When I started lightening my vodka sauce, I swapped most of the heavy cream for Greek yogurt. The first time, I stirred the cold yogurt straight into the hot pot, and it never blended in properly. The sauce came out grainy instead of smooth.
The fix is called tempering. You warm the yogurt up gradually so it doesn't get shocked by the heat all at once.
How I do it now
- Put the yogurt in a separate bowl. I use 0% plain Greek yogurt.
- Whisk in a spoonful of the hot sauce. Repeat, one spoonful at a time, until the yogurt feels warm and loose. Four or five spoonfuls is usually enough.
- Turn the heat to low, then stir the warmed yogurt back into the pot.
What I'd tell myself the first time: don't skip this step to save a bowl. It's the difference between a creamy sauce and a split one.
I now do this for every sauce where yogurt replaces cream.