Instant Pot Homemade Yogurt
Why make yogurt when the grocery store has an entire refrigerated case of it? For Dr. J, the answer is simple: this homemade Instant Pot yogurt is less expensive than store-bought, tastes incredible, and lets you control exactly what goes into it. Using organic whole milk and a plain whole-milk yogurt with live probiotics, the recipe makes a full gallon of thick, creamy homemade yogurt for breakfasts, smoothies, parfaits, baking and snacks.
The process takes time, but most of that time is hands-off. After heating the milk to 185°F and cooling it to 110°F, the Instant Pot’s Yogurt setting handles the 12-hour incubation. Dr. J calls homemade yogurt an absolute staple in her home, and she saves 1/2 cup from each finished batch to use as the starter for the next one—so once you begin making it, the next batch is already started.
Instant Pot Homemade Yogurt
Ingredients
Method
- Pour milk into a 6-quart or larger saucepan and heat over medium-high heat to 185°F (85°C), checking with an instant-read thermometer.
- Remove from heat and cool in an ice bath to 110°F (43°C).
- Whisk about 1/2 cup warm milk into the yogurt starter to temper it, then stir the starter mixture back into the milk.
- Pour into the Instant Pot insert and cover. The lid does not need to seal because this recipe does not pressure cook.
- Select Yogurt and set for 12 hours.
- When finished, remove the insert, cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight before serving. Save 1/2 cup as starter for the next batch.
Video
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Let us know how it was!Why this Instant Pot yogurt method works
This recipe uses the Instant Pot for incubation rather than pressure cooking. The lid does not need to seal; the Yogurt setting maintains the environment needed during the 12-hour incubation.
Heating and cooling the milk to the specified temperatures are important steps, so an instant-read thermometer takes the guesswork out of the process.
Tempering the yogurt starter
Before stirring the starter into the full batch, whisk about 1/2 cup of the 110°F milk into the yogurt. This gradually brings the starter closer to the milk’s temperature before it is mixed into the pot.
Chilling and saving your next starter
Once incubation is finished, cover and refrigerate the yogurt for at least four hours or overnight before serving. Set aside 1/2 cup of the finished yogurt if you want a starter ready for your next batch.
Watch Dr. J Make Instant Pot Homemade Yogurt
Watch Dr. J make Instant Pot Homemade Yogurt and see how it comes together.
