Savory Yogurt & Dill Bowl

Liquidized (IDDSI Level 3)

Smooth foods that pour easily and require no chewing, but are moderately thicker than regular liquids.

This dish is inspired by the long tradition of savory yogurt preparations found across Turkish and broader Eastern Mediterranean cooking. Yogurt isn’t treated as a sweet base there. It’s a cooling, grounding food, paired with herbs, olive oil, and salt to support digestion and balance richer meals. This Liquidized (IDDSI Level 3) version keeps that spirit while adapting the texture so it’s safe, comfortable, and genuinely enjoyable for people who need liquidized foods.

Savory yogurt bowls like this are often served alongside vegetables, grains, or meats, but they’re also eaten on their own, especially when appetite is low. That makes them a natural fit for liquidized textures. Yogurt already does much of the structural work for us. The goal here is not to thin it until it feels like a drink, but to smooth and stabilize it so it flows easily, coats the spoon, and feels calm in the mouth.

From an IDDSI perspective, this recipe focuses on predictability. No skins, no herb fragments, no surprise texture changes. Dill is blended and strained fully so you get the flavor without the fibers. Olive oil adds both richness and easier glide in the mouth to the thicker yogurt.

Amy Listermann, MS, CCC-SLP

Savory Yogurt and Dill Bowl Recipe

A smooth, savory yogurt dish inspired by Turkish-style yogurt preparations. Fully blended for IDDSI Level 3 (Liquidized), this recipe offers calming flavor, gentle acidity, and a predictable texture designed for easier swallowing.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 10 minutes mins

Servings: 2

Course: Appetizer, Dips and Spreads, Soup

Cuisine: Mediterranean, Turkish

Calories: 180

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1½ cups plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
• 2-3 tbsp cold water or milk as needed
• 2 tablespoons fresh dill chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
• Optional: small pinch garlic powder not raw garlic

Equipment

• Blender
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Silicone spatula
• Serving bowl or cup
• Mesh strainer
• Spoon/Fork/10mL syringe for IDDSI flow check

Method

 

1. Add yogurt, dill, olive oil, salt, and optional garlic powder to a blender. Blend until completely smooth, straining out visible herb pieces.
2. Add water or milk 1 tablespoon at a time, blending between additions, until the mixture flows easily off a spoon and meets liquidized texture requirements. Taste and adjust salt if needed. Chill briefly and serve.

SLP Notes

Testing Methods: drips freely through fork prongs, doesn’t leave a pattern when surface is pressed with a fork, pours from a tilted spoon without sticking, 8+ml left in 10mL syringe after 10 seconds (syringe flow testing).

Adjusting Consistency: If the mixture is too thick, add small amounts of liquid, one tsp at a time. If too thin, blend further with more solids or a thickening agent like xantham gum, being sure to retest at time of serving.

Temperature Caution: The viscosity of purees changes with temperature. Always test after reheating or chilling, as thinner or thicker consistencies may alter the IDDSI level.

Storage & Reheating: Refrigerate promptly and reheat gently, stirring between intervals. Always retest consistency before serving.

This yogurt and dill bowl is something I come back to when savory food sounds right but effort doesn’t. Yogurt has been used this way for generations, paired with herbs, olive oil, and salt to cool the palate and settle the stomach. In this version, blending the dill fully keeps the flavor present without introducing fibers or texture changes that can make liquidized foods tiring to eat.

From a clinical perspective, this recipe works because it behaves predictably. The yogurt coats the spoon, the olive oil adds gentle lubrication, and the finished texture flows without separating. Those details matter when swallowing feels inconsistent or energy is limited. Nothing here is doing too much, and that’s intentional. You may build upon it with items like pureed and strained cucumber, or additional spices like cumin but always be sure to achieve a single texture (not a solid mixed with a thin liquid) for IDDSI levels 3 and 4 and test them at time of service. (Unsure how to test? Check out my cheatsheet: How to Make Any Meal Dysphagia Friendly)

This can be a small meal on its own, a savory break from sweeter liquidized foods, or a shared table item used differently by others. However it’s served, the aim is the same: food that feels composed, reassuring, and worth eating. Sometimes confidence comes back not through variety, but through something that works every time.

Still Filling in the Menu?

This White Miso and Ginger Soup is a kindred recipe to this one, savory and sippable. Add some breakfast energy with the Blueberry Almond Smoothie for a good blend of nutrition and flavor.

Every recipe here is designed for texture sensitive eaters: from dysphagia to dental issues to picky eaters. Get recipe roundups and practical tips by joining the mailing list.

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