Instant Pot Yogurt

Why You'll Love This Instant Pot Yogurt

Making yogurt in an Instant Pot is incredibly simple and much more affordable than buying it at the grocery store. With only two ingredients, you'll create fresh, creamy yogurt without preservatives, artificial flavors, or unnecessary additives.

This recipe allows you to customize the thickness and tanginess of your yogurt, making it ideal for breakfast parfaits, smoothies, baking, sauces, or enjoying with fresh fruit and honey.

Ingredients

• ½ gallon ultra-pasteurized whole milk (for the cold-start method) or regular whole milk (for the boil method)
• 2 tablespoons plain yogurt with live active cultures (starter)

Instructions

Cold-Start Method

1. Add Ingredients

Pour the ultra-pasteurized milk into the Instant Pot insert. Whisk a small amount of milk with the yogurt starter until smooth, then stir it back into the remaining milk.

2. Incubate

Close the lid (venting position is fine). Press the Yogurt button and set the incubation time to 8 to 10 hours depending on your preferred tanginess.

3. Chill

Once finished, refrigerate the yogurt for at least 6 hours before serving. The yogurt will continue to thicken as it chills.

Traditional Boil Method

1. Heat the Milk

Pour regular whole milk into the Instant Pot and use the Yogurt 'Boil' function until the milk reaches approximately 180°F (82°C).

2. Cool the Milk

Allow the milk to cool naturally to about 110°F (43°C).

3. Add the Starter

Whisk the yogurt starter with a small amount of cooled milk until smooth, then stir it into the pot.

4. Incubate

Select the Yogurt function and incubate for 8 to 12 hours.

5. Refrigerate

Transfer the yogurt to the refrigerator and chill for at least 6 hours before serving.

Optional Greek Yogurt

For thicker Greek yogurt, strain the chilled yogurt through cheesecloth or a fine-mesh yogurt strainer for 2 to 4 hours, depending on your desired consistency.

Expert Tips

Always use plain yogurt containing live active cultures as your starter. Longer incubation creates tangier yogurt, while shorter incubation produces a milder flavor. Whole milk gives the creamiest results, and chilling overnight significantly improves texture.

Storage

Store homemade yogurt in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Reserve a few tablespoons from each batch to use as the starter for your next batch.

Serving Suggestions

Serve with fresh berries, granola, honey, maple syrup, nuts, chia seeds, fruit compote, or use it in smoothies, overnight oats, salad dressings, marinades, and baked goods.

Recipe Variations

Make Greek yogurt by straining, add vanilla extract and honey for vanilla yogurt, stir in fruit preserves after chilling, sweeten with maple syrup, or flavor with cinnamon, cocoa powder, or citrus zest.