Instant Pot Yogurt: Step by step directions for making yogurt in an electric pressure cooker. Includes directions for nonfat, full fat, and Greek yogurt. Also, ways to naturally sweeten yogurt. This is EVERYTHING you need to know about making Instant Pot Yogurt.
I am all about making things at home when I can.
I prefer to make fruit roll-ups, chicken stock, granola bars, and even rotisserie chicken.
However, making yogurt at home, never appealed to me--and frankly overwhelmed me.
I can purchase high-quality yogurt with simple, wholesome ingredients at every grocery store around me.
But I was intrigued to try my hand at making yogurt shortly after getting my Instant Pot--and let me tell you, I am so glad I gave it a try.
Instant Pot Yogurt
There are two reasons that I will no longer purchase yogurt at the store and make yogurt in my Instant Pot.
- Taste
- Cost
You guys, homemade yogurt is so much creamier and less tangy than store-bought yogurt. The first time my kids had homemade yogurt they asked if I put sugar in the yogurt. Nope just plain yogurt--just a less tangy. But man, they loved it. And so did I.
And the cost of making homemade yogurt is so much cheaper than store-bought yogurt. By making homemade yogurt you cut the cost in at least half!!!
Now that you are intrigued, let's get started.
Making yogurt at home is time-consuming, but NOT at all hard. With an instant pot, it is nearly fail-proof!
How to make Homemade Instant Pot Yogurt
Step One: Clean your Instant Pot.
- This sounds like a no-brainer. But I am not talking about simply washing your Instant Pot--you need to sanitize your inner pot.
- You can prepare your inner pot for making yogurt by pouring boiling water in the inner pot and then discard the water.
- This step can be skipped, but it helps drastically in the flavor of your yogurt--especially if you have been making a lot of Instant Pot Chili.
Step Two: Heat your Milk in your Instant Pot.
- Pour ½ gallon milk into the inner pot of your electric pressure cooker, and put the lid on the Instant Pot (vent can be sealed or not sealed in this function). Hit yogurt function and then the adjust button until it says Boil.
- When the Instant Pot beeps that it is done, remove the lid and test the temperature to be sure the milk has reached 180 degrees.
- I like to leave the inner pot in the Instant Pot for 5 minutes before removing it. This helps the yogurt thicken up a bit better.
Step Three: Cool the milk to approximately 105-115 degrees.
- Cooling the milk to this temperature takes about 1 hour if placed on the counter.
- I like to speed the process up by placing the inner pot into a large mixing bowl in ice water. This takes about 15-20 minutes.
Step Four: Remove the "skin" off the milk.
- Once your milk has reached the proper temperature, skim off the top layer of milk "skin" that has formed on top of the liquid.
- This helps to give you the creamiest of yogurts.
Step Five: Whisk in a yogurt starter.
- Use either prepared yogurt or a yogurt starter and whisk into your prepared milk.
- It is important to note that if using prepared yogurt you need to be sure it is plain yogurt with live and active cultures.
- If your starter is sweetened or does not have live cultures, making yogurt at home will NOT work!
Step Six: Allow your yogurt to Incubate.
- To finish making your yogurt, place your inner pot back in your Instant Pot with the lid on (again, it doesn't matter which way the valve is set).
- Hit the Yogurt button again button.
- Adjust until it reads 8:00 or 8 hours.
- Then let the Instant Pot do its thing.
Step Seven: Enjoy!
- Transfer to glass jars or a plastic container.
- Refrigerate and Enjoy!
How to Make Yogurt without a Yogurt Button
It is a bit harder to make yogurt without a yogurt button on a pressure cooker, but it is possible.
- It is a bit harder, but it is possible.
- Pour milk into the inner pot of the pressure cooker.
- Turn on the Sear/Saute function.
- Heat milk to 180°F. Use a thermometer to check the temp often and be sure to stir very often so the milk does not scorch.
- Once the milk reaches 180°F, turn off your pressure cooker.
- Remove the inner pot and cool it to 108 degrees.
- Once your milk has reached 108 stir starter yogurt and whisk until incorporated.
- Put inner pot back in instant pot and place lid on the pressure cooker.
- Wrap in a large towel, or two regular towels and incubate for at least 8 hours or 10 hours.
How to Make Greek Yogurt
- If you would like to make Greek yogurt instead of regular yogurt, follow all the instructions for homemade yogurt.
- Once the yogurt is prepared, place a large strainer lined with cheesecloth over a large mixing bowl.
- You may need to do this in batches depending on the size of your strainer.
- Allow the yogurt to drain in the strainer overnight.
- Scoop out the thick yogurt into containers to store and discard the cheesecloth.
What to do with the extra whey from the yogurt?
- You can either discard the whey or you can use it in smoothies, oatmeal, protein shakes, etc. It will be filled with protein and probiotics.
How to make Instant Pot Fat Free Yogurt
Can you use skim milk to make yogurt in your electric pressure cooker?
Yes, you can, with a few important tips.
- I have found for nonfat yogurt, 3 tablespoons of yogurt added to ½ gallon of milk works best.
- Nonfat yogurt will have quite a bit more liquid on the top than yogurt made with full or reduced-fat milk.
- Just carefully drain off the layer of liquid that forms on the yogurt and discard it.
- As nonfat yogurt sits, the liquid will begin to separate again, just mix it into the yogurt before serving.
How long does Homemade Yogurt last?
- Homemade yogurt should last for up to 10-14 days in your refrigerator.
- Be sure to save 2 tablespoons of your homemade yogurt to make your next batch.
How to Sweeten Homemade Yogurt
I have found homemade yogurt to be so much smoother and a bit sweeter than store-bought yogurt and simply enjoy it topped with fresh berries or homemade granola.
Homemade Vanilla Yogurt
- Make yogurt as directed.
- Mix in 1 tablespoon vanilla extract into prepared yogurt.
- This will flavor the yogurt without any added sweeteners.
**If you like your yogurt to be sweet, you can add in honey, maple syrup, or sugar adjusted to your desired level of sweetness. I would start with no more than ¼ cup, and increase by a tablespoon at a time.
A few tips for making yogurt at home
- I use 1 tablespoon of prepared yogurt for every quart of milk. Therefore for ½ gallon of milk, I whisk in 2 tablespoons of already prepared yogurt into my milk.
- You can cut this recipe in half if you would like. If you have an 8-quart pressure cooker, you can also double this recipe for homemade yogurt.
- Do NOT try to make homemade yogurt with flavored yogurt as your starter. You need to either use a yogurt starter or plain yogurt with active live cultures. How do you know if your store-bought yogurt has live cultures? The label on the yogurt will say Lactobacillus bulgaricus or Streptococcus thermophilus.
- 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 an incubation period to 10 hours instead of 8 hours.
- If you need more tips on how to use your Instant Pot or are confused about some of the functions or pieces I mentioned, check out my Instant Pot 101.
- Get more easy, healthy instant pot recipes here.
Homemade Yogurt is great for:
- Yogurt Peanut Butter Dip
- 2 Ingredient Homemade Gogurts
- Peanut Butter Power Smoothie
- Skinny Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
- Skinny Spinach Artichoke Dip
How to make yogurt at home in an Instant Pot:
Homemade Yogurt
Ingredients
- ½ gallon milk
- 2 tablespoons prepared yogurt with cultures
Instructions
- Pour milk into inner pot of Instant Pot. Push yogurt button until the screen reads "boil." (Usually you will need to hit the yogurt button two times) This will take about an hour.
- Once the Instant Pot beebs that the boil cycle is complete, carefully remove the lid and test the temperature. It should be around 180 degrees Fahrenheit. Let inner pot sit in instant pot for 5 minutes and then remove inner pot.
- Allow the milk to cool to 105-115 degrees. This will take an hour on the counter top or about 15 minutes if you place your inner pot into an ice bath.
- Gently skim off the "skin" on the yogurt and discard.
- Whisk in the prepared yogurt.
- Place inner pot (be sure to dry off well if you had in ice bath),put lid on and press yogurt button again and then adjust until screen reads 8:00. (The pressure should also read normal--if it reads less, hit adjust again until normal is lit up.)
- Once the pressure cooker beeps that the yogurt cycle is complete, remove the inner pot from the inner pot and cover it with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 8 hours before transferring to individual containers or stirring the instant pot.
- Once refrigerated for 8 hours, you can strain the yogurt to prepare Greek yogurt and/or set some yogurt aside for future yogurt making. To make Greek yogurt, strain the yogurt in a strainer lined with cheesecloth overnight in the fridge (be sure to place over a large mixing bowl while draining.)
Equipment Needed
Notes
- Instead of prepared yogurt as your starter, you can use a yogurt starter. Just follow directions to determine how much starter to add to ½ gallon milk (each brand is a bit different.)
- You can use any percentage of fat to make homemade yogurt.
- To make Greek yogurt, strain the yogurt in a strainer lined with cheesecloth overnight in the fridge (be sure to place over large mixing bowl while draining.)
- Homemade yogurt should last for about 10-14 days.
- If sweetening yogurt, I have found it is best to add in sweeteners/vanilla after the yogurt has set up in the fridge for at least 8 hours, or after straining.
- If you find your milk is not reaching 180 degrees after the boil cycle, you can turn to saute function for a few minutes, watching VERY closely to help it reach to 180 degrees.
- Nutritional values are approximate and have been calculated using 2% milk. The serving size is approximately 4 ounces.
Charles Morelli
How do I make Vanilla yogurt (or any flavored yogurt)? At what point in the process do I add the vanilla or any flavoring, and do I add liquid extract (how much ) or vanilla bean (how much)?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Charles! Personally, I would mix in the flavorings, AFTER the yogurt has been processed. Before pouring yogurt into glass jars, mix in 1 tablespoon vanilla extract into prepared yogurt. This will flavor the yogurt without any added sweeteners.
If you like your yogurt to be sweet, you can add in honey, maple syrup or sugar adjusted to your desired level of sweetness. I would start with no more than 1/4 cup, and increase by a tablespoon at a time.
Hope that helps! Enjoy!
Kendall McCord
I've put sweetened condensed milk and berries in during the heating stage and had my yogurt turn out perfect.
Kristen Chidsey
Thanks for sharing.
Mara
Will this work if I add the condensed milk after the cooking process?
Kristen Chidsey
Mara, I have no experience doing this, so can't accurately tell you. Sorry. I think it would need to be added during the cooking process to culture correctly.
Betty Wilhelm
This morning I removed the yogurt from the refrigerator and it was still the consistency of milk. I figured I had nothing to lose by running it through the whole process again. This time I used one Tbsp. of Fage yogurt (to 1 pint) of milk as my starter and I set the IP to 8 1/2 hours instead of the standard 8 hours. Success! It has thickened. Now hopefully it tastes ok.
Kristen Chidsey
WAHOO!!!! I bet something was off for sure with the IP during this process, as I have NEVER heard of this happening. I am so glad you tried again and I hope it tastes delicious!!! Thanks for sharing Betty!
Katy
This just happened to me! 8.5 hours and it comes out like milk! So frustrating
Kristen Chidsey
That is so frustrating Katy! Did you make sure your yogurt hit 180 and that it cooled to no less than 100 degrees before incubating? If so, give it time to set up in the fridge (at least 12 hours) then strain. Hope that helps!
BV
Your instructions say to cool to 105-115, but here you say no more than 110??? Made for the first time I overnight, at 8 hours it seems quite thin this morning- hoping it thickens as it chills in the refrigerator ...
Kristen Chidsey
Hi there! Great catch. It is supposed to say NO LESS, not no more. Sorry about that. And it should thicken in the fridge! Enjoy!
Michelle
Hi Betty-
When you ran your yogurt through after having refrigerated it overnight, did you reboil the milky substance, or did you just warm it to 110 & mix in the fresh yogurt ato add the cultures to start the process?
Betty Wilhelm
I just put small jars of my yogurt into the refrigerator and I’m hoping it thickens as it cools. My yogurt still had the consistency of milk when it was finished. I used whole organic milk and a yogurt starter. I followed your instructions exactly. The instructions don’t say anything about the consistency of the yogurt when incubation is finished. I really hope that means it will thicken in the fridge. Otherwise it’s been a rather expensive failure.
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Betty! I agree with you if yogurt does not work out it is an expensive failure and there is nothing that would frustrate me more myself (I have food waste and wasting money.) However, it sounds like you did everything correctly when making the yogurt. But I would think the yogurt needs to be thicker than milk, even though it will set up in the fridge some. If it has thickened some, set over cheesecloth lined strainer on top of a bowl to strain away some of the whey to leave you with thicker yogurt.
Keep me posted! This has me a bit perplexed if the yogurt didn't thicken at all.
Lisa Muniz
What would cause my yogurt to not set at all? It is jut like milk. I used prebiotic tablets crushed up with Horizon organic whole milk. I did in the instant pot: heat to 180(actually it was about 170). Cooled to 120. Made slurry of prebiotics with some of the milk, poured in and turned on for 8 hours. I did make another batch this same way last week but I did ice bath on the first but not the second.
Any ideas?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Lisa! I am sorry you had trouble getting your yogurt to work out. I have never had success using only prebiotic tablets for the starter. You need to have yogurt or yogurt starter. I wouldn't add your prebiotic tablets until yogurt as made, as it definitely will change the consistency and chemical make-up of the milk and change the way it turns into yogurt. Hope that helps Lisa!
Michelle
I just had a similar outcome. I heated 1/2 gal of organic grassfed whole milk to 180, cooled with an ice bath to 110. I used 6 Tbsp of 2 week old frozen whey (from my last batch of yogurt), melted in a bowl with about 2 cups of the denatured milk, then mixed the whey cultured milk back into the liner pot, & stirred. I returned it to the instant pot & incubated for 8 hours. When I opened the top of the pot, my yogurt was still milk, with a slightly off (but not bad) taste. I guess that it was using the whey instead of yogurt as a starter that messed me up. I put the liner into the fridge before writing this. Can I reuse the milk to make some more yogurt? Is there anything else that I could have done to make this work?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Michelle! You issues lied in using the whey. That is not the same as a yogurt starter or yogurt itself. I would try to reuse the milk but with fresh yogurt this time as your starter.
Michelle
OK. I’ll try. Must I heat up to 180 again? Or just heat (on sauté) to 110, stir in the 2 tbsp of fresh yogurt, and then incubate? Also, Would it work if I freeze the rest of the purchased yogurt into cubes to use as starter? How long would the cubes keep?
Thanks so. Much in advance. I can’t wait to try this!
kim
Hi, thank you for the very specific directions. Makes it quite easy to follow. When I did step two-- boiling the milk in my IP, i checked the temperature and the highest if ever got to was 175 degrees rather than the 180 you said. I attempted to boil it again and it still didn't get any higher than 175. Currently my milk is in incubation but I'm curious if this will have a negative effect on the final product? I hate the idea of throwing away a 1/2 gallon of yogurt/milk!
Kristen Chidsey
Good Morning Kim! I am so glad my directions were thorough enough for you. As for the temperature of the milk, your yogurt should be fine. It probably was more likely that your thermometer was off by a few degrees. Enjoy your yogurt!
Heather
Absolutely my favorite IP yogurt recipe. I have made this several times using your tips and it turns out perfect each time!!!
Kristen Chidsey
This makes my heart so happy Heather!! Thank yoU!
Rose Sires
Kristen, I just read this article and want it try it! Even though I’ve had my IP for a couple of years I haven’t used it that much!
My question is; is it possible to use kombuchie for a starter? I grow my own and have a lot of it. I’m getting tired of drinking it and this would be another way to use it.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Rose, I have never tried to use kombuchta as a starter for yogurt, so I really am not sure how to advise you. I am sorry. I wish I was more help, but this is not something I experimented with or have heard of others trying. If you do try, let us know so we can document your results. I wouldn't think it would work as well though. I know your instant pot can be intimidating but I do hope you try it out a bit more--once you play with it a bit, you will love it.
Ben
Kombucha is made using a completely different bacteria, aceterobacter, which turns sugar into acetic acid (vinegar) as opposed to yogurt's lactose-eating and lactic acid-producing lactobacillus.
Aceterobacter is active at lower temperatures than lactobacillus and might actually be inhibited in the heated environment of the cooker. The vinegar in the kombucha might also immediately clabber the milk. Aceterobacter eats sugar, which is not present in milk.
Still, it would be an interesting experiment.
kim
did you try the kombucha? how did it go?
Megan
I made this yogurt with homemade almond milk, and it didn't work out. When I did the boil function, it only heated to 160 degrees. I put it through that boil function 3 times, but it wouldn't get hotter than that. I went ahead and cooled it and added the culture, put it in on the yogurt function for 8 hours. It didn't thicken at all! 🙁 Any ideas?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Megan. Unfortunately, this recipe is designed for dairy milk. Non-dairy milk is completely different beast and different methods need to be followed. Most people struggle to get almond milk to work for yogurt--it has stabilizers added and the thickness of it is completely different. If you need non-dairy yogurt, here is a great recipe for coconut milk yogurt: https://lowcarbyum.com/coconut-dairy-free-yogurt-instant-pot/ Sorry for your frustration.
Stacy
I used regular 2% milk and had the same exact problem with the milk heating to 180. Finally got close to there (high 170s) after 4-5 times. My yogurt came out watery and chunky. Any suggestions?
Kristen Chidsey
Hmm, Stacy--it sounds like your Instant Pot is not heating the milk well. I would maybe heat on the stove until your milk reaches 180 and then proceed with the recipe. Hope that helps.
Amy
I've made 1 batch perfectly. but added vanilla flavor at time of starter and it just wasnt sweet enough for the kiddos. we used it up in smoothies. I tried again yesterday and used a vanilla flavored yogurt starter 🙁 my yogurt is tangy milk. it did not thicken. my QUESTION is can I reuse this batch and try again or must I throw it out and start again?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Amy! I would try to add sweeteners at the end of the incubation time. I am not sure what is in your ingredients for flavored yogurt starter, but you may even mix in a packet of vanilla pudding or two to flavor. Or use a can of sweetened condensed milk. But as for can you reuse your yogurt--go for it. It may not turn out, but is safe to eat!
Dawn
Seriously - This was so so helpful!!! I was sure I was going to destroy my first batch and it was delicious! I am making a second batch and decided to ice-bath the instant pot insert and it cooled a bit too much - down to 90ish degrees. Just wondering if I’ve done any damage to the yogurt... thanks so much!
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Dawn! I am so glad you found these directions thorough.
I wish I could have responded to you just as you were making your 2nd batch to tel you it will more than likely be just fine. But let us know how it turned out if you get a chance. It is hard to get the temperature exact at times, but you just want to be as close as possible.
Paula Serrien
I did this same thing 8 hours ago (cooled down to 90)! I'm headed to open IP now....
Kristen Chidsey
Fingers crossed Paula, but it should be just fine 🙂 I just spoke to a friend who did this as well and her yogurt turned out perfectly. It can be really had to get the temperature exact.
Greg McNeal
Another way to maximize yoghurt body is to heat treat the milk at 203 F. for 30 minutes before cooling it for culture addition. The hotter temperature vs. the popular 180 F. denatures the milk protein to a Goldilocks, just right sweet spot for the thickest body potential without adding milk solids or stabilizers like gelatin.
Kristen Chidsey
Thanks again Greg, for you insight. Very intriguing.
Kitty
This worked very well for me, but I had to use the slow cook option to set the temperature to 203° for 30 minutes. I also started late in the day, so the overnight incubation time was more like 9 or 10 hours. It was not quite set and a bit more tart than I like, but it set up in the frig and adding sweeteners is no problem. It is VERY smooth, and the tartness works well for things like tzatziki. I just started my second batch with time to check it at 8 hours. I am using the IP Ultra 6 qt with the glass lid so no trapped flavors in the ring, and I can watch! I think this yogurt will justify the cost of the lid.
Kristen Chidsey
I am so glad this recipe worked so well for you! I hope you continue to enjoy week after week.
CANDI Carroll
What temperature do you incubate at
Sally
I make great tasting yoghurt. But it always has little flecks of solids in it. I'm super-careful to sterilise and I take off every scrap of skin. Following tips I've seem elsewhere, I've tried heating the milk veeeery slowly on the hob rather than in the IP, and I've tried letting the milk cool and then reheat it before cooling it again. It still happens. Any idea how I can avoid this happening? I eat it happily enough, but I'd like to make a big batch and sell some, and as it is I don't think the cosmetic appearance is good enough.
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Sally! So my first guess would be that your milk heated too quickly or not evenly--which I know you said you have already troubleshooted. Maybe try making a smaller batch to see if that helps (as the milk will heat more uniformly). That may solve your issue. Another thought is that if you are using a starter that has those flecks, you may want to opt for a new starter from store bought yogurt just to see if that could solve the issue as well. Keep us posted!
Maureen Eberly
I have the same issue. I'm using 1 Fairlife (2%), cold start, Nestles Vanilla Bliss (entire bottle), and Chobani plain (2 T), unopened yogurt. Any thoughts since I'm not heating and cooling milk?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Maureen, thank you for sharing your issue as well. I can tell you that using Nestles Vanilla Bliss is more than likely causing the issue as it is a different consistency than regular milk. However, Fairlife is processed completely differently as well (it is heated and pasteurized differently, changing the chemical make up of the milk to have more protein, less sugar, and no lactose--so this can change the consistency of homemade yogurt DRASTICALLY as well.) I need to experiment with Fairlife milk and see what my results are (and if we can perfect using it) stay tuned...
Adriane
I get this as well, my solution has always been to STRAIN the milk after its been heated, before you add the culture to it.
Kristen Chidsey
Thanks for the tip Adriane!
Kate Monk
So I followed this recipe to the T. But my yogurt came out fairly sour! What on earth? Do you have a suggestion for what your favorite store bought yogurts you use as your starter? Maybe I just used too cheap a brand but it did say it had "Active Live Cultures" so... Ugh! I was really looking forward to come yogurt! Haha What else do you think it could be?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Kate, I am so sorry that you had sour yogurt. I use Chobani Plain or this starter from Bulgarian. However, I am not sure that was the issue--could your milk have been a bit sour? Hope that helps.
Greg McNeal
When I took fermentation classes at Cal Poly in the Dairy Science program, I learned that incubating yoghurt at the high end of the temperature range (in the 80's) causes the culture to create more acid, less flavor compounds and the yoghurt congeals more rapidly; at the lower incubation temperature range (70's) the yoghurt congeals more slowly, but less acid and more desirable flavor compounds like diacetyl and acetaldehyde are produced. It takes longer, but it is well worth incubating your yogurt at about 76 to 78 F.
Kristen Chidsey
I love that you studied this in depth Greg. Thanks so much for sharing that knowledge with us! I am a science nerd, so I LOVE this stuff.
Lisa Dugger
How would you incubate at the lower temp? I need less acidity because of health issues.
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Lisa, I understand about health issues. Honestly, I have not experimented with incubating yogurt at a lower temp, and since it is such a technical recipe, I am not sure how it would work. However, if you don't have a yogurt button on your Instant Pot, you incubate yogurt, by turning off the machine and wrapping in a towel for 8-10 hours. I bet that would be a much lower temperature and less lactic acid would form. I am sorry I don't have more information for you on this.
Mary Ann
Hi there.
I also just made wonderful Greek yogurt that has a hint of Adobo smell in it. Everything else with the yogurt seems fine. I think it came from the gasket. Is it still safe to use the culture from this batch of yogurt that has a slight smell of cumin in my next batch, or must I dispose of my eight-generation culture and start all over again?
Thank you for any help with this.
Kristen Chidsey
Oh Mary Ann, I am so sorry that this has happened to you. I have a separate inner ring I use just for yogurt for this very reason. I honestly think you would be able to use the culture as so little is needed, but I can't 100% guarantee it. If you try it, let us know how it works so we can all know for future reference. In the meantime, use that yogurt for savory dishes as you would Sour Cream--it will go perfectly in things like my homemade taco dip.
Pat Lloyd
Can you incubate the yogurt in jars after the heating and cooling process of the milk. When I used my previous yogurt maker I did the incubation in jars with plastic lids. Can I just put one cup of water in the base of the pot and then set the jars on the steam basket and incubate without lids...(my new jars are deeper and have metal lids.)
Thanks for this very clear recipe ...the Instant Pot book is very vague on yogurt.
Kristen Chidsey
Good Morning Pat! I am so glad you found my direction thorough. You can incubate the yogurt in jars (and like you said would use a steam rack or basket with 1 cup water in the base!) Be sure to use glass, heat safe jars (without lids). I have done this before with a couple quart size ball jars.
Enjoy!!
Martha
This is exactly the process I've been using, with pint-sized canning jars. But, I have now lost quite a few jars - they crack right where the bottom of the jar meets the side of the jar, making a break all the way around. I have tried pre-warming the milk a little, thinking that maybe the cold milk shock the jar as the steam rapidly warms the outside of the jar. But.. two more jars cracked in my latest batch. Any tips?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Martha! I am glad you have found this recipe for yogurt to be successful. However, I do not recommend using jars in the instant pot, for the very reason you stated. Instead, I would place yogurt in jars after made. Sorry for your frustration.
Jenny
Are you putting jars on the steaming rack - that's what they recommend.
Kristen Chidsey
That's a good point Jenny!!!
Emily Moore
I want to make my yogurt into greek yogurt. Do I need to refrigerate the remaining yogurt or even the yogurt I am straining? I have to do it in batches since I made a gallon
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Emily! I always refrigerate the yogurt while straining. And any remaining yogurt as well. Since it is dairy, it is not safe to leave at room temperature more than 2 hours.
Mollie Measher
My husband is from the Middle East and his mother made us yogurt often when she was alive. If you don’t have cheesecloth, a trick she used was to put the yogurt into the storage container and put a paper towel snugly onto the surface of the yogurt and put it in the fridge. It will soak up the whey. Keep replacing the paper towel and pouring off he liquid as needed until it thickens. We continue to use the yogurt during this process. It just gets thicker and sweeter as time goes by.
Kristen Chidsey
Thank you for sharing that tip!
Emma Goldman
Very good. Even at twice the price of store-bought, homemade is better.
The whey can be used to make ricotta, queso fresco, cottage cheese. All the same, ony variance is moisture left in.
Kristen Chidsey
Thanks Emma! I agree with you homemade is infinitely better. And love the suggestions to make your own cheese from the way, so smart!
Bill
I would love to know how to make queso fresco from the yogurt whey please.
Kristen Chidsey
This is not something I have ever tried, but should. Here is a recipe I found for making queso fresco. https://www.thekitchn.com/make-queso-fresco-the-cheesemo-99011
Adriane
How is your yogurt twice the price of store brand?
I get 8-10 cups of yogurt for the price of a gallon of milk.
Heather
Where we buy yogurt and milk, a 5 cup container of yogurt costs the same as a gallon of milk. So 8-10 cups of yogurt is still a significant savings for us.
AmandaonMaui
I wish I’d read about rinsing the pot with boiling water first! Just made my first batch and it totally smells of chili and has hint of it in the taste! Oh dear. Guess I should make more chili this week to have something to eat it with.
Kristen Chidsey
OH NO!! So sorry you didn't see my tip first 😉
But yes, greek yogurt with chili, tacos, or even used to make enchildas will work perfectly
Laureen
I was going to buy new sealing rings to keep from getting a taste of stew or chilli in my yogurt but I just realized that since you do not have to use pressure at ANY point of this process you can just remove the sealing ring while making yogurt! I would boil water in the pot and wash the ring and soak it to try to get rid of the smell but nothing worked and my yogurt was starting to take on the smell of the ring. So now making it without the ring has eliminated the stewed meat smell. 🙂 And din't need new rings or lid. Thanks for the detailed instructions - one in book that came with pot was way too vague. I make this every week and it turns out great. I flavour with vanilla a bit of stevia and berries.
Kristen Chidsey
Great tip Laureen!! Thanks for sharing.
Tara
One thing I tried and worked very nicely was using the glass lid instead of the IP lid. There was no transfer of smells. I used the lid while boiling the milk and during the incubation process
bernadette conroy
Brilliant, you are.
SCOTT JONES
Cut up a lemon. Place it in your IP (I have a Meuller). Pour in half a cup of vinegar and a cup of water. open the vent and press the steam button. No more smelly lid and ring.
sean
It is absolutely from the o-ring.
I use mine to make quark (similar to yogurt) and when using my mom's machine, it was wretched, because she had made chili. The end product was only suitable to make savory sauces.
Kristen Chidsey
Try placing the ring in freezer or using a denture tablet to clean--that seems to help 🙂
Ying
Do you have a recipe/link that you use to make the quark and won't mind sharing? I just tasted quark for the first time a few weeks ago and I absolutely love it.
commentor
Homemade is only sweeter and less sour (or "smoother") if the bacteria metabolizes less of the sugar than is the case with the store-bought you're accustomed to.
For people controlling their carbohydrate intake, let the culture do its thing longer. Crank the fat up, also, by adding heavy cream. Strain the heck out of it. Dense, fatty, sour -- yum.
Lynne B
Made my first batch, OMG delish! Your notes are exceptional. On to making the second batch! Thank you from Canada.
L
Kristen Chidsey
I am so glad you enjoyed Lynne!
Lynne B
So, today’s successful yoghurt batch was made EXACTLY like you said. Followed the recipe, read the notes. Same result: creamy smooth sweet delightful yoghurt! Thank you!
Kristen Chidsey
YAY!!! SO glad to hear that!
Erin Schultz
I did something wrong- maybe didn’t boil enough. But after being on “yogurt” all night still liquid. Can I try again w the same milk or throw it?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Erin! Sorry your yogurt did not work out at first. I would try again with same milk. It may not work, but sometimes it does. Just be sure to pay attention to temperatures 🙂 I hope it works out now!