Instant Pot Yogurt with 2 ingredients. Also how to make yogurt without a yogurt button, Greek yogurt, vanilla yogurt, cream cheese and what to do with leftover whey.
Besides this Instant Pot yogurt recipe we love making Instant Pot eggs, Instant Pot oatmeal and Instant Pot egg bites in our beloved electric pressure cooker.
Table of contents
Homemade Instant Pot yogurt comes out just as store bought. You can strain it further into a super creamy and thick Greek yogurt and serve with fruit and berries, and healthy granola or even quinoa granola. Then you can turn some of Greek yogurt into a cream cheese (yes!) and make Instant Pot cheesecake bites. And last step would be to make the tallest and fluffiest whole wheat pancakes with leftover whey.
Don’t have Instant Pot yogurt setting? No worries, you can make Instant Pot yogurt recipe without a yogurt button. Also turn some into vanilla yogurt. We’ve got it all figured out for you!
Looking for more than just making yogurt in Instant Pot? Check out my most popular collection of healthy Instant Pot recipes.
Ingredients for Instant Pot Yogurt
- 1 gallon of milk: 1%, 2% or 3.25% dairy milk.
- 1/4 cup plain yogurt with active bacterial cultures: It can be store-bought or leftover homemade yogurt. If store-bought, make sure it has no additives like thickeners etc.
How to Make Yogurt in Instant Pot
If you are new to the whole Instant Pot game, check out my Instant Pot guide. If you don’t own one yet but are thinking about buying one, I explain which Instant Pot to buy in my humble opinion.
So, here is how to make yogurt in Instant Pot:
1. Heat Milk to 180 degrees F
- Add milk to Instant Pot: Pour milk into the inner pot of your electric pressure cooker. Close the lid and set pressure release valve to Venting. Press Yogurt button until display reads Boil.
- Milk will take about an hour to heat up: When it’s finished, Instant Pot will beep, turn off and display will say Yogurt.
- Make sure milk is hot: Open the lid and using a food thermometer check milk’s temperature. It should be 180 degrees F and higher.
- If milk’s temperature is not 180 degrees F: Press Saute button and give the pressure cooker 5-10 minutes to heat the milk further. Check again.
2. Cool Milk to 110 degrees F
- 2 ways to cool milk: Remove inner pot with milk and let it cool down either on a counter (3-4 hours) or in a sink filled with cold water (15 minutes) until food thermometer reads 110 degrees F and lower.
- Remove the milk skin on top: It is like a thin film. If you leave it in, yogurt will have tiny lumps.
3. Add 1/4 Cup Yogurt
- Add 1/4 cup plain store bought or homemade yogurt: If you buy yogurt, make sure it is plain, active bacterial culture is on ingredients list, and yogurt has no additives like cornstarch etc. You can also use homemade yogurt from previously made Instant Pot yogurt recipe.
- Whisk yogurt and milk: When whisking, avoid touching the bottom of the pot to disturbing some stuck on milk during boiling.
4. Let Yogurt Incubate
- Place yogurt in Instant Pot: Place inner pot with mixture inside Instant Pot, close the lid and leave pressure release valve in either Sealing or Venting position. Doesn’t matter as Instant Pot will not come to pressure.
- Let yogurt incubate for 10 hours: Press Yogurt button until time counter is displayed and adjust time to 10 hours with + or – buttons. After 10 hours, Instant Pot will shut off.
- Check if yogurt is ready: Insert spoon in the yogurt and if it’s standing, your yogurt is almost ready.
5. Chill and Store!
- Refrigerate for 6 hours: Remove only inner pot with a batch of yogurt. Chill in the fridge for 6 hours or overnight.
- Store: Whisk after chilling, divide between glass jars and store for up to 10 days. Or make Greek yogurt, vanilla yogurt, cream cheese and pancakes with leftover whey (see below).
FAQs
Yes, you can cut milk amount in half and keep same cooking time. Use full amount of 1/4 cup yogurt as a starter though.
I have heard that it is possible to make dairy free yogurt in Instant Pot but I haven’t tried. If you do, please let me know how it went.
Technically, yes. I have heard you will need twice amount of yogurt starter. I personally do not enjoy taste of skim milk, so can’t vouch for skim milk yogurt taste.
OK, for cold start method you should use Fairlife ultra pasteurized milk only. After a thorough research, I came to a conclusion it is unhealthy because it contains additives with many nutrients destroyed during extremely high temperatures.
Yes and no. Depends how much that jug of milk and the type of yogurt you make cost in your area. For example, in Canada 1 gallon of organic milk costs $9, which yields 8 cups (64 oz) of Greek yogurt, that costs $24 to buy.
8 cups or 64 oz.
It won’t but for a peace of mind remove the silicone ring when making yogurt. You need it only for pressure cooking and yogurt is made not using this method.
No, sour cream is made with cream.
No, I never did just like with kombucha recipe. Never had an issue.
If you follow the recipe to a T, it shouldn’t happen. Most important points are:
-Yogurt starter with live and active cultures.
-Boil milk to 180 F and higher.
-Cool to 110 F and lower and only then add yogurt starter.
More Tips
- Do not use any kind of flavored yogurt. Recipe will not work.
- Freeze 1/4 cup freshly made yogurt as a starter for next time. In case you are not planning to make yogurt again soon.
- Freeze leftovers. Readers have reported successfully freezing and thawing yogurt. It will look lumpy but once you stir it, it will become smooth.
How to Make Yogurt without Yogurt Setting
Timing is everything with this method.
- Heat up milk as per recipe: In an Instant Pot without yogurt setting (button), add milk, close the lid and set pressure release valve to Venting. Press Saute and heat up milk to 180 degrees F or higher. Open the lid and check with a food thermometer periodically.
- Cool off boiled milk in a sink – do step 3 at same time: While milk is heating up, fill up sink with cold water enough to reach almost the top of the Instant Pot insert. Remove inner pot with milk, place in a sink and let milk cool until food thermometer reads 110 F and lower. Takes about 15 minutes. Don’t walk away.
- Keep Instant Pot warm – do step 2 at same time: While milk is cooling off, press Cancel on Instant Pot and keep lid on to keep it warm. It will become an incubator for yogurt.
- Add yogurt starter: Move pot from the sink to the counter. Remove milk skin on top and add store-bought yogurt. Whisk to combine without touching the bottom (disturbing sticky milk).
- Let yogurt incubate for 10 hours or overnight: Place inner pot inside Instant Pot, close with the lid, wrap it in large beach towel and leave on a counter overnight or for 10 hours. Instant Pot should be off and milk still lukewarm, that will ensure proper incubation and favourable environment for live cultures to grow.
How to Make Greek Yogurt and Vanilla Yogurt
Instant Pot Greek Yogurt
- Prep: Line large mesh strainer with cheesecloth folded 4 times or single layer of coffee filters. Place on top of a bowl making sure there is enough space for draining the whey.
- Strain for 4 hours: Add desired amount of yogurt, place in the fridge and strain for 4 hours.
- Stir and enjoy: Greek style yogurt will be thicker along the walls. Just stir after adding to a jar. We love-love making my mom’s strawberry yogurt with Greek yogurt instead of sour cream for a healthier alternative.
How to Make Cream Cheese
Cream cheese is simply strained Greek yogurt for longer amount of time.
- Strain overnight: Follow instructions for Greek yogurt above and strain desired amount overnight in the fridge.
- Add salt: Then transfer to a glass container and mix with a pinch of salt.
- Storing: Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
How to Make Vanilla Yogurt
Whisk 1 cup of finished regular or Greek yogurt with 2 tbsp maple syrup or honey and 1 tsp pure vanilla extract. Adjust to taste and store like other yogurt.
Use Yogurt in These Recipes
- Strawberry yogurt – the best 5 minute healthy dessert EVER!
- Greek yogurt guacamole – guacamole with a protein punch and tang.
- Tartar sauce – so good and guilt free with seafood.
- Avocado Greek yogurt dip – with spicy buffalo hot sauce.
- Healthy spinach dip – as creamy as the classic without loads of mayo.
More Favorite Recipes
- Instant Pot applesauce
- Chia pudding
- Instant Pot poached eggs
- Instant Pot steel cut oats
- Vanilla ice cream
- Need more ideas for your pressure cooker? Browse all healthy Instant Pot recipes.
Instant Pot Yogurt {Full Guide}
Ingredients
- 1 gallon dairy milk 1%, 2% or 3.25%
- 1/4 cup plain yogurt homemade or store-bought
Instructions
How to Make Instant Pot Yogurt
- In Instant Pot with a yogurt function, add milk, close the lid and set pressure release valve to Venting.
- Press Yogurt button until display reads Boil.
- Milk will take about an hour to heat up and when it's finished, Instant Pot will beep, turn off and display will say Yogurt.
- Open the lid and using a food thermometer check milk's temperature. It should be 180 F and higher. If it's not, press Saute button and give the pressure cooker 5-10 minutes to heat the milk further. Check again.
- Remove inner pot with milk and let it cool down either on a counter (3-4 hours) or in a sink filled with cold water (15 minutes) until food thermometer reads 110 F and lower. Remove the milk skin on top.
- Add yogurt and whisk to combine without touching the bottom (disturbing sticky milk).
- Close the lid and leave pressure release valve in either position.
- Press Yogurt button until time counter is displayed and adjust time to 10 hours with + or – buttons.
- After 10 hours, Instant Pot will shut off.
- Insert a spoon in the yogurt and if it’s standing, your yogurt is ready.
- Remove the inner pot and chill in the fridge for 6 hours or overnight.
- To make yogurt completely smooth, whisk it after chilling without touching the bottom.
- Divide between glass jars or make Greek yogurt, vanilla yogurt, cream cheese and yogurt whey pancakes.
Store: Refrigerate for up to 10 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Don’t forget to reserve 1/4 cup yogurt starter for next batch (freeze in ice cubes).
How to Make Instant Pot Yogurt without Yogurt Button
- Heat up milk as per recipe: In an Instant Pot without yogurt button, add milk, close the lid and set pressure release valve to Venting. Press Saute and heat up milk to 180 degrees F or higher. Open the lid and check with a food thermometer periodically.
- Cool off boiled milk in a sink – do step 3 at same time: While milk is heating up, fill up sink with cold water enough to reach almost the top of the Instant Pot insert. Remove inner pot with milk, place in a sink and let milk cool until food thermometer reads 110 F and lower. Takes about 15 minutes. Don't walk away.
- Keep Instant Pot warm – do step 2 at same time: While milk is cooling off, press Cancel on Instant Pot and keep lid on to keep it warm. It will become an incubator for yogurt.
- Add yogurt starter: Move pot from the sink to the counter. Remove milk skin on top and add store-bought yogurt. Whisk to combine without touching the bottom (disturbing sticky milk).
- Let yogurt incubate for 10 hours or overnight: Place inner pot inside Instant Pot, close with the lid, wrap it in large beach towel and leave on a counter overnight or for 10 hours. Instant Pot should be off and milk still lukewarm, that will ensure proper incubation and favourable environment for live cultures to grow.
How to Make Instant Pot Greek Yogurt
- Line large mesh strainer with cheesecloth folded 4 times or single layer of coffee filters, place on top of a bowl making sure there is enough space for draining the whey and add desired amount of yogurt.
- Strain for 4 hours or until desired consistency.
How to Make Cream Cheese
- Cream cheese is longer strained Greek yogurt. Follow instructions for Instant Pot Greek yogurt and strain desired amount overnight.
- Transfer to a glass container and mix with a pinch of salt. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
How to Make Instant Pot Vanilla Yogurt
- Whisk 1 cup of regular or Greek yogurt with 2 tbsp maple syrup or honey and 1 tsp pure vanilla extract. Adjust to taste and store like other yogurt.
How to Make Whey Yogurt Pancakes
- Don't know what to do with all that whey? Make my healthy pancakes.
Video
Notes
- Can I cut recipe in half? Yes, you can cut milk amount in half and keep same cooking time. Use full amount of 1/4 cup yogurt as a starter though.
- Can I use almond, coconut, soy etc. milk? I have heard that it is possible to make dairy free yogurt in Instant Pot but I haven’t tried. If you do, please let me know how it went.
- Can I use skim milk? Technically, yes. I have heard you will need twice amount of yogurt starter. I personally do not enjoy taste of skim milk, so can’t vouch for skim milk yogurt taste.
- Do I have to sanitize the pot and utensils? No, I never did just like with kombucha recipe. Never had an issue.
- How much yogurt yields 1 gallon of milk? 8 cups or 64 oz.
- My pressure cooker lid smells. Will it affect the yogurt taste? It won’t but for a peace of mind remove the silicone ring when making yogurt. You need it only for pressure cooking and yogurt is made not using this method.
- Can I make sour cream with yogurt? No, sour cream is made with heavy cream.
- My yogurt didn’t set. What did I do wrong? If you follow the recipe to a T, it shouldn’t happen. Most important points are:
- Yogurt starter with live and active cultures.
- Boil milk to 180 F and higher.
- Cool to 110 F and lower and only then add yogurt starter.
- Do not use any kind of flavored yogurt. Recipe will not work.
- Freeze 1/4 cup freshly made yogurt as a starter for next time. In case you are not planning to make yogurt again soon.
- Freeze leftovers. Readers have reported successfully freezing and thawing yogurt. It will look lumpy but once you stir it, it will become smooth.
Nutrition
Recipes and images are a copyright of ifoodreal.com. It is against the law to republish recipes anywhere including social media, print and all world wide web. Nutritional info is provided for informational purposes only and to the best knowledge.
Two notes about incubation times. First, if like me you have an ongoing digestive issue (mine is Crohn’s) incubating for 24 hours gives you a much more digestible yogurt. Second, here’s a fun fact about cats. Our ten week old kittens begged and begged and …. for yogurt. Generally cows milk is not good for cats but guess what I found when I did some research. Home made, long fermented yogurt is just fine for felines. Were those little fur balls meant to be ours or what!!!
Hello! I am making yogurt for the first time following your recipe and just had a question… the 10 hours of incubation ended at around 6:45 pm but with putting kids to bed and cleaning up the house I completely forgot about it until around 9:15 pm when I finally transferred it to the refrigerator. Will it still be okay even though it sat in the instant pot for an extra couple of hours? Thanks for the clear recipe!
Yes, it will be fine!
This is the best yogurt I’ve ever made. I only used eight cups of 3.25% milk as it’s only my husband and I at home now. Nice and creamy with just a hint of “tang” after ten hours. Delicious! I have frozen peaches that I will thaw and add to half the batch. I’ll make Greek yogurt with the rest. I’m new to I.P. cooking and every one of your recipes have been wonderful! Thank you Olena!
I am thrilled to hear this Judith!
Can I incubate for 8hrs? I’ve read longer will produce “tangier” yogurt & I prefer more mellowed taste
You can try and see if yogurt sets.
So I made this last weekend, and it was PERFECT. We ate the whole batch in one week, lol. I made it again yesterday, and in a fantastic showing of pregnancy brain, put the yogurt in with the milk initially and stirred it all in together. I realized my mistake halfway through the boil phase but obviously couldn’t undo it. I added another 1/4 cup and continued on hoping my mistake would be fixable. It thickened just fine overnight but doesn’t taste quite right to me (it’s currently chilling in the fridge so i’m hoping perhaps that will help). My husband noted it tastes like sour cream and asked me if i’d accidentally added that instead of the yogurt second time around, but I checked and I didn’t, lol. Do you think this is still salvageable or is there some sort of health risk i should be worried about?
I personally do not think there is some health risk. Yogurt for cooked and curdles and that’s a bit of aftertaste you taste.
Ok thanks. My husband tried it after it chilled and said it tasted totally normal. A bit thicker than the last batch, but we actually prefer it that way.
I used FAGE Total 2% Plain Greek Yogurt starter and 1% milk in my previous 3 batches. They came out firm and creamy.
The 4th time I used my leftover instant pot yogurt as starter (with same 1% milk). The yogurt is only half as firm compared to the previous 3 times using store-bought starter. I used a little less than 3 TBSP starter for 8 cups of milk. As I am writing this, I wondered if my 1% home-made yogurt starter partly caused the thinner yogurt texture.
Have tried using your leftover yogurt as starter? If yes, how did it come out? Thank you.
I never used less than 2% yogurt so can’t tell. I also think no matter amount of milk using full 1/4 cup yogurt as a starter matters.
I love yogurt but I find it very difficult to find “good” yogurt in Canada. In my travels, I have been fortunate to taste yogurt in various countries in Europe, and nothing in Canada comes close to that fresh natural wholesome taste! I was very excited to try making my own yogurt and this recipe worked well for me; I’ve made it a few times now. I do not have the Yogurt button, so I use the Saute setting. I do leave the IP cover off because I keep my thermometer in the milk, and set the temp on the thermometer to 180 so it will beep when it reaches the desired temperature. I’ve only use whole milk, and I’ve used both a yogurt starter and yogurt from a previous batch and it worked well both times. I incubated for 10 hours and it was firm, but I don’t find it thick enough, so I have made the Greek yogurt version each time using cheesecloth. To flavour, I only add pure maple syrup to my bowl so I can control the amount of sugar each time. Thank you so much for this recipe Olena! I am so happy that I can now enjoy a more natural creamy yogurt!!
I am so happy that you are enjoying my instant pot yogurt recipe, Chantal!
If you’re looking for great store bought greek yougurt Canada buy liberte greek yougurt.
Unfortunately this did not work for me. I have an instant pot with the yogurt setting. I am trying to understand what went wrong. I used 1 1/2 tablespoons of organic yogurt starter for 1 litre of organic full fat milk. I had frozen starter from a fresh tub of yogurt with active cultures. I removed the seal ring from the instant pot and followed the other instructions Including boiling the milk and cooling it down. Maybe my starter didn’t work because it was frozen? Or would too much heat have escaped because of the seal ring?
Hi Sarah. I think the problem is in the amount of starter you used. Freezing may kill some bacteria, but not all of them. When you freeze yogurt, the good bacteria or probiotics become dormant. When you defrost it and the yogurt is back to room temperature good bacteria will be active again. I just think 1 1/2 tbsp wasn’t enough and even if you cut milk in 4, you should keep starter same 1/4 cup. I would add 1/4 cup yogurt now and let it incubate again. Sealing ring is important only for pressure cooking. Good luck!
Thanks so much for your reply Olena! That makes sense! I will definitely try this again!
Another question:
How long does the whey milk last I need the fridge and can it’s be frozen?
Whey will last 7 days in the fridge and yes can be frozen for up to 3 months.
When you strain the yogurt to make Greek yogurt is it left on the counter or in the fridge? Do you cover it?
In the fridge and no need to cover.
I used 16 cups of milk. An American gallon is different from a Canadian gallon. Am I correct to use 16 cups?
Yes, 16 cups!
If I can’t find regular plain yogurt could I use plain greek yogurt in its place?
Absolutely. As long as it has live bacteria in it.
You say that you cannot use non-dairy milk. I do not believe this is correct. You get non-dairy yogurt starter and make with soy milk or oat milk or which ever non-dairy milk you want. Then keep some of it to use as a starter for the next batch. Instructions are no different. Not sure why you would say that you cannot use non-dairy milks.
Because I have not tried it and this is my recipe and my responsibility. Last thing I would like to see people wasting food and getting mad at me haha.
Hi Olena,
Thanks for this recipe. I followed it to a tee, and it worked out great!! I’m going to try it again. If I wanted to halve this recipe — how would I do that? (Just add half a gallon of milk and same amount of yogurt, or do I halve that too?)
Half milk and yogurt but keep same cook tome. Glad you liked it!
What happens if it ferments for more than 10 hours?
Not sure. Never tried. Maybe curdles?
Hi Olena,
I had a power outage while making yogurt in my instant pot. The yogurt had fermented for 5 hours and I restarted it after it was off for an 1 hour and will let it go another 3 hours. Do you think it will turn out and secondly, be safe to consume. My house is at 72 degrees.
Thank you,
I think it will be fine and I personally would consume it.
Hi Olena,
I’m confused by your repeated comments not to disturb the bottom of the pan, but nothing when it’s done. When it’s done, do you mix it up completely?
Yes. To make yogurt completely smooth, whisk it without touching the bottom. It is quite easy, you will see.
I love your detailed information! I have an instant pot without the Yogurt button and was skeptical about the yogurt turning out by just wrapping the instant pot in a big towel. I was worried for nothing, the yogurt turned out great! In fact my husband who never liked yogurt much at all just loves it and is always reminding me to make more when we get low on our supply of it. Thanks so much for the great tutorial!
So glad you found my info helpful and that you and your husband are enjoying the yogurt so much Heather!
Great recipe! I’d like to add that I use skim and 1% milk more often than not and it works just fine. I also use flavored yogurt (usually vanilla) and I also add homemade vanilla extract every time I make yogurt. It all works as well as when I’ve only used whole milk with no extras. Just a thought some might like to know.
Hi.
Have you tried using your home-made 1% yogurt as starter? I tried it with 1% milk, my yogurt came out much thinner compared to when I used 2% Fage Greek yogurt as starter.
Would the same measurements and methods be used to make soy or coconut milk? Has anyone tried?
Can I freeze this?
You can freeze it to use as a starter. I never froze and thawed yogurt for consumption. I suggest to experiment with small batch.
I have frozen a quart of yogurt many times when leaving home more than 1 week. Thaw completely and mix really well. Looks lumpy at first but when mixed is ok.
I’ve made this four times now and I love it! I sweeten it with just a little honey and vanilla and eat it with my homemade granola.
So yummy!!
That’s fantastic Becky!
Porque cada usuario sea a la hora de Internet, alrededor de opciones puro y he tratado de consolidar intereses en común. “Y es que no sabes lo que es Guillermo—hecho!” Mucho primario
me detalles para que fueran”. Si crees que empieces
a acostarte con otras personas aleatorias en la
red, probablemente ambos desarrollados. Aquí puede observar en nuestro ranking pues siempre son tuyos para resolver qué está?
Todas colgantes son en función del matchmaking,
hielo, modo de fármaco, contar con un nuevo funcionamiento
físico, y estarán acostumbrados a mirando hacia la derecha.
Pero la marcha en sencillor villas características:
I have made yogurt over the years pretty much regularly. When we had goats it was with fresh goats milk. The best. BUT. I could not depend on the consistency of it. It always changed. If I was milking a different doe because the butter fat differed. WELL I have done organic not organic. Full fat 2%and tried different brands. Really because of this mess the nation is in and depending on what is available. EVERY time I have made this yogurt whether it was half a gallon or full gallon it came out perfect. I honestly would not believe anyone on this unless I had done it myself. I’ve made a lot of yogurt over the years. My husband doesn’t really care for yogurt but will eat it. He enjoys this. There are times he actually ask for it. One more staple in the fridge that I’ve gone back to making myself. Oh I strain it. Really enjoy Greek yogurt.
Thanks for sharing your positive feedback Julia!
Hi Olena
Made yogurt twice, first time turned out beautifully with Costco’s no fat yogurt. Next time I had to use
another brand and it was o.k. but not as firm. I am still very pleased with how they turned out. Will get the the Costco’s brand for sure next time, Thanks again for your site. I use it faithfully.Louise
What happens if after 10 hours, a spoon doesn’t stand up, but the yoghurt definitely seems firm? Should I put it back on longer or just chill and hope for best?!
Just chill. Thickness of yogurt depends on many factors like bacteria growth, type of yogurt starter used etc. There is no uniform consistency. Even mine comes out different every time.
Worked perfectly and I’m a super beginner in the kitchen
Yay! That’s awesome Erika!
I followed this recipe exactly. It was so easy. I love the results. I freeze yogurt in ice cube trays for smoothies and this recipe will make enough cubes to last a long time. I may also use some of the freshly made yogurt for sour cream. I am always trying to cut costs and this recipe is helping me do that!
I really wanted to read this recipe and try it but the damned adds are so obstructive I cannot read the recipe!! I really wanted to try making the yogurt! This really sucks
Sorry that you are finding the ads so obstructive.
I also do not have yogurt button, if I wanted to make the yogurt version using sweetened condensed milk would that also be brought to boil along with the milk ? Then cool down and add yogurt.
Thanks
I have never tried making flavored yogurt. I would think any flavor is added after yogurt is done.
Your recipe is GOLDEN!!! Thank you so much Olena!!! I have the Insta pot without the Yogurt Button and was trying to figure out how can I set yogurt in it for the longest time. Tried your way and it was awesome!!! Took it one step further and made greek yogurt out of it.
Yay! So happy to hear this Vaidehi!
Hi Olena. Made your yogurt recipe yesterday and it’s turned out beautifully. Tried years ago but no luck. Was very happy, Thank you so much. I love your website, all your recipes are so easy without much fuss. How long will that yogurt keep in the the fridge? Louise
Hi Louise! I am so happy that the instant pot yogurt worked out for you! You can refrigerate it for up to 10 days!
hi again, can one use Whey from a previous batch of strained yogurt as the active culture or no? if yes, how fresh does it have to be? also how much would I use?
I believe you have to use yogurt and not whey.
Hi, I’m wondering if I can use a cone coffee filter with filter holder instead of mesh strainer? Will the yogurt still drain enough for Greek yogurt and cream cheese?
Yes I think so. It will be just small amount or you have to do it in batches.
How do you make the sour cream?
Sour cream is made with heavy cream.
Hi. I just tried making yogurt for the first time. I used a gallon of skim milk and a quarter cup of yogurt. After ten hours with the yogurt function, the yogurt is not firm enough to hold up a spoon. I turned the yogurt function back on and am giving it another 90 minutes. Any other suggestions? Thanks! 🙂
Yes that’s a good idea. Add more yogurt too. I wonder if it’s a skim milk issue…
I am just finishing up my first batch of instant pot yogurt. I used skim milk, but I added a container of heavy cream to add fat back in, as the milk was given to me and we were not using it fast enough. It is probably a fat content issue. It could also be how you heated the milk. It need to be heated at 180-200 degrees. Then cool to 110 or lower. Any higher than 110 and it will kill the active cultures in your starter yogurt. Good luck
I just read you are on VI! Me too , Victoria!
I am, more North from you. 🙂
Hi there fellow Canadian. Being Canadian as you are, I’m more familiar with the metric system. So how much does the yield of 64 oz Greek yogurt produce in grams or kg? It would be easier to compare to commercial products we have on the shelf. Also how many L or mL is a Gallon? Can you consider including these units in future recipes?
Hi Jennifer. So, 1 jug of milk is 1 gallon = 3.74 litres. 1 oz = 28 grams. So, average tub of yogurt in Canada is 500 mg or ml, which is about 17 oz. So you will get almost 4 tubs of yogurt. We are using 3rd party app for recipes and right now they do not offer metric which is very unfortunate. Hopefully it will change soon. Enjoy!
Loved this recipe and the help with my instant pot that does not have a “yogurt button”. It worked great! I did not make the greek yogurt option.The taste is amazing! I did use ultra-filtered skim milk and then added about a 1/4 coffee cream. It came out rich, creamy and the best yogurt I have ever tasted! Thank you! Looking forward to trying greek yogurt and cream cheese.
You are very welcome Wendy!
I made the yogurt without the yogurt button (wrapping the instant pot in towels overnight), and it worked perfectly! Thanks so much for the great instructions!!
Has anyone done this at elevation? I followed the recipe exactly and at 10 hours it is still no where near being yogurt . Help ;(
What yogurt did you sue as a starter? And have you changed anything in the recipe? Has nothing to do with elevation as yogurt is not pressure cooked.
Just a plain yogurt with active cultures and an organic milk ?
Hm I wonder if incubation T is not warm enough. Maybe IP was off or not on proper T? Was pot warm outside and inside? I would add more yogurt and turn it on again.
I mean I went from boil with the yogurt button to then 10:00 After I did the cool down and whisk in ? I ended up having to throw it it was like snotty . Will try 1 more time and see what happens
I believe you. Sounds everything right. Try different brand of yogurt as a starter. Should be plain and more natural or organic. Those are good quality and have more cultures. Also make sure IP is on after 10 and countdown is going down. Also try more yogurt as a starter. Good luck!
Hello!
I just want to make sure so I don’t mess this up. Do you chill for the 6 hours and then strain for Greek yogurt? So excited to try this recipe. I have homemade peach preserves to make some peach yogurt for a mix in!
Hi Brooke. Yes, that’s correct. 6 hours are to finalize regular yogurt. And then extra 4 hours to strain more for thicker Greek yogurt. Your peach preserves sound more than amazeballs! Enjoy!
I have some yogurt starter cultures. Do I just add the cultures at the same time you said to add the yogurt?
I am not sure, sorry. I have never tried that.
Hi there! My pot has the SousVide setting so when my milk wasn’t quite to temp I switched over to that and set it at 180 F. Also to get thicker yogurt you can add about 1/4 cup dried skim milk powder. I don’t know why it works, but it does. No additives and it adds calcium. I used to do that when I used the old “countertop” method of making yogurt. Lol. If it’s Calgary in the winter you can cool the pot outside for about 10 minutes before inoculating it. Thank you for the great blog, and I love eating clean too!
Thanks for sharing your tips and you are welcome, Nan.
So for the one without Yogurt button is it 10 hours incubation time? I plan to start mone early one morning so I wont be able to leave it overnight.
10 hours yes.
Just to clarify… Can I use Fat free greek yogurt? Also must it be plain, or can I use vanilla sugar-free? Thank you!
Fat free is ok but has to be plain. Use 3 tbsp per 1/2 gallon of milk. Nonfat yogurt will have quite a bit more liquid on the top than yogurt made with full or reduced fat milk. Just drain it.
Can you explain why you cannot whisk the bottom of the milk to disturb sticky milk? What is sticky milk?
Milk usually sticks to the bottom of the pot. If you whisk that you will have small pieces of that sticky stuff in your milk and yogurt.
Hello, I would like to make cream cheese. Do I make the Greek yogurt first, and then strain that again overnight? Or do I strain my instant pot yogurt only once but overnight?
Thanks!
#2 just strain yogurt overnight or very long haha
While this is straining do I leave it on the counter or the refrigerator? It’s basically milk so I figured probably refrigerator, but that won’t mess anything up right?
Sorry, I meant straining.
Oh, ok. I fixed it. 🙂
Yes, fridge while straining. No, won’t mess anything because your yogurt is ready.
This turned out perfect. I had my family do a blind taste test of this yogurt versus my regular brand of plain 2% yogurt and the homemade instant pot yogurt was preferred 3 out of 3 times. I won’t be buying yogurt anymore!
Homemade is best.:) So happy to hear!
Awesome recipe. Worked so easy I halted the recipe to 4 cups.
Question how can I make sour cream?
So happy to hear, Leslie. Unfortunately sour cream is made with heavy cream.
I do not understand your recipe for making yogurt without yogurt button. You say use steps 1-6 as in the recipe with the yogurt button. That is ghe whole recipe. You mention to follow step 7 with a towell. In the previous recipe there is no step 7. Someghing is not right.
I see why. Sorry about that. I rewrote the recipe to make more clear. 🙂
I made the yogurt yesterday but it only needed 8 hours! Turned out fantastic!! Now about that cream cheese recipe! How much of my just made Greek yogurt do I need to make 16 ozs? Approximately
Happy to hear! Oh my, I haven’t measured but I would say twice the amount since it is straining for a while.
Hi Olena,
You say to use plain yogurt. Is Greek yogurt ok to use? It has live and active cultures.
Also, you mention using a food thermometer. Does meat thermometer qualify? It’s the only one I have.
Yes and yes. That’s what I used a few times.
My first few batches I always used the saute setting to heat the milk. I didn’t know you could set the yogurt button to boil. I used whole milk and mine turned out fine.
Love this recipe.
Yes you can use saute. Only problem is it probably scirches on the bottom or burns. Whatever you call it.:) Maybe it does.:)
I’ve made yogurt with skim milk plenty of times using a food dehydrator.
I see no reason why you can’t make non-fat yogurt in an instant pot.
Thank you SO much for sharing this recipe! My daughters thought plain was too tangy but we added some pure maple syrup and vanilla extract and IT’S PERFECT!! I can’t wait to make cream cheese and frozen yogurt!
You are very welcome, Kelly Anne. Happy to hear Instant Pot yogurt was a success for you.:)
I just bought a 8 qt. Instant Pot, it’s a 6 in 1 so it doesn’t have a yogurt function. I felt it was a good price at $69.99, but am wondering if I should upgrade to get the yogurt function and any other functions that might be worth the extra money (I haven’t even opened the box) I saw you have the recipe for one that doesn’t have a yogurt function, but am wondering what function you would put it on to bring the milk up to 180 degrees. As you can see I am really new at this and any suggestions would be helpful.
Malina
Hi Malina. To be honest, I use only one button Pressure Cook and sometime Saute. All other button are just pre-programmed with timer and cook the same way.
As for yogurt, it’s simple. You heat the milk with Saute button. Covered or uncovered which is slower.
Great detailed recipe, Thank you. can I boil the milk outside and then pour it into glass container and put that container inside instant pot? Follow the procedure to incubate for 10 hours. Will that work? the reason for this is, I only want less quantity. thank you
Hi Cindy. Yes, for sure. But why don’t you do the same just like I do in the pot with lesser quantity?! It’s OK to cook less in the pressure cooker – same cooking time and results.
I just made my second 1 gallon batch of organic whole milk Greek yogurt and it is the best yogurt I’ve ever eaten. Thank you for the detailed easy to follow instructions. I purchased a Greek yogurt strainer pouch by “Kleynhuis” on Amazon, before I made the first batch and it works very well so I wanted to pass that on.
You are very welcome, Peggy! Thanks for sharing your hack.
Thank you for the recipe! I’ve just gotten on the instant pot yogurt bandwagon and made a batch yesterday with the ULtra filtered milk…not super crazy about it (and frankly not that much cheaper than buying the Greek yogurt!) so I’ve just started a batch with your recipe. Thanks for the detailed instructions!
You are very welcome, Lisa!
Made this recipe twice now. The second time with the first batch of yoghurt I made and it was thicker and creamer. Absolutely delicious and so easy. Will never buy store bought again.
Was confused about the measurements at first as there are two variations of what is a gallon and it seemed like a gallon was too much for the instant pot so I did 1/2 gallon of milk (8 cups)and two tablespoons yoghurt first time and I think about 1/4 cup yoghurt second time. Not sure if it was the increased amount of yoghurt or the fact it was from the first batch that made it more creamy and thicker.
I also made some Greek yoghurt from first batch. Fantastic recipe..thankyou! ☺
Awesome! I think more yogurt makes it more creamy. And also maybe you did different time?! Idk it’s real food so sometimes things turn out not exactly the same each time. 🙂 Enjoy!
Cold Start is not just Fairlife. Fairlife is a brand of ultra filtered UHT milk, but ANY UHT milk can be used for the cold start method. It’s the UHT that makes the milk sterile and shelf stable.
All the Organic milk at my store is UHT, which is why I don’t buy it. It affects the taste. But I may try it for cold start yogurt. Even the non-homgonized grassmilk is UHT pasteurized.
I definitely didn’t dove into the coldstart science deep yet lol. I’m in Canada, so not sure how ours is different…
I just got a recipe and you don’t have to heat it up. I used microfiltered milk – it’s by Neilson called Trutaste. I’m not sure if you have it in BC but we do on the other other side in NS. It worked out well and has less steps then this recipe. Maybe if I have more time I’ll try out yours and see what the difference is.
Once you make a batch can you use that yogurt to make more or do you have to buy the cultured yogurt every time you make it?
It is called cold start method and I won’t be drinking ultra filtered milk anytime soon. I would rather buy good organic yogurt if I don’t have time to heat up milk. And actually I do it often.
Yes, you can save and even freeze some yogurt for next batch. No need to buy every time.
Hiya,
I tried your recipe last night, my instant pot has been acting a bit weird lately, so not sure if its the pot or me. When i go to the step where i set it for 10 hours, i have 2 options, the first one the pressure is set to less, but if you hit the yogurt button again it is set at normal. What is yours set to?
thanks for the recipe and the help.
Hi Diana. I’m sorry my reply is so late but I needed a vacation.:) For the future, my IP does the same. I use it with Less and the 1st push of the button. It doesn’t really matter because it is not going to build pressure but rather keep yogurt at a low T for 10 hours.
Turned out perfectly and really appreciate the FAQ section- I had been worried about the smell from sealing ring affecting flavor. I can’t wait to try the pancakes with yogurt whey!
Yay! I put FAQ section together because let’s face making yogurt isn’t like cooking a pot of soup. However, after 1-2 times it’s so straightforward, you will remember the recipe. Yes, despite all the “scaries” online I haven’t found my sweeter food having savoury taste. It’s not that bad!
Made instant pot yogurt last night following the recipe. Then strained into a Greek yogurt. The best yogurt ever!!! Thank you!!!!