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This is the ULTIMATE Instant Pot Yogurt tutorial! With step-by-step, detailed instructions, with or without a yogurt setting, plus instructions for making Greek yogurt, nonfat yogurt, or full-fat yogurt, and tips to sweeten and flavor, this guide includes EVERYTHING you need to know about making yogurt using an Instant Pot.
Instant Pot Yogurt is Easier Than You Think
I am all about making things from scratch--fruit roll-ups, chicken stock, granola bars, even rotisserie chicken.
But yogurt? The thought overwhelmed me! You too?
After getting an Instant Pot, I gave it a go, and the results blew me away! The Instant Pot made the process almost foolproof and the results are phenomenal! So creamy and less tangy than store-bought yogurt.
Not to mention homemade yogurt costs about half the price. Talk about a win-win!
Fast forward a few years, and this Instant Pot yogurt recipe continues to be a staple in my home and has helped millions make creamy, budget-friendly yogurt using their Instant Pot.
I can't wait to help you do the same!
Happy Cooking! xo Kristen
Recipe Highlights
What You Need to Make Yogurt
- Instant Pot (or Electric Pressure Cooker): Having a model with a built-in yogurt setting/function makes the process much easier, but I have provided instructions if your model does not have a specific yogurt function.
- Milk: This recipe is designed for regular dairy milk. Non-dairy milk cannot be substituted (see my Instant Pot Coconut Milk recipe for a dairy-free option). Whole milk will produce the thickest yogurt, but any fat-percentage will work. Using ultra-filtered milk? Use my Instant Pot Cold Start Yogurt recipe.
- Prepared Yogurt with Active Cultures: To start, you will need to purchase a a yogurt starter or the cheaper, easier option is to purchase a small tub of store-bought plain dairy yogurt with active live cultures. The label should indicate active cultures such as Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium bifidum, or Streptococcus thermophilus, which most brands do. After making homemade yogurt, you can set aside some for your next batch.
- Thermometer: Use a digital instant-read thermometer to ensure the right temperatures are reached.
- Cheesecloth: Use cheesecloth to strain the yogurt to make Greek-style yogurt. Not necessary for regular yogurt.
Kristen's Tip on Timing
Plan Accordingly
Instant Pot yogurt needs to incubate in the Instant Pot for 8-10 hours. Plan to start the process when it is convenient to remove the inner pot from the inner pot 8-10 hours later, not when you are sleeping or away from home.
How to Make Instant Pot Yogurt
The process to make Instant Pot yogurt is time-consuming, but not at all hard. especially if you have an electric pressure cooker with a yogurt setting. And my step-by-step instructions will guide you along the way, ensuring perfect results.
- Clean the Inner Pot. I do not mean simply washing the inner pot with soap and water. To ensure the best flavor and prevent bacterial cross contamination, it is best to sanitize the inner pot. This can be done in one of two ways.
- Fill a clean inner pot with hot, boiling and let sit for 10 minutes. Discard the water and dry out the inner pot.
- Pour 2 cups of tap water into the inner pot, secure the lid on the inner pot, and set to pressure cook for 3 minutes on high pressure. Do a quick release of pressure, drain off the water, and dry out the inner pot.
- Heat the Milk. Pour the milk into the inner pot, place the lid on the Instant Pot (the vent can be sealed or open for this function). Press the yogurt button and then hit adjust (for some models you need to hit the yogurt button again) until the screen reads, boil. Once the Instant Pot beeps that it is done, remove the lid and test the temperature to be sure the milk has reached between 180-190℉ (82-88℃).
Kristen's Tip
If you find that your milk is not heating using the yogurt function, use the saute function to heat the milk, but keep a close eye on it as it will heat faster.
- Cool Milk. Let the milk sit in the inner pot inside the Instant Pot for 5 minutes before removing it to cool fully, as this helps the yogurt thicken up a bit better. After 5 minutes, remove the inner pot and let the milk cool to approximately 105-115℉ (41-46℃). This takes about 1 hour if left on the counter or can be sped up to 5-10 minutes, by placing the inner pot into a bowl of ice water.
- Remove the "skin" off the milk. Once your milk has reached the proper temperature, use a spoon to 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.
- Add starter. Whisk the prepared yogurt (or yogurt starter) until fully incorporated into the milk.
- Incubate 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 and then hit adjust (or yogurt) until the screen shows NORMAL (not low) and then use the +/- buttons to adjust to 8:00 (for 8 hours). Hit start if needed by your model. Then the let the Instant Pot do its thing!
Like Tangy Yogurt?
For tangier results, set the yogurt to incubate for 10 hours instead of 8 hours.
- Chill. To ensure the yogurt stays super thick and creamy, I have found through trial and error, it is best to transfer the inner pot to the refrigerator after incubation and let the yogurt chill undisturbed for 8 hours.
- Serve or Store. After chilling, you can opt to strain the yogurt for Greek-style yogurt, transfer to storage container, or dish it up and enjoy!
No Yogurt Setting?
The yogurt function works to heat the milk and regulate the incubation temperature, which both are crucial to the process. However, you can make yogurt without a yogurt setting, with these instructions.
- Sanitize the inner pot as directed.
- Add the milk to the inner pot and turn on the Saute function.
- Heat milk to 180-190℉ (82-88℃), stirring the often, so the milk does not scorch.
- Once the milk reaches 180-190℉ (82-88℃), hit cancel to turn off the pressure cooker and remove the inner pot from the unit.
- Set the inner pot on the counter or in a bowl of ice water, and cool to 105-115℉ (41-46℃).
- Once the milk has reached 105-115℉ (41-46℃), add the yogurt starter/prepared yogurt to the inner pot and whisk until incorporated.
- Put inner pot back in the Instant Pot and place the lid on the Instant Pot.
- Wrap the unplugged unit in a large towel, or two regular towels, and let the yogurt sit in the inner pot (incubate) for 8-10 hours.
Important to Note
Instant Pot Fat-Free Yogurt
If you would like to make fat-free yogurt, there are a couple things to note to ensure perfect results.
- Use skim milk and increase the added prepared yogurt from 2 tablespoons to 3 tablespoons.
- Nonfat yogurt will have quite a bit more liquid on the top than yogurt made with full or reduced-fat milk, so it is best to gently tilt your inner pot to the side and drain off excess liquid after chilling, but before transferring it into storage containers.
- As nonfat yogurt sits, the liquid will begin to separate again, just mix it into the yogurt before serving.
How to Make Greek Yogurt
Greek-style yogurt is simply strained yogurt. As the whey drains away, the sugar content is lowered, the protein content increases, and the yogurt becomes thicker. To prepare Greek yogurt using Instant Pot yogurt, you simply need to strain the prepared, chilled yogurt using the following instructions.
- Place a large fine-mesh strainer over a large mixing bowl and line with cheesecloth.
- Add the yogurt to the strainer and place in the refrigerator for 8-12 hours.
- After straining, place the thick, Greek yogurt into airtight containers. You can opt to discard the whey (what drained off the yogurt into the mixing bowl) or add it to oatmeal, smoothies, etc.
How to Flavor Instant Pot Yogurt
Wait to flavor or sweeten Instant Pot yogurt until AFTER the yogurt has been incubated and chilled. Adding flavorings any earlier can ruin the consistency of the yogurt.
- Vanilla Yogurt: Stir in 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract before transferring to storage containers.
- Sweetened Yogurt: I find it is best to add 1-3 teaspoons of honey or maple syrup to yogurt right to individual servings. If you would like to sweeten the full batch, stir ¼ cup into the entire batch of chilled yogurt.
- Make a Parfait: My favorite way to enjoy Instant Pot yogurt is with fresh berries and homemade granola.
Storage Tips
- Refrigerate: Store homemade yogurt in an airtight container for up 14 days in the refrigerator. Stir well before serving.
- Set Aside: Be sure to save 2 tablespoons (3 tablespoons for nonfat yogurt) to make your next batch of Instant Pot Yogurt.
- Freeze Starter: A huge tip for making yogurt in the future is to FREEZE your starter immediately once Instant Pot yogurt is incubated and chilled. Use an ice cube tray--each cube is 1 tablespoon, perfect for future batches. Just thaw in the fridge to keep the cultures active.
Instant Pot Yogurt FAQs
Chances are you set to incubate on LOW, rather than NORMAL. To remedy this, start the process over again using the same milk, but add in additional starter.
After 8-10 hours of incubation, it is best to immediately remove the inner pot and refrigerate the yogurt. That said, leaving it for up to 2 hours is fine. Beyond that, I would recommend discarding the yogurt.
If you incubated your milk without adding prepared yogurt or starter, it is best to discard and start over.
As long as it has active live cultures--but it will add a slight flavor to the entire batch of yogurt.
Yes, as it helps to prevent condensation. Alternatively, you can use a glass lid designed for the Instant Pot.
More Staple Instant Pot Recipes
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Instant Pot Yogurt
Video
Ingredients
- ½ gallon milk, see recipe notes if using skim milk
- 2 tablespoons prepared yogurt with cultures
Instructions
- Sanitize the inner pot by pouring boiling water into the inner pot and let sitting for 10 minutes. Alternatively, pour 2 cups of tap water into the inner pot, secure the lid on the inner pot, and set to pressure cook for 3 minutes on high pressure. Do a quick release of pressure, drain off the water, dry out the inner pot, and return to the unit.
- Pour the milk into inner pot of Instant Pot, place the lid on the Instant Pot (the vent can be sealed or open for this function). Push the yogurt button until the screen reads boil. (Usually you will need to hit the yogurt button two times if that does not work hit the adjust button). This process with take 30-60 minutes depending on your model.
- Once the Instant Pot beeps that the boil cycle is complete, carefully remove the lid and test the temperature. It should be between 180-190℉ (82-88℃). Let the inner pot sit in instant pot for 5 minutes and then remove the inner pot.
- Allow the milk to cool in the inner pot to approximately 105-115℉ (41-46℃). This takes about 1 hour if left on the counter or can be sped up to 5-10 minutes, by placing the inner pot into a bowl of ice water.
- Gently skim off the "skin" on the yogurt and discard and then whisk in 2 tablespoons of starter (or 3 tablespoons if using skim milk) until fully incorporated.
- Place the inner pot back into the the Instant Pot--be sure to dry it off if you had it in ice bath. Secure the lid on the pressure cooker. Hit the Yogurt button again and then hit adjust (or yogurt) until the screen shows NORMAL (not low) and then use the +/- buttons to adjust to 8:00 (for 8 hours) or 10:00 for tangy yogurt. Hit start if needed by your model.
- 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 stirring or transferring to individual containers.
- Store Instant Pot yogurt in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 14 days. Be sure to set aside 2-3 tablespoons to make your next batch of Instant Pot yogurt.
Equipment
- Electric Pressure Cooker with Yogurt Function (this is the least expensive, most reliable model)
- Cheesecloth (for making Greek yogurt)
- Thermometer (this one has reliable temperature readings)
- Yogurt Containers (great for yogurt and overnight oats)
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This recipe was originally published in 2018 and updated in 2025.
Thanks for all the details! Should I use the cold start / no boil method if I’m using ultra-pasteurized milk?
Hi Lana! You certainly can use my method for cold start. Unless I am using Ultra-Filtered and Ultra-Pasteurized Milk (like Fairlife) I still prefer this method--it is a bit thicker and tangier--and seems less finicky.
The instructions say to test the temperature after the first cycle through the IP, making sure it’s 180°. Well, mine wasn’t. It was around 150°. There are no instructions on what to do if it’s not the correct temp. I just set it to go through another cycle and I’m hoping for the best.
You can turn to saute function for a few minutes, watching closely to help it reach to 180 degrees. The biggest reason to heat milk to almost boiling before fermenting is that it improves the texture of the yogurt and keeps the milk safe from forming bacteria. I will add this directly to the recipe card for people to see if needed.
Thank you! I think my insert was still wet from washing it and the water on the outside of the pot may have prevented the IP from working correctly. It did not take an hour for it to boil and be done, it went much quicker than that. Anyway, I did end up using the sauté function to bring it to 180° and ended up with beautiful, tasty yogurt! Next time, I’m going to make sure I wipe down my insert thoroughly before using it and hope it works as it should. Thanks so much for the recipe and your reply!
Happy to help! And yes, very important to dry the inset fully before using. I have learned the hard way on that myself 😉 Enjoy the yogurt!
Can I make yogurt pip (pot in pot)? Placing the jars already filled with prepared yogurt inside the instant pot so that I don't have to scrub the pot when the yogurt is done. Should I put water inside the inner pot?
Hi Nancy! Yes, you can make pot in pot. Place the prepared yogurt in glass jars on top of rack. Then add in 1 cup of water that is about 100-115 degrees below the rack (that is the temperature that yogurt incubates)
Any suggestions on what to do if in step 3, the milk drops below 105F? It cooled much faster on my countertop than I expected, maybe 20-25 minutes rather than an hour. (I'd guess kitchen temperature & humidity levels influence this). Since it was just under, I proceeded anyway... but the yogurt turned out a lot tangier than I expected. Would it have been better to re-do the boil step?
Hi Heidi. It would be dependant on how much it cooled. A few degrees under is nothing to worry about. Much lower, I would warm back up to 105-110 degrees slowly and then whisk in starter. As for tanginess, incubate for only 8 hours, not 10--as that can influence the flavor. If still tangier than you like, you may consider sweetening.
I made my first batch last night. I couldn’t find the “boil” Setting on my Insta pot. I didn’t realize you had to push the yogurt button and then the “adjust” button to find The boil setting. I used the “sauté” feature and had my thermometer set at 180 degrees. I cooled it off in an ice bath to 110 Fahrenheit and I added a Bulgarian yogurt for my starter and set it for 10 hours. It came out slightly runny and had a odor of bone broth.
My problem and question is can the Silicone or rubber lining in the lid be removed during the cooking process? I can’t remove the smell from previous food cooked in it. I washed my inner lining and silicone seal in the dishwasher and soaked my lid and liner again in a soapy vinegar solution several times. I don’t know what else to do to remove the taint of previous cooking. Any suggestions would be helpful! Also, can I remove that stinky seal and leave the stem on “venting” the entire time or does it matter if it’s sealed or not. I read many things and can’t get a straight answer on whether it needs to be sealed or vented during the yogurt cooking time. Thanks,
Chris
Hi Chris. You do not need to use a sealing ring for yogurt. I do find using a lid with a seal does help prevent condensation, which can thin yogurt a bit--but it is very minimal. I keep an extra sealing ring to use just for yogurt.
Did the odor persisted and affected the yogurt? I found mine to came out smelling like chili, but it was rather the whole instant pot that smelled. After I refrigerated it there was no smell nor taste left, just delicious yogurt.
Thanks for the detailed procedure. Love it!
Wanted to know the electric consumption for making the yogurt in an instant pot for 8 hours.
Thanks
Hi Dina! I am so glad you appreciated the detailed instructions and enjoyed the results. As for the electric consumption, I am not sure--as each model would use a different amount. You can refer to your owner's manual possibly. Sorry I can't help you out with that.
So I did the boil and then I took out the pot and put it in an ice bath. I set my timer for 15 minutes. When the timer went off it was way cooler than 110 degrees! It was like 65 🙁. I put it back in the instant pot and hit the yogurt button to set at 8 hours after I whisked in the yogurt. I hope this still works!
Hi Debbie! It is important to keep an eye on the temperature because the time which things cool will vary on many factors (how much ice water, how much yogurt you made, the temperature of your house). I hope it works as well, but you may find your yogurt is much thinner and needs a longer incubation time, or the process repeated.
Hi Kristen. Thanks for the recipe- we are in the process of trying it right now. Our Instantpot beeped after being set to boil but the milk temp only reads about 160. Tried setting it to boil again but it still reads just 160 and now I see the milk has cooked onto the bottom of the pot (not sure if this happened on the first boil or the second). We are going to keep going and see how it turns out but in this case should we boil the milk outside of the Instant Pot? What is the (scientific) purpose of having the milk reach 180 before cooling it? Thanks- I love your recipes!
You can turn to saute function for a few minutes, watching closely to help it reach to 180 degrees. The biggest reason to heat milk to almost boiling before fermenting is that it improves the texture of the yogurt and keeps the milk safe from forming bacteria.