Instant Pot Yogurt

overhead view of 2 glasses of yogurt with fruit and drizzled with honey on round wooden cutting board, with gold spoon, scattered fruit and honey dipper on side, with instant pot and fruit in background

Try a new function on your Instant Pot and make an easy, healthy batch of homemade yogurt! With the yogurt setting and just a few ingredients, enjoy budget-friendly and probiotic-rich yogurt that pairs perfectly with fruit and granola, or can be used in sauces, dips, and baked goods. Prep Instant Pot yogurt for the week and customize however you like!

Course Breakfast, Meal Prep, Snack

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Incubation and Refrigeration 10

Total Time 10 15

Servings

Calories 154kcal

Author Jennifer Draper

Equipment

Instant Pot
Strainer
Cheesecloth (optional)
Instant-read thermometer
Glass containers

Ingredients

½ gallon 8 cups whole milk
2  Tbsp plain yogurt with active cultures or ½ tsp freeze-dried starter
2  Tbsp non-instant powdered milk or dried whey optional for extra thickness

Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

Rinse and sterilize Instant Pot liner by adding 2 cups of water and setting Instant Pot to high pressure for 3 minutes.
Pour milk into liner. Press Yogurt, then adjust setting until display reads Boil. Since this does not require pressure-cooking, the lid does not need to be sealed. Heat to 180 ℉ (about 30-45 minutes).
Remove liner from Instant Pot. Cool milk to 110 ℉ (use ice bath if desired), and remove any film from surface.
Optional: To thicken into a creamier texture, stir in 2 tablespoons of powdered milk.
Whisk starter yogurt or powdered culture into ½ cup of warm milk, then whisk it back into pot.
Return liner to pot, press Yogurt (adjust to Low or Medium if available), and set timer for the incubation period: 6 hours = mild, 8 hours = medium, 10 hours = tangy, 12 hours = thick and tart ('labneh")
Once done, refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours (or overnight for optimal texture).
Optional: For Greek-style yogurt, strain yogurt through cheesecloth for 2-4 hours in the fridge.
Stir yogurt before serving and enjoy plain or with honey, fruit, granola, or use in cooking.

Notes

Store yogurt in the fridge in airtight glass containers or jars for up to 2 weeks. Wide-mouth Mason jars or glass meal prep containers are excellent options for portioned storage and easy serving.
Use an instant-read thermometer to ensure accurate temperatures.
If the yogurt is runny, strain it through cheesecloth after incubation, or add powdered milk before incubation.
Yogurt is set when it jiggles slightly. Taste it to check for the desired amount of tanginess and incubate longer if needed.
To smooth out lumps, whisk the yogurt after it has chilled, or use an immersion blender.
Reserve 2 tablespoons of finished yogurt in the fridge as a starter culture. Use within 7-10 days for your next batch.

Nutrition