Instant Pot Yogurt Recipe: Step-By-Step Guide (Delicious!)

Instant Pot Yogurt Recipe

For those of you who have been on the fence about making your own homemade yogurt in your Instant Pot®, hop on down and give it a try—after trying this Instant Pot yogurt recipe you will never go back to store-bought yogurt again.

I do have to admit I sat on that fence for quite some time and was very hesitant to pull the trigger, or rather push the “yogurt” button on my Instant Pot for fear of having to sample something that tasted like sour milk, or worse. In fact, I even attempted to bribe my children to take the first spoonful, and when neither one would bite the bullet so to speak, I had to take one for the team and be the guinea pig. To my surprise, my very first batch of instant pot yogurt turned out amazing!

Once I assured my children it was not only safe to eat but quite a delicious treat, they agreed to have a taste themselves and each asked for a bowl, then for a berry topping. We decided to divide the finished product into three sections and store them in Mason Ball jars. One with strawberries and blueberries, one plain, and one with added vanilla.

The directions for making the Instant Pot yogurt recipe are super simple. Truth be told, homemade yogurt may be one of the easiest cultured foods you can make provided you start with two very basic good quality ingredients.

Ingredients:

  • 1 gallon milk
  • 3 Tbsp plain yogurt with live cultures

Chef Tip: I used whole milk. I made a second (and a third batch) with 1% milk and fat free milk, and it resulted in a thinner yogurt that isn’t as smooth. Whole milk is smooth, rich, and creamy and doubles as dessert.

Chef Tip: It is crucial that you use yogurt that is high quality and unflavored and has active cultures. I used Fage 2%.

Delicious Instant Pot Yogurt Recipe

Directions:

  1. Add one gallon of milk to the Instant Pot and press the Yogurt button until it shows “boil.” This process takes roughly one hour and should result in the temperature reaching approximately 180 degrees F.
  2. Once the boiling process is done and the Instant Pot beeps, remove the inner pot and set aside for approximately one more hour until the temperature reaches 118 degrees F.
  3. Add 3 Tbsp of yogurt to the milk and stir until incorporated.
  4. Replace inner pot back into the Instant Pot and press Yogurt button until 10 minutes appears on the screen.
  5. Once the cooking process is done and the Instant Pot beeps, remove the inner pot and stir.
  6. Place yogurt into jars or containers and place into refrigerator.
  7. Store for 10 – 14 days (if your yummy yogurt lasts that long).
  8. Enjoy your instant pot yogurt!

Chef Tip: If you are pressed for time, you may set boiled milk in an ice bath to cool more quickly in between steps 2 and 3.

Chef Tip: Do not add flavoring or fruit until after the cooking process is complete.

Chef Tip: Save some of your batch of homemade yogurt by freezing a few tablespoons of it to use for your next batch, so you won’t need to use store-bought yogurt ever again. 😉

Nutrition Information:
Yields 16 one-cup servings

  • Calories: 136
  • Fat: 5.4 g
  • Carbs: 13 g
  • Sugar: 12 g
  • Fiber: 0 g
  • Protein: 10 g