You only need two ingredients to turn soy milk into Instant Pot yogurt.. It could not be easier. Join me, as I spill all of my yogurt-making tricks!
When I got my Instant Pot last year, one thing I was sure I’d never use was the yogurt function. We have so many good vegan yogurts on store shelves, why bother making my own? Oh how wrong I was!
Y’all, I make soy yogurt on a weekly basis now. It is SO much cheaper than store-bought, and my homemade soy yogurt is free of additives. But my favorite thing about it is that it’s unsweetened.
Why Make Instant Pot Soy Yogurt?
Store-bought soy yogurts – even most marked “plain” – are all so sweet. I can’t handle it. And I like sweet food!
But when you’re cooking with yogurt, maybe you’re trying to make something savory or maybe you just want to mix in some strawberry jam without turning your breakfast bowl from a little bit sweet to tooth-meltingly sugary.
When you make your own soy yogurt from scratch, it can be truly unsweetened, so you have a lot more control over the sweetness when you’re cooking with it.
About This Recipe
My recipe is based on my adventures with the soy yogurt recipe in Vegan Under Pressure by Jill Nussinow. At first, I was hesitant to post my recipe, since in some ways it’s so much like the one in the book.
But after answering tons of questions from friends, family, and readers about how to make yogurt in the Instant Pot, I felt like it might be worthwhile to share what I’d learned.
There are dozens of amazing pressure cooker recipes in Vegan Under Pressure, and I encourage you to grab a copy. I refer to it several times a week for full recipes and for her bean, grain, and veggie cooking times, which are way more accurate than the booklet that came with my Instant Pot.
The recipe below is what I landed on after a lot of tinkering with cooking times and some technique changes that make it less messy.
I’ve also included a variation from my friend Erin at Kitchen Gadget Vegan. She does a soy-coconut mix that her family loves.
Making Soy Yogurt in the Instant Pot: What You Need to Know
Choose the Right Soymilk
The key to making soy yogurt in the Instant Pot is exactly what Nussinow says in her book: you have got to use soy milk that’s only soybeans and water. No gums. No gels. No thickeners. Trust me.
I didn’t believe this at first, and I tried using the gum-thickener-gel-ful soy milk from our fridge, and the yogurt it produced was sticky a nightmare floating in a jar of water.
I don’t throw food away lightly, and I threw this out after just a couple of bites. There was no way to stir the floaty part and watery part together. It was a total lost cause.
There are two common brands that fit the bill: Eden Foods and Westsoy. I have some ethical issues with Eden Foods, so I go for Westsoy Organic, and it works like a charm. If you can’t find it in the store, you can order online.
The great thing about Westsoy is that it doesn’t need to be refrigerated, because of how it’s packaged.
The Cost
One 32 ounce box of soy milk makes two pints of soy yogurt in the Instant Pot. The Westsoy that I linked to shakes out to about $4 per box. That’s $2 per pint of homemade, additive free, organic, unsweetened soy yogurt. See? Worth it!
Cooking Time
I’ve seen cooking times for Instant Pot yogurt that vary anywhere from 8 hours to 24. That’s a big range, and it took me a lot of batches to hone in on the ideal time.
Fourteen hours seems to be the magic time for making Instant Pot yogurt. You can go as low as 10 hours, but for that perfectly-tangy soy yogurt that’s thick enough to eat with a spoon, 14 is ideal.
14 Hours is Forever
There’s nothing instant about making Instant Pot yogurt.
Making that 14 hour cooking time work for you is all about planning. Don’t make the mistake I did a few times, starting your batch of yogurt in the morning.
If you do that, your Instant Pot will be tied up all day. It won’t be there for you when you want to make rice and steam broccoli for your supper.
Instead, start your yogurt in the evening, so it will be ready for the morning. If you normally get up and have breakfast at 7am, start that yogurt at 5pm. Fourteen hours later, it’s ready for breakfast, like magic!
There’s nothing like starting the day with a bowl of fresh yogurt that you made yourself. And since most of the cooking happens while you’re asleep, it makes the 14 hours seem a little bit more instant.
Eating Homemade Soy Yogurt
Homemade soy yogurt with no added thickeners is not going to be as thick as the soy yogurts that you’re used to eating. That’s just science. You have three options:
- Add a thickener. I do not like working with thickeners, so if that’s what you want to do, I’d suggest looking at the Vegan Under Pressure recipe. Jill has directions there, if you want to go that route.
- Strain it. You can strain the yogurt through a few layers of cheesecloth to get rid of some excess whey and make a thicker yogurt. This takes longer, and you end up with a little more than half of what you started with, so I don’t do it. But you can!
- Embrace it. This yogurt isn’t Greek yogurt, but it is freaking delicious. You can eat it with a spoon or treat it like a thick yogurt drink.
My favorite way to eat it is with strawberry jam mixed in. Darrol Henry prefers his with maple syrup. It’s also great in any recipe that calls for yogurt. Or as a replacement for sour cream.
How to Make Soy Yogurt in the Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1 32 ounce box soy milk - Choose a brand that’s ONLY soybeans and water – see above.
- 2 tablespoons plain vegan yogurt of your choice - Don’t worry – the small amount of gums in this won’t mess with the final yogurt’s texture!
Instructions
- Divide the soy milk between two wide mouth pint jars. Add a tablespoon of yogurt into each jar, stirring well.
- Carefully place the jars into the bottom of your Instant Pot (not on the rack – for some reason, it won’t make yogurt if you do that). Lock the lid, make sure the vent is sealed, and press the Yogurt button. Set it for 14 hours.
- In the morning, you’ll have yogurt! Stir before serving, since it does tend to separate. Your soy yogurt will keep for about 5 days in the fridge.
Notes
- Making that 14 hour cooking time work for you is all about planning. Don’t make the mistake I did a few times, starting your batch of yogurt in the morning. If you do that, your Instant Pot will be tied up all day. It won’t be there for you when you want to make rice and steam broccoli for your supper. Instead, start your yogurt in the evening, so it will be ready for the morning.
- You can also use a mix of coconut cream and soy yogurt. Erin Glasser-Devore from Kitchen Gadget Vegan perfected this variation on the recipe below. She divides a 5.5 oz can of coconut cream between the two jars, then adds the yogurt, then tops off with soy milk. Stir well, and cook for 14 hours.
Katie
Thank you so much for this simple and delicious recipe! I like this yogurt so much more than store bought – being able to control the sweetness and tang is key! I can see this becoming a regular staple in my meal prep routine.
I used five 8 oz jars instead of pint jars and set the time to 13 hours; this yielded good results.
Becky Striepe
Ooh making single-serve jars is such a great idea! I need to pick up a pack of smaller jars and do that next time.
Janet
I too have 8oz jars…how much starter yogurt did you add to each jar?
Katie
I used 2 tsp of soy yogurt per 8 oz. jar.
wendy hoy
Your yogurt recipe is perfect and thank you! Do you have any suggestions on what to do with the yogurt besides having it for breakfast?
Becky Striepe
Thank you, Wendy! I also use it in place of sour cream on things like chili or baked potatoes. What I love about making my own is that it’s truly unsweet, so you can use it in sweet or savory applications! 🙂
Anonymous
For once, a recipe on Pinterest that really is as good and easy as the introduction says! Thank you! 🙂
Becky Striepe
Thank you!
kimi
Can you use 2 spoonfuls of your homemade yogurt to start your next batch? Or keep the original storebought yogurt to start your next batch a few days later?
Becky Striepe
I haven’t tried using homemade yogurt to start a new batch, but other commenters have said that may not work as well. You can definitely use the storebought to start the next batch a few days later! I wouldn’t keep an open yogurt for longer than 3 days, but in that window, you should be a-OK.
Estela
You can!! I use 1/2 cup to a box of soy milk each time. Just make sure everything is clean.
Becky Striepe
Oh this is great to know!! Thank you so much for chiming in, Estela!
Jamie
Thanks so much for this recipe! My soy yogurt was perfect after 14 hours (I did add a tiny bit of maple syrup to feed the bacteria) and it has been hard not to scarf it all up at once. I’ve never liked plain yogurt until now. I love it so much.
I was wondering if you think the time should change if I make the yogurt in half-pint jars instead of pint ones. I thought the yogurt might keep better if I don’t keep opening and closing the lid on the pint jars. Also half a pint is a pretty good serving size.
Becky Striepe
Ooh that’s a good idea to use smaller jars! The time should be fine as-is, but you can always start at 12, taste, and add an hour or two if it isn’t as tart as you like.
Thank you so much for taking the time to rate and comment – it means a lot to me when people do that!
marcy
Just got my instant, and tried your recipe. I love the simplicity and 2 ingredients.
now that I have made yogurt can I use my own yogurt instead of buying packaged yogurt.
thanks
Marcy
Rhoda Mae
Why do you put the yogurt in the mason jars and not directly in the pot? I just got an instant pot and am not very familiar with it. I also noticed that you did not warm the milk to 115 degrees before putting it in the jars/pot. Is that step not necessary?
I’ve made a lot of soy yogurt in the past in the oven (using oven light only as warmth) with a mason jar. I never used yogurt as a starter, but used probiotic capsules (emptying the capsule contents in the milk) and a small amount of honey. The downside to the oven is that the oven is unusable for 24 hours.
Becky Striepe
I put it in the jars so I don’t have to wash anything when the yogurt is done, because I store it in the same jars I use to make it. 🙂 Warming the milk is not necessary when you use this method in the Instant Pot. You can use a yogurt starter instead, if you prefer – there are some comments from other folks who have done that successfully.
I hope this helps clarify!
Crystal
Hi,
So you are putting the Mason jars directly in the instant pot without any water on the bottom? The directions that came with the IP say to add water, but they are boiling the milk beforehand. Just thought I’d check before messing it all up! Thanks
Becky Striepe
No water needed in this recipe! I was worried about that, too, the first time, but it works perfectly!
Sean Macleish
How does it “cook” after you the press the yogurt button and set the time? Does it get warm at all because when I have touched the outside of my 3 QT IP, I feel nothing. Just want to make sure I am not missing a step.
Becky Striepe
You’re not missing a step! It holds it at a temperature that’s ideal for yogurt, which isn’t very hot.
Jane
Can I use almond milk instead of soy?
Becky Striepe
I haven’t tried it with almond, so I’m not sure. If you do give it a try, I’d love if you left a comment about how it went! I’m sure other folks would want that information, too.
Zona
Yes, many people do that.
Tim
Hi. Thanks a lot for this recipe! For a while I was buying quarts of soy yogurt at Whole Foods, but for some reason those got discontinued. There were 2 companies that made this, one whose name I’ve forgotten, and the other was called Pam’s. But then they stopped selling the stuff. Someone told me that this practice was shut down by the FDA because there were some health code violations involved. I looked around online for some info on that, but never found any.
So I have been trying for a while to make vegan yogurt at home, and there were always problems. Too thin, not enough fermentation, off flavors, et cetera. I was adding thickeners, like Instant Clear Jel, and that helped, but it still was not what I wanted. Then I tried your recipe once, and it works great! So thank you.
Becky Striepe
I’m so glad it was helpful. YES! I remember that good soy yogurt, too and am blanking on the company name. The one I’m thinking of expanded too quickly and ran out of money. Such a sad time. At least now we can make our own.
Bett
That was Whole Soy brand yogurt! I miss it so much!
I was so sad when they shut down. First, they were having problems in the shared factory where they did their thing. So they built a new factory, but only opened (at long last) for a couple of weeks before going completely out of business. It was too bad, because they had a great product.
But I’m not sad any more! This page helped me finally make good yogurt, and I’m going great guns! (And with Westsoy Organic Unsweetened Plain Soymilk costing $2.19 per quart at Trader Joe’s, I can afford to once again introduce lots and lots of yogurt back into my life. Next: making my own soymilk! It’ll cost even less!)
Here’s how it went: I started with a quart and some older probiotics the other day. Nothing happened, so I went out and bought new probiotics, added them to the same jar of soymilk and started it again, and it went like 60! However I let it go too long and it ended up with not a perfect texture, too sour, and with an odd sort of fruity flavor that I found distasteful.
But I started it draining to see how that would go, and meanwhile began another quart and inoculated it with the first batch, and #2 is AWESOME!
I have now started two new quarts using the second batch as the starter, am draining the rest of #2 for Greek yogurt, and have already used about half a cup of it to make an amazing ranch dressing, YUM!
Thanks so much!!!!!!
Becky Striepe
YES – thank you! I miss Whole Soy – they did a great job. I’m glad to hear you could use batch 1 to make a second one – I never remember to start a second batch in time to try!
Trena
I received my instant pot yesterday and could hardly wait for 5 p.m. to start this yogurt recipe. Years ago I had a yogurt maker and tried many many times with pretty bad results, no matter what I did. This morning I was completely delighted when I open the instant pot and found the most perfectly formed yogurt. And it is DELICIOUS! I used the Westsoy milk as you suggested. And my starter was Almond Dream plain low fat yogurt. I set it for 14 hours. I am sure I will enjoy using my new instant pot for many WFPB recipes…but if I only used it for this yogurt, it would be worth it! Thank you so much for this recipe, and I look forward to exploring the rest of your website.
Becky Striepe
Oh I love hearing this! Enjoy your new IP. We use ours a lot, especially for cooking grains and quick soups.
Roger Day
I’ve made your soy yogurt week after week, month after month, for well over a year. After some initial experimentation with cook time and amount of probiotic to include, I get great results and consistent results. Your original recipe post used probiotic capsules, now you’ve shifted to existing non-dairy yogurt as starter.
I need help. The last two or three batches – – unlike countless previous batches – – I’m getting huge separation in all the jars (I use 64 oz Edensoy and three probiotic capsules, about 13 hours in IP), again, unlike many many previous batches using same process and ingredients.
Why is this separation occurring now? Thanks!
kathy
I don’t have yogurt button on my instant pot, can I still make yogurt in it and if so how???? So bummed to see no button on mine.
Becky Striepe
Oh no! I am not sure how to do it without one. Basically, what that function does is maintain a specific temperature for the set amount of time. I’m not sure how you’d do that manually. I’m sorry! 🙁
Sakshi
Hey Kathy!
India has a long tradition of making yogurt without any Instant Pots. We call it Dahi! The key is to keep the temperature constant like Becky says. I usually make yogurt with dairy for which we just heat the milk and let it too cool to a specific temperature and then add starter yogurt. To keep it warm, I wrap the covered jar/ bowl in tea towels or a throw for 5-6 hours and check after that.
You can also use a heating pad on the lowest setting and keep the jars covered with a thick cloth. Making any kind of yogurt comes with practice and the quality does improve with subsequent starter yogurts with each batch.
I am keen to make vegan yogurt at home soon as a lot of readers on our blog have asked for a recipes. Will try Beckie’s recipe soon without an Instant Pot and share results with you guys soon! ??
Cheryl
It worked!! I’m so happy! I love my Instant Pot and use it all the time, but had been a little intimidated to make yogurt, since it seemed too complicated, and I’m a lazy cook. This worked on the first try, and the soy yogurt is exactly the way I like it. Thank you thank you! 🙂
Becky Striepe
Hooray! You sound like me the first time I made IP yogurt. I felt like a wizard!
Lisa
I have a 3 qt instant pot. Can I make yogurt directly in the liner, or is there a reason why I need to use mason jars. Please advise. Thank you.
Becky Striepe
You can do that. I use the jars because they are also the jars I store them in. Less clean-up!
Becky Striepe
I have never done that.
Jim Beerstecher (Jim B)
Thanks so much for this recipe! It’s so wonderful to get info that is devoid of plugs, underlying profit motives, and consumerism. I’ve been making soy yogurt for some time, since about the time I read your blog!
Before I found your recipe, I’d read countless articles and blogs about the bad soybean, special ingredients necessary to make soy yogurt, and health warnings.
It’s wonderful! It’s simple! It’s real food! And it makes a whole bunch for a half cup of organic, non-gmo soybeans and less than half a teaspoon of probiotic powder.
I’ve made the Greek yogurt style several times, too, but gave up on it in favor of the delicious liquidy yogurt!
Your post is one of the many that have helped me break free of the consumer mentality toward food and health and get my life back on the road and running well. Thanks!
Angela McKee
Hey Becky. I can’t believe how easy this sounds. I do like a thicker yogurt texture. What would you think adding a bit of chia would do to the processing?
Thanks for doing all the groundwork for us all ?
Becky Striepe
Ooh interesting! Like ground chia? It’s worth a shot! It does gel up. I think the trick would be getting it smooth enough to not make the yogurt gritty maybe.
Angela McKee
I started my first batch today with your basic ingredients but I’ll try the chia and let you know. Wasn’t thinking of ground though.
Becky Striepe
I can’t wait to hear what happens!!
Pam
Hi
Thanks for the clear recipe!
It came out really thin?
Did I do something wrong?
Pam
Becky Striepe
No, it is on the thin side unless you use thickeners.
Zahava
Looks great! Does the yogurt need to have live cultures or will any vegan work?
Becky Striepe
It definitely needs to have live cultures.
Heather
Thank you so much for this great recipe! I have been searching for a dairy free recipe that was easy to make. It turned out absolutely perfect just as you said. I love the taste and the texture. Thank you so much for sharing.
Becky Striepe
You are so welcome! I’m delighted to hear it.
Rakefet
I stock up on the Westsoy boxes at our local Austin Trader Joe’s. It’s $2.50 a box, the cheapest I’ve found it anywhere. Thanks for the recipe! Can’t wait to try it!
Becky Striepe
Ooh I need to heck tjs here!
Jess
So I made this today and it looks like it turned out perfect. However it was done around 9:30 *14 hrs after I set it* but I didn’t get home until 1pm. I thought for some reason my IP would stay on but it didn’t. Is it bad now? Or will it be safe to eat? I have a toddler and I’m about 11 weeks pregnant so I want to be safe!
Becky Striepe
Oh man. I am not 100% sure. I hate to waste food but I wouldn’t risk it. I’m so sorry!
Jay
Just to be super clear, is the lid off on the pint jars you place in the instant pot? Yogurt making newb here lol
Becky Striepe
Yes, leave the lids off. Happy yogurt-making!!
Linda weinberger
Hi Becky. I alway thought I just have to use the West Soy Organic unsweetened soy milk to make the yogurt in my yogurt maker but yesterday I used the organic unsweetened vanilla soymilk and both my husband and I said it was the best ever. It just has natural vanilla flavor and others natural flavors (not sure what they are)
Linda
Becky Striepe
Ooh this is great to hear! Was it the West Soy brand still or another brand?
Linda weinberger
It was the West Soy brand that I bought by mistake from Wegmans. Didn’t even realize I used it until we tasted it. I thought it tasted a little vanilla but when my husband commented it tasted a little maple, I checked the recycle bin and sure enough it was the West Soy unsweetened vanilla soy milk
Becky Striepe
Ooh a little vanilla and a little maple? Don’t mind if I do!
Linda
Hi Becky
By mistake today I used the Westsoy Organic Original plain soy milk but it wasn’t unsweetened. It has brown rice syrup and sea salt. My yougurt is usually done it 10 hours but I don’t believe it is working because it just take sweet and is not getting tart at all and has not thickened. I’m disappointed. Last week it also did not work too well. Maybe I had the wrong soymilk last week as well. I’ll have a to be more careful. Frustrating since it usually comes out great
West
Becky Striepe
Oh dear! You used the same starter as you usually do?
Linda
Yes same culture but I’m sure this time it was because I bought the sweetened soy milk. It also has sea salt. I’ll try again tomorrow.
Becky Striepe
That is so interesting! Keep me posted for sure!
Linda weinberger
You are not going to believe it but after about 18 hours, I got
Yogurt. Because I bought the sweet soy milk by mistake it much sweeter then we are used too but we’ll eat it anyway.
Becky Striepe
I’m glad it worked out, at least somewhat!
Dee
This is wonderful and I’m so excited to make some vegan yogurt for my daughter who has a severe casein/dairy allergy! I’m just confused because I’ve seen so many people who say that the probiotics need sugar to feed on in order for the process to work (this would be the lactose in dairy) and unsweetened soy milk would need to have sugar (honey, maple syrup or whatever) added in order to work. I guess I can try it first without it, but I’m just baffled because that information seems reasonable, but then this recipe seems to work for lots of folks, so….? Strange! Anyway- will try both ways and see! Thank you!
Roger
Nice connection you’re making, Dee. Remember that sugars occur in various forms. I use Westsoy organic plain (nothing but water and soybeans). A 1-cup serving contains 4 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams of which are sugars. It’s there. No need to add.
Natalia
I am not yogurt lover. I made this first batch from your recipe since my three kids and husband love yogurt on their fruit in the morning. I wanted to report that it is fantastic. Thank you so much for putting this recipe together. I am now using it on my fruit as well!!
Becky Striepe
Oh my gosh, I love to hear that! Thank you, Natalia!
Christine L
Can you use the homemade yogurt as the starter for the next batch? Do you know how many times you can do this?
Becky Striepe
I haven’t done this., because I’ve never been able to time it right with finishing one batch and making the next. There are some comments below suggesting that it won’t work, though.
Jill, The Veggie Queen
I have used my yogurt as the starter just once as I often don’t want the next batch until the first is done. You use 2 tablespoons per quart. Some people freeze the yogurt to use as starter.
They say that you cannot use the previous batch of yogurt but it seems to work but sometimes it loses strength.
Best idea is to freeze 2 tablespoons in ice cube trays and defrost and use.
Becky Striepe
I knew you’d have the answer, Jill!
Jacqueline
My first try at this and I just checked it (at 9 hours) almost completely liquid still. I hope these last few hours are going to do the trick. I used Westsoy and two tablespoons of So Delicious plain coconut milk yogurt. Going to look for some starter. Maybe I could use Culturelle? Thoughts on how much in each pint jar?
Roger Day
Jacqueline,, my best results have been with Westsoy Plain organic (nothing but soy) and a capsule/powdered probiotic. I’ve tried from 12 to 18 hours in the IP. The longer the time, the more tangy the yogurt. Please continue to share your results!
Becky Striepe
That’s interesting! I usually do 12-14, but it should have thickened up some at 9. The final yogurt is still on the runny side, but it’s definitely noticeably thicker than the soymilk. Did you by any chance use the little metal tray that comes with the IP? It will not work if you elevate the jars from the bottom of the canister.
Jacqueline
Update:
Some 15+ hours later I had pretty thin, but set yogurt. I strained and it’s creamy and delicious. (Froze the “whey” for smoothie, assuming there’s some nutrition in it?) BUT….all that time albeit hands off mostly for essentially one pint of yogurt.
Trying second experiment with one pint of Westsoy + 1 Culturelle capsule. – it is setting but thin, too. I think I’ll have to strain as well.
Becky Striepe
Yeah, it’s definitely thinner than storebought. Your other option is to add a thickener. I don’t use thickenrs, but if you go through the comments on this post, some folks who do talk about how to use them to make thicker yogurt.
Lisa Bartlett
Hello: What thickener would you use? I’m still waiting on my IP (back ordered) and we found out 2 weeks ago my daughter is allergic to milk, so I’m hoping to make this when I get my IP (DUO 8Q). I hope it’s not too big).
Becky Striepe
I know a lot of folks use afar agar. I’d definitely do some research on how and when to add it, though. You can also strain through a few layers of cheesecloth for thicker results.
Lisa Bartlett
thank you!
Becky Striepe
You are welcome!
Pamela
Yeah, mine is always thin too. Some people like it like that but I always strain mine and end up with 3 cups yogurt when all is said and done. I actually have a YouTube video that will be released this coming week showing the entire process.
Jacqueline
Keep us posted! I have a Pinterest Board “My InstaPot Adventure” I’m pinning this there and other finds and recipes.
I strained them and wound up losing about 50% to liquid BUT the Westsoy cultured with So Delicious was fab after straining. The Westsoy cultured with Culturelle – flavor was not as nice. Used it up in a curry.
I’m making another batch tonight with Westsoy (my new favorite soy milk, btw) and a lovely new to me nondairy yogurt: “CoYo” free from carageenan, non gmo, vegan, soy, dairy, and gluten free, no added sugar..it’s tasty and thick. High hopes for batch #2.
Thanks for all the advice and responses. Even though it’s a good chunk of time, it’s mostly hands off and the results are so much better than the commercial ones. Though this CoYo is pretty bangin’.
Cheers!
Jacqueline
Keep us posted! I have a Pinterest Board “My InstaPot Adventure” I’m pinning this there and other finds and recipes.
I strained them and wound up losing about 50% to liquid BUT the Westsoy cultured with So Delicious was fab after straining. The Westsoy cultured with Culturelle – flavor was not as nice. Used it up in a curry.
I’m making another batch tonight with Westsoy (my new favorite soy milk, btw) and a lovely new to me nondairy yogurt: “CoYo” free from carageenan, non gmo, vegan, soy, dairy, and gluten free, no added sugar..it’s tasty and thick. High hopes for batch #2.
Thanks for all the advice and responses. Even though it’s a good chunk of time, it’s mostly hands off and the results are so much better than the commercial ones. Though this CoYo is pretty bangin’.
Cheers!
Becky Striepe
Oh wow! I’ve never seen CoYo. Let us know how it goes!
Jim Beerstecher
Thanks for the tips! I make my own soy milk with organic non-gmo beans. Half cup of soy beans makes over a liter of soy milk in about 15 minutes. I’ve been making my soy yogurt with it in a small yogurt maker. I can make it thin like your recipe and often I make a thick batch using some agar agar. When it’s done, I filter out the whey with cloth. Then I get the thick yummy Greek yogurt style, great for desserts… a few berries on top and WOW!
Will the agar agar clog up the yogurt like those over-the-counter soy milks, with added thickeners do? I didn’t see anyone commenting on home made soy milk, so I figure I’ll try a batch and see… just got my instant pot today! Any feedback would be appreciated!
Becky Striepe
Ooh that’s a good question. I’m not sure how it would work out adding the agar when it goes into the IP, since I don’t use it. Your homemade soymilk should work just like the boxed one I buy, since they’re the same – just water and soybeans. Definitely report back on what you try and how it goes – I love how the comments on this recipe are becoming a great resource!
Lisa
Hi 🙂 do you add water to the bottom of the IP once the jars are in?
Becky Striepe
No water needed!
WikiPamela
I’m wondering if this would work in a slow cooker set on warm too. It came out amazing in my instant pot, but I really hate tying up my instant pot (even overnight) when it could be doing so much more!
Becky Striepe
I don’t think it would. Vibrant Wellness Journal has oven directions, though! May be worth checking out!
Jill, The Veggie Queen
I like to make my yogurt at night when i am not usually cooking which works very well. Nothing like waking up and finding that you have yogurt. I put it on at 8 or 9 at night for 12 hours and it works great.
Becky Striepe
Same here. I do 14 so I start it around 6, so it’s ready for breakfast!
Jesse
I’m used to making dairy yogurt in my smart pot, I’m curious about if the boil step is OK to skip with the soy yogurt?
I’ve noticed too,at least with dairy yogurt making, that sanitizing the smart pot’s stainless pot with a cup of water, and 1 min on the manual mode (vent closed) seems to give a good clean slate for the cultures to develop.
Becky Striepe
I have never made dairy yogurt, so it’s tricky for me to compare and contrast. The steps listed above are all I do to make our soy yogurt, though. I hope that’s helpful!
Roger Day
No need to boil, Becky.
Becky Striepe
Thank you! Wasn’t sure if that was something that happened in the pot while I’m sleeping. 🙂
jem
Hi…I’d like to try this but have some questions about the starter. I hesitate to spend so much on a box of probiotic capsules especially since I understand that they don’t last indefinitely. But, aside from that, I can’t seem to find plain vegan yogurt without. The closest I can find at Whole Foods, is Kite Hills soy yogurt with flavoring like strawberry and also vanilla almond or coconut yogurt. Is it okay to use any of these with the West Soy soymilk?
Becky Striepe
Hey! Yeah, you can use flavored, but your finished product may have some mild notes of the flavor. I used Kite Hill Peach once in a pinch. It worked, but my yogurt was vaguely peachy tasting. Fine for some uses, though! Plain vegan yogurt works best, but in a pinch you can use flavors.
Annette
I’d like make vanilla flavored…with a little bit of sweetness for my kids…something similar to the Silk brand version. Any suggestions on how to do that?
TIA!
Becky Striepe
Sure! I’d stir in a teaspoon or two of vanilla extract and your favorite liquid sweetener, to taste, when it’s all done fermenting.
Roger Day
Thanks for your insights and ND yogurt recipe. We just got an IP and want to make ND yogurt in it. My question: Do you have any experience/knowledge regarding use of a probiotic (capsule or powder) as yogurt starter rather than a small amount of existing ND yogurt? Could I use such a probiotic with the recipe posted here? Thanks for your reply and for all your recipes!
Becky Striepe
Yes! That should work fine. I haven’t done it this way, but I have heard other folks say that it works fine. Enjoy your IP!
Annette
The Probiotic works great, and its super easy. i use capsule kind. I use this
Solgar Advanced 40 Plus Acidophilus Vegetable Capsules, 120 Count you can find it on Amazon for about $14 and I use 7 capsules for 64 ounces of the West Soy Milk recommended above. Good luck!
Roger Day
Thanks Annette. I’m experimenting with HOW MUCH probiotic to use as well as HOW LONG to cook in the IP. I use 64 oz Westsoy Organic (nothin’ but soy) and powder from capsules of Amazing Flora Probiotic 30 Billion (veggie capsules). I’ve used 2 or 3 capsules with 64 oz soy milk. I’ve tried 14 hours and 15 hours cook time. Question: Any suggestions for how to alter these amounts so I get a THICKER as well as TANGIER yogurt? I cook this size batch in 8 narrow glass jars, lids on, in an 8-qrt IP. Thanks for any ideas, suggestions, criticisms!
Becky Striepe
For tangier, go longer! For thicker, you may need to add a thickener, like tapioca starch. No need to put the lids on the jars. Good luck!!
Roger Day
Thanks. Will try that!
Becky Striepe
Let me know what you land on!
Roger Day
Hi Becky . . . experiments continue.
Latest batch: 16 hours in my 8-qt IP using the Yogurt function. Ingredients as here: 64 oz Westoy plain plus probiotics (4 capsules of Amazing Flora Probiotic 30 Billion). Left lids off. The longer time did make yogurt tangier; also, it’s a bit stiffer (longer time or more probiotic? Used three capsules last time).
Weird Result: For 7 of the 8 containers, results were identical – – great! For the 8th one, tho, there was a separation in the jar. Bottom half was liquid (whey-like) and the top half resembled in appearance like an old-fashioned natural sponge, full of gaps and fissures and so on. There are two pics of this at http://math.illinoisstate.edu/day/yogurt/yogurt1.jpg and at
http://math.illinoisstate.edu/day/yogurt/yogurt2.jpg.
Wonder if you have any insights about this weird result?
Thanks for your help and all your contributions to my family’s good health and good eating!
Becky Striepe
Oh weird! That last jar you describe is exactly how mine turned out when I tried using milks with gums. I am not sure, but I’d love to know what caused that in your batch. And you’re so welcome – I’m loving your feedback!
Annette
I use 7 capsules of the probiotic turns out perfectly every time. I cook foe 12 hours.
Ruth
I use 1, 50 billion probiotic capsule in 32 oz of Westsoy soy milk. Shake well, pour into 5 glass jars and place in the instant pot. No lids on until after processing and jars have cooled on the counter. I process for anywhere between 10 and 12 hours, depending on my activities in the morning. I make a batch every 5 days and it always comes out thick enough, though I will sometimes strain it through a coffee filter rubber-banded onto a tall glass if I need it thicker. I don’t notice a difference in tanginess with longer processing but it is tangy enough for me. It’s the best tasting soy yogurt I have found.
Becky Striepe
Using a coffee filter to strain is genius!
Lucy T
Thanks for this recipe, it works so well ! I really appreciate the super-clear instructions.
Interesting: I tested it with a carton of soy milk that had no gums of any kind but was fortified, (so some vitamins and minerals, water and organic soybeans were the only ingredients) and it didn’t get nearly as thick as the previous batch I had made with just plain soy milk. It did seem to culture and get to the thickness of a really nice and thick buttermilk though, so I’ve been using it in muffins and pancakes etc in place of buttermilk. (I know you can use plant milk plus some apple cider vinegar or lemon juice but this tastes better in my opinion.)
I will make both versions in future! ????
Becky Striepe
That is very cool! And so interesting about the fortified version!
linda
how about using homemade soymilk(from dry beans) to make yogurt?
thanks
Becky Striepe
That should work perfectly!
Jill, The Veggie Queen
I was not successful with my homemade soymilk but others have been able to do it, or so they say. I think that the most success occurs with soy milk from a soymilk maker.
I would try it and see.
Linsey
Do I put the mason jars in the inner pot or do I put the mason jars in without the inner pot?? I just want to make sure I do it right!! Thanks!
Becky Striepe
With the inner pot but not on the little wire rack insert.
Linsey
Ok, that’s what I thought but just wanted to make sure before I gave it a go! Thanks
Becky Striepe
No worries! Better to ask than wish you’d asked!
Renee
Should I put my IP lid on ‘sealing’ or ‘venting’?
Becky Striepe
I do sealing for yogurt.
Ruth
I have set the pot on both sealing and venting and the yogurt came out the same.
Becky Striepe
Ooh thank you for sharing this – it’s a question I get a lot!
Sarah
Hi! I have a couple of quick questions before embarking on my own 🙂 Can I make more than just the two pints at a time? I still have a ton of space left over in the IP and was wondering if I could double or triple this recipe and do 4 or 6 jars in the IP at the same time. Also, my 6 year old probably won’t eat it unsweetened. What would you suggest regarding what type of sweetener to use and when to add it? Thanks so much!
Becky Striepe
Oh sure! If you can fit more jars, you can make more. I can only fit 2 jars into mine. My kid doesn’t like it unsweetened either. We stir in maple syrup or jam for him just before serving, but whatever you like would work: sugar, brown sugar, agave, etc are all good!
Sarah
I just put it in the IP! My jars were super full so I separated into 3 pint sized jars, added vanilla bean, and raw cane sugar. I also read through the comments and put it for 11 hours to make it less tart. I hope it turns out!! Just to clarify, I am not supposed to add water to the IP correct? Thanks so much for your help!
Becky Striepe
Sounds amazing! No water and no rack in the IP. I know – it feels wrong at first!
Linda Weinberger
I just made the yogurt and it came good. I did it for 11 hours and a good consistency. It is tart so even less time might be less tart. I have not tasted it cold yet. This is the first time I made a non-dairy yogurt that I did not have to throw out. Before, I was using a yogurt maker, but it always worked with regular skim milk. Now that I stopped using dairy I finally found a recipe that works. I used the Instant pot, but I am going to try the recipe with my yogurt maker. I think the difference for me was the brand soymilk. I used what you suggested.
Becky Striepe
I’m so glad it worked for you! A little sugar will cut the tart as well, if you’re cool with adding sugar. I’m glad to know that 11 hours works out okay. Sometimes 14 hours doesn’t time out well for my routine!
Linda Weinberger
Becky,
I made the yogurt again in 9 hours. Much less tart but next time I’m going to do about 9-1/2 hours. I always like yogurt because it has calcium. Now, I realized the soymilk West Soy has no calcium. I guess all the commercial non dairy yogurts have added calcium. By the way, I did buy the book Vegan Under Pressure and can’t wait to try some of the recipes. Thanks for the recommendation.
Linda.
Becky Striepe
Oh interesting! I hadn’t thought about the calcium angle. I guess I count on leafy greens and the fortified soy milk in my coffee for that. Enjoy the book! It’s one of the few that I keep in the kitchen, rather than the bookshelf, because I turn to it so often.
Rachel
Just a word about calcium in dairy yogurt: dairy is a moderate source of calcium, and our cultural bias towards dairy’s bone building benefits is actually due to marketing and not science. The animal protein found in dairy undoes all the benefits of the calcium consumed. Here’s why: Animal protein is sulfur based and raises the acidity of our blood and tissues when consumed. The body looks for an acid neutralizer to correct the pH in our system and pulls calcium from our bones to restore the pH. This process is much like taking a tums to neutralize stomach acid. In actuality, we excrete more calcium in our urin than we consumed in our milk, resulting in osteoporosis over time. This is why the only cultures on the planet to suffer osteoporosis are those which consume both meat and dairy—the combination is just too acidic. You’re not losing any dietary calcium in the end when you switch to plant-based yogurt, but are actually preventing calcium loss (Campbell, Colin T., The China Study).
Amy
Can you use other non dairy milks? My son likes almond milk but I do think know if you can get pure almond mild without all the stuff you mentioned. I just got my instant pot today so I am very new to this.
Becky Striepe
I have tried with almond milk that includes gums and it didn’t go well, but JL Fields says she did have success with store-bought almond milk. I haven’t done a ton of experimenting, though, because my family loves this soy yogurt so much. If you don’t mind experimenting (and possibly having to dump the results), it’s worth a try! I’d love to hear any success/fail stories you have, if you give it a go!
Laura Ross
I make soy yogurt all the time in quart sized Mason jars using Costco’s Kirkland Plain Organic Soymilk that comes 12 to a carton for $14. It works great and is nice and thick. And because the soymilk has calcium and vitamin D added, so does the yogurt.
I usually set it for 12 hours but sometimes pull it out at 8. The longer you leave it, the more tart it is. Younger yogurt has more active bacteria, so it makes a better starter.
Becky Striepe
Interesting! I used 365, and it was awful! Maybe it’s got different additives. If I make it to a Costco, I’ll pick up a carton to try for sure!
shawna bay
Such a good point with the added calcium and vitamin D with the Costco brand!!
john
Has anyone try to use Costco’s Kirkland Plain Organic Soymilk recently and does it still work?
Becky Striepe
What are the ingredients?
Christine
Yep! I used a whole quart and mixed it with two heaping spoonfuls of Forager Vanilla Yogurt. It had a faint vanilla smell, but no vanilla flavor. It came out perfect and thick! Thicker than this picture used in this recipe. I may try a different milk though, I’m not a huge fan of soy yogurt. I have heard other good results from people using Kirkland brand.
Linda @ Veganosity
I’ve never made yogurt, I need to change that. Thanks for the tip on the instant pot.
Becky Striepe
You’ll love it, Linda!
Vegan Heaven
I don’t have an instant pot yet, but this is such a great idea, Becky!! I think I really need to get one soon. I already got a couple of other recipes I wanna try and I’d absolutely love to make this soy yogurt! 🙂
Becky Striepe
You would love it! We got rid of our slow cooker, since it also slow cooks, to save space.
Vanessa @ VeganFamilyRecipes.com
What a wonderful idea! Definitely a recipe I need to try. Thanks so much for sharing!
Cadry
This is so great to know, Becky! I don’t have an instant pot yet, but I’ve been considering it for a while. David eats yogurt daily, and at around $2 per container, it adds up!
Becky Striepe
Cadry, you’ll love it! The yogurt is a nice money-saver, and so are the beans! Though I still by my white beans in a can, because aquafaba.
Suz
Do you think a few scrapes of vanilla bean would go in while making, or stir in afterwards?
Becky Striepe
Maybe during, to give it time to infuse? I haven’t tried, though. I’d love to hear how it goes!
Shoshanah
With regard to using old yoghurt to start a new batch (regardless of whether the old one is commercially-produced or your own), the reason results are inconsistent is that yoghurt goes through stages of different strains of bacteria predominating. So the bacteria in the final product are not the strains you want to be dominant at the start of the process.
Lactic acid bacteria are common in the air though, so I start mine by leaving it exposed for a while before incubating.
Becky Striepe
Ooh thank you! That is super helpful.
Mary
Shoshanah, exactly what do you mean by leaving it exposed (just the commercial yogurt or the milk and yogurt mixture) and exposed as in open to air at room temp…and for how long? TIA
Deanna
May be a silly question…. I Just made the yogurt but used a vegan yogurt starter (because I had one). From now on can I just use the two tablespoons of yogurt from the previous batch I just made or do I need to purchase plain yogurt at the store?
I made mine directly in the pot without jars and then placed in a strainer. Looks pretty good right now.
Becky Striepe
Awesome! I’ve never tried making in the pot – that’s good to know! My quart jar is too tall the pot, so sometimes I put off making yogurt until my pints are clean. Now, I don’t have to! And yes! You can use this batch as the starter for the next.
Jill, The Veggie Queen
Deanna,
Sometimes using the yogurt that you just made will work as a starer and sometimes it is less than effective. I have heard about people freezing a few tablespoons right away to use later but I have not tired that.
Yogurt takes on a life of it’s own. You can try using some from the batch that you made and see what happens. It’s always interesting.
Mel @ avirtualvegan.com
SO easy! I really need to get an Instant Pot. AT about $4.99 per pot vegan yogurt is pretty expensive here. It would save me loads of $$$
Becky Striepe
Mel, you’ll love it! And the Instant Pot Duo is a slow cooker, too, so you can sell or donate your slow cooker to save some kitchen space. We got rid of our slow cooker and rice cooker when we got the IP!
Kristina
14 hours is forever! hee! this reminds me of the homemade yogurt my mom made when I was a kid – I am excited to try this!
Becky Striepe
Haha it really is! When I first started making it, the name suddenly “Instant” Pot felt pretty ironic.
Aimee / Wallflower Kitchen
This is so good to know! I am trying to eat more probiotic food and want to try making my own yoghurt (I used to make it ages ago but used probiotic powder and other expensive ingredients…) this looks much more straight forward 🙂
Becky Striepe
Aw I’m glad it was helpful! It’s seriously so easy.
Jill, The Veggie Queen
Thank you so much for mentioning me and my book Vegan Under Pressure. The more we can get people to take control of their food the better.
Great post.
I make my yogurt in jars only because I find it less messy that way. as you likely know, I am an efficient (i.e. “lazy”) cook which is why I use the Instant Pot and other pressure cookers.
Becky Striepe
You are so welcome. I’m a huge fan of your books! We have a small stack of favorite cookbooks that live in the kitchen, and Vegan Under Pressure is on top! Some weeks, I use it every day. Your cooking times/amounts for grains and veggies are so much better than in the IP manual, and your recipes are fantastic!
Jill, The Veggie Queen
Thank you so much Becky. Like you, I love to help people eat better and better tasting food.
Vegan Under Pressure was a labor of love.
Jenn
LOVE this! I have yet to use the yogurt function too and I always thought it would be so intimidating. But, clearly, it’s super easy. WestSoy is the ONLY soy milk I buy and I’ve got about 4 boxes at anyone time in my pantry. LOL! I don’t like to run out of stuff. 🙂 I am SO trying this! Question – what would happen if I used 2 tbsp of flavored yogurt? Does it have to be plain?
And I need to get Jill’s book. It’s been on my wish list forever and I’m not sure what I’m waiting for. I have to take off at least 5 minutes for grains, beans, etc, that the Instant Pot booklet calls for and it’s annoying.
Becky Striepe
That’s a good question! Sometimes the flavor gets diluted so you don’t taste it. I did one batch with kite hill peach as my starter, and the resulting pints did taste vaguely peachy. It was still good, but definitely not plain yogurt! Definitely get Jill’s book! It’s so good. I use it all the time!
Jenn
Ok, thanks! I’ve got some flavored yogurts in the fridge right now, so thought I might try it. 🙂 I’ll let you know what happens.
Becky Striepe
Please do! I feel like it depends on how strong the flavor is. Happy fermenting!