How To Make Instant Pot Yogurt (Simple, Easy)
Learn how to make foolproof Instant Pot yogurt at home with this easy recipe. Enjoy creamy, homemade yogurt that’s higher in probiotics and full of flavour. Perfect for a healthy breakfast or snack!
I enjoy experimenting with from-scratch recipes just for fun, but making yogurt always felt like a time-consuming task, especially when I could easily buy high-quality grass-fed yogurt at the store. But recently, homemade yogurt has become a regular part of my weekly routine. And that’s because I learned that it’s significantly higher in beneficial probiotics than store-bought varieties.
Plus, the more I make this recipe, the more I realize how easy and low maintenance it is! Yes, it technically takes 18 hours start-to-finish, but it requires very little hands-on time. Most of the process involves letting the Instant Pot do its thing, so you can go about your day without much work.
My husband LOVES having this yogurt as a parfait for breakfasts with homemade crunchy granola and lots of berries. It’s also my favourite with lots of blueberries, a drizzle of honey and bee pollen. So yummy!
Homemade Yogurt Ingredients:
- ½ gallon (or 2L) milk*
- 2 tablespoons prepared yogurt with cultures**
*Whole or 2% milk will make the thickest, creamiest yogurt, but you can also use skim milk if you like.
**I used 2 tbsps from a carton of store bought yogurt. Just make sure the ingredient list includes “bacterial cultures” and it will work!
Instant Pot Yogurt Instructions:
Hands on time: 10 minutes
Total time: 16 hours
Makes: 1L finished yogurt
Step 1:
Add milk to the inner pot of your Instant Pot. Select the yogurt setting and press it twice until it displays ‘boil.’ This process typically takes around an hour.
Step 2:
After the Instant Pot signals that the boil cycle is finished, carefully open the lid and check the temperature. It should be approximately 180°F.
Step 3:
Remove inner pot from the Instant Pot, and allow the milk to cool down to a temperature between 105-115°F. This cooling process will take about an hour at room temperature or approximately 15 minutes if you place the inner pot in an ice bath.
Step 4:
Gently skim off the “skin” on the top of yogurt and discard.
Step 5:
Whisk in the 2 tbsps prepared yogurt.
Step 6:
Insert the inner pot into the Instant Pot (ensure it is thoroughly dried if it was in an ice bath), cover with the lid, and press the yogurt button once more. Adjust the time until the screen displays 8:00. If the pressure setting is not on “normal,” press the adjust button until “normal” is illuminated.
Step 7:
After the pressure cooker beeps that the yogurt cycle is finished (after 8 hours), strain the yogurt in a strainer lined with cheesecloth overnight in the fridge (be sure to place over a large mixing bowl while draining.)
Step 8:
Once drained, you can stir in sweeteners or flavourings to your desired taste. I always add some raw honey and vanilla extract. Be sure to keep the liquid whey that you strained for other recipes. I love using whey in my smoothies, scrambled eggs or in place of water in sourdough loaf. It’s high in protein and other nutrients!
Notes:
Homemade yogurt should last for about 10 – 14 days in the fridge. Be sure to keep a couple tablespoons for your next batch!
Instant Pot Yogurt
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- ½ gallon milk Whole or 2% milk will make the thickest, creamiest yogurt, but you can also use skim milk if you like.
- 2 tablespoons prepared yogurt with cultures I used 2 tbsps from a carton of store bought yogurt. Just make sure the ingredient list includes “bacterial cultures” and it will work!
Instructions
- Add milk to the inner pot of your Instant Pot. Select the yogurt setting and press it twice until it displays ‘boil.’ This process typically takes around an hour.
- After the Instant Pot signals that the boil cycle is finished, carefully open the lid and check the temperature. It should be approximately 180°F.
- Remove inner pot from the Instant Pot, and allow the milk to cool down to a temperature between 105-115°F. This cooling process will take about an hour at room temperature or approximately 15 minutes if you place the inner pot in an ice bath.
- Gently skim off the "skin" on the yogurt and discard.
- Whisk in the 2 tbsps prepared yogurt.
- Insert the inner pot into the Instant Pot (ensure it is thoroughly dried if it was in an ice bath), cover with the lid, and press the yogurt button once more. Adjust the time until the screen displays 8:00. If the pressure setting is not on “normal,” press the adjust button until “normal” is illuminated.
- After the pressure cooker beeps that the yogurt cycle is finished (after 8 hours), strain the yogurt in a strainer lined with cheesecloth overnight in the fridge (be sure to place over a large mixing bowl while draining.)
- Once drained, you can stir in sweeteners or flavourings to your desired taste. I always add some raw honey and vanilla extract.
- Be sure to keep the liquid whey that you strained for other recipes. I love using whey in my smoothies, scrambled eggs or in place of water in a sourdough loaf. It's high in protein and other nutrients!
Notes
If you give this recipe a try, I’d love to see it! Tag me on Instagram @gwenthemilkmaid.
