Goat yogurt is yogurt made using goat milk rather than cow milk. Everything else about it is familiar: live cultures ferment the milk, the milk acidifies and thickens, and the result is yogurt.
It can be spoonable or drinkable, plain or flavoured, depending on how it is made and finished.
How Is Goat Yogurt Made?
In general terms, yogurt making follows the same sequence regardless of the milk used:
- Milk is received and prepared.
- The milk is heat treated.
- It is cooled to conditions suitable for culturing.
- Starter cultures are added.
- The milk ferments until it reaches the intended acidity and set.
- It is cooled to stop fermentation.
- The yogurt is packaged and kept refrigerated.
Specific parameters differ between dairies and products, and dairy processing in Canada is subject to food safety requirements. We are not publishing our own future production parameters.
Read more: CFIA information on dairy products
What Does Goat Yogurt Taste Like?
Taste depends on several things: the milk itself, the cultures used, the formulation, the processing and how fresh the yogurt is. Plain goat yogurt is usually described as tangy, with a character some people find slightly distinctive.
If you are new to goat dairy generally, flavour expectations are worth reading about first.
Read more: What does goat milk taste like?
Goat Yogurt vs Cow Yogurt
| Goat yogurt | Cow yogurt | |
|---|---|---|
| Milk source | Goat milk | Cow milk |
| Flavour | Tangy, sometimes slightly distinctive | Tangy, familiar to most shoppers |
| Texture | Often a softer, more delicate set, which suits drinkable formats | Ranges from soft-set to very thick, including strained styles |
| Composition | Different balance of milk proteins and fat structure | The profile most yogurt recipes assume |
Neither is healthier than the other. They are different dairy foods, and the nutrition information for any specific product is on its Nutrition Facts table.
Does Goat Yogurt Contain Lactose?
Goat yogurt is a dairy product made from milk that naturally contains lactose, so it should not automatically be considered lactose-free. Any lactose-free description is a claim about a specific product.
How an individual digests yogurt is a matter for them and their healthcare professional; we do not offer dietary advice.
Read more: Does goat milk contain lactose?
What Is Drinkable Goat Yogurt?
Drinkable yogurt is simply cultured milk finished to a pourable consistency rather than a spoonable one. It is sold chilled in bottles or cartons and is often used as a quick breakfast or a smoothie base.
Friendly Goat Dairy's drinkable goat yogurt is still in development, and its formulation has not been determined.
How Can Goat Yogurt Be Used?
- Breakfast, plain or with honey.
- Smoothies.
- With fruit and granola.
- Savoury sauces.
- Salad dressings.
- Marinades.
- Cooking and baking, where a tangy dairy note works.
For the bigger picture on goat dairy as a category, including milk, yogurt and storage, start with our guide.
Read more: guide to goat milk and goat dairy
Friendly Goat Dairy Goat Yogurt
Friendly Goat Dairy is currently developing its first goat yogurt products in Ontario. Final formulations, flavours, package sizes and nutritional information have not yet been announced.
For the wider picture, see our guide to goat milk and goat dairy or our FAQ.
Sources & references
- Canadian Food Inspection Agency — dairy products
- Canadian Nutrient File — Health Canada
- Canadian Food Inspection Agency — food labelling requirements for industry
This article is general information about food, not medical advice.
