Starting to make Instant Pot Yogurt on a regular basis is one of the most gratifying things I home make. It really couldn’t be any easier with the Instant Pot. No more trying to get the right temperature or the right texture. This one is perfect every. single. time.
Plain Yogurt is definitely a staple in our family. It is one of our favorite breakfasts or “goûters” (aka afternoon snack), plain yogurt with a sprinkle of sugar and sliced almonds, sometimes blueberries or seasonal fruit. Pablo also loves it with homemade granola. The French will often have yogurt for dessert at the end of the meal.
I also use yogurt A LOT in cooking, to make tzatziki and other dips, creamy garnish for soups or vegetables, deviled eggs, French yogurt cake. Possibilities are endless!
So here I go with my case for homemade Instant Pot Yogurt! 🙂
It is worth buying an Instant Pot JUST for making homemade yogurt
If you like yogurt and consume it regularly, even if you don’t use the Instant Pot for anything else (and I’m pretty sure you will, as I did), it’s worth having it. It just takes all the guess work out of the task, which in turns helps making it more regularly and consistently. It can become a habit and part of your routine and only requires a few minutes of your time.
I recommend using frozen Yogurt Culture for your Instant Pot Yogurt
While you can absolutely use 1 TBSP of good quality live plain yogurt (not too much, here’s why), I found that the texture is more consistent and reliable when I use Yogurt Culture. I get all my cultures and rennets here. A small container lasts a really long time, at 1/8 tsp per 1/2 gallon.
Foods taste better when you make them
Well, most of the time 😉 What I mean, is that when you’ve taken the time and made the effort to homemake something, you tend to enjoy it more mindfully and have that sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. You enjoy it with that added sense of gratification, and gratitude for the process and for yourself. This is definitely a process children can be involved in, whether it’s pouring the milk in the bowl for younger children, to measuring the temperature and learning about yogurt bacteria for older children. They too will enjoy it differently if they’ve participated in the process!
Homemade Yogurt means you buy less plastic!
Most good yogurt nowadays come in plastic tubs, I used to buy 2 tubs of plastic a week. Now I make it and re-use glass jars. That’s about 100 less plastic tubs a year. It’s a small step, but still significant if more of us do it.
All right, I think I’ve made my case 🙂 Let me know how your yogurt turns out and if you’re ready to make the switch!
And check out my Reels on Instagram for a quick video tutorial!
Instant Pot Yogurt
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/2 gallon whole milk
- 1/8 tsp Yogurt Culture Or 1 TBSP plain whole milk yogurt
Instructions
- Pour the milk in the Instant Pot bowl, close the lid, and press on "Yogurt" then "Adjust" until it reads "Boil" (the position of the release valve doesn't really matter, I leave it on seal.)
- When the Instant Pot beeps, press on "Keep Warm" and leave for 45 min to an hour (This makes for a thicker yogurt)
- Prepare an ice bath in a large bowl, and place the Instant Pot bowl in the ice bath, and cool until it reaches 112° to 115° F. (*This takes about 10 min, keep an eye. Several times, I've waited to long or forgot about it. You can then replace it in the "Keep Warm" setting of the I.P. without the lid on, to bring the temp back up).
- Replace the Instant Pot bowl in the Instant Pot, and add the yogurt culture. Stir.
- Press the "Yogurt" function, and "Adjust" until it reads 08:00. You can increase to 08:30 or 09:00, depending on how tangy you want the yogurt.
- When the yogurt is done (and it's OK if it sits for a bit in the Instant Pot, you don't have to jump on it as soon as it beeps, I've sometimes left it for a couple hours), take the bowl, cover it (don't stir the yogurt) and place it in the fridge to set, 4 hours or more. *Tip: If you see some whey on the edges, and you want the yogurt thicker, you could gently absorb it with a paper towel.
- Now, you're ready to whisk the yogurt and put it in glass jars! It'll last 2 weeks easy in the fridge! 2 jars usually last us about one week 🙂 Enjoy!
Love this recipe. So easy and the result is this creamy yogurt that tastes so much like the ones from France.