2 Ingredient Instant Pot Yogurt

Homemade yogurt is one of the best ways to BIG on your grocery budget each week!!!

Yogurt is a staple in our house, whether it’s being added to smoothie bowls, used in dressings, or of course, simply topped with some fresh berries and a drizzle of honey for an afternoon snack.

Yogurt is a deeply nourishing food for those who can tolerate dairy. It’s a delicious way to add protein and healthy fats to any meal you choose. Yogurt also contains fat-soluble vitamins A and K, B vitamins, and various minerals including calcium, phosphorus, iodine, and zinc.

Of course, yogurt also contains probiotics - helpful bacteria for your gut.

A few fun facts about “culturing”:

Culturing milk products, as in the making of sour cream, yogurt, kefir, and cheese, can…

reduce the lactose content of dairy products.
reduce the overall glycemic load of dairy products (making them easier to digest and more supportive of blood sugar balance).
creates a food rich in probiotics.
increases key micronutrients.

Making your own yogurt is super easy and budget friendly!

And now more than ever, we’re all looking for any way we can to save money at the grocery store.

Making your own yogurt only requires 2 simple ingredients: milk and a starter (the easiest kind is just a spoonful of good yogurt!). And an Instant Pot makes yogurt making even easier as it does most of the work for you.

Choosing Ingredients:

Milk

Always opt for grass-fed dairy whenever possible. When grass-eating animals like cows are able to graze on their natural diet, they live happier and healthier lives and produce healthier food. And if you can find milk that’s grass-fed and organic, even better. Whole milk will provide your body with healthy fats to keep you full & satisfied while helping stabilize blood sugar levels.

A few of my favorite milk options:

Trader Joe’s 100% grass-fed organic milk (I’ve found this one to often be the cheapest option!)
Organic Valley grassmilk
Maple Hill organic
Horizon Organic Grassfed

Yogurt

Skip any yogurt with added sugars, colors or flavors. You’re going to want a plain yogurt with very little ingredients (if you prefer flavored yogurt, don’t worry! You can add your own flavors later). Make sure that whatever yogurt you choose contains live and active cultures (it will usually say so right on the container).

Just like with your milk, look for grass-fed, organic, full fat yogurt.

Some of my favorite brands for yogurt making:

Trader Joe’s 100% grass-fed yogurt
Maple Hill Organic 100% grass-fed
Wallaby Organic Whole Milk Plain Yogurt

The Recipe

Servings Prep Time Cook Time

8 15 mins 10 hrs

Ingredients:

1 gallon whole grass-fed milk
3 tbsp plain yogurt

Start by pouring your milk into your Instant Pot. Press the “yogurt” button until the screen reads “boil”. Place your lid on and walk away while your milk heats. It will take about an hour.

Once your Instant Pot beeps and the boil cycle is done, give your milk a little stir and place a cooking thermometer into your pot. Remove the pot and set it on a cooling rack to cool down to 110 degrees F (this takes about an hour) or set your pot into a sink full of cold water and stir until it cools to 110 degrees (this takes about 15-ish minutes).

Be sure to start checking your temp at the hour mark, and again every 10-15 minutes if it needs a little more time to cool. You want to try not to let your milk get below 108-110 if you can.

Once your milk cools down to the right temperature, whisk in your 3 tbsp of yogurt for about a minute until it’s very well mixed.

Place the pot insert back into the Instant Pot and close the lid. Press the “yogurt” button again and set it for 8 hours, or even up to 10 hours if you prefer a tangier yogurt. I usually let mine do it’s thing overnight and it’s ready by morning!

Once your yogurt is all done, place it into jars and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. I like to use 1/2 gallon sized mason jars, but you can also use smaller jars for individual servings.

Here’s where you can add your flavors! Add a few drops of vanilla, some strawberry purée or jam, crushed berries, or whatever other flavorings you like to your yogurt before putting it into jars in the fridge.

Enjoy, and Happy Nourishing!!