Homemade Yogurt has NEVER been easier than with this Cold Start Instant Pot Yogurt. Two ingredients and time is all you need to have perfect, creamy, thick yogurt.
If you are looking to make yogurt without ultra-pasteurized milk, be sure to grab my recipe for Instant Pot Yogurt. If you are looking for more Instant Pot Recipes, please check out all Instant Pot Recipes.
One of the biggest reasons I love my pressure cooker is for Homemade Yogurt.
It was one of the first recipes I mastered and I make it every week.
But a lot of people have been asking how to make Cold Start Yogurt, and I am here to say, that Instant Pot Cold Start Yogurt is so much easier than my original Instant Pot Yogurt Recipe.
Cold Start Yogurt
It could not be easier to make yogurt using cold start yogurt, and it is nearly IMPOSSIBLE to mess up--the same can not be said about my traditional Instant Pot Yogurt.
There are no thermometers needed, no boiling of milk, and no wondering if your milk didn't reach the right temperature to achieve perfect yogurt. Plus cold start yogurt comes out thick, just like Greek yogurt--no need for straining!
Just two simple ingredients and a pressure cooker are all that is needed for this cold start yogurt.
Ingredients for Cold Start Yogurt
- Ultra Pasteurized Milk or Ultra-Filtered Milk
- 2 tablespoons plain yogurt with active cultures or a yogurt starter
Ultra Filtered or Ultra Pasteurized?
Cold start yogurt works using milk that is ultra-pasteurized. That said, for the creamiest, thickest yogurt, ultra-filtered milk works best.
Ultra-Filtered milk is still pasteurized, but it also goes through a special filtration process. The result is ultra-filtered milk with 50% more protein, 30% more calcium and half the sugar of regular milk and lactose free. Which yields a yogurt that is creamier and thicker. It also is higher in protein and calcium and lower in sugar--perfect for anyone watching their sugars.
You can look for a brand, like Fairlife brand for ultra-filtered milk.
How To Make Cold Start Yogurt
Step One: Clean your Instant Pot
- Be sure your pressure cooker is clean and you use a clean inner ring when making yogurt--no one wants yogurt tasting like Instant Pot Chili!
- I wipe my inner pot down with vinegar and then rinse well and dry.
- I also recommend a separate sealing ring to use for yogurt--not necessary but it does help!
Step Two: Add Milk and Starter to Pressure Cooker
- Whisk 1 cup of the milk with the starter until well combined.
- Pour remaining milk into inner pot of pressure cooker.
- Whisk in starter mixture.
Step Three: Incubate Yogurt
- Place lid on pressure cooker.
- Hit "Yogurt" and it should read 8:00. Be sure NORMAL is lit up. If LOW is let up, you must change to normal heat for incubation to occur, by hitting yogurt again until normal is lit up.
- Let it begin to incubate.
Step Four: Refrigerate Yogurt
- After 8 hours, remove inner pot from pressure cooker.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for another 8 hours.
- Place yogurt in glass jars to store in refrigerator.
Tips for Making Cold Start Yogurt
- There is NO substitution for ultra-pasteurized milk. If you do not use ultra-pasteurized milk, you need to follow these instructions for Instant Pot Yogurt. Most Organic Milks are Ultra-Pasteurized as well--but be sure it is labeled "ultra-pasteurized"
- Use any percentage of fat milk you like for this cold start yogurt, the higher the fat percentage the creamier the yogurt. I prefer 2% Ultra Pasteurized Milk.
- You can cut this recipe in half, or if you have an 8-quart pressure cooker, you can also double this recipe for homemade yogurt.
- For homemade yogurt, you must use either use a yogurt starter or plain yogurt with active live cultures. I like to use plain Greek yogurt--Chobani or the store brand.
- Feel free to sweeten yogurt with vanilla extract, honey, maple syrup, or fruit AFTER incubating.
- A huge tip for making yogurt in the future is to FREEZE your starter immediately after fresh yogurt is made. I recommend using an ice cube tray. Each ice cube holds 1 tablespoon of yogurt so you will know exactly how much yogurt to defrost when making a new yogurt batch. Just be sure to thaw your yogurt cubes in the fridge to not alter the cultures in the yogurt.
- If you would like tangier yogurt, set the incubation period to 10 hours instead of 8 hours.
- Homemade yogurt should last for up to 10-14 days in your refrigerator.
More Instant Pot Basic Recipes
- Instant Pot Chicken Stock
- Instant Pot Spaghetti Sauce
- Instant Pot Chicken Breasts
- Instant Pot Beans
- Perfect Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs
- Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats
Instant Pot Cold Start Yogurt
Ingredients
- 52 ounces Ultra Pasteurized Milk Ultra-Filtered is BEST--see notes
- 2 tablespoons prepare yogurt with live cultures or yogurt starter
Instructions
- Whisk 1 cup of the milk with the starter or prepared yogurt until well combined.
- Pour the remaining milk into the inner pot of pressure cooker and then whisk in starter mixture.
- Place lid on the pressure cooker. There is no need to seal.
- To set the incubation time, hit yogurt function and then adjust function until the time reads 8:00 (be sure pressure is at normal and not low--if at low hit yogurt again.)
- After the 8 hour incubation period, remove inner pot from pressure cooker. Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator for 8 hours.
- After refrigeration, store yogurt in glass containers for 10-14 days.
Equipment Needed
Notes
Nutrition
This instant pot yogurt method was named "Cold Start" by Freida Loves Bread to the best of my knowledge.
Danessa
What if my IP doesn’t have a yogurt setting?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Danessa! I have detailed instructions for making yogurt without a yogurt button my original recipe for Instant Pot Yogurt.
joyce
hi kristen - i am going to try IP Cold Start yogurt. I have been making yogurt the 'regular' IP technique for years & I love it. 1 question regarding the cold start method. Does the milk need to come to room temp at all before adding to the pot? Or straight from the fridge is ok?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Joyce! Straight from the refrigerator works. Enjoy!
Lynn Differ
What percent fat milk do you recommend for this yogurt? I usually buy Fairlife 2%. And are the calories based on whole milk or reduced fat milk yogurt?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Lynn! The nutritional information is for 2% milk and either work well for this recipe.
Nina
I am making myself crazy trying to figure out the nutrition stats for this yogurt. I usually use the full fat fair life in the red carton. I mostly want to know the calories for example half a cup of yogurt, but it would be nice to know the carbs too. And if there isn't a big taste difference I'd be willing to try using the 2% Fairlife. I see you noted that this recipe makes 10 servings but what size are those servings? Thank you for your help, I use a lot of your IP recipes!
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Nina! This recipe was calculated using 2% milk and each serving size is 4 ounces. If using full-fat Fair Life, each 4 ounce serving would have 88 calories, 5 grams of fat, and 7 grams of carbs. I hope that helps! And love hearing you count on my IP recipes 🙂
Kim
Can you tell me what temperature the yogurt should reach while cooking (using the cold method and yogurt function on IP)?
Also should the lid be on with the ring and vent open?
Thanks
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Kim! The lid should be on the pressure cooker, but the vent can be open or closed (it won't make a difference for this recipe). Yogurt should incubate between 110-115 degrees F. Enjoy!
Laura
I made this for the very first time and it’s delicious! I add a touch of vanilla and a drizzle of honey and it’s so creamy. Thanks!
Kristen Chidsey
Wonderful! Thank you for sharing!
jmason
The recipe says it makes 10 servings. What size are those servings (4 oz, 6 oz, etc)? Also, if I half the recipe (32 oz ultra filtered milk & 1 tablespoon live culture yogurt) is incubation time still 8 hours? Thank you.
Kristen Chidsey
Hi there! Each serving size is 4 ounces and you would keep the incubation time the same regardless of the amount of yogurt.
Karen
Can I use 2TBS of whey for my starter instead of yogurt?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Karen! I have not had success using whey as the starter.
Joey
Love this recipe! Came out perfect and so easy! Thank you you for sharing.
Kristen Chidsey
And thank you for taking the time to leave a review 🙂
Richard Smith
You don’t need a ring because the lid (and pressure) is not needed. Just buy an Instant Pot glass lid to cover the inner pot.
Ginny
Hmmm, I have been doing the cold start method with just organic whole milk... not ultra-pasteurized. I use the glass lid on my Instant pot with paper towel under to catch the condensation. Always works great for me. I get thick creamy yogurt. I let it incubate for 24 hours. I used to do the ultra-pasterurized milk but it always came out too grainy and I didn't like the flavor at all. I'm wondering what the reason is for boiling the milk and cooling it first. It seems to come out great the way I do it.
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Ginny! Most organic milk is ultra-pasterurized. Happy you are enjoying it.