Instant Pot Yogurt

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I did it. I tried the mythical Instant Pot yogurt. For weeks since I got my Instant Pot, I have been staring at that Yogurt button, but was afraid of it going catastrophically wrong. Well, last night I bit the bullet and tried it. I am converted. I may never buy store-bought yogurt again. This Instant Pot yogurt is so creamy, so thick, and so delicious!

This process may not be quick, but it is easy, and most of the cook time is passive (I incubated it overnight while I slept). You only need two ingredients to make plain yogurt, though you could sweeten or flavour it if you chose. I personally like plain yogurt, so that is what I went with.

Use 2% milk or higher to get the thick and creamy yogurt we are looking for. You will also need  starter for your yogurt. This can either be packaged yogurt starter, which can be purchased online, or plain yogurt with active cultures. I chose to go with the yogurt option, as there are several options readily available here.

I plan on experimenting with non-dairy options soon, and will post when I do!

Boil the Milk

There are recipes for making Instant Pot yogurt which skip this step (called the cold start method), and I could have since I bought the ultra filtered milk, but I wanted to try the normal method first. If you are not using ultra-filtered milk, you need to boil and cool your milk prior to inoculating and  incubating it.

Make sure that your Instant Pot liner and all utensils have been thoroughly washed with soap, and rinsed with very hot water. Dry completely with a clean kitchen towel. Pour the milk into the pot, and lock the lid in place, but do not turn the knob to Sealing. If you have a glass lid that will fit on your pot, you can use that instead. (I bought this set that contains a glass lid, a plastic lid for storing, and 2 extra sealing rings). Select the Yogurt function, and press the button until BOIL appears on the screen.

The Instant Pot will beep and display YOGT when the boil cycle is complete. Check the temperature with a thermometer to make sure it is 180-200F (82-93C). Remove the liner from the Instant Pot to cool.

Cool the Milk and Add the Starter

Cool the milk to 105-115F (40-46C). This can either be done by letting it cool on the counter for approx an hour, or by placing the pot in an ice bath for 5-10 minutes. Skim off any skin that forms on the top of the milk before proceeding.

Put the yogurt starter in a glass measuring cup or bowl. Add one cup of the cooled milk and whisk thoroughly to make sure the sure the starter is completely mixed in. Add the starter mixture to the rest of the pot, and mix well.

Incubate the Yogurt

If you used the ice bath method, thoroughly dry the outside of the pot before placing back in the base. Put the lid back on, and select the Yogurt function again. Default time will set to 8 hours, but you can increase or decrease this depending on how tangy you like your yogurt (more time = more tang). Unlike the other functions, the time will begin to count up instead of down, and will display YOGT again once the time is up. I let the yogurt incubate overnight.

When the yogurt is done, it should have thickened. You can do the “spoon test” to see if it is thick enough to hold a spoon standing. Transfer the Instant Pot Yogurt to the fridge to chill for a few hours.

If you plan to make more yogurt, save 2 tbsp and freeze to use as your next batch starter.

You can add any sweeteners or flavouring you like once the yogurt is finished.  Transfer the yogurt to sealed containers and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

This yogurt would be fantastic topped with my Instant Pot Cherry Compote.

Enjoy!