Ina Garten Orange Yogurt

Ina Garten orange yogurt starts with an easy step most people skip: draining plain yogurt until it thickens. She stirs in raisins, walnuts, honey, and fresh orange zest for a simple breakfast idea you can prep ahead. No cooking, just eight ingredients and good fruit.

Drain the yogurt for at least three hours, or the texture stays too thin to hold the mix-ins. Overnight in the fridge works best because the thicker the base, the more orange juice it can absorb without getting runny.

Source: The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook (1999)

Ina Garten Orange Yogurt

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: BreakfastCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

3

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking timeminutes

Calories

390

kcal

A thick, creamy strained yogurt loaded with crunchy walnuts, plump raisins, and bright orange zest, sweetened with honey and loosened with fresh squeezed juice.

Ingredients

• 1 quart plain low-fat yogurt
  

• 1/4 cup raisins
  

• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
  

• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  

• 1/4 cup good honey
  

• Grated zest of 1 orange
  

• 1/2 to 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
  

• Orange, orange zest, raisins, or walnuts (optional)

Directions

• Drain the yogurt: Line a sieve with cheesecloth or paper towels and suspend it over a bowl. Pour the yogurt into the sieve and allow it to drain, refrigerated, for 3 hours or overnight.
• Mix and serve: Place the thickened yogurt into a medium bowl and add the raisins, walnuts, vanilla, honey, and orange zest to taste. Thin with orange juice until it is a desirable consistency. Garnish with sections of orange, extra orange zest, raisins, or walnuts and serve.

Tools for this recipe

• Cuisinart fine mesh strainer set, Olicity grade 90 cheesecloth, Microplane zester grater, Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon vanilla extract, 8 oz. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use Greek yogurt instead of straining regular yogurt?

You can, but the texture will be different. Greek yogurt is already strained, so it's thicker from the start. Ina uses regular low-fat yogurt and drains it herself because it gives a lighter, creamier result. Skip the straining step if you go with Greek and just mix everything together.

How long does this orange yogurt keep?

It stays good in the fridge for about 3 days, covered tightly. After that, the raisins get mushy and the walnuts lose their crunch. If you want to prep ahead, mix the yogurt base and add the walnuts right before serving so they stay crunchy.

Can I make this the night before?

The draining step actually works best overnight, so you are already halfway there. Mix everything together in the morning and it is ready to eat. Ina designed this recipe for advance prep, so you get better flavor when the orange zest has time to sit in the yogurt.

Do I need cheesecloth, or can I use something else?

Paper towels work fine for this recipe. Just line your sieve with two layers and set it over a bowl. A clean thin dish towel also works. The goal is letting the watery whey drip out while the thick yogurt stays behind.

What if my yogurt ends up too thick or too thin?

If it is too thick after draining, add more orange juice a tablespoon at a time until the consistency feels right. If it is too thin, you probably did not drain it long enough. Give it another hour or two in the fridge. Ina prefers low-fat yogurt for this recipe because nonfat can get gummy when drained.