Instant Pot Yogurt (Two Ways)

Okay. ALRIGHT. I caved. You’ve all been asking for me to make a yogurt video so I FINALLY did it.

But I figured if I’m gonna make a yogurt video, it’s gotta be done to show how you can do it TWO WAYS: Regular (unstrained & creamy) and Greek (strained & thick)! And no having to pre-boil any milk and buy a candy thermometer here – we’re doing this the best and easiest way.

And honestly guys, I’m not sure why I waited so long. It’s THE EASIEST THING EVER, absolutely amazing AND WAY CHEAPER than buying it in the store! This is literally one of the most amazing features your DUO or Ultra Instant Pots have!

Here’s How I Made It!: 

We are going to be making yogurt two ways: Regular (unstrained & creamy) and Greek (strained & thick). So that means using two Instant Pots (but you’ll only need one – just choose which version you’d like to make).

Now since we’re saving a step by not dealing with boiling milk and, instead, going the quick route, we need to make sure we are using an ULTRA-PASTEURIZED milk or milk product. This means you absolutely CANNOT use regular milk for this method because that requires boiling.I think Fairlife is the “moo-ey mostest” because not only is it loaded with more protein and calcium, but it’s ALSO lactose free AND makes for an incredible tasting yogurt! (Canadians can use Natrel Lactose Free milk).

Add the ultra-pasteurized milk to the Instant Pot (it MUST be the Instant Pot DUO, DUO Plus or Ultra model as the Lux model does not support yogurt making)…

…along with some yogurt from a freshly sealed container. Whichever you use, it MUST have milk in it as well as live & active cultures (read the label to make sure). This is majorly important because it’s basically like the seed that makes the ultra-pasteurized milk become the yogurt as it spreads throughout it while incubating.

If you wish to have your yogurt taste sweeter, add in up to a can of condensed milk. It seriously makes it taste like the delicious yogurt you’d get from the market (and the kind kids love). This is totally optional but I used one can for my Regular/unstrained yogurt as I don’t think Greek/strained yogurt benefits from being sweet. You can always sweeten your yogurt when you serve it too if you don’t wish to sweeten the batch!

Whisk everything together well…

…secure the lid in the sealing mode (or use a glass lid as it doesn’t matter since this is NOT going to be pressure cooked)…

…and come down to the control panel and hit the “Yogurt” button and Adjust so it’s on the “Normal” or “Med” setting for 8-10 hours. The longer the incubation time, the more tangy the yogurt. So since I’m making two batches simultaneously, I am going to set the Instant Pot incubating my Regular/unstrained yogurt for 8 hours…

…and the Instant Pot incubating my Greek/strained yogurt for 10 hours. So this will be a little more tangy than the other. Whichever you choose, it’s a good idea to do this before you go to bed so it happens overnight.

When done, the display will read “Yo9t” (which translates to “yogurt” in Instant Pot language).

Remove the lid and the liner pot (it will be warm instead of hot) and you’ll notice it’s a lot firmer from when it first began incubating! DO NOT STIR the yogurt, but securely place some tine foil directly on top of the liner pot…

 …and pop it into the fridge to set for 4-8+ hours (I went for 10). This is going to be our Regular/unstrained yogurt as no straining is occurring and it will make for a much smoother, creamier yogurt.

Now that our second, slightly more tangy batch is done, we are ready to make this Greek/strained style.

You’ll want to get a good yogurt strainer like this Euro Cuisine (the best) OR a strainer lined with coffee filters or fine sieve…

…resting upon a bowl to catch the whey drippings (all the more reason to get the Euro Cuisine as it comes with this AND a lid). The whey is the thinner liquid that’s mixed in with the yogurt to keep it creamy and thinner, which we are removing (straining) here to make it thicker (Greek).

Transfer the yogurt to the strainer…

…cover securely with a lid and let drain chill for AT LEAST 4-8+ hours. The longer it strains and chills, the thicker the yogurt. So patience is a virtue here for the best results.

When the time comes to serve, you’ll notice the whey will have strained into the bottom of the bowl. That’s good!

You can either discard it OR some like to save it to use as a key ingredient to make bread.

 Now take a spoon and, careful not to damage the fine strainer sieves, remove the Greek/strained yogurt…

…and transfer it in a bowl where you can secure a lid and place it in the fridge for when not serving.

Now take the Regular/strained yogurt from the fridge…

…remove the foil…

…and place a spoon in it (gee, I’ve never seen a photo that looks like THIS one before). It should stand upright on its own right in the yogurt!

Now you can stir it up and see how creamy it is as well as also transfer to a bowl with a secure lid for when not serving.

And there we have it! Our Regular/unstrained yogurt on the left which is very creamy and smooth AND our Greek/strained yogurt on the right which is dense and thick!

Whichever version you make, the yogurt will keep well in the fridge for up to two weeks so long as it’s securely covered with a lid over the bowl! OR you can place them in regular or individual mason jars! However you wish to do it, the key is to make sure there’s a secure lid to keep the yogurt cultures fresh & active at all times.

ENJOY!

Instant Pot Yogurt (Two Ways)