Instant Pot Yogurt

My favorite method to make yogurt at home, this TWO ingredient recipe yields yogurt that is tart enough, easy to make and much cheaper than the store bought tub!

Are you a yogurt fan? Do you like dishes made from yogurt or do you like enjoying chilled yogurt with toppings and honey? If you did answer yes to these questions, this post is for you! If you said no, by the end of this post you will be running to the kitchen to make some yogurt for sure! 

We love our yogurt in many dishes and I even love it just by itself. For the longest time I have been buying store bought yogurt, atleast when it is cold and I am not confident of whether my homemade yogurt will set.

However, this winter I did not buy a single tub from the store! I made it ALL at home, overnight, using my 7-in-1 Instant Pot DUO! The results were consistent, the time taken defined and the flavor just like we used to enjoy in India. Not to forget the satisfaction of making tubs of yogurt at home and enjoying it. 

Over the years I have tried a few knacks to make that PERFECT yogurt. Some worked, some failed to be consistent and some led to a bulk waste of milk and yogurt. From trying to set it in the microwave to oven with the light on and even trying to place a couple of green chillies to set it well, I struggled to get it right each time. 

But with my Instant Pot I am guaranteed of the results each time! I put my yogurt to set in the morning when I have a party in the evening and still be confident of serving Dahi Vada for dinner! Wow I do love this device for everything, especially yogurt.

There are two methods to make yogurt in the pot. Though both work well, I prefer the first method of making yogurt in individual containers. The moment you insert a spoon in the set yogurt it tends to start watering. When I make the yogurt in containers, I can open up one at a time and finish at all. I make the yogurt using either of the methods depending on how I intend to use it.

Thinking what I make using all this yogurt? Here are a few yogurt based recipes that are LOVED in our family:

• Instant Dahi Vada
• Tofu Tikka Skewers
• Fajeto | Gujarati Mango Kadhi
• Dahi Vada
• Gathiya Waali Kadhi 
• Burani Raita | Garlic Raita
• Gujarati Kadhi 
• Dahi Pakodi

Though I have been using the Instant Pot for a few months now, I am posting the recipes here after testing them a few times. Plus, I do not want the readers who do not own one to be left out. I have another dozen recipes coming up over the next couple of months. Meanwhile, here are the recipes I posted recently using the Instant Pot: 

• 30-Minute Vegetable Biryani
• Instant Pot Matki Misal

Coming back to the recipe, I have used whole milk to make this batch. However when I am making the yogurt to just enjoy by itself, I make it using 2% milk too. The result is definitely not creamy, but pretty okay to eat with rice.

I bought the first batch of yogurt from the store to set. I used Greek Yogurt. Then I have been using a part of the set yogurt to make the next batch. The result is just as good as I want it to be. 

So if you are a YOGURT lover, read on and make your batch NOW!

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Ingredients

Whole Milk ½ gallon

Greek yogurt ¼ cup

Method

Glass container in IP method

If you would like to make small containers and enjoy with each meal, this is the way to go. 

Heat the milk to a full boil. Once boiled, turn down the flame and let the milk cool a little. 

To make yogurt in individual mason jars, add some room temperature yogurt in each of the jars. 

In the base of the Instant Pot add ½ cup water. Place the trivet and keep it ready.

Once the milk cools to 110-115 F, divide it in the jars. Place the jars in the Instant Pot.

Set the mode to YOGURT and time to 9 hours. Close the lid and let the cycle complete for the specified time. 

Once the timer beeps and the display shows YOGT, remove the jars and let them cool. Refrigerate till consumption. Use a part of this yogurt to set the next batch.

One Pot Method

If you are making a BIG batch of yogurt in one container, this is the best method. 

In the steel insert of the Instant Pot add the milk. Set the mode to YOGURT and press MORE. 

The display should read BOIL and the milk will start boiling. Let the boiling cycle complete and the pot read YOGT. Press CANCEL and let the milk cool to 115F.

Mix in the yogurt starter and close the lid. Set the mode to YOGURT and cycle to 9 hours. Let the cycle complete and the display read YOGT. Cool the yogurt and use as desired. 

You can strain the yogurt to remove the water content and make it thicker.

Enjoy the yogurt in your favorite dishes or add some fruits and enjoy for breakfast.