EASY Instant Pot Yogurt Recipe – No-Boil Method

February 7, 2018Van
Blog post

Prep time: 2 minutes

Cook time: 10 hours

Serves: 16 (4 Oz Jars)

My love of yogurt has lead to me making it obsessively for the past twenty years. I’ve made every kind of yogurt under the sun; and what I’ve discovered here is by far the EASIEST and quickest method. You can use any brand of Ultra Pasteurized milk, so you don’t have to heat it up before culturing the yogurt. You can use any Ultra Pasteurized milk in this recipe, but Fairlife will produce a thicker yogurt since it’s higher in protein.

Although this recipe shaved minutes off the sometimes laborious task of yogurt making—it surely doesn’t skimp on the flavor or health benefits you expect in this delicious and nutritious cultured snack. Plain yogurt is the perfect canvas—dress it up with some honey, granola and berries, or leave it alone and savor the deceptively simple balance of tart and creamy. Any way you shape it, this yogurt is sure to be a hit for the entire family.

Check out my other Yogurt Recipes below:

✪ French Style Potted Yogurt Recipe
✪ Vietnamese Yogurt Recipe
✪ Beijing Yogurt Recipe – Drinkable Yogurt

Easy Instant Pot Yogurt Recipe - No Boil Method

Yogurt Recipes

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Print Recipe

EASY Instant Pot Yogurt Recipe - No-Boil Method

  • Prep time: 2 minutes
  • Cook time: 10 hours
  • Serves: 16 (4 Oz Jars)

This yogurt recipe can me made in the Instant Pot or any Yogurt Maker

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Ingredients

  • ½ Gallon Ultra-Pasteurized or Ultra-Filtered Milk
  • 2 Tablespoons Plain Yogurt with active cultures
  • 14 oz Sweetened Condensed Milk, (optional)

Method

  • 1)

    Place 2 Tablespoons of Yogurt and ½ Cup of Milk into a bowl. Using a whisk, mix very well until there are no more yogurt lumps – this step is important because it insures that you’ll end up with smooth yogurt.

  • 2)

    Pour the rest of the milk along with the Sweetened Condensed Milk into the Instant Pot liner and add the yogurt starter. Stir well with the whisk so the sweetened condensed milk is evenly distributed (undermixing the sweetened condensed milk will cause a grainy texture).

    ***If you have glass jars with lids, you can incubate the yogurt directly in them. Fill your jars with the mixture, seal the jars with lids, add 1 Cup of Water to the Instant Pot and stack them in the Instant Pot liner.

  • 3)

    Seal the Instant Pot lid. Choose the Yogurt option and set for 10 hours. Make sure that the “Normal” setting is selected. If you like your yogurt more tart you can incubate the yogurt for up to 24 hours, the longer incubation times produce more beneficial bacteria.

  • 4)

    Take the liner out of the Instant Pot and place into the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, don’t stir or transfer into another container during this time. After 4 hours, scoop the yogurt into your containers and enjoy! If you incubated the yogurt in jars, place them in the refrigerator for 4 hours then enjoy!

    *You can save 2 Tablespoons from this batch of yogurt to make your next batch. You can successfully do this 2-3 times before you have to use a brand new starter.

    If you want to turn this into Greek Yogurt, strain it in a colander over a bowl with coffee filters or a large nut bag, I use a Euro Cuisine Greek Yogurt Strainer (click here to purchase one) because it makes yogurt straining so much easier. You can strain it for 4-12 hours for Greek Yogurt, then stir it to get the texture smooth.
    Instant Pot Greek Yogurt Recipe

    Instant Pot Greek Yogurt Recipe

↓ Supplies to make this recipe ↓






 







20 Comments

  • Steve

    February 25, 2018 at 8:21 pm

    Hi can you tell me why we don’t have to boil the milk if using ultra-pasteurized?

    Also why do I need to make a new starter every 2-3 times, is it because ultra-pasteurized milk has fewer bacteria? If so, would incubating the yogurt longer produce more bacteria and enable us to go longer without making a new starter?

    I’ve been loving using the IP to make yogurt and look forward to trying your lao beijing suannai recipe, thanks!

    1. Van

      February 25, 2018 at 9:07 pm

      Hi Steve, regular Pasteurized milk has been heated to 160F and Ultra-Pasteurized milk has been heated to 280F. To make yogurt, the milk needs to be heated to 180F to denature the whey protein which creates a thicker yogurt. So if you use Ultra Pasturized milk, you don’t have to heat it before making yogurt since it has already been heated to 280F. You can also make yogurt with regular pasteurized milk without heating it, but it’s a drinkable consistency like Beijing Yogurt.

      Commercially manufactured yogurt culture strains tend to weaken as you use it for a few batches, your yogurt won’t set up as well after a few times – so incubating it longer won’t make a difference. If you use an heirloom yogurt starter, that can be used to make yogurt indefinitely. Good luck on your yogurt making adventures!

  • Suzette

    February 27, 2018 at 5:33 pm

    I’m assuming this recipe is for a 6 quart Instant Pot if so would I just half the total recipe for the 3 quart? I have the 6 quart Lux which has no yogurt button. But my Mini Instant Pot has the yogurt button so I’ll be making yogurt in that one.

    1. Van

      February 28, 2018 at 3:52 pm

      Hi Suzette, I believe with the 3 Qt you could fit half a gallon of liquid it in, but yes you can easily half this recipe with no issue, just keep the same incubation times.

  • Jan

    March 1, 2018 at 4:52 pm

    I just received my 6 quart Instant Pot today. Would love to make yogurt in it. There isn’t a yogurt option on mine. Do I just do manual for 10 hours?

    1. Van

      March 1, 2018 at 6:13 pm

      Hi Jan, manual cooks food at high pressure so that won’t work for yogurt. Check out this site for instructions on making yogurt with the Lux model: http://naturemoms.com/blog/2017/05/01/making-yogurt-lux-instant-pot/

      You might also consider exchanging the one you have for the Duo so it has the yogurt function.

  • Su-Tsen

    March 24, 2018 at 11:01 am

    I just want to drop a line to say Thank You. I used your recipe to make my very first batch of yogurt. It came out great!!

    1. Van

      March 25, 2018 at 11:07 am

      Awesome Su-Tsen! I’m so glad it worked out great for you 😀

  • Thao

    March 27, 2018 at 7:53 pm

    Put 2 cups of water into the instant pot liner, so it’s hot water?

    1. Van

      March 27, 2018 at 8:10 pm

      Hi Thao, if you plan to incubate the yogurt in jars just place cold or warm water into the pot, it doesn’t need to be hot.

  • Carol

    March 29, 2018 at 5:20 am

    To make this into Greek yogurt, would I just strain it?

  • Carol

    March 29, 2018 at 5:21 am

    To make this into Greek yogurt, would I just strain it?

    1. Van

      March 29, 2018 at 7:46 am

      Hi Carol, yes you just strain this to make Greek yogurt.

  • Beth

    October 23, 2018 at 6:50 pm

    Hello, I have now tried this twice in my 8 qt duo. All I ended up with is two batches of “hot milk” and I’m down about $15. 😉 There is a bit of “set” yogurt on the bottom of the jars. I put the mixture in the jars and then on the trivet in the pot. I did not cover the jars with their lids and I also only incubated them for 8 hours. Do you think that might be the problem? Thank you.

    1. Van

      October 23, 2018 at 6:56 pm

      Hi Beth, this recipe should be fool proof unless the Instant Pot is not on the correct setting or the milk isn’t ultra-pasteurized. What type/brand of milk and yogurt are you using? Are you double checking that it’s on the “Normal” yogurt setting and not on less or more? You don’t need to use a trivet or water with this recipe, the jars should be placed directly into the pot and the Instant Pot lid needs to be sealed, 8 Hours would be plenty of time and you don’t have to put the lids on the jars on while they’re incubating.

  • Gennaveeve Ibarra

    January 3, 2020 at 9:52 am

    Hi! I’ve tried this method twice now and the bottom jars are set up nicely but the top jars are still quite runny, how do I fix this?

    1. Van

      January 11, 2020 at 7:32 am

      Hi Gennaveeve, how long are you incubating for and are you adding 1 Cup of Water to the pot?

  • cathy

    February 9, 2020 at 7:55 pm

    how many of the euro cuisine jars can you fit in the pot? I can fit 7 around and then maybe one on top in the middle, but I was wondering if I should invest in more, or do you use smaller jars in the top layer?

    1. Van

      February 17, 2020 at 8:58 pm

      Hi Cathy, I have an 8qt so I can fit 14 Euro Cuisine Jars in my pot. If you have a 6qt, you can get 4oz canning jars, those are shorter so you can have another layer.

      1. cathy

        February 21, 2020 at 8:22 pm

        I have a 6 qt and I think the 4oz jars are too small. I ended up covering with a cake pan with 2 layers of jars. I can fit 14 as well, but I only have enough milk for 13 jars.

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