Instant Pot Yogurt
Make creamy, homemade yogurt in your Instant Pot with just milk and a little yogurt starter. This simple, hands-off method makes delicious yogurt that’s perfect for breakfast, baking, smoothies, and more.
Equipment
- 6-quart Instant Pot
- Ladle
- Clean glass jar(s) for storage
Ingredients
- Whole milk (1–4 liters/quarts) quarts
- Plain yogurt with live active cultures – 1 tablespoon per liter/quart of milk
Instructions
- Heat the milk: Pour 1–4 liters (quarts) whole milk into the Instant Pot, making sure not to go above the MAX line. Press Yogurt until the display shows Boil. The Instant Pot will heat the milk slowly to the right temperature. This usually takes 30–45 minutes, depending on the amount of milk.
- Cool the milk: When the Instant Pot beeps and displays End, remove the inner pot and let the milk cool to 43–46°C (110–115°F). Test it with a clean finger—it should feel warm but not too hot, and you should be able to comfortably hold your finger in the milk for about 10 seconds.
- Add the starter: Mix 1 tablespoon plain yogurt with live active cultures per liter/quart of milk with a few tablespoons of the cooled milk until smooth. Stir or whisk this mixture back into the milk.
- Incubate: Return the inner pot to the Instant Pot and close the lid (there’s no need to seal it). Press Yogurt and set for 8 hours for a mild yogurt or 10 hours for a tangier yogurt.
- Chill: When the incubation is finished and the yogurt has set, gently ladle it into clean jars without stirring. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or overnight. The yogurt will continue to thicken as it chills.
Notes
Storage: Store homemade yogurt in clean, airtight jars in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Keep refrigerated and use a clean spoon when serving.