Instant Pot Yogurt – Thick and Creamy Yogurt is so simple to make in 8 easy steps. Add one more step to make it Instant Pot Greek Yogurt.
Instant Pot Yogurt
For the very best and most popular Instant Pot Yogurt recipe, look no more.
After reading about yogurt failures, I did extensive experimentation to recreate and figure out all the issues, so that you will will make the best yogurt in your Instant Pot or Mealthy MultiPot on the very first try. This method and all these tips and findings are my unprecedented and original work from February 2016.
Can I use Lactose Free Milk for Making Instant Pot Yogurt?
- Yes. Yogurt bacteria converts lactose into lactic acid, which makes yogurt tangy.
- Use regular milk and incubate 19-24 hours… voila, lactose free! And tangy !!
Cast of Ingredients for Instant Pot Greek Yogurt
Ingredients to make Instant Pot Yogurt.
- Milk – Whole Milk yields the thickest yogurt
- Yogurt Starter – any brand of yogurt with just milk and live cultures
- Instant Pot DUO Plus – all models, but the LUX, have the Yogurt Feature. Mealthy MultiPot works in exactly the same way at the Instant Pot DUO Plus.
*Ingredients to make Instant Pot Greek Yogurt are the same.
Only a few steps and some patience and knowledge, will get you there fast.
Can I use Ultra Pasteurized Milk for Instant Pot Yogurt?
- Type of Milk and or Starter (culture) plays a role. Ultra Pasteurized Milk is heated to 280 degrees, which kills about 99.9 percent of the bacteria needed to properly culture yogurt, so therefore, it doesn’t generally set up well. Milk labeled “Organic” is most likely Ultra Pasteurized.
- The “Starter” you use for the yogurt is very important too. The first time making yogurt, purchase a high quality container of yogurt containing milk and live active cultures; nothing more, nothing less.
Do I have to make a Whole Gallon of Milk for Instant Pot Yogurt?
- No.
- If you want to make Half a Gallon of Milk for your homemade yogurt, just cut the entire recipe in half.
- The Milk will heat through quicker too!
Pour the Milk into the Instant Pot
How to Make Instant Pot Yogurt.
- Pour in cold milk.
- Allow it to warm using the boil feature.
- Cool it down in a sink full of cool water.
- Temper the yogurt starter and add it to the warm milk.
- Incubate the yogurt to your desired amount of tang.
Is Instant Pot Yogurt made under Pressure?
- No, the Yogurt Function is not under pressure.
- The lid can be removed at any time.
Boil the Milk
How long does it take to make Instant Pot Yogurt?
- Whisking the milk every 10 minutes during the boil cycle will help the milk come up to temperature quicker.
- Getting milk to 183-185 degrees and holding there for a few minutes, will yield a thicker yogurt.
- Boil Cycle will take about 45 minutes.
- Cool Down will take about 10 minutes.
- Incubation Time for Instant Pot Yogurt – From 5 hours to 10 hours.
- Most people incubate for 9 hours.
Can you freeze Yogurt to use as a Starter for Instant Pot Yogurt?
- Yes you can!
- After the first time making homemade yogurt, you will have your own “Starter,” so make sure you save a little bit from each batch.
- These King Size Ice Cube Trays (for starter) are the perfect size to hold 2 Tablespoons of starter yogurt. They are perfect for Scotch on the Rocks! 😉
Prepare the Starter
Can I use my Whey for the Starter Instant Pot Yogurt?
- Yes, you can use whey for the starter yogurt.
- You can even freeze the whey to use as your starter for homemade yogurt.
Do I have to thaw my Yogurt Starter?
- Yes, the yogurt you use for your starter must be thawed!
- It should be defrosted enough to temper into the warm milk.
The Temperature Should Read 180 Degrees
Do I Need a Thermometer for Instant Pot Yogurt?
- Yes and no. If you just rely on the functions of the Instant Pot, Mealthy MultiPot, you won’t know if the temperature of the milk reached the optimal number. Therefore, using a thermometer, will let you know and if you want to continue to heat the milk more, you have the knowledge.
- There will be hot spots, so stir the milk first and then use your Digital Thermometer to check the temperature of the milk.
- The Sauté function can be used if needed to get the milk up to temp.
- Just make sure to use a Whisk continuously, until the Digital Thermometer reads at least 180 degrees; it’s important. (I like to get to 182-185 degrees.)
Whisk Milk for a Quicker Cool Down
How to Cool Down Milk for Instant Pot Yogurt.
- The best way to cool down the milk for yogurt is to place the cooking pot in the kitchen sink full of cold water.
- Using a whisk will aerate the milk and help it to cook down quicker.
- If you sense a metallic taste try using this silicone whisk instead.
- While an ice bath will cool the milk quicker, but you will have a better overall yogurt result using cold water and not shocking the milk.
- Another way is to let the cooking pot sit on a cooling rack, but that will take about 30 minutes.
Make sure to have a good working digital thermometer.
Temperature of Milk Reads 110 Degrees
When the temperature reaches 95-110 degrees, you are ready to add your yogurt starter.
To purchase this digital thermometer, please click here.
Remove a Little Milk from Instant Pot and Mix in Starter
The yogurt that you use as the “Starter,” needs to contain live cultures and milk; nothing more.
When to Flavor Instant Pot Yogurt?
- If you want to flavor your homemade yogurt with Vanilla Extract or Vanilla Beans, it can be added when the yogurt starter is added.
- Sugar and sweeteners are best added after the yogurt has chilled.
The bacteria in the yogurt needs to work without fighting with any sugar.
Cooled Down Milk with Starter
The milk will look bubbly, which is fine. The milk is ready to incubate to become yogurt in the Instant Pot.
Push the Yogurt Button, then Adjust to the Time You Prefer
This glass lid is nice to use since the yogurt is not under pressure.
The regular lid works well too!
How Long to Incubate Instant Pot Yogurt?
- Incubating the yogurt for 8-10 hours will give you a tart, but not overly sour yogurt.
- For a milder tasting yogurt, try incubating for 6-8 hours. For a more tart yogurt, incubate longer.
- The longer incubation time, the more beneficial bacteria in the yogurt is produced.
It is a good idea to start the yogurt process in the evening. While you are sleeping, the yogurt can incubate.
What are the Normal and Less Settings on the Instant Pot?
- The “Normal” function is for incubating yogurt. The timer will start at 8:00 and can be adjusted up or down.
- After adjusting, the time will count up. Make sure the Instant Pot says “Normal.”
- The “Less” function on the Instant Pot is used by many people to retard their bread quicker, as it provides a warm environment. When the adjust button is pressed the Instant Pot will display 24:00.
- Don’t just use the “-” to get it back down to 8:00 or 10:00 hours. The Display Screen needs to say “Normal.”
My Instant Pot Yogurt Whey Dutch Oven Crusty Bread recipe uses the “Less” function and is a great way to use your whey, after straining the yogurt.
Cover Yogurt and Place into the Refrigerator
After incubation, the yogurt should be covered with saran wrap or a glass lid and place it in the refrigerator for at least 6-8 hours to chill and firm up.
Tips and Tricks for Instant Pot Yogurt.
- Sterilize the Instant Pot. This helps to remove any odors from prior Instant Pot meals. You don’t want your yogurt tasting like my Competition Chili con Carne recipe, would you?
- Placing the cooking pot in fridge after sterilizing will help to prevent the milk from scorching during the boil cycle..
- During the boil cycle, stir the milk before taking the temperature, to avoid hot spots and insure an inaccurate reading.
- While many think it is not imperative to get your yogurt to 180 degrees, you will have better results. In fact, my best and thickest yogurt is when the milk reaches 182-185 degrees.
- Cooling down the milk in a sink full of cool water is preferred over an ice bath.
- The Instant Pot should be on the Normal “setting” during incubation not “Less.”
- Yogurt needs several hours in the fridge to set up, so don’t be tempted to stir.
- The starter can be frozen. Only freeze enough for a couple of weeks.
- You should never need to purchase “Starter” again so long as the frozen starter is used within a few weeks.
- Yogurt is great in place of sour cream. Greek yogurt is higher in protein and lower in sugar because of the straining.
After Chilling in the Fridge, the Spoon will Stand Upright
The Instant Pot Yogurt will be thick at this point and ready to eat.
Yogurt that has not been strained is just regular yogurt.
Strained yogurt is called “Greek Yogurt.”
How to Make Instant Pot Greek Yogurt.
Straining Yogurt Makes it Greek Style
The Euro Cuisine Greek Yogurt Maker makes Yogurt Straining so much easier.
What constitutes Greek Yogurt is just using Milk and the Starter (no powdered milk is used) and then STRAINING the Yogurt to remove whey. That’s all it is…..strained Regular Yogurt = Greek Yogurt!!
If you use a Strainer instead, you may need several layers of cheesecloth, butter muslin or coffee filters in order to achieve translucent/clear whey.
If your whey is coming out cloudy, add another layer of cheesecloth, butter muslin or coffee filters to your straining device.
When should I strain my Yogurt?
- It is best to first chill the Instant Pot Greek Yogurt, so that it sets up, undisturbed.
- However, you can strain the Yogurt and chill it at the same time right after incubation, but, you will end up with more Whey.
If you first chill the Yogurt, your yield will be much greater.
A Long Strain Time Will Make Super Thick Yogurt
The above photo shows Yogurt that was strained overnight.
All you need is two to three hours is fine to achieve a nice, thick Greek Yogurt.
What can I do with the Leftover Whey?
- Instant Pot Yogurt Whey Dutch Oven Crusty Bread in less than 5 hours!
- Yogurt Whey Indian Chapati a/k/a Roti (Flatbread)
- Pressure Cooker Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding
- Instant Pot Mexican Hot Chocolate Frozen Yogurt Bars – Delicious summer treat
Can I make Noosa Yoghurt in my Instant Pot?
- You sure can!
- For a delicious Noosa like recipe, try my Instant Pot Homemade Noosa Honey Yogurt Copycat recipe.
Grab and Go Breakfast
A wonderful Grab and Go breakfast!
How to Sweeten Instant Pot Yogurt.
- Instant Pot Fresh Berry Compote
- Instant Pot Lemon Curd
- Instant Pot Strawberry Compote
- Simple Dulce de Leche Recipe {Pressure or Slow Cooker}
- Homemade Granola
- Instant Pot Peach Crisp
- Instant Pot Dannon Dutch Apple
- Instant Pot Key Lime Curd
Fresh fruit, Agave and a sprinkle of Orange Ginger Pecan Granola makes a delicious Parfait.
How to Store Instant Pot Yogurt.
- For individual servings, add a couple of Tablespoons of Fresh Berry Compote and/or Lemon Curd to the bottom of 15-16 Kerr Half Pint (8 oz) Mason Jars and then fill up the jars with yogurt.
- Use larger Reditainers Extreme Freezer Containers to store yogurt in bulk.
Instant Pot DUO Greek Yogurt
More Uses for Instant Pot Yogurt.
- Add dollop on top of my Pressure Cooker Competition Chili Con Carne
- Use on Instant Pot Drive Thru Tacos in place of sour cream.
- Top Pressure Cooker Chicken Enchiladas with yogurt.
- Make Homemade Naan!
- Make Homemade Greek Tzatziki
Now that you are a pro at yogurt making, make sure to check out the most delicious Instant Pot New York Cheesecake recipe ever!
Kitchen Equipment and Essentials
- Instant Pot DUO Plus, Mealthy MultiPot
- Amco Advanced Performance 18/10 Stainless Steel Measuring Spoons
- RSVP Stainless Steel Strainer Basket
- Anchor Hocking Glass (Liquid) Measuring Cups
- Rösle Stainless Steel Flat Whisk– a MUST have, probably my most used utensil
- Kerr Half Pint (8 oz) Mason Jars
- Euro Cuisine Greek Yogurt Maker
- Digital Thermometer
- King Size Ice Cube Trays (for starter)
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Here is the handy printable recipe:
Are you Ready to Make Instant Pot Yogurt?
Instant Pot Greek Yogurt
Print Pin RateIngredients
- 1 Gallon Whole Milk (2%, 1% or Fat Free)
- 2 Tablespoons Yogurt "Starter" (Yogurt made w/milk & live/active cultures only)
Tools
Instructions
Sterilize (Optional)
- Add three cups of water to the Instant Pot cooking pot, lock on lid and close Pressure Valve. Push the Steam button and adjust time to 5 minutes. When Beep is heard, open Pressure Valve (Quick Release). When all pressure has been released, remove lid and dump out the water. Dry and cool off cooking pot.
Make Yogurt (Not Under Pressure)
- Pour Milk into cold/cool Pressure Cooker cooking pot. Cover with IP Lid or Glass Lid. Close the Pressure Valve, if desired.
- Push Yogurt button and then the Adjust button, until it says "boil." {For IP Plus, push Yogurt button until it says "boil"} A few times during boil cycle, remove lid and whisk Milk.
- When Beep sounds, open lid, whisk and take temperature. If the temperature is not 180 degrees, repeat last step or use the Sauté/Low function to get it up to temp, whisking continuously.
- When 180 degrees is reached, remove cooking pot and place in kitchen sink full of cold water. Cool Milk down to 95-110 degrees, whisking often.
- Temper starter - scoop out some Milk and whisk in the Starter. Pour Milk (w/the Starter) back into cooking pot, whisk thoroughly.
- Place cooking pot back into the Instant Pot and cover with IP Lid or Glass Lid. Press Yogurt button.
- The display screen will say 8:00 (hit again or Adjust, if necessary). {For IP Plus, press Yogurt button repeatedly until the display says 8:00 Normal} Make sure display says "Normal." Use the +/- button to adjust time to your desired level of tartness. The program will end after whatever time you have set to incubate.
- When Cycle ends, remove cooking pot (covered) to refrigerator, until cool, 6-8 hours (undisturbed).
Make it Greek Yogurt
- Use a Yogurt Strainer and strain the yogurt in the refrigerator for at least two hours. Your whey should be translucent/clear. If the whey is cloudy, add another layer of cheesecloth/butter muslin to your straining device. The Euro Strainer should produce clear whey.
Notes
Things to Know About Instant Pot Yogurt.
- Whisking the milk every 10 minutes during the boil cycle will help the milk come up to temperature quicker.
- Getting milk to 183-185 degrees and holding there for a few minutes, will yield a thicker yogurt.
- Boil Cycle will take about 45 minutes.
- Cool Down will take about 10 minutes.
- Greek Yogurt is simply yogurt made from milk and a live culture starter and then strained for at least two hours.
- Don't forget to save some of the strained yogurt in ice cube trays to use as your future starter.
- Whole Milk works best and give the most creamy and thick consistency.
How Do I Make Instant Pot Yogurt in Instant Pot Ultra?
- Turn Dial to the Yogurt Setting and press to select.
- Press Dial and set the time to 6-10 hours (depending on tart preference) and then press again to confirm.
- Turn Dial to Temp, select "Medium," and press Dial to start.
- Display will say "Yogt," when complete.
How to Sweeten Instant Pot Yogurt.
Nutrition
PIN this Instant Pot Greek Yogurt Recipe {Pressure Cooker Yogurt}!
Instant Pot Yogurt
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Instant Pot Philly Cheesesteak Pasta
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Instant Pot Eggs Benedict (w/IP Hollandaise Sauce)
Thank you!! I can’t wait to try this!! So easy to read and understand!!
Perhaps you stated this in the recipe but exactly how much milk do you put in the Instant Pot to make the yogurt?
Help!! I thought I followed the recipe exactly but I messed up somewhere. I think I didn’t let it incubate properly (the settings on my IP must have been wrong, my fault). Looking back, it must have incubated only 8 min then I put it in the fridge. Now this morning its still liquid. How do I fix this? which steps do I repeat?
live and learn!
I thought I did it all per the recipe too.. 8.5 hours incubating… then overnight it refrigerator…mine came out soupy… not sure what I did wrong…
what is a troubleshoot reply??
LOVE the website. Thank you
I made my very first batch of yogurt in my 8 quart Instant Pot yesterday. I let it set in the refrigerator for about 20 hours.
This afternoon, I ladled it into a strainer lined with coffee filters. To my surprise, there was no whey?!?! The entire gallon and a half turned to yogurt.
I will let it drain overnight. Then, I will have my Greek yogurt
I used Meier brand plain Greek yogurt.
The left-over yogurt in the bottom of the pot was much softer, so I put vanilla and raw sugar in it and drank it like a milkshake…delicious!
Hi Sharon. Great news. This is why it is important to refrigerate prior to straining. You get a much larger yield. Jill
Thank you so much for having such a nice site!
The information is really appreciated.
Thank you, Sharon. Jill
Update on yogurt…..
I put the 6 qts. Of yogurt in a coffee filter lined strainer and put it back in the refrigerator for about 20 hrs.
I got 3 qts. Of whey and 3 qts. of the creamiest, thick Greek yogurt one could imagine! The whey is very clear.
I am beyond pleased!
I put the whey in 1 qt. wide-mouthed canning jars and vacuum sealed them. They are waiting in the refrigerator until I can find good recipes to use them.
Any suggestions on how to use that much whey?
If you use a gallon of milk will it all fit in the Euro Cuisine Greek Yogurt Maker? I seem to end up with so much yogurt when it’s ready to be strained. The description says it holds 2qts. I seem to have more than that. I am currently using 2 strainers and bowls.
Hi Bridget. I strain my yogurt, half and half. Jill
What’s the recommended time frame for consuming the yogurt?
Using your instructions, I made my very first time yogurt, and this made the most creamy icing-like yogurt I’ve ever tasted. Better than gourmet store-bought!
In response to a few of the comments on here, I used
1/2 gallon ultra-pasteurized organic milk (instead of one gallon unpasteurized),
Fage whole milk plain yogurt for starter (2 TBS, exactly as much as you would for a full 1 gallon milk),
incubated for just over 8 hours
strained for 8+ hours.
Can I freeze Homemade Greek Yogurt, and if so for how long.
Great recipe and commentary.Puzzle me this: Made 2nd batch with 1 gallon reg homo milk and got same amount strained Greek yogurt as 1st batch with 1/2 gallon lactose free homo milk. After cooling 1st was very thick and 2nd was reg yogurt consistency. Only difference was 1st batch I held at 183-185 temp like you mentioned for thicker yogurt. So it’s really more economical to boil and hold at higher temp. Yes 24 hrs incubation does give you lactose free yogurt and tart like store bought. Lactose free milk for 8 hrs make a sweet one.
It worked like a charm. The flyover and texture were very good
Any idea why this worked? I started the boil procedure at about 4 pm, getting the temp up in the range you like then turned off the IP and cooled it down, mixing in the yogurt starter when the temp decreased to the range you specify. I put the pan back in the IP and kept the lid on, intending to start the 8-hour yogurt function at about 10 pm. I ended up forgetting about the yogurt until I woke up the next morning. I opened the pot and my yogurt was set (?) I never went through the 8-hour heated phase but the yogurt was set and delicious!
That just means it stayed warm enough overnight for the yogurt to incubate without the instant pot keeping it to temp.
How long will this stay good in the refrigerator?
I have kept .one in fridge, plain, then added fruit and Stevia when I was going to eat it, and it’s still great after 2 weeks or so
love the site am excited to try the yogurt recipe, I have bought some chobani greekplain yogurt non fat. Will that work as starter. thanks
Just finished my first yogurt in the ip and I must say it is the best yogurt ever. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you, Patti! 🙂 Jill
Hi Jill,
Thank you so much for this and all of your wonderful recipes. When I first got the ip I was nervous because on some of the threads I read that people were having disasters….you, however, made it easy.
I have a yoghurt question…..I’ve made your recipe about 1/2 dozen times with great success. Most recently, I discovered the dairy I get my milk at has non-homogenized milk so I decided to try that. The first batch came out runny and I assumed I did something wrong in the process. Strained it and it was fine, just less of a yield. I tried a second time and sure enough, runny. I’m guessing it’s the non-homogenized milk, though I can’t fathom why? Do you have any thoughts?
Thanks for your thoughts! 🙂
Vicki
Is there any reason this wouldn’t work with goat milk? Also, the starter that I would like to use Is Hewitt’s goat yogurt. Ingredients: goat milk ingredients (goat milk, goat skim milk powder), active bacterial culture. Would this be a good starter?
This was so easy when I actually tried it last evening. It looks somewhat complicated, but it’s not. This morning I had a quart of thick delicious yogurt (even warm) that the spoon stuck upright. Thanks so much. I only “cooked” mine for 10 hours and it is mildly tart which for me is terrific
Thanks so much for a great instructions!
Hi Jill
If I use my whey for the next batch of yogurt, how much shout I use for 1/2 gal of milk. Thanks for all your yummy recipes!
Oops! That was “should I use”
I followed your instructions to the letter and my yogurt was perfect. Thank you so much for this detailed and informative post. Yogurt is coming off my shopping list!
Hi Susan. I am so glad you enjoyed homemade yogurt! Jill
I never leave comments but want you to know your yogurt recipe worked perfectly! I haven’t used my Instant Pot much after I bought it and was thinking I wasted my money but now I can make my own fresh yogurt from raw milk. I tried to make yogurt one time years ago and it was a runny mess. I was so excited when my spoon stood up in the pot just like your picture! Your directions and tips are very good. THANK YOU!
Is there a recipe for Instant Pot coconut milk yogurt?
I made your recipe for Greek yogurt and found it to be delicious and perfect texture.
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I just received my Instant Pot a week ago and one of the big selling points for me was the ability to make my own Greek yogurt. I’m pretty sure that a few months of making my own will pay for my initial investment. I made my first batch of yogurt early yesterday using a gallon of 2% milk, and in spite of making a really dumb mistake, it turned out great. The mistake? The yogurt had been incubating for two hours before I realized I had forgotten to add some yogurt in for starter. So, I took out a cup of the milk from the pot, added 3 TB of yogurt, mixed it well, then poured into the pot and whisked it in. I was so happy that it worked. I put half in my Euro Cuisine strainer (wonderful accessory) and drained it overnight. This morning I had thick and delicious Greek yogurt for my breakfast and will also try it in place of sour cream tonight on a baked potato. Saving whey for some no knead bread. Thanks again for sharing.
How long is the yogurt good for. I just made my first batch and I’m so excited.
Going to try making Greek yogurt for first time! I am a bit confused about the “starter.” I purchased a starter (2 packets of starter culture). How do I use this with your recipe? I have 1/2 gallon of whole milk. Each packet is for 1qt. Help!
I made yogurt using your recipe last week and it turned out fabulous. I really think it was because of your suggestion to use the whisk to heat thoroughly (and get the temp to 180-or more) and then to cool it down. I used 2% milk and whey from previous yogurt making. I strained it to make Greek yogurt. Thank you!
Thank you, Maureen. I am glad you had a great success. Jill
Hi. You use whey instead of “yogurt starter” correct!? How much do you use with, let’s say, a gallon of milk? Thx
hi! i made yogurt twice now with your wonderful recipe. this time, i forgot to clean steam first before making my yogurt. is this ok? can i still eat the yogurt?
Thanks for the great recipe, I made my first Greek Yogurt yesterday.. followed your instructions to the letter and it turned out great. Had some blueberries so put those in bottom of jar topped with yogurt this morning. Yummy.
I made yogurt! And it turned out! That’s a lot of yogurt! I took some of it right away and added just a touch of Agave and granola. DELICIOUS! I have it straining now. Can I freeze the whey in small portions?
This was my first time making yogurt. Thank you so much!!
I used and sterilized the pot portion in my dishwasher just before making the yogurt, so did not steam it. But I only washed the lid by hand. I incubated yesterday and put in the fridge overnight to have fresh yogurt this morning. It looks great! But then I went and read your Noosa yogurt post this morning and realized I had not sterilized my lid. Is that okay?
Update: Put the yogurt back through the incubation stage for 10 hours and it worked just fine. Strained for 2 hours and sweetened with agave and vanilla. Turned out well.
Thanks for the great recipes, Jill, I use them a lot. I know you must be a busy lady with such a successful blog, but it really would be nice to see some answers to the very good questions.
Hi! Can you tell me how you figured out the nutrition information for the finished Greek yogurt? I use 2% lactose free milk And I strain it a lot. I’m assuming the protein amount will be higher and the carb amount will be lower per serving than the actual milk. Would the calories be higher because it’s more condensed? Trying to figure out the WW points. Thanks!
Hi Kelly. I used a nutrition calculator. Jill
Hi Jill, thank you for this recipe!
My first batch was the best yogurt I have ever had. It was also the first thing I ever made in my instant pot. I was in love!
Thank you, HV
I just purchased the 3-quart Instant Pot. If I’m using it to make yogurt with 1/2 gallon of milk, do I use half the yogurt “starter” as well or stick to the 2 tablespoons? And do I use the same incubation period? Thanks for posting all these recipes for us!
Ingredients in half, IP time, the same.
Can you use raw fat free milk??
Tina, for this recipe, raw milk is not recommended. Jill
Jill, thanks for your thorough directions on making greek yogurt in the IP.
1) I liked that you included a sanitizing step at the beginning. That makes me feel more confident that all soap and food residue has left the pan prior to boiling the milk. I fill up my pot halfway – although that may not be necessary. Let’s just chalk that up to my OCD nature.
2) Kudos to recommending reaching a temperature of at least 182F, not just 180F. In my experience reaching 185F has improved my success markedly, and the frequent whisking helped achieve that. Equally important, I cool to 110F before adding the starter (and I found that the contents on one side of my pot were hotter than in other test points in the pot; that reinforced my desire to cool to 110F).
3) WHISKING. I had never whisked as much before trying your directions – 1) while heating the milk, 2) before checking the temperature of the milk, 3) while cooling. It did seem to cut the amount of time to complete those steps. I’m sold!
4) I make a half batch at a time because that’s all that will fit in my Euro Cuisine Yogurt Strainer. Plus generally I am the only one in the house eating yogurt.
5) I made one batch using Fairlife whole milk and the second batch with Horizon organic whole milk; I used plain Icelandic yogurt as my starter. The Fairlife batch yielded very little whey liquid at the bottom of the Euro Cuisine Yogurt Strainer, but I had an inch or more of whey after straining the Horizon batch. And my post-straining yield (on a half-gallon of milk) from Fairlife was 1.5 quarts of very thick Greek Yogurt, whereas my yield from Horizon was just 1 quart. Given the time invested in producing a batch of yogurt, it’s worth my while to buy Fairlife.
6) Your directions didn’t mention adding any granulated sugar, but I added 1/4 cup of granulated sugar when adding the starter. The result was a slightly sweet yogurt to which no more sugar was needed for palatability. The sugar did not seem to interfere with the thickening of the yogurt.
7) Thank you for a very organized and helpful presentation.
Thank you so much, Kathy. Jill
I have greek yogurt every day. Now i can make my own, i am excited to try it. I usually layer my yogurt with suckers no sugar added caramel sauce. So good. like a sundae almost. Thanks for the recipe.
Oh, that sounds yummy. Enjoy. Jill
I have made many a batch and use most of your techniques. I like the fact that homemade yogurt has no gums, modified food starch, or preservatives. I like my yogurt thicker but not necessarily as thick as the greek yogurt you have described. Since there’s only two of us, I make a quart a week. One quart whole milk takes 3 TBS starter. If I want thicker yogurt, rather than strain I add 1/4 cup powdered milk to the batch. Whole milk yourt has been shown to be associated with more weight loss than yogurt made from skim milk. Lately, I have not added powdered milk as I prefer the taste without it. I use an infared thermometer so nothing touches the milk and there’s a bit less to clean. A good IR thermometer can be purchased for less than $20.
OMG. I will never buy yogurt at the store again. I was reluctant to make yogurt. I thought it was difficult so I never really considered it… until I bought another Instant Pot (one for our trailer and another in the house). This time I got the 7 in 1 so I figured I’d give it a go. It is absolute heaven. I love your instructions for the process. I never realized it was that easy to make and you covered every question that one could ever have on the process, starter, whey etc. Moving on to make your IP Yogurt Whey Dutch Oven Crusty Bread now. Thank you 😊
I made my first batch yesterday and I missed the part about setting Yogurt button to “Normal” I’ll be ready for that next time…..it still seems to have worked but I’m hoping its still safe to eat after incubating at the wrong temp??
Also….Initially I bought an organic coconut milk to use for Flavour and because we have a daughter that is vegan. I took it back and got regular milk since since it was my first try but …Would that have worked?
Thanks. Great recipe!! and easier than I expected. Will be doing this regularly
Coconut milk yogurt is a different process. Jill
When I do the boil function and the temp does not reach 180 degrees, what steps do I use to saute to reach temp then get back to yougurt 8:00 hours? If I press yogurt again after cooling down to 95-110 degrees the program wants to start again at boil. (I’ve made this most excellent recipe before without having to use saute to get it to temp. I’m rather flummoxed as to what is different this time.)
Help, how do you make this with an IP with no Yogurt button?
Gotta try this!
I’m making my first batch today. How large is a serving size (in cups preferably)?
Can almond milk be substituted for a non-dairy option?
I was always scared to make yogurt. I found your blog and it is very helpful and informational. I made Greek yogurt for the first time and now I am hooked!! Thank you!
That is wonderful to hear. Jill
I started early this morning and the result is exciting. I let it incubate for 9.5 hours and it is now straining. I strained half of it for a couple of hours and put that in a bowl because my sieve isn’t too big. I’m on my second half to strain. In an hour, I will add the first half back to it because it will fit. I will strain all of it through the night and enjoy fresh homemade yogurt with blueberries, granola, and honey in the morning.
I am so happy to hear this news. Enjoy. Jill
I thought I set the time right so it would be ready in the morning….but at 5:30 am the pot and yogurt were cool. Should I start over? Just wonder about bad bacteria.
I want my yogurt to be slightly sweetened (agave nectar, maybe? Coconut sugar? ) and also vanilla flavored. When do I add sweetener and vanilla to the yogurt?
How long does this last in the refrigerator?
After heating my milk to 180, I forgot to let my milk cool before I added my starter. Do I need to throw this away or can I let it cool and add more starter?