Instant Pot Yogurt
Complete recipe for making healthy, delicious, easy instant pot yogurt.
Equipment
- Instant Pot
- Digital Thermometer
- Whisk
- Yogurt Strainer (optional)
- Tempering Tools (bowl and ladle)
- Starter Container
Ingredients
- 1/2 gallon Milk (Whole or 2% is best) You can use 1% or skim but the yogurt will not be as thick and creamy.
- 2 tbsp Yogurt Starter Quality store bought or saved from last yogurt made.
Instructions
Sterilize the Instant Pot (optional)
- Add 3 cups of water to the Instant Pot, lock the lid in place and make sure the pressure valve is closed. Press the "steam" button (or similar based on your model) and set time to 5 minutes.
- After you hear the beep to alert you the cycle is done you can either do a quick release (carefully!) or let it naturally release for 5-7 minutes and then finish with a quick release.
- Take off the lid, remove the liner and dump out the water. Careful, it is very hot! Dry the pot and let it cool completely. (You can put it in the fridge or freezer to speed this process along)
Making the Yogurt
- Add all the milk to the inner liner of the Instant Pot. Cover with either the IP lid or the glass lid (separate accessory).
- Push the yogurt button until the display says boil. (This may vary based on your model)
- During the boil cycle you should whisk the milk a few times. This allows for even heating.
- When the beep sounds, whisk the milk and take the temperature using a digital thermometer. It needs to reach 180 degrees. If the temperature is not at 180, set it to boil again (this often happens when using an entire gallon of milk instead of half). Whisk and check the temperature every 10 minutes until 180 dgrees is reached. This is essential for getting thick, creamy yogurt.
- Carefully remove the inner pot and place in a sink with a few inches of cold water in it. Adding ice to the sink will speed the cooling process. Cool the milk to about 100 degrees, whisking often.
- Remove the pot from the sink of water and carefully dry the outside thoroughly. You do not want water in the housing of you IP!!
- Ladle out 1-2 cups of the hot milk into a tempering bowl. While whisking vigorously, slowly pour the starter into the hot milk in the tempering bowl. Pour this tempered milk and starter back into the rest of the milk in the pot liner and whisk together.
- Place the liner full of milk and starter back into the Instant Pot and cover with the lid. Press the yogurt button and adjust to the desired incubation time. Read your manual to make sure you have the right settings. The timer counts UP on the yogurt setting (which is different on other settings where it counts down).
- When the incubation time is up, turn the pot off, remove the liner, cover and refrigerate for at least 6-8 hours. DO NOT STIR!
- Check to see that the yogurt is set. It should jiggle like pudding and pull away from the sides of the bowl slightly when you move the bowl. It will smell like yogurt and will be thick like pudding.
- Freeze 2 tbsp of your yogurt to use as starter for your next batch. If you plan on straining, you can save the whey instead.
Strain for Greek-Style Yogurt
- If you would like thicker yogurt, use a yogurt strainer. Add the yogurt to the strainer, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. The longer you let it sit, the thicker your yogurt will be. This is a personal preference. The whey that is collected in the strainer can then be saved and frozen to use as the starter (2 tbsp) for your next batch of yogurt and in other recipes. The frozen starter should be used within a month for best results.
- You can strain as much or as little as you like to have each texture your family enjoys!
- Store or freeze the finished yogurt. This homemade yogurt should remain good in the fridge for 7-14 days and can be frozen for 1-2 months.