Simple Homemade Yogurt in the Instant Pot – No Fuss
a no-fuss easy way to make homemade yogurt in the instapot. for the busy homesteaders who strive for functionality and simplicity.
If you follow my social media accounts you know that one of my favorite breakfast staples is a delicious yogurt smoothie because it’s quick, easy, and packed with healthy probiotics. So of course, as a mom, I’m here for it.
Unfortunately, good quality store-bought yogurt comes with a hefty price tag if you’re having it often. Especially if you plan to serve it up for your entire family.
That’s why I was determined to learn how to make quality yogurt myself but also make the process as simple as possible.
scroll down for video and printable recipe
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WHAT IF I’M LACTOSE INTOLERANT?
Many lactose intolerant people can tolerate yogurt but not milk because of the fermentation and straining process. My daughter is very lactose intolerant but has zero problems with the homemade yogurt I make because it’s fermented for a full 24 hours.
The longer it ferments the more sour it will taste but the longer it ferments, the more the lactose is broken down.
WHAT TOOLS DO I NEED?
All you need are 2 kitchen tools: first being a smart pressure cooker with a yogurt setting like the Instant Pot. I personally use the Mealthy Pot because at the time when I purchased it, it had more features than the Instant Pot and at a better price tag.
The second item is optional and that is a straining cloth so that you can turn regular yogurt into Greek Yogurt, sour cream, or even make a yogurt cream cheese!
WHAT IS A MOTHER YOGURT STARTER?
Any store-bought plain yogurt (preferably organic) will be perfect for your very first Mother Yogurt Starter. Then after that I will show you how to get your own mother yogurt starter from your home made yogurt batches.
Each time you want to make homemade yogurt you are going to need an already established yogurt bacteria. This small amount of good bacteria is going to take over your milk and battle any of the bad bacteria in the milk so that you end up with a fermented product and not a rotten one.
Also, the yogurt fermenting process is breaking down the lactose making it easier on the stomach.
If you are familiar with a sourdough starter it’s the same type of concept. People that are gluten intolerant can usually handle a sourdough bread because the sourdough starter has broken down the beginning parts of the grain making it easier for the stomach to digest.
scroll to bottom for printable recipe
INGREDIENTS FOR SIMPLE HOMEMADE YOGURT
- 1gallon milk (see notes)
- 1 cup Mother Yogurt Starter (see notes or blog post)
TOOLS FOR SIMPLE HOMEMADE YOGURT
- instant pot (or any other smart pressure cooker with yogurt function)
- (optional) straining cloth
INSTRUCTIONS FOR SIMPLE HOMEMADE YOGURT
- pour the entire gallon of milk into the Instant Pot
- take the sealing ring out of the lid then place the lid on the pot and into the locking position.
- turn the sealing/venting knob to “venting” (or set the switch to venting if you have a newer model)
- press the yogurt button 2 times to activate the “boil” function
- when the machine beeps that it is done boiling, turn the machine off and allow it rest for about 30 minutes or until the milk is cool enough to touch.
- add 1 cup of Mother Yogurt Starter to the pot and stir it in
- press the yogurt button until the machine reads “yogurt” then set the cook time for anything between 8 – 24 hours. (the longer it cooks, the less lactose there will be)
- when the machine beeps that it is done cooking, set aside 1 cup. This will be your Mother Yogurt Starter for the next time you make yogurt. You will only need 1 cup Mother Yogurt Starter so any excess can be stored to eat.
- Pour the remaining yogurt into airtight containers and store in fridge for up to 2 weeks. If you want thick creamy Greek Yogurt then strain all of your yogurt until it’s at your desired consistency. (You can even end up making a yogurt cream cheese if you leave it straining long enough!)
NOTES
whole milk will make creamier yogurt while non fat and raw milk will be more runny but you can use any type of cow, goat, or sheep milk for this recipe.
(repeat) Any store-bought plain yogurt (preferably organic) will work for your very 1st Mother Yogurt Starter.
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Simple No Fuss Homemade Yogurt
No-fuss easy way to make homemade yogurt in the instapot. for the busy homesteaders who strive for functionality and simplicity.
Ingredients
- • 1 gallon milk (see notes)
- • 1 cup Mother Yogurt Starter (see notes or blog post)
Instructions
TOOLS
- instapot (or any other smart pressure cooker with yogurt function)
- optional: straining cloth to make Greek Yogurt
HOW TO
- pour 1 gallon milk into InstaPot
- take sealing ring out of the lid then place the lid on the pot and into the locking position
- turn the sealing knob to the "venting" position (or set the switch to venting if you have a new model)
- press the yogurt button until the display screen reads "boil"
- when done boiling, turn the machine off and allow to rest for 30 minutes
- add 1 cup Mother Yogurt Starter to the pot and stir in
- press the yogurt button until the machine reads "yogurt" then set the cook time for 24 hours or a minimum of 8 hours. (the longer it cooks, the less lactose there will be)
- when its done cooking then set aside 1 cup to use as your Mother Yogurt Starter for the next time you make homemade yogurt.
- if you want to make Greek Yogurt then continue to the next step. If not then package your yogurt up and store it in the back of the fridge.
- to make Greek Yogurt pour the yogurt into a straining cloth and let rest until it's to your desired consistency. (about 2 hours = Greek Yogurt, about 4 hours = sour cream, or let sit overnight for yogurt cream cheese)
Notes
* whole milk will make creamier yogurt and non fat or raw milk will be more runny but any type of cow, goat, or sheep milk will still make delicious ready to eat yogurt.
* any store bought plain yogurt will work as a Mother Yogurt Starter. after you make your first batch though, you will save 1 cup from that to be your mother yogurt starter for the next time.
