Instant Pot Yogurt
Published Jan. 24, 2025
- Total Time
- About 16 hours
- Prep Time
- 5 minutes
- Cook Time
- 9½ hours, plus at least 6 hours’ chilling
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- ½ gallon/1.9 liters milk (skim, 2 percent or whole; regular or lactose-free)
- 2tablespoons store-bought plain yogurt with active cultures (see Tip)
- Ice, as needed
- Flavorings (like vanilla) and sweeteners (like honey), to taste (optional)
Nutritional analysis per serving (20 servings)
62 calories; 3 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 1 gram monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 5 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 3 grams protein; 43 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Pour milk into a 6- to 8-quart Instant Pot. Seal the lid and press the Yogurt button until it reads “boil.” When the machine beeps, carefully remove the lid and use an instant-read thermometer to make sure the milk has reached 180 to 200 degrees.
- Step 2
Prepare an ice bath in a very large bowl and have your instant-read thermometer at hand. Transfer the bowl of the Instant Pot to the ice bath. Stir the milk with a clean utensil until the temperature reaches 110 to 115 degrees. (This happens relatively quickly once the pot is in the ice bath.)
- Step 3
Once the milk temperature drops to 110 to 115 degrees, dry the outside of the Instant Pot bowl and return it to its base. Discard any film that has collected on the surface of the milk. Stir in the yogurt until well blended. Seal the lid and set the Yogurt button for an 8-hour cycle.
- Step 4
At the end of the 8-hour cycle, remove the lid and transfer the Instant Pot bowl to a wire rack. At this point, the milk will be a little looser than Jell-O; try to minimize the movement to allow it to set further. Cover the pot tightly with plastic wrap and cool on the rack at room temperature for 1 hour, then transfer the entire bowl to the refrigerator and chill for at least 6 hours or overnight.
- Step 5
Remove the plastic wrap, stir the yogurt well and transfer to 2 airtight quart containers. (For thicker yogurt, see Tip.) The yogurt will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. (If making a future batch of yogurt, save 2 tablespoons of the yogurt as a starter — like you would for sourdough — for the next round; this is best done in the first week a batch of yogurt is made to maintain the active cultures.) If adding flavorings or sweeteners, like vanilla extract or honey, do this now or just before serving.
- Any type of plain cow’s-milk yogurt — Greek, Bulgarian, Icelandic and so on — can be used here as long as it has active cultures. If you have homemade yogurt from a previous batch that is less than one week old, that would work too. Powdered yogurt starter, found online in bulk and individual packets, can be used in place of the plain yogurt. If substituting, follow the package instructions for the correct amount of starter per ½ gallon, and stir it into the milk the same time you would the plain yogurt.
- Tip: For a thick, Greek yogurt-like consistency, the yogurt can be strained at the end of Step 4. Drape a large piece of cheesecloth over a fine-mesh strainer, then set the strainer over a large bowl. (The best cheesecloth for this job is one specifically made for cheesemaking. Other cheesecloth can be used, but it may need 4 or 5 layers for proper drainage.) Pour the yogurt into the cheesecloth-lined strainer. Refrigerate for 2 hours to allow the yogurt to drain. Transfer the thickened yogurt to an airtight container; discard the accumulated liquid in the bowl. If the whole batch of yogurt is strained, the yield will be about 4 cups, versus 8 cups of regular yogurt.
Private Notes
Comments
Em, if you strain the yogurt, the whey (strained liquid which is full of protein)can be frozen in ice cube trays as a starter for the next batch. The frozen whey keeps for a long time, and the cultures stay active longer when frozen (and using a few cubes of whey means you get to eat all of your yogurt!) Also, the whey can be used as a substitute for buttermilk, or in place of some of the water or milk in baking, cooking rice or soup, or making smoothies.
I am originally from India where yogurt is made every few days and sets easily. The instant pot has been a game changer here where it was hit and miss using the oven to maintain the temperature. I actually use a 7 quart Pyrex dish, boil the milk in the microwave at full power for 9 minutes, let it cool on the counter (no ice bath needed) to 112-118 degrees , add the 2tbsp yogurt culture. Add a cup of water in the bottom of the instant pot container. Put the Pyrex dish in the instant pot using a silicone sling ( available on Amazon ) and let it set on the yogurt setting but increase the time to 9-10:00 hours ( overnight). It sets beautifully and can be easily stored in the fridge with the Pyrex lid. You can use a smaller 4 cup Pyrex dish to make a smaller amount.
Many years ago, I read that ultra pasteurized milk has already had all the unfriendly-to-yogurt bacteria heated out of it. So now I buy a gallon of ultra pasteurized milk, toss it in the instant pot, warm just to the temperature I would have cooled it to after scalding, and then add my starter (about half a cup of yogurt left from my previous batch). Skipping the whole scald then ice-bath-in-the-sink process saves a lot of time and eliminates the most annoying steps. And the yogurt is just as good as ever. I’m supposed to be watching my carbs, and most of the yogurt carbs are in the whey, so I just discard that. If your hemoglobin A1c is good, definitely repurpose that whey!
Another option for cheesecloth is muslin baby blankets. I read that the cheesecloth weave is similar to muslin's so I cut old (but clean!) baby blankets into squares and have been using them for months now to strain my yogurt and other kitchen goodies.
But if you don't have an instant pot?
I don't have an Instant Pot but own a Sous Vide Precision Cooker. I can easily use it to reach the initial 85° to 90° C, but don't know what the 8-hour cycle means.
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