Savoury cooking with kefir: marinades, dips, dressings and more
In short
Homemade milk kefir is a handy savoury ingredient. It makes chicken and lamb tender in a spiced marinade, turns into a cool cucumber and mint dip, a herby dressing or a tangy coleslaw, and brings freshness to chilled soups, mash and jacket potatoes. Wherever a recipe calls for yoghurt, buttermilk or soured cream, kefir is worth a try. Quantities and methods are in the guide and the exclusive recipes sent with your Natural Probio grains.
Most people discover kefir at breakfast. The second discovery usually comes at dinner, the evening the recipe asks for buttermilk or yoghurt and there is a jug of kefir in the fridge instead. After that, it tends to appear in all sorts of dishes. Here are the savoury ideas our customers mention most often.
Marinades that make a difference
Kefir clings to meat and carries spices beautifully, and its gentle acidity helps keep chicken, turkey and lamb tender and juicy. A spiced kefir marinade gives you golden, tender chicken thighs for the oven or the barbecue, in the spirit of a tandoori-style dish. Southern-style fried chicken traditionally uses buttermilk; kefir does the same job. Lemon, garlic and oregano make a Mediterranean version for lamb kebabs.
Spiced chicken thighs
Kefir with garam masala, garlic and ginger, then into a hot oven.
Lamb kebabs
Kefir with lemon zest, garlic and oregano, grilled until lightly charred.
Crispy chicken
Kefir in place of buttermilk before a seasoned flour coating.
Dips and dressings
Thicker homemade kefir makes a fresh, light dip. With grated cucumber, garlic and mint, it is a cool partner for grilled meat and warm flatbreads. With chives and spring onion, it is a dip for crisps and crudités. Whisked with a little mustard, lemon and fresh herbs, it becomes a creamy, herby dressing for a green salad or a potato salad. And a kefir-based coleslaw is lighter and tangier than the familiar version.
- Cucumber and mint dip, with a swirl of olive oil.
- Herby ranch-style dressing, with dill, chives and a little garlic.
- Tangy coleslaw, with carrot, red cabbage and spring onion.
- Blue cheese dip, crumbled Stilton stirred into kefir for celery sticks.
Soups, mash and jacket potatoes
On a warm day, kefir blended with cucumber, dill and a squeeze of lemon makes a chilled soup that needs no cooking. In winter, a swirl of kefir over a bowl of hot beetroot, leek and potato or spiced carrot soup adds colour and tang. Stirred into mashed potato with plenty of chives, it gives a lighter, fresher mash. And on a jacket potato, kefir with spring onion and black pepper is a quick alternative to soured cream.
Kefir in place of…
| Usually made with | Try kefir in | What it brings |
|---|---|---|
| Buttermilk | Fried chicken coatings, marinades | Tenderness and a light tang |
| Yoghurt | Spiced marinades, cucumber dips | A fresher, sharper flavour |
| Soured cream | Jacket potatoes, soups, dips | Creaminess with less richness |
| Mayonnaise, in part | Coleslaw, potato salad | Lightness and tang |
A few kitchen pointers
Kefir is at its best in savoury dishes when it stays cool or is added at the end. For hot dishes, stir it in off the heat, just as you would with yoghurt. For dips, a thicker kefir works best; your guide explains how to make it a little thicker when you want it. And remember that kefir already has a tang of its own, so go easy on the lemon or vinegar at first and taste as you go.
The recipes are in your parcel
This page sticks to ideas. Exact quantities, marinating times and methods are waiting in your guide, and in the recipe collection that the booklet's QR code unlocks. For other moments of the day, see breakfast and smoothies and bakes and puddings, or browse all our recipe ideas.
Questions about savoury cooking
Can kefir replace yoghurt in a marinade?
Yes. It works in the same way and gives a slightly sharper, fresher flavour.
Will kefir split in a hot sauce?
Like yoghurt, it is best stirred in off the heat. Your recipes explain the right moment for each dish.
Is the 10 g pouch enough if I cook with kefir?
If you cook with it several times a week, the 20 g pouch, for about a litre a day, is more comfortable.
Always a jug of kefir for cooking
Live milk kefir grains, sent with the guide and our exclusive recipes: kefir ready the next day, for the table and the kitchen.
- 20 g for about a litre a day
- Savoury recipes in the library
- Posted within 24 to 48 working hours, tracked
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