🥣 Skyr

Skyr is a thick Icelandic fermented milk product made from skimmed milk; its texture resembles a very dense strained yogurt, but technically it is a fresh cheese. The Icelandic institute Matís calls it one of the few Icelandic foods that can be considered traditional: skyr was eaten as far back as the settlement of the island, though it was probably sourer and thinner then.

Traditionally, milk was heated almost to boiling and cooled for 2–3 hours; about a tablespoon of old skyr was added as a starter along with a little rennet, the milk was left overnight, and then the whey was drained for a day. The whole process took two days. Today's dairies use pure cultures, separate the whey by centrifuge or ultrafiltration, and pack and chill the finished product below 4 °C — it all takes about a day.

According to the Icelandic table ÍSGEM (2025), 100 g of plain skyr contains 61 kcal, 11.5 g of protein, 0.3 g of fat, 3.3 g of carbohydrates and 100 mg of calcium; traditional homemade skyr has as much as 14.6 g of protein. Fruit skyrs have more calories and less protein, for example 10.7 g. Matís notes that over 120 years of standardisation the microbes in skyr have become much less diverse.

Skyr or Greek yogurt? Both are thick and sold chilled, but they start differently. Skyr is made from skimmed milk with a starter and a little rennet, then the whey is drained off, which is why it counts technically as a fresh cheese rather than a yogurt. That is what makes plain skyr so low in fat, 0.3 g per 100 g, and high in protein, 11.5 g. Quark and cottage cheese are the other relatives. Because the name is not protected in the EU, a pot labelled skyr from any country can differ, so compare the nutrition tables.

Look for “skyr” on the pot, with “plain” or “natural” for the unflavoured kind. Because the name is not protected in the EU, products from any country may carry it, so the nutrition table is the real test: plain skyr gives the most protein and the least sugar, while fruit versions have more calories and less protein. You will find it in the chilled dairy aisle of supermarkets next to yogurts and quark. Keep it cold at home.

Why it matters to you. Compare labels: plain skyr gives the most protein and the least sugar. Keep it cold — yeasts can multiply in skyr, and if it has turned fizzy or smells of yeast, it is better thrown away. The name “skyr” is not protected in the EU, so products from any country can use it.