Butter Melted
  • 3 1/2 Cups Flour
  • 1 1/2 Teaspoons Salt

Instructions
 

  • Microwave the milk for 20 seconds or until warm. It should be around 110°F
  • Whisk the warm milk and yeast together in the bowl of a stand mixer. Cover and let sit for five minutes. If you don't have a stand mixer, use a large mixing bowl.
  • Add the rest of the ingredients into the stand mixer bowl. With the dough hook attachment, knead the dough on medium-low speed for one minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula. Then knead the dough on medium-low speed for five minutes until the dough comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. If you don't have a stand mixer, you can knead with a wooden spoon or knead by hand.
  • Knead the dough ball for an additional five minutes. This will help develop the gluten in the dough.
  • First Rise: Lightly grease a large bowl with oil to prevent dough from sticking to it. Place the dough in the oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rise at room temperature for 2 hours or until doubled. (Rise time depends a lot on the environment. For an accurate first rise time, check out the "How Long Does Rise Time Take For Recipes With Yeast?" section in my Ultimate Baking With Yeast guide.
  • Grease your 9×5-inch loaf pan with oil or butter.
  • Shaping: After the dough has doubled in size, it's ready to be shaped into a sandwich loaf. Lightly flour a clean work surface. On that work surface, position the dough ball and lightly dust the top with flour. Use a rolling pin to flatten the dough into a rectangle measuring approximately 8×15 inches and about half an inch thick. Roll the dough into a 7-inch log and carefully transfer it into the greased loaf pan. Don't worry if it's not perfectly shaped! (Refer to the pictures above for a visual guide.)
  • Second Rise: For the second rise, use greased plastic wrap to cover the loaf pan. You can also use an inverted pan to cover the loaf pan if you have a second one. Let the dough rise in a warm place until the top of the dough reaches a height of one inch above the edge of the bread loaf pan. This process typically takes around one to one and a half hours.
  • Preheat Your Oven: Move the oven rack to the bottom third of the bottom. Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). It's smart to bake the bread in the lower part of the oven to avoid the top burning.
  • Bake The Bread: Put the bread in the oven and bake it for about 30 minutes or until the top turns a nice golden brown. If it's browning too fast, cover the pan loosely with aluminum foil. To check if it's done, the internal temperature of the bread should reach 195℉.

Notes

  • My post has step-by-step detailed photos of the entire recipe. Make sure to check them out.
  • Ingredients should not be cold! Temperature will affect the times for the first and second rise. If the ingredients are cold, it will take longer for your bread to be ready.
  • Flour: You can use bread flour or all-purpose flour. 
  • Honey: I recommend using honey as it adds a delicious flavor that pairs well with the tang of the Greek yogurt. However, you can substitute with maple syrup, brown sugar, or white sugar.
  • No stand mixer? No problem! You can add the ingredients into a large mixing bowl and mix with a wooded spoon then knead by hand.
  • If room temperature is too cold for your bread dough to rise, you’ll need to find a warm place. You can microwave a cup of water for one minute; afterward, you can place the dough inside the microwave.
  • Overnight Instructions: You can make this recipe overnight if you’d like. One option is to do steps 1-4, then let the bread dough do its first rise covered in the refrigerator overnight. Four hours before you’re ready to bake, remove it from the refrigerator. Let it come room temperature then shape and continue the recipe.
  • Bread Machine: I do not own a bread machine and have not tried this recipe in a bread machine. If you own one, please leave a comment to let others know how your greek yogurt bread loaf turned out.

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