This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
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.
I followed all the steps in the video and everything looked perfect after it chilled overnight. I did it in glass jars since I don't have space for the pot in my fridge. It was thick and creamy but when I added sugar it became just liquid. Any suggestions? I had 4 jars, 1 is now liquid, 1 I strained, and 2 are untouched. I don't want to mess them up but my kids won't eat plain yogurt.
Hi Amy! I am sorry you are having issues. Can I ask how much sugar you added in? I stir in all-fruit jelly right before serving to my kids and they love it just for another idea.
Can I ask what kind of yogurt you prefer to start out with?
I typically use Chobani Greek plain yogurt.
I added 2 teaspoons of sugar to a little over 2 cups of yogurt.
Thank you the recipe worked great again! I have used plain Greek yogurt for some batches and vanilla Greek yogurt (both with active cultures) and both versions have turned out wonderfully. I am having a little trouble while making the 1/2 gallon batch the milk keeps burning on the bottom a little bit but it all ends up turning out. I am just careful to not scrape it when mixing in the prepared yogurt. Thank you I have shared this recipe and will be using it much more in the future thank you so much.
As for the half batch, I would recommend trying to whisk the milk occasionally while on the boil cycle. It should not burn, but your IP may run a bit hot.
Follow-up; Wouldn't ya know it? After my last note it seems extra time in the pot helped it to gain a good amount of texture. A plastic spoon would not hold up in it (so still very loose). But it was firm enough to be encouraging. I used a ladle to fill four sealable glass cups and then put them in the fridge. So it's time to chill. More later.
So glad it thickened up! Thanks for the update.
Yup, the end result was a bit thin, like an Indian lassi beverage. Other than that it's still perfect yogurt and will be better in the next batch this weekend. So all good here!
As Ashleigh reported there was slight burning in the bottom of the pot. I put water in the pot, added a tiny bit of liquid dish soap, then put it in the Instant Pot on a low setting to heat it up (hotter than tap water). I let it sit/cool for a couple hours and the residue wiped away pretty easily. File this under "things guys do" 🙂
Thanks for this blog and your constant interactions after all this time! This is my first attempt at yogurt, no joy yet : New Instant Pot Duo 6 quart ; 1 quart (4 cups) of fresh Full Circle Market 2% Organic milk ; 1 hefty tablespoon of fresh Fage Total 2% plain yogurt (Active cultures).
Sterilized the pot. Sterilized milk for 3.5 hours - the "boil" setting beeped so it seemed it was over. Temp was about 182. Milk cooled more rapidly than expected, to 98 in about 15 minutes . That's probably due to lower quantity and room air temp at about 70. Removed milk skin. Put on Yogurt+Normal to raise temp to about 118 - happens fast. Air cooled to 115. Tempered and whisked-in yogurt (not scraping bottom). Yogurt+Normal for 8 hours. So far I thought this was a mostly-normal experience.
Result after incubation was milky. On Normal again for another 3.5-4 hours, as seen in other comments here. No change. Third time (total about 15 hours incubation) - still milky.
Thoughts? For now I'll just keep putting it on Normal and see if it gets any better. For next time: I'll leave the pot in for a few minutes after sterilization, I might put in closer to 2tbs yogurt even with 1qt milk, and I'll be sure to sterilize the tools more carefully. I'm also wondering if there was a "culture shock" with cold yogurt from the fridge even with tempered-down milk? I'll be happy to try again and experiment with suggestions.
Thanks!
Hi Tony! I am sorry for your frustration. It does sound pretty normal, except for the fact it took 3.5 hours for the milk to boil--it should take more like 1 hour. That makes me wonder if the heating element may be off. Have you had success or issues with other recipes?
If not, I would use this same milky yogurt and start the process over again, including adding more starter, and see if you have better results. Keep me posted.
I’ve made yogurt before in the oven, and thought I’d try this recipe for the Insta pot, since we don’t really use it for much. The yogurt turned out really sour compared to making it in the oven. I used homogenized milk, and followed the instructions completely. What did I do something wrong?
Hmm, I can't imagine why the taste would be different for you unless you used different ingredients OR your instant pot was not clean. Homemade yogurt does have a more tangy taste than store-bought, but you probably already know that.
Hmm, I boiled water to clean the Instapot and even bought a brand new seal as the old one still smelled of cumin from a previous recipe. I used the same ingredients that I normally use for oven yogurt. Not giving up, I’ll try again!
Hi thank you for this recipe I have used it four times already and it has turned out great. I was just wondering why you can’t use flavored yogurt with active cultures? I just happen to be out of plain but do have some vanilla Greek yogurt. Thanks !
Hi Ashleigh! I am so glad you can count on this recipe. As for vanilla yogurt, you may use it if listed active live cultures, it will just give your yogurt a bit of vanilla flavor. I don't recommend fruit on the bottom yogurt as that can mess with the results.
Hi there, I love your video and am trying this for the first time! My yogurt cooled to 100 degrees. Is that okay to still start incubating? Or do I have to heat it up to 110? Thanks!
I would suggest heating until at least 105 for best results (turn on saute and which constantly until JUST heated---only a few minutes at max). Enjoy!
Can I use ANY brand of ultrapasturized milk or just Fairlife?
I made my first batch last night with Fairlife and it's almost gone in less than 24 hours. That's how yummy it is! I have Organic Valley in my fridge for my next batch. Is that ok?
Hi Amelia. Technically ultrapasteurized milk works (like Organic Valley) but I find ultra-filtered has the best results and I would still use the regular boil method for Organic Valley for the creamiest results.
Organic Valley does make an ultra -filtered milk. It's called Organic Valley Ultra. It is not easy to find but I've found it a few times at a local Whole Foods market. I've used the 2% on a previous batch of yogurt using the "quick" method and it worked great. Right now I'm making a batch using the non-fat O.V. Ultra. PS, I'm new to the IP world and the first thing I wanted to make was yogurt. So glad I found this site - great directions and video!