How to Make Instant Pot Yogurt (Small or Large Batch!)

[@lisataylor584]

I will usually make Greek yogurt. After straining out the Whey I freeze that into ice cube trays and then use it for the starter in the next batch of yogurt. Works great every time. I will also use the frozen whey for egg substitutes or ice cubes in my protein shakes. I know there are other uses for the whey as well but those are the main things that I use it for. Works like a charm and doesn’t waste anything. Win-win! Thanks for the video and look forward to seeing more.

[@mjade1673]

Where to find your method online or on youtube? Thank you

[@lisataylor584]

@@mjade1673 I’m not sure where I originally saw or heard it but I know it was on the web somewhere. ;-) I’ve been making my yogurt that way for about 7 years and the Whey has never failed me as a starter. I usually use 2 or 3 whey cubes. I just recently thought to use the cubes as an egg substitute and have done that now a couple of times in my baking. Sorry couldn’t be more helpful. I probably saw it on Pinterest though.

[@reginaschellhaas1395]

@@lisataylor584 I make Greek yogurt also. I don't know what to do with the whey. I freeze 30gm portions of each batch of yogurt in an ice cube tray to use as a repeatable starter. It gets more tangy with each generation. Never thought to use whey as a starter, thanks! My 1/2 gallon of 2% milk (plus 30gms starter) yields @ 1 quart of yogurt, plus an equal amount of whey. Wonderful yogurt and less expensive. Just wish I could use the all of the whey. I like to drink it, with a bit of salt, but can only drink so much....

[@lisataylor584]

@@reginaschellhaas1395 I will also use some of the whey in place of milk for my morning protein shake. Also when I make bread I will use the whey as a milk replacement. Love my fresh yogurt. It is always worth it!

[@reginaschellhaas1395]

@@lisataylor584 I don't make bread often, as I have to heat up my range/oven. For only two people. Only reasonable in cold winter, which we didn't have this year. We bought an Air Fryer recently, and I have seen a recipe for "milk rolls". It's a small enough quantity for two older folks. Planning to try it, perhaps with milk first, then try the whey. What sort of bread do you make with milk? And then substitute the whey? Thanks! I have read that people use whey to ferment vegetables, hoping to try this. Healthy stuff!

[@applegal3058]

I make yogurt in my Instant Pot every week. 2 litres of whole homogenized milk, and a 2-3 tablespoons of yogurt from a previous batch. Hit the Yogurt button to the More setting so it boils and pasteurizes the milk. Cool it in an ice bath to 115 F. Stir in the yogurt. Cover and set it on the Normal level of the Yogurt setting for 8 to 9 hours. Put in the fridge for a day, covered. Take out and strain, and you're done. I've never used special milk or anything. I just do the pasteurization step first.

[@applegal3058]

@@friesencj1 Do you have a sous vide button? Maybe you can set it to 180 F to pasteurize for 5 minutes, the after its cooled and yogurt added you can set it to 110 F to ferment?

[@applegal3058]

@@friesencj1 oh thanks for sharing your experience and tips!

[@applegal3058]

@@friesencj1 I wonder if one could use the Sauté function to heat the milk to 180 F while whisking and checking with a thermometer. Then remove the pot to cool and add the yogurt, and return to the instant pot to set on Sous Vide to 110 F to ferment?

[@applegal3058]

@@friesencj1 no worries. You do whatever works for you. Good luck with your future yogurt-making experiments 😊

[@Kbcappetta377]

In the fridge before you strain it? I just made yogurt now and it’s runny. I put it in the fridge and hope its better to strain in a little bit.

[@CytoplasmikZombies]

FYI for anyone else who is wondering; live culture can last up to 60 days in the freezer (some can last up to a few years)

[@StacyandThomas]

I use my 3qt instant pot for making yogurt. And I use the whole thing of milk. Takes up less room in the fridge. Something I discovered recently is after making just basic yogurt, and letting it set in the fridge, I add pudding mix. Lemon, banana & French vanilla are the flavors that I have tried. And I think adding the pudding mix makes the yogurt thicker. And for those newbies out there, this method of making yogurt is also known as the Cold Start Method.

[@mjade1673]

In the video she says start with a tablespoon or two. .. i would have put the entire store portion 😄 what heppens if u do that? Does it get sour or anything? Thanks 😊

[@kierjo1]

How do you set the settings on 3qt. It doesn’t have a yogurt setting? Thanks for any help

[@reginaschellhaas1395]

@@mjade1673 I don't know about yogurt, but too much yeast can cause problems with some breads. Very sour.Too many organisms for the tiny ecosystem.

[@PatriotMomof5]

I find your instructions are thorough and concise. You cover all the bases! I used all your tips of my yogurt came out beautifully. I used to make it using my oven before I got my Insta pot, so super easy.

[@DennisAriga-ic5vn]

Was looking for a video on how to make smaller portions and found you! I love the smaller container solution that you showed. Thank you!

[@gif24gt60]

Can you do a video on how to make coconut kefir in the instapot?

[@nancyansel6793]

You weren’t kidding. Best yogurt I’ve ever had. I made it with 4% Lactaid milk. I used regular sweetened condensed milk, but I have had a lactose free version of it in the past. So I’m on the hunt for that. And used Fage 5% fat. It was so thick & creamy. I used blender for mixing in the yogurt & then the sweetened condensed milk. Then stirred into the rest of milk. Fabulous!! 8 1/2 hours so easy. Can I make a larger batch in my 8 qt. Instant Pot? Thanks for sharing!

[@teixeiraangel]

Definitely started making yogurt in my instapot after seeing your video! We love it. Never thought about making it straight into individual cups! We tend to like thicker Greek yogurt texture, so I make it and then use a yogurt strainer to make it thicker.

[@emotionalcontenttoronto559]

Do you cool it down in the fridge and then strain it? Or strain it right away and then refrigerate it?

[@teixeiraangel]

@@emotionalcontenttoronto559I go straight from the instapot into the strainer. I let it cool down a little on the counter and then put the strainer with the yogurt into the fridge overnight since we like Greek yogurt style yogurt and it takes some time to strain it.

[@jasguy2715]

You should have mentioned that if you don't use "ultra" pasteurized milk and just pasteurized milk, you will need to first heat the milk to about 185 degrees. Regular pasteurized milk will just give you are very runny soupy yogurt.

[@peggydeis8415]

I love instant pot yogurt. 😋 I just got your book "cooking for 1" love it!

[@patriceayvazian4967]

You are so informative - just got my first instant pot and will be watching your wonderful YTs on regular basis. Thank you.

[@sommersprossen12345]

I watched a couple of videos now on how to make yogurt in an instant pot. I like yours the best because others put the milk first and they heat it up to 185° and then you have to let it cool down to 110° and then put the cultures in it and then have to ferment it

[@kristrasmussen3995]

If you don't use ultra pasteurized milk you should heat to 185 degrees then cool to 110 degrees. Ultra pasteurized is the key to not boiling the milk.

[@sharontwombly61]

Wonderful video. Can’t wait to try this.🤗

[@LauraC369]

Hello - Just made yogurt following your recipe but in the IP Aura Pro in mason jars, with space for add-ins. Came out great and passed the standing spoon test. BTW, just got notified of your new cookbook. Going to Target later today to get my copy. Wishing you success in all your endeavors!! 🙋🏻‍♀️

[@scrane5500]

Was given an instant pot for Christmas so will definitely try this but plant-based as I have a family history of cancer and need to avoid all the estrogen in dairy. Thanks for posting

[@geraldinelucas3143]

You made this seem really simple will have to try.

[@kimnkal]

I would love a video by you on how to make soy milk-based yogurt in the Instant Pot 🙏🤞

[@daybyday0731]

Love this...Thank you for sharing...🙂

[@joseynoyb9467]

Thank you for such a wonderful video! I smiled the whole time 😁

[@marilynbryson]

I use the whey for a starter.

[@chicharra_12]

I’m making some yogurt right now, I didn’t use Fairfield milk because I couldn’t find the words ultra pasteurized on it, just ultra filtered. I’ll try it next time. But, I found another brand that said ultra pasteurized and now I just have to wait for the yogurt to become yogurt. Thanks for your videos, I used my kitchen aide to whisk the milk and yogurt together. I never thought of using my blender. Next time I’ll do that. 😅

[@jomac841]

Going to make this tonight :) it looks delish!

[@jomac841]

Update: it turned out perfectly!

[@nancymays5165]

I have been following your yogurt recipe for almost 2 years. It is AMAZING!!! I never thought about using small containers to make it. Do you think I can do a double layer if the containers are small enough? I have the metal rack to put a second layer. I was wondering if condensation would be a problem with a double layer. My friends alway ask me for my recipe. I just send them to your videos. Thanks, Lisa.

[@TengoWiskeyFoxtrot]

I just tried to make it in little portion cups and ended up, 7hrs later, with warm milk that tasted like yogurt. The water she says to add messed it up. Now I’m out a gallon of milk and a whole day worth of time 😑 I almost didn’t put the water in cause I thought it seemed like a bad idea. But I followed the directions instead of my instincts. I’ve made lots of yogurt in the instant pot and it’s always turned out so great. I just wanted to try little portions because as we use up the yogurt it gets transferred to smaller containers and ends up looking all broken up and I thought if it started in small containers we could avoid that. Guess I’ll go back to just making one big batch. It’s a bummer to spend all that time and product to end up something inedible. This is just a warning to those that are just starting out. Just do one big batch the first couple times. Cause if this happened on my first try, I probably wouldn’t have tried again.

[@Luna-xt1nc]

I use my instant pot lid, I just take the sealing ring off (this is what absorbs the food odors). After it’s off the lid doesn’t smell.

[@margaritaapicella2537]

What happens if you add extra starter to your milk? Will it still be good to consume?

[@elizabethG633]

I use 18% cream for my yogurt and I also make mine in the Instant Pot. I wonder if you figured out how to use the timers yet. I also use the Greek yogurt strainer to get my thick and creamy texture.

[@frankenstein3163]

Can that milk be frozen for several to 10 days ? Any idea if kefir milk can be used as the starter ? I like Greek yogurt. So after 10 hours is that what Greek yogurt is ?

[@cryptog5543]

You could make the yogurt without the sweetened condensed milk and then add your own flavor. I find MIO drops work amazing. Make the yogurt then portion out into your desired serving size then drop a couple of drops of the MIO or your favorite flavoring. Believe me, it will taste like any flavor you use and it will be much more healthy for you. I'm glad I could add my comment. God Bless

[@neelasstudio854]

Hi I just bought the 6 quart Instantpot duo . Can you show me how to use steam cooking using vent .

[@MarkusImmanuel]

Thank you.This is so helpfull.Looks delicious 🥰

[@sandylocks755]

I've used your process twice with great results. I would like to try using individual containers, but I don't see a link under your description. Can you tell me if your containers are glass with lids?

[@bonnap1409]

New Instant Pot user here! I prefer coconut condensed milk and use it all the time. Do you think it would work instead of the dairy condensed milk? I would love to start making my own yogurt now. TIA!

[@EileenORiordan-cx7vr]

Hi. Great video. What size Instant Pot did you use... 3qt or 6qt?

[@amberwaters9806]

I have a duo evo plus and there is no "normal" temp setting, only high or low 🙃

[@darlenehealy3150]

Instant pot pro only has low or high or custom where I set the temp. I’m doing now with low. Hope it works!

[@trishaerickson5177]

I am going to try this. Thank you for sharing. Couple questions. How long will it stay good in the fridge, shelf life? Second, can you use it as a substitute for sour cream or recipes that call for plain Greek yogurt?

[@glw5166]

She said it will last for 7-10 days at 12:49. You can usually interchange yogurt and sour cream in a recipe without any issues. In baked goods, traditional yogurt will have more moisture in the final product than Greek yogurt but they can be swapped for each other.

[@B2H62]

I love your clear instructions, but I'm confused about the milk you use. You show Fairlife whole ultra filtered but suggest only using ultra pasteurized milk for this recipe. I bought some of the Fairlife red label (as shown) to prepare to make the recipe, but now I'm no sure if this needs to be set on boil setting or not? I don't see anywhere on the package that it states it's ultra pasteurized. Help? Thank you!

[@Robin7-26]

When you strain it to make it Greek yogurt do you need to chill it first or do you strain it and then chill it?

[@baritone75]

I tried making Greek yogurt with a half gallon of A2 milk and ended up with only 8.5 oz of yogurt. I cooked it 8.5 hours. Any suggestions to get better yield?

[@dental257]

@dental257 0 seconds ago i just made my first batch of yogurt in the instant pot. can i add the milk once it's cooled and just store it..? the recipies i've seen, add the condensed milk to the milk AS it ferments. Need to know ASAP

[@philipe6293]

I made yogurt (with skim milk) for the first time but it seems gritty compared to store bought. Any reason why?

[@saremo83]

Can you freeze yogurt for starter even if you’ve added the sweetened condensed milk in the beginning?

[@shirleycovey7309]

That's a good question!

[@joanneleung2022]

What if using more starter ? Would it be faster?

[@MA-sz5xv]

I have tried the sweetened condensed milk and other creamers, the condensed milk comes out the best consistency. But using a whole can is too sweet. So I only use half a can, but can you double the amount of milk and still cook it for eight hours?

[@sandraolsen6596]

Yes you can.

[@eclecticraeen]

I just watched a video by instant pot doing this method, it's Alot more visual but yeah I definitely am doing this right now 😂

[@billbale3200]

If you use ultra-pasteurized milk you don't need to use the heating cycle as that was done at the milk processor. I have diabetes, so I've been fermenting my homemade yogurt for many years for 20 hours. It's close to being lactose free, so is quite sour. To get some sweetness back I use small amounts of monk fruit sweetener. To use I'll add blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, pears, and/or apples. These all have a low glycemic load. I'll use my heavy-duty blender and a wee bit of milk to make a smoothie with these fruits. I drain they whey from the finished yogurt, add some monk to it and drink it down.

[@jmason1770]

Your recipe says it makes 13 servings. What size are those servings (4 oz, 6 oz, etc)? Also, if I half the recipe (32 oz ultra filtered milk & 1 tablespoon live culture yogurt) is incubation time still 8-10 hours?

[@Thisisit120]

I use raw milk and it turns out great

[@AA-hy6dz]

I do the same. Have been making yogurt before instant pots were invented. In fact, in India my family made yogurt twice a day without instant pot.

[@monicagrab924]

リサちゃん、色々教えてくれてありがとう！！！応援してます。From Tokyo.

[@francevachon6847]

I have a question, if I want to make yogurt, but I would like to put flavors in it like a raspberry, strawberry or blueberry yogurt, what is the procedure, could you make a video about it please, that would be very interesting, on the other hand, I have a 3-quart pressure cooker, is it possible to have the recipe for the 2 formats (3 and 6 quarts)? Thank you and good day !

[@sandraolsen6596]

I have flavored mine with jam or preserve you can add fruit to it also. I choose to do my flavoring seperate each day that way I can have a change of flavor.

[@JoAnnCarpenter815]

Can you please recommend what way to make a nonfat vanilla Greek yogurt?

[@CFinch360]

Use nonfat milk and Greek yogurt starter, then let it sit/cook/in the pot till it thickens; I find the longer i leave it the thicker it gets. If you find it's not thick enough, you can strain it in some cheese cloth till it's the thickness you want. As she mentions, best to mix the vanilla extract in after fermentation.

[@kaylabryson1932]

@@CFinch360 thank you !

[@Kbcappetta377]

My yogurt is really liquid. How do i make it set? I strained some of it and put it all in the fridge to see if it will set more. It was in my IP on the yogurt setting for like 10 hours. How do i do it differently? Did I miss something?

[@kerrilea73]

Are you stirring before letting it set in fridge? I stopped doing that and it helped.

[@stevendunn264]

I bet it's the alcohol in the vanilla.

[@MR2Davjohn]

For what?

[@CFinch360]

@@MR2Davjohn She states that sometimes the yogurt with vanilla added doesn't set up properly, so likely as Steven says it's the alcohol which is causing this.

[@glw5166]

Good point.

[@NPonlamuangsri]

Added bonus: drastically reducing plastic consumption! 🎉

[@momstermom2939]

If your yogurt is very runny…start over with the same yogurt and ad a new starter and put back in the pot as before, just be sure to use a different starter…not the same one as before.

[@sapat664]

My last batch of yogurt came out runny and gloopy like maple syrup. Didn't do anything different, nothing was outdated, let go 10 hours. What happened?

[@sandraolsen6596]

If you still like the taste then just strain it to your thickness with coffee filters or thin cloth or cheesecloth. It will be fine.

[@geraldinelucas3143]

You made this so simple seems anyone could do it. Now if you would consider making sour dough starter, explain discard and all the other steps?

[@kathy4194]

Any brands you can find in regular stores?

[@samiolson9538]

I have found the fairlife brand at walmart,winco foods,and Kroger

[@jessicamartinez-rt5oo]

Target

[@TengoWiskeyFoxtrot]

I just tried to make it in little portion cups and ended up, 7hrs later, with warm milk that tasted like yogurt. The water she says to add messed it up. Now I’m out a gallon of milk and a whole day worth of time 😑 I almost didn’t put the water in cause I thought it seemed like a bad idea. But I followed the directions instead of my instincts. I’ve made lots of yogurt in the instant pot and it’s always turned out so great. I just wanted to try little portions because as we use up the yogurt it gets transferred to smaller containers and ends up looking all broken up and I thought if it started in small containers we could avoid that. Guess I’ll go back to just making one big batch. It’s a bummer to spend all that time and product to end up with something inedible. This is just a warning to those that are just starting out. Just do one big batch the first couple times. Cause if this happened on my first try, I probably wouldn’t have tried again.

[@reginaschellhaas1395]

I didn't realize that my IP had three heat settings for yogurt. First time, it was set on low, and we had yogurt milkshakes. Second time the same. Realized I had to set at Normal. Reprocessed the second batch at correct temperature with additional starter, saving that batch. I was determined to make it work, just my fault that I didn't understand my machine. Have been making successful Greek yogurt for two years. Very happy that I kept trying! Our household needs 1 quart of Greek every five days.Never thought of making in portion cups. Very sorry you had problems. My husband transfers 1/2 cup portions of strained "Greek" into lunch containers, it doesn't separate. Perhaps this would help you.

[@sylvielanglois1884]

The same thing happened to me. Also, I don’t understand her instructions for individual portions …she only made 3 portions of 8 onces ….what about the rest of the mix of milk and starter? It’s not worth the time! Waiting 8 hours for 3 portions of yogurt. I stacked them and many of them didn’t set properly but I think the problem is the water…why put water?

[@tinaharlan1191]

The water goes in the inner pot, not the small yogurt containers. First pour in water, rack goes in next😢, jars/small containers on the rack in the instant pot inner pot.

[@sylvielanglois1884]

@@tinaharlan1191 Of course the water doesn’t go in the small yogurt jar, I read the instructions! The question is why do we need to put water in the inner pot? The regular yogurt maker don’t use any water.

[@TengoWiskeyFoxtrot]

@@tinaharlan1191 I didn’t put the water in the portion cups 🙄 but the water evaporated and the steam messed up the batch. Since then I’ve made countless batches. Some in containers, some just one big batch. The smaller containers seem to take longer. If you just leave them in longer they eventually solidify. But I’m too lazy for that and we go thru it too fast. I just make a big pot and transfer to a few smaller containers after. I have not bought store bought yogurt in over a year 💜

[@LauraC369]

Will the IP work without the lid for the yogurt function??

[@priscillaespinozamiller2435]

No

[@elizabethG633]

I obviously have the larger newer pot and there are only four steps to make 2 quarts of yogurt.

[@DianaStettnisch]

Costco no longer carries that organic milk. Do you know of other places to purchase it?

[@momstermom2939]

I have had success using Walmart brand lactose free milk…which is ultra pasteurized…but it is not filtered. I also use Walmart plain Greek style yogurt as a starter.

[@sapat664]

Set my 6 qt instant Pot Duo Plus to 9:00 using the yogurt button. f

[@timucintimucin4146]

Yogurt is a Central Asian nomadic Turkish food. Another traditional Turkish drink made from yogurt is ayran. Just like kefir... It is another fermented Turkish food that was found by chance because nomadic Turkish tribes fermented their food to preserve it for a long time. Yogurt was formed by accidentally fermenting chickpea grains in milk. Yogurt is not a Greek food. Greek entrepreneurs who settled in America misrepresented it as Greek yogurt. Yogurt is unique and it is Turkish. Another misconception is that yogurt is fruity. This is also completely wrong. Yogurt is slightly sour with a slight sweetness from the lactose. They mixed yogurt with sugar and presented it to you to fit the American sweet palate.

[@gijoyjoy]

Why does it have to be "ultra" pasteurized milk? Yogurt has been made for hundreds, if not thousands of years. Most of the "old school" people use fresh milk from their own cows. Is this an Instant Pot requirement? FYI, more of the "old school" techniques usually wrap the lid in a tea towel to prevent condensation.

[@MR2Davjohn]

Greek yogurt is not " real, real thick". Greek yogurt is more often very soft, like a sauce that can be poured over veggies or fruit.

[@KevinWright-tk2il]

I'm in England I don't know what to look for am I stupid?

[@mikeg3281]

nothing new here,, this is the same recipe that comes with your instapot