Greek yogurt is beloved for its custardy texture, high protein content, and staggering versatility. It can anchor breakfast, marinate chicken, or become a tangy, creamy dip. But which brand is actually the best? In our latest taste test, we revisited the dairy staple, sampling past favorites alongside brands we hadn’t included in earlier versions of this story. We also sampled a few non-Greek strained yogurts, like skyr, to see if any could outshine the popular staple. The best Greek yogurt (or its alternative) had to balance puckery tang with velvety richness. It should be thick and creamy—never chalky, watery, or overly sour.
What is Greek yogurt?
Greek yogurt is part of a broader tradition with roots in Southwest Asia and the eastern Mediterranean. Today in the US, it’s a multibillion-dollar industry. Products like Icelandic skyr, Turkish süzme yoğurt, and Levantine labneh—long staples in their regions and increasingly available in American markets—are made the same way: by straining whey from plain yogurt to create a thicker, more concentrated, and often tangier product. Though each style has subtle differences, they’re essentially interchangeable in the kitchen. Read more: What is Greek yogurt?
How we picked the products
Since we’d previously tested Greek yogurts, we started with brands we already knew and expanded the field to include more widely available supermarket options, like Target’s Good & Gather, as well as brands absent from our initial lineup, such as Greek Gods. We also included products labeled as skyr, a closely related style of yogurt that’s often used interchangeably with Greek yogurt.
To keep the comparison focused, we excluded low- and reduced-fat varieties, flavored yogurts, and any products fortified with extra protein or made from plant-based milks.
How we tested Greek yogurt
Our editors have strong opinions about Greek yogurt, so to keep things fair, we ditched the labels and portioned each sample into identical bowls for a brand-concealed tasting.
To tease out subtle differences in flavor and texture, we tasted each yogurt on its own, spooning portions onto our plates and giving them a swoosh to assess thickness before diving in.
How we evaluated each brand of Greek yogurt
Greek yogurt has a lot to live up to. First and foremost, it must be luxuriously creamy, not chalky. It needs tang, but not an aggressively sour bite. The best versions are rich and silky, never watery or grainy, with just a hint of natural sweetness—nothing artificial or overwhelming.
Texture was another sticking point for our panel. Certainly, it shouldn’t be gelatinous. Our tasters tend to prefer yogurts on the thicker end of the spectrum—thicker than sour cream, but not as dense as mascarpone. Ultimately, they wanted a yogurt that was smooth, creamy, and eminently swoopable
The mild-mannered: Wallaby
Wallaby’s Australian-style yogurt is cooked—not just strained—to reduce moisture, then double-cultured for extra richness. These steps are meant to achieve a creamier, thicker consistency than standard Greek yogurt. Wallaby’s plain Aussie Greek-style yogurt lists just two ingredients: active cultures and pasteurized whole organic milk.
Why it won us over: Some Greek yogurts smack you in the face with tang or richness. By contrast, Wallaby draws you in with subtlety. This contender struck an impressive balance between tang and creaminess. Food director Chris Morocco thoughtfully described it as “mild, clean, and sweet,” and pointed out its particularly lush, smooth texture. While Wallaby wasn’t the most punchy yogurt in the lineup, it won over our group with its understated nuance.
The swooper’s dream: Stonyfield
Like many of our contenders, Stonyfield whole-milk Greek yogurt lists just milk and active cultures on the label. The brand emphasizes organic practices, producing its Greek yogurt “without the use of toxic persistent pesticides, antibiotics, artificial growth hormones, or genetically modified organisms,” according to its website.
Why it won us over: The first spoonful inspired a chorus of praise from our tasters. They called it “buttery” and “bright” with an approachable tang and a clear balance of sweet and savory flavors.
The scoopable, creamy texture sealed the deal. “I would eat a bowl of this with nothing more than a spackled-on coating of almond butter and be very happy,” Chris said.
We’d love it in
Our favorite Greek yogurt: Trader Joe’s
Trader Joe’s technically offers two strained yogurt options: Strained Thick & Creamy Greek Yogurt and Greek whole milk yogurt. We tested the latter both for consistency with our original tasting and because the Thick & Creamy version fell outside our criteria, with significantly more protein (15 grams per ¾ cup versus 6 grams).
Why it won us over: In a previous version of this story, we named Trader Joe’s Greek yogurt “the disappointment” (harsh, in retrospect—sorry, Joe). This time around, our panel had a very different take. Where earlier tasters found it thin and watery, the current group described it as surprisingly rich.
One thing hadn’t changed: its bright, tangy flavor, which both past and present panels agreed was well-balanced. In the end, Trader Joe’s checked all of our boxes: tangy, gently tart, and smooth enough to make us want another spoonful.
365 Organic Greek Yogurt
Had a distinctly cheesy note; our panel preferred options with a milder, more classic yogurt flavor.
Cabot Whole Milk Plain Greek Yogurt
A slightly gelatinous quality made this contender less appealing in this lineup.
Chobani Greek Yogurt Whole Milk Plain
The tang was too mild for our tasters.
Ellenos Plain Unsweetened Yogurt
Notably sweet for a yogurt labeled “unsweetened,” our panel thought this one tasted out of balance.
Fage Total 5%
A variety of textures—some tasters called it grainy, others found it watery and mild—kept this one out of the winner’s circle.
Good & Gather Greek Plain Whole Milk Yogurt
Looser than most Greek-style yogurts, this one didn’t have the creamy texture we craved.
Greek Gods Plain Traditional
Although we stirred each yogurt before plating and presenting it to our panel, this one separated as it sat. Tasters also said it had a grainy quality that was far from ideal.
Maple Hill Plain Greek Yogurt
Although its texture was deemed smooth and silky, it was a bit too mild in flavor.
Nancy’s Probiotic Greek Whole Milk Yogurt
Boldly tangy, this contender appealed to some of our tasters, but most found it a bit too intense.
Norr Organic Probiotic Skyr Plain Whole Milk
This one leaned more savory in flavor; our panel preferred options that showcased a gentle milky sweetness.
Siggi’s Plain Whole Milk Skyr
Although pleasantly milky, some tasters found this Greek yogurt alternative slightly grainy.
Tandoori chicken wings, hot yogurt soup, blackout frozen yogurt pie, and more ways to use it up.
