This Easy Instant Pot Yogurt Is Simply Marvellous

Jill Nystul · May 13, 2023 · Updated: August 30, 2024

4 from 5 votes

It's never been easier to make delicious homemade yogurt! From sanitizing your tools to fermentation, you can do it all in your Instant Pot.

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One of the best things about making Instant Pot yogurt is that you can do every step right in one pot. So not only do you get to enjoy creamy and delicious homemade yogurt, but you’ll have fewer dishes to wash afterward!

How To Make Homemade Yogurt - homemade yogurt in a glass, topped with granola and fresh berries, with sliced fresh peach and fresh blackberries nearby

How does the Instant Pot method compare to making crockpot yogurt? I wouldn’t say it’s any more difficult, but it doesn’t take over my kitchen quite as much as doing it in a slow cooker, so that’s a win in my book.

This DIY yogurt method makes it easy to make healthy homemade yogurt with minimal effort and mess. Give it a try!

How To Make Homemade Yogurt - drizzling honey onto a glass of homemade yogurt topped with granola and fresh berries

Jillee’s Take:

I don’t eat much yogurt myself — my tolerance for lactose isn’t what it once was — but my family loves it. They all have their grocery store favorites, but they’re crazy about the flavor and quality of this homemade yogurt (and so am I, even if I can only have a spoonful!)

How To Make Easy Instant Pot Yogurt

A carton of organic whole milk and a small jar of plain yogurt sit on a kitchen countertop, poised for culinary magic. The milk carton is labeled

Ingredients:

1/2 gallon organic whole milk
2 Tbsp plain yogurt*

How To Make Homemade Yogurt - label on starter yogurt that says live active cultures

*Odd as it may seem, the easiest way to make yogurt is by taking advantage of the active bacterial cultures in yogurt! For best results, choose a high-quality yogurt containing live/active cultures (or a good yogurt starter).

How To Make Homemade Yogurt - instant pot, silicone spatula, measuring spoons, measuring cup, wire instant pot rack

Equipment:

Instant Pot
Metal rack or trivet
Heat-safe glass measuring cup
Tablespoon
Silicone spatula

Directions:

Step 1 – Sterilize Your Tools

It’s important to start your yogurt-making process with clean and sterilized equipment. Lucky for us, you can sanitize the tools you’ll be using right in your Instant Pot!

With the metal trivet in your Instant Pot, set your measuring cup, tablespoon, and spatula on the trivet. Add 2 cups of water to the pot, then use Manual or Pressure Cook to “cook” your tools on high pressure for 3 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, then use Quick Release and move your sanitized equipment to a clean surface.

How To Make Homemade Yogurt - pouring whole milk into instant pot; setting instant pot to

Step 2 – Heat The Milk

Pour 1/2 gallon of organic whole milk into your Instant Pot, then select the Yogurt program. Press Adjust until the display reads “boil,” then put the lid on without sealing it (or use a non-sealing glass Instant Pot lid, if you have one).

Let the milk slowly warm up until you hear the Instant Pot beep, about 40 minutes, at which point the display will change from “boil” to “yogt.” Check the temperature of your milk — it should be 180°F at this point.

How To Make Homemade Yogurt - setting instant pot to cook for 25 minutes; taking temperature of the yogurt mixture

(Milk isn’t quite up to temperature? No need to fret! Replace the lid, select the Slow Cook program, and continue checking the temperature of the milk every 5-10 minutes until it reaches 180°F.)

How To Make Homemade Yogurt - instant pot liner pot in a bowl of ice and water while a woman stirs the yogurt and takes a temp on it

Step 2 – Cool The Milk

The next step is to cool the milk back down. You can do this by letting it cool at room temperature until it reaches 110°F, or by putting the bottom of the stainless steel pot in a shallow bowl of ice water and stirring to cool it down more quickly.

(Some of the milk solids may stick to the sides or bottom of the pot, and that’s totally fine! Don’t try to scrape them off or mix them back into the milk.)

How To Make Homemade Yogurt - adding the starter yogurt to a measuring cup of milk; pouring the milk and starter into the instant pot

Step 3 – Add The Cultures

Scoop 1/2 cup of the warm milk into your glass measuring cup and add 2 tablespoons of high-quality plain yogurt. Stir gently with your silicone spatula until well combined, then pour the mixture back into the pot.

“Add about a half cup of powdered milk to the whole milk and yogurt mixture before putting it in the Instant Pot. It’ll keep it from being runny.”
– OGT Reader Sandra

How To Make Homemade Yogurt - instant pot on

Step 4 – Incubate

Put the lid back on your Instant Pot, select the Yogurt program again, and set the timer for 8 hours. Avoid moving or touching the pot during this time.

After 8 hours, taste the yogurt — if you like it, it’s done! If it’s not quite as tangy as you’d like, repeat the process for up to 4 more hours.

How To Make Homemade Yogurt - dipping a spoonful of thick yogurt out of the instant pot

Step 5 – Finish Up

At this point, you can either chill the yogurt as it is or strain it to achieve a thicker texture. To strain the yogurt, place a mesh sieve over a large bowl and line it with several layers of cheesecloth.

Scoop the yogurt into the cheesecloth-lined sieve and place the whole thing in your fridge for an hour or two. (This isn’t an exact science, so don’t worry about messing it up — if it ends up too thick, you can always stir some of the drained liquid back in to thin it out.)

How To Make Homemade Yogurt - spoonful of yogurt with fresh diced peach

How to Enjoy Leftovers

Store your homemade yogurt in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2-3 weeks. (It’s important to keep it a constant, cold temperature, so keep it closer to the back of your fridge.)

You can also freeze homemade yogurt for 1-2 months, though freezing it may affect the texture.

Serving Suggestions For Homemade Yogurt

Enjoy it plain, or with a bit of your favorite sweetener.
Use it in recipes that call for plain yogurt.
Stir some into pancake or waffle batter to give it a tangy flavor.
Add olive oil and garlic to the yogurt for a delicious chicken marinade.
Make frozen yogurt pops (or my personal favorite, frozen yogurt dots!)
Add some applesauce and cinnamon for a healthy snack.
Top with granola and fruit for a tasty parfait.
Use it in Yogurt Apple Dip.
Make Yogurt-Dipped Strawberries.

BONUS: How To Make Vegan Yogurt In An Instant Pot

Vegan or lactose-intolerant? Use these tips to make homemade non-dairy yogurt:

To make soy yogurt, follow the recipe above using plain, unsweetened soy milk in place of whole milk. (Choose soy milk that contains only soy and water, such as Westsoy.)
Instead of regular yogurt, use a couple of tablespoons of plain, unsweetened soy yogurt or a vegan yogurt starter.
Incubate the yogurt for 14-24 hours, rather than 8-12 hours. (The longer you incubate it, the tangier it will get.)

Frequently Asked Questions

Is There An Easy Yogurt Recipe For Instant Pots?

The easy Instant Pot yogurt recipe in this post is a great way to make delicious, creamy yogurt at home. The Instant Pot Yogurt program makes it simple to heat the milk, add a starter, and incubate/ferment it to tangy perfection.

Do You Need A Yogurt Starter To Make Homemade Yogurt?

Yes and no. You need active cultures to turn milk into yogurt, but store-bought yogurt works just as well as a yogurt starter. I suggest using store-bought yogurt for your first attempt at yogurt-making because it’s inexpensive and easy to find.

Can I Use Low-Fat Milk Instead Of Whole Milk?

Absolutely! Whole milk makes for rich, creamy yogurt, but you can use low-fat or even non-fat milk if you prefer. The finished product will likely be a bit thin, but you can always strain some liquid out to thicken it.

How Long Does It Take To Make Yogurt In An Instant Pot?

Instant Pot yogurt takes time to make, but it’s worth it as far as I’m concerned! From heating the milk to the end of fermentation, the process takes 8-12 hours, but it’s mainly passive time.

What If The Instant Pot Beeps Before The Milk Reaches 180°F?

If your Instant Pot indicates that the milk has reached the proper temperature and it hasn’t, don’t panic! You can always use Slow Cook to continue heating the milk, then switch back to the Yogurt program when it gets to 180°F.

Do I Have To Cool The Milk Before Adding The Cultures?

Yes! Don’t skip this step, because hot milk can kill the active cultures and make the whole process moot. A little patience goes a long way with yogurt-making!

What Can I Do With The Liquid After Straining Yogurt?

Feel free to discard it, or add it to a fruit smoothie or protein shake!

Conclusion

The Instant Pot is one of the most versatile small kitchen appliances out there — after all, what other countertop cooker can you use to make homemade yogurt? Once you taste it, you’ll wonder why you didn’t try making yogurt in the Instant Pot sooner!

If you’re mystified by all this Instant Pot or are new to pressure cooking, I’ve written plenty of Instant Pot posts that can help you master the basics!

What’s your favorite way to serve yogurt?

Easy Instant Pot Yogurt Recipe

Jill Nystul

Follow these steps to make your own delicious homemade yogurt with minimal effort and mess.

4 from 5 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1

Cook Time 0

Incubation Time 8

Total Time 9

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings

Calories 196 kcal

Equipment

Instant Pot
Metal rack or trivet
Heat-safe glass measuring cup
Tablespoon
Silicone spatula

Ingredients

1/2 gallon whole milk organic
2 Tbsp plain yogurt