Soju Yogurt Cocktail

This unique Soju yogurt cocktail combines the traditional Korean spirit, Soju, with the creamy tang of yogurt. With just three ingredients, it’s sweet, creamy, and refreshing!

about this soju cocktail

You might be wondering why we are obsessed with this yogurt soju cocktail. This three ingredient cocktail is suprisingly bright, light, and flavorful! Plus it’s a fun change from the normal classic cocktails that we are all so familiar with here in the United States.

A yogurt drink might seem a little crazy to you, but it’s actually one of the most popular drinks in Korea and throughout Asia.

What we love about this soju cocktail is how versatile it is! The variations are endless from different strengths of soju to different flavors of soju to tailoring the amounts to fit your tastes.

so, what is soju?

Soju is a Korean clear spirit that is made from fermented grains such as rice, wheat, or barley. It’s smooth and clean in flavor, with alcohol content that varies widely from as low as 16% to 45%. Therefore, it is a great base of many cocktails!

The truth is, it blends so easily with tons of different flavors so it’s easy to use for a variety of cocktails from sweet to savory to spicy.

It’s very popular in Korean culture, and the first time I tried it was back in the day when Korean star PSY became incredibly popular for a hot minute. He even came out with his own soju, so of course I had to start making my own soju cocktails.

That’s how I stumbled upon this classic soju yogurt cocktail recipe and adapted to be my own!

Note: This is an updated version of the original posted on November 22, 2013.

ingredients

soju. This clear, distilled spirit comes in many variations, from flavor to strength. We usually opt for a stronger 45% ABV soju with no added flavoring. It just depends on how strong you want the cocktail and what flavor of soju that you like!

drinkable yogurt. I used Yakult, but you can use any drinkable yogurt that you’d like! I do not recommend using Greek yogurt drinkable yogurts though. They tend to be too tart and throw off the flavor of the cocktail.

lemon lime soda. Over here, we prefer Sprite. Of course, you can use any lemon lime soda that you like. There’s also an option to use sparkling water and adjust the sweetness with simple syrup if you do not like to drink soda.

this recipe’s must haves

All you need for this recipe is a cocktail shaker, cocktail strainer, and cocktail stirring spoon.

Looking for glasses to serve it in? The ones you see pictured here I picked up at IKEA. However, you can get something similar with these Viski spinning whiskey glasses!

here’s how to make a soju cocktail

shake

Add soju and yogurt drink to a shaker filled with ice. Shake well until chilled all the way through and well combined.

Strain into a cocktail glass with ice.

add bubbles

Top with Sprite (or whatever lemon lime soda you prefer). Stir briefly to combine and serve.

tips and variations

try different flavors. There are tons of different flavors of soju out there! Experiment with a variety of flavors to make this a new drink every time you make it. I’ve even combined flavors like strawberry and peach!

adjust as you like. The base of this recipe is just that… a base recipe! You might want a bit more tangy yogurt. Perhaps you’d like the soju to be stronger. Or maybe you need it to be lighter by adding more Sprite? You can adjust the ratio however you like to make it the way you like it best.

use sparkling water. If you prefer not to use soda, you can opt for sparkling water! Then I recommend tasting and adjusting the sweetness by adding simple syrup 1/4 ounce at a time until it has the right balance for you.

More easy cocktail recipes: Lemon Mojito | Limoncello Spritz | Aperol Spritz | Strawberry Mimosa

is vodka stronger than soju?

It depends on the strength of the soju you purchase! Soju varies in strength by quite a bit, so it can be as strong as vodka, or a weak as a high ABV glass of wine.

can I use flavored soju?

Yes! There are lots of flavors of soju out there, but we like the fruity flavors for this drink. Therefore options like strawberry, peach, and mango are best to try when you are experimenting with the flavors of this drink.

can I add fruit to this cocktail?

Yes! Adding fresh fruit to this cocktail is a fun and easy way to change up the flavor profile. Simply muddle berries, peaches, mango, and more in the bottom of the shaker before proceeding with the recipe.

what kind of yogurt should I use in this cocktail?

We use Yakult which is a sweetened yogurt drink that can be found in many grocery stores or in Asian markets. It’s a probiotic drink that comes in little bottles, making it perfect for this cocktail. I like the little hint of citrus in there too!

You can really use any drinkable yogurt for this drink, but I do not recommend using ones made with Greek yogurt. Those will make the drink too tangy!

how strong is this soju cocktail?

Soju can be highly potent, or closer to the strength of wine. Therefore, this is what will impact the strength of the cocktail. We recommend using the higher proof soju (90 proof), which is closer to vodka. Therefore, it will be the same strength as any standard cocktail.

what else mixes well with soju?

Soju is similar to vodka, so you can use it any place that you use vodka really! Combine it with classic combinations like cranberry juice or orange juice. You can also get really creative with the spirit as it adapts to so many different flavors well.

Need some inspiration for happy hour? Check out my cocktail recipes page!

what to serve with a soju yogurt cocktail

This soju cocktail pairs with a ton of your favorite foods, but I usually gravitate to crispy snacks and street foods with a hint of spice. Since this drink is creamy and a little sweet, it’s best to go for big, bold flavors with your food choices!

For snacks, crispy korean bbq chicken wings are always a winner with the bold flavor of the sauce. You could also go with a creamy crab rangoon dip, served with homemade wonton chips!

If you are looking for a main meal, either spicy kimchi udon or savory curry udon are tasty noodle dishes that can be whipped up super fast.

more bubbly cocktail recipes

A sparkling whiskey sour is a bubbly take on the classic whiskey sour, making it a little lighter and brighter than the recipe you know and love.

For a fruitier cocktail, this blackberry gin fizz combines fresh blackberries with floral gin with a little bubbly.

This easy Aperol Soda is the bubbly cocktail for anyone who loves the bitterness of Aperol.

Finally, if you make this soju yogurt cocktail recipe, please be sure to give this recipe a star rating on the recipe card and/or leave a comment! I love to hear when you all make recipes, and I do take the time to respond to every single comment.

Feel free to drop questions below too, if you have them!

Oh and be sure to tag me on Instagram if you make the recipe! I love being able to see these recipes come to life in your homes – it’s my favorite thing to look through those photos. It really means the world to me!