This homemade Instant Pot yogurt recipe is the easiest way to make yogurt. Top this delicious creamy yogurt with crunchy granola and fresh fruit for a healthy and delicious snack or breakfast.
Here at the farmhouse, we use the Instant Pot for everything from hard boiling eggs to making homemade applesauce.
My favorite thing to make with an Instant Pot? Yogurt!
This recipe is so easy to make, is pretty hands off, and the minimal effort gives you amazing results! Once you have made your fresh yogurt, top it with crunchy homemade granola, a drizzle of honey and some fresh berries. It is absolutely delicious.
You can also use this yogurt in other recipes like strawberry yogurt popsicles, Greek yogurt cream cheese, and lemon sourdough pound cake. There are so many ways to use this recipe, and your family is sure to love it!
Why You’ll 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 delicious 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. Plus, I love that we have control over the quality of the ingredients.
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, and I think that it yields the best results. I also like to make raw milk yogurt, too.
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. Typically, I recommend about 4-5 times before starting with new cultures. 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. I like to use these cultures from Cultures for Health.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
How to Make Instant Pot Yogurt
Step 1: Pour a half gallon of milk into the Instant Pot, and press the “sauté” button.
Step 2: 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.
Step 3: Whisk in 1/4 cup of plain yogurt. You can either use store bought, or start with a starter culture.
Step 4: Set Instant Pot for 8-24 hours on the yogurt setting. The longer you ferment the yogurt, the more sour it will become. If you have some issues digesting dairy, I recommend fermenting for 24 hours. Otherwise, 8 hours works just fine and isn’t too sour.
Step 5: When the timer goes off the yogurt is ready.
Step 6: Transfer to a storage container and refrigerate.
Tips
- Instant Pot models will vary. I have found using the sauté and yogurt function together work best for me. You can always refer to the model’s manual to see if there is an alternative option.
- 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.
- Don’t use the silicone ring in the Instant Pot, since it tends to harbor smells.
- Reserve some starter yogurt for the next batch of yogurt.
- If using store-bought yogurt as a starter, do not use yogurt that does not contain active cultures or yogurt that is flavored or sweetened.
Recipe FAQs
Milk is heated to destroy bacteria that are present in milk and could compete with the yogurt cultures, Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus. If you see these on the label of the yogurt, you will know it has live cultures in it.
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, it is a good idea. There is a way to make raw milk yogurt with the help of gelatin and some different cultures, not covered in this post.
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.
While you can use store-bought yogurt to make homemade yogurt, I find that commercial freeze-dried starter cultures give better, more consistent results.
If properly stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator, it will last 10-14 days. When my yogurt is all done, I store it in a half gallon mason jar with a plastic lid.
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.
More Instant Pot Recipes from the Farmhouse
- Raw Milk Yogurt in the Instant Pot
- The Best Instant Pot Bone Broth
- Beef Carnitas – Instant Pot, Slow Cooker, Or Oven
- How to Make A Whole Chicken In The Instant Pot
- Easy Instant Pot Pot Roast Recipe
If you try this recipe and love it, I would love it if you could come back and give it 5 stars! Tag me on Instagram @farmhouseonboone.
The Easiest Instant Pot Yogurt Recipe
Equipment
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
- Instant Pot models will vary. I have found using the sauté and yogurt function together work best for me. You can always refer to the model’s manual to see if there is an alternative option.
- 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.
- Don’t use the silicone ring in the Instant Pot, since it tends to harbor smells.
- Reserve some starter yogurt for the next batch of yogurt.
- If using store-bought yogurt as a starter, do not use yogurt that does not contain active cultures or yogurt that is flavored or sweetened.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Don’t you have to let it drain to get the whay out?
If you want a much thicker yogurt, then yes.
Do you have a recipe for yogurt if one does not have an instant pot?
If I use organic pasteurized whole milk (not ultra-pasteurized), do I still need to heat it to 180°? Also, if I use a starter culture, do I still need to add the 1/4 cup plain yogurt?
I would do both even if you’re using pasteurized milk.
Can I use this recipe and just press the yogurt button on my instant pot and make it this way?
Thank you for the helpful video and notes. I love your tutorials! You make everything look so easy!
We use coconut yogurt from the store – is it possible to make more yogurt using coconut milk and then populating the milk with the coconut yogurt?
Many thanks!
I’m sure it is possible. I’ve never tried it though.
Lisa, can you add a little sugar to the yogurt at the beginning? What to do when you don’t won’t your yogurt really tangy? Thank you
I usually wait until after fermentation to add a sweetener.
Lisa do you have to whisk the whole time this is cooling down?
How much yogurt does this recipe yield?
half gallon
Hi Lisa! When you say 8-24 hours… what is the difference between the yogurt at 8 hours and the yogurt at 24 hours? If it’s not ‘done’ at 8 hours, do you turn it on again for longer? Just wondering if you have a suggestion for what to try first? And what to look for.
Thanks!
It really depends on thickness and tanginess. The longer it goes the tangier and thicker it is. I would start at a shorter time. My kids do not like it when it has been fermented for 24 hours. Too sour for them.
Thank you!
I’ve been making yogurt in the instant pot according to this recipe a bunch of times & it usually turns out delicious. But this time & the last time , it didn’t thicken up after 8 hrs. I just added 4 more hours & Ill see what happens. Did everything the same. Sometimes use different milks but always whole milk & fage plain greek yogurt for starter. Any suggestions? Thank you Lisa. I love all your recipes, especially sourdough
I like to use a starter culture rather than yogurt because it gives it a more consistent result. It may need longer than 8 hours.
I used to have a yogurt maker, but now that I have an instant pot instead, it’s made my life so much easier! I always have a big tub in my fridge and the kids love it! So much cheaper and I personally prefer the consistency of homemade yoghurt over storebought.
That is wonderful. I agree. It makes it so much easier.