This homemade Instant Pot yogurt recipe is the easiest way to make yogurt. Top this recipe with crunchy granola and fresh fruit for a healthy and delicious snack.
Yogurt making has been more of a saga over the last ten years than something I could say I confidently mastered within the last five years.
First, I tried the crock pot method. It went something like this. Get the milk super hot in the crock pot. Then after it cools back down, wrap it up in five towels to trap the heat in.
Ask me how many milk-soaked towels it took for me to quit that method.
Next, I tried something similar with heating pads and a cooler. My results were inconsistent at best.
In 2016, my family went on the GAPs diet, a gut-healing protocol, which is when I learned about 24-hour yogurt. The premise behind this is that the gut can’t easily digest lactose, but when yogurt is fermented for at least 24 hours, the good bacteria consume all the lactose.
I might be reporting the science a little wrong, but it is definitely somewhere in the neighborhood of right. Basically, yogurt that has been fermented for 24 hours is suitable for a gut-healing protocol.
Now, do you think my crock pot or cooler method can keep milk at a constant and correct temperature for 24 hours? Not a chance.
Because of this, we stopped consuming yogurt and dairy products altogether while we were on the GAPS protocol.
Enter Instant Pot Yogurt
November 2016, I finally tried out the Instant Pot everyone was talking about. And boy, oh boy, my yogurt dreams came true!
Here there was this magical little machine that could effortlessly convert a gallon of milk into gut-healthy whole milk yogurt. You have to be sure to get an Instant Pot that has the yogurt function, because they don’t all have it! (This one does.)
I have tried raw milk yogurt, as well as regular yogurt that is comparable to store-bought. I’ve fermented it anywhere from 8 hours up to 24. All with great success!
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Why you will love this recipe:
Easy: There is very little hands-on time with this recipe. The Instant Pot does all the work and keeps it at a steady temperature for however long you desire.
Delicious: There is nothing quite like a healthy bowl of yogurt, drizzled with honey, and sprinkled with berries.
Inexpensive: You can make a full gallon of yogurt for about the same price as one quart at the store.
Control over the ingredients: I love that we have control over the quality of the ingredients.
Tips
- Use a culture from another batch of yogurt or buy a starter culture.
- If using yogurt from a previous batch of yogurt, only use about 4-5 times before replacing the culture entirely and using store-bought yogurt to culture your homemade yogurt.
- If you have a little issue digesting dairy, try fermenting the yogurt for 24 hours.
- For the kids, I will ferment it for 8 hours, but any longer and they will say it is too sour.
- Serve it with some homemade granola and fruit for a delicious breakfast.
- Don’t use the silicon ring in the Instant Pot, since it tends to harbor smells.
- Instant Pot Models will differ on the process. See below for older models and new models.
- Reserve some starter yogurt for the next batch of yogurt.
Supplies You May Need
- My Instant Pot with Yogurt Function. The newer version
- Pocket Thermometer
- Half Gallon Mason Jar
- Wide Mouth Plastic Lid
Ingredients:
Milk: Whole, 2%, skim, and even non-dairy milk like almond milk and coconut milk will work. Whole milk will give you a thicker and creamier yogurt compared to skim milk.
Yogurt Culture: You can use a store-bought yogurt from the grocery store that has live cultures, yogurt starter cultures, or your own yogurt from a previous batch. If you are using yogurt from a previous batch, eventually you will want to start with new cultures again.
How to Make Yogurt in the Instant Pot: Older Model
Pour a half gallon of milk into the Instant Pot and press sauté. Whisking constantly, allow the milk to rise to 180 degrees. I use a small pocket thermometer to test the temp. After coming to temperature, press “cancel” to turn it off.
Allow the milk temperature to cool back down to 115 degrees.
Whisk in 1/4 cup of plain yogurt. You can either use store-bought or start with a starter culture. I started with these cultures, and now I make the next batch with a little yogurt from a previous batch. I don’t like to get too far removed from the original starter, so after four or five rounds of using the yogurt from a previous batch, I will return to another starter packet.
Press the yogurt button on the Instant Pot and set for 8-24 hours. For a tangier yogurt, allow the IP to run for a full 24 hours.
After the fermentation has finished, remove the inner pot of the Instant Pot, cover and store it in the refrigerator for at least 12-24 hours before serving. You can also pour the fresh yogurt into individual glass jars like mason jars, then cover, and place in the fridge.
Instant Pot Yogurt: Newer Models
Add milk to the Instant Pot, place on the lid, and press the yogurt button. Adjust until the screen says “boil”.
When the Instant Pot beeps, the milk should be nice and hot.
Allow the milk to cool down to about 110-115 degrees.
Whisk in the yogurt culture or plain yogurt to the warm milk.
Place the lid back on and press the yogurt button again. Adjust the time to 8-24 hours. The longer the yogurt ferments, the thicker and tangier it is.
Once the time is up, stir, and refrigerate.
Recipes with yogurt:
Strawberry Popsicles
Greek Yogurt Cream Cheese
Sourdough Lemon Pound Cake
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What to serve with yogurt:
- Granola
- Fresh fruit. I especially love fresh berries.
- Turn it into vanilla yogurt with a little vanilla extract.
- Frozen fruit
- Chia seeds
- Honey or maple syrup
- Nut butter
- Add it to smoothies
- Nuts or seeds
- Jam
- Mix in pumpkin puree
FAQ
Milk is heated to destroy bacteria that are present in milk and could compete with the yogurt cultures, Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus.
Heating changes the structure of the proteins in milk that gel, causing the finished yogurt to have a thick consistency.
You don’t have to heat the milk, but if you want to eat the finished yogurt with a bowl and spoon, you might want to. There is a way to make raw milk yogurt with the help of gelatin and some different cultures.
As far as fermenting time goes, for bowls of yogurt I like to ferment 8 hours. Any longer and my kids say it’s too sour. For smoothies, they can tolerate the 24-hour tangy yogurt. I sweeten it up by blending it with frozen bananas and strawberries.
When my yogurt is all done, I store it in a half gallon mason jar with a plastic lid. It will keep for two weeks.
While you can use store-bought yogurt to make homemade yogurt, I find that commercial freeze-dried starter cultures give better, more consistent results.
You can technically use any kind of milk, but I think whole milk gives the best results.
If properly stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator, it will last 10-14 days.
Typically, I recommend about 4-5 times. While you technically can continue to reuse a yogurt starter indefinitely, I find that the results are not consistent and I like to start with a fresh culture after a handful of uses.
Absolutely. It is the easiest way to make creamy yogurt. The Instant Pot does all of the work, and the results are delicious, healthy, and affordable.
To make a Greek-style yogurt, place a strainer over a bowl and line the strainer with cheese cloth or a tea towel. Transfer the yogurt to the strainer, then allow the whey to strain from the yogurt until the desired thickness is achieved.
Check out some of my other favorite Instant Pot Recipes:
- Instant Pot Pot Roast
- Bone Broth
- Beef Carnitas
- Hard Boiled Eggs
- How To Cook Pumpkin
- Whole Chicken
- Raw Milk Yogurt
If you try this recipe, let me know by leaving a comment. Love it? Give it a 5 star rating!
Instant Pot Yogurt
Ingredients
- 1/2 gallon milk, we prefer whole milk
- 1/4 cup plain yogurt , or you can use a yogurt starter culture
Instructions
- Pour a half gallon of milk into the Instant Pot, and press the "sauté" button. Whisking constantly, allow the milk to rise to 180 degrees. I use a small pocket thermometer to test the temp.
- Press "cancel" to turn it off.
- Allow the milk to cool back down to 115 degrees.
- Whisk in 1/4 cup of plain yogurt. You can either use store bought, or start with a starter culture.
- Set Instant Pot for 8-24 hours on the yogurt setting.
- When the timer goes off the yogurt is ready.
- Transfer to a storage container and refrigerate.
Notes
- Use a culture from another batch of yogurt or buy a starter culture.
- If using yogurt from a previous batch of yogurt, only use about 4-5 times before replacing the culture entirely and using store-bought yogurt to culture your homemade yogurt.
- If you have a little issue digesting dairy, try fermenting the yogurt for 24 hours.
- For the kids, I will ferment it for 8 hours, any longer they will say it is too sour.
- Serve it with some homemade granola and fruit for a delicious breakfast.
- Don’t use the silicon ring in the Instant Pot since it tends to harbor smells.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This post was updated March 25, 2024
Love this recipe! Use it about every other week. More affordable that regular yogurt (at least in my area) and so easy. Just set it and go. To make it a bit thicker I strain it thru a cheese cloth and then use the whey in smoothies or give to the pups as a treat. You can always add back in some of the whey to get the exact consistency that you want. Zero added sugar and so yummy! Love how you simplify these things to make it less intimidating 🙂 Thank-you and keep up the great work!
Thanks for the kind words and these tips! Have a great weekend!
I’m wondering how long it takes to cool the yogurt before adding starter when it’s been heated in the instapot?
Ann
I am not sure on an exact time. It can vary.
Worked perfectly. Now I am starting my 2nd batch in a weeks time. We use whole milk from the farm up the road.I used an Aldi Greek yogurt for my 1st batch and saved yogurt from the 1st batch for my 2nd.
That is great to hear!
Hey Lisa!
Thanks so much for this! I usually just use whey from the previous batch to culture a new batch of yogurt (we strain ours with cheese cloth to make it thicker). I’m curious as to why you recommend getting a new culture from the store after 4-5 uses? We always use whey from the previous batch (i.e. not older than a week or so).
Thanks in advance for your help!
I find that after a while the results may not be as consistent. So I like to use a culture.
Should the Instant Pot be on Seal or Vent?
She said it can be on vent in one of the comments above 👍🏼
I accidentally put the culture in at the same time as the milk and heated it all to 180. Can I just add another 1/4 of yogurt once I cool it down to 115?
Yes!
Hello,
1. Does a half gallon of milk make a half gallon of yogurt or what does it compact down to?
2. Can this be doubled and use a gallon of milk at one time for a larger family?
Hi! Yes, a 1/2 gallon makes 2 quarts of yogurt! I’ve made this recipe many times with wonderful results.
I have never doubled the recipe- but am in the process of trying it right now. I will report back if it worked or not!
So one half gallon of milk makes a half gallon of yogurt?
Is it possible to double and make a gallon at one time for a larger family?
any way you could share a recipe for homemade yogurt (with raw milk is even better) in the crock pot?
I’ll add this to my possibilities list!
My first try and it came out beautifully after 8 hours in the Instant Pot. Thank you!
So glad you are enjoying this recipe! Have a great day!