Best Plain Greek Yogurt (Full Fat, Nonfat, and Lactose Free!) 

For a long time, the best Greek yogurt was whatever brand your grocery store carried. The choice was easy. But now there are many, many, many Greek yogurt brands, all boasting high protein and tangy flavor. So, what is the best Greek yogurt? We tasted more than 20 different types of Greek yogurt over the course of three taste tests to find out. 

This was an eye-opening experience for me. I thought every plain Greek yogurt would taste the same, give or take some differences in liquidity. But I was wrong. Some Greek yogurt is extremely tangy, some is almost sweet, and some leans savory. Some is thin, while some is so thick it’s practically cheese. 

Here’s what I was looking for in the best Greek yogurt brand: The best tasting Greek yogurt should be tangy and tart but not to the point of making you pucker. It should be creamy—even the best nonfat Greek yogurt should be creamy. It should taste like milk—and if you don’t think milk has a flavor, you need to drink better milk. And, finally, the best Greek yogurts should be useful—you should be able to eat them plain or in a parfait or in tzatziki sauce or on a baked potato in place of sour cream. The best Greek yogurt should be a staple in your fridge. 

Whether you’re looking for the best nonfat Greek yogurt or the best full fat Greek yogurt, we’ve got you covered. Here are the best Greek yogurt brands making the best plain Greek yogurt out there. (And if you’re looking for the best Greek yogurt flavors, we ranked those, too.)

Note: We didn’t include the best low fat Greek yogurt on this list because none of them were up to snuff. If you’re buying Greek yogurt, go for the best full fat Greek yogurt or the best nonfat Greek yogurt. It’s not worth messing around with those containers of 2%.

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Best Lactose Free

Fage BestSelf Lactose Free

Instacart

If you’re not trying to avoid lactose, keep reading. This is not the best Greek yogurt for you. But if lactose gives you trouble, Fage is the best Greek yogurt brand you can find. Their lactose free Greek yogurt is very creamy and it leans savory (so it’s a perfect base for dips or to use on baked potatoes or in burritos). It’s not very tangy, unfortunately—there’s a touch upon first taste but not a lot. But it’s still much more convincing than any dairy-free Greek yogurt we’ve tried. So if you’re deciding between vegan Greek yogurt and this lactose free Greek yogurt, choose this.

Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart

Rating:

6.5/10

Sporks

Best for Parfaits

Simple Truth Strained Non-Fat Greek Yogurt

Instacart

Kroger’s store brand Greek yogurt is tangy and smooth. It’s a classic, standard Greek yogurt. And that means it’s the best Greek yogurt to use as a base for a loaded parfait. Add some berries, add some granola, and make yourself a fancy parfait with this pick. It’s a cushy white couch of a yogurt awaiting your decorative throw pillows of toppings.

Credit: Ryan Martin / Kroger

Rating:

7/10

Sporks

 Best Dessert

Great Value Greek Plain

Walmart

If you don’t love Greek yogurt’s tangy, tannic, mouth-drying quality, Walmart’s Greek yogurt is the best Greek yogurt you could ask for—and it’s cheap! It’s mildly sweet and extra-creamy. It’s great for making desserts or breakfasts that feel like desserts.

Credit: Ryan Martin / Walmart

Rating:

7.5/10

Sporks

Best Available Everywhere

Chobani Non-Fat Plain

Amazon

Walmart

Chobani Greek yogurt is the old reliable. It’s the brand you’ll find in most grocery store fridges. And, guess what? It’s good! It’s worthy of that placement. It’s a solid nonfat Greek yogurt—perfect for stirring with granola (or avocado, chili crisp, and soy sauce, my toppings of choice). But the best part about it is that you can’t tell that it’s nonfat. It’s tart and lemony and deliciously thick with just a touch of salt on the finish. It’s downright decadent for a nonfat yogurt.

Credit: Ryan Martin / Amazon

Rating:

8/10

Sporks

Best Nonfat Greek Yogurt

Oikos Blended Greek Yogurt

Amazon

“This tastes like the best parts of cream cheese,” one taster remarked. It’s a good description. The yogurt is light—it almost tastes like it was freshly whipped—but still very creamy. It’s surprisingly creamy for a nonfat Greek yogurt. It still is undeniably Greek in flavor, but goes very light on the tang and the tartness. It’s the best nonfat Greek yogurt for a light and absolutely delicious breakfast.

Credit: Ryan Martin / Instacart

Rating:

8.5/10

Sporks

Best Ricotta Replacement

Greek Gods Plain Traditional

Amazon

Walmart

Instacart

You want Greek yogurt? No, I mean, do you want Greek yogurt? This is the best Greek yogurt brand to really lean into Greek yogurt’s Greekness. Greek Gods spells their name with sigmas instead of e’s and has a trident on the label along with a “meander” motif (look it up, I did). That is Greek. Luckily, it’s also good. It has a rustic feel and high milk fat, leading to an almost ricotta-esque quality. You can spread this Greek yogurt on toast. Or use it in place of ricotta in a lasagna. Or, of course, you can enjoy it for breakfast with a spoon. It’s your call. The brand has trademarked the description of “All taste. No tang.” And I agree it does have a great taste. But there’s definitely a little tang. It needs the tang, otherwise it wouldn’t taste Greek.

Credit: Ryan Martin / Walmart

Rating:

9/10

Sporks

Best Dessert

Fage 5%

Target

If you’re looking for the best tasting Greek plain yogurt for an almost healthy dessert, look no further. Fage’s full fat Greek yogurt is extremely thick and creamy and downright decadent. In my old, very Greek New York City neighborhood, there was a taverna that would serve Greek yogurt with cherries in syrup for dessert. This is the yogurt I would use to recreate that dessert at home. It’s also the yogurt I would give someone to convince them to skip nonfat Greek yogurt and go full fat instead. While I stand behind the best nonfat Greek yogurts on this list, the full fat Greek yogurts like this one are just so much better.

Credit: Liv Averett / Target

Rating:

9/10

Sporks

Best Artisanal

Straus Whole Milk Organic Greek Yogurt

Amazon

Instacart

Yogurt enthusiasts, take note. This tastes like homemade yogurt—like something rich with bacteria and enzymes. You can practically feel your gut microbiome flourishing. It has an almost Jell-O-like consistency—that scoop will hold its shape. And the flavor is complex. Sporked’s Jordan Myrick said it almost tastes like there’s olive oil in the mix. I called out the grassy undertones and mild salinity. (I’m fancy like that.) This Greek yogurt is something to talk about. Get your hands on it, ASAP.

Credit: Ryan Martin / Amazon

Rating:

9/10

Sporks

Best Australian Style

Wallaby Aussie Greek Style Plain

Amazon

Instacart

Until our most recent taste test, this was our number one best Greek yogurt. While the company isn’t actually Australian—it’s based out of Colorado—they make “Aussie inspired” Greek yogurt. The “Aussie Greek style” yogurt is ultra-smooth and not overly tangy. It almost has a faint vanilla sweetness to it with a touch of grassiness (that’s a good thing—think of really good, really fresh milk), and it leaves you with a wonderfully creamy sensation. There’s no denying there’s fat in this yogurt, but you deserve full fat Greek yogurt—some of the best full fat Greek yogurt. Put another shrimp on the barbie then dip it into a dollop of this yogurt, because the Aussies are doing it right (or, at least, the Coloradans who once visited Australia and really liked the yogurt there are doing it right).

Credit: Ryan Martin / Amazon

Rating:

9.5/10

Sporks

Best of the Best

Nounos Probiotic Classic Plain

Instacart

This ultra thick and creamy Greek yogurt might be plain, but that doesn’t stop it from tasting indulgent as all get out. There’s none of that yogurt water floating on top. It’s just decadent, 5% milk fat Greek yogurt. It goes light on the tang, but there’s still enough there to let you know that yes, you really are eating Greek yogurt. You can eat it for breakfast or dessert or use it as a sour cream or creme fraiche replacement. It packs 18g of protein and “billions of probiotics,” per the brand. This is my new favorite Greek yogurt and hands down the best Greek yogurt brand you need to try. It’s our new number one!

Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart

Rating:

10/10

Sporks

Other Greek yogurt brands we tasted: Two Good, Fage 2%, Chobani Whole Milk, Stonyfield Organic Greek Yogurt, FAGE 0% Milkfat Greek Yogurt, Kroger Plain Nonfat Greek Yogurt, Sprouts Whole 5% Greek Yogurt, Kirkland Organic Greek Yogurt, Trader Joe’s Greek Yogurt, Straus Non Fat Greek Yogurt, Ellenos Plain Unweetened Greek Yogurt, Nancy’s Probiotic Greek Nonfat Yogurt, Kitehill Greek Style