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If you have an Instant Pot®, making yogurt is a simple process that takes very little effort. The flavor is tangy and the texture is perfect every time. The only two ingredients I use are unsweetened soy milk and a vegan probiotic. I am very brand-specific here because I have had the best outcome with the particular brands noted in the recipe. Stick with a soy milk that contains only soybeans and water since added thickeners, fillers, and sweeteners will spoil the process.

I love my Instant Pot® mostly because I can make some pretty awesome yogurt with little to no effort. I did a lot of “lab” work in my kitchen to get this recipe correct and had some guidance from a few of the pros. I tried cashew milks, almond milks, and various soy milks. I played around with expensive vegan yogurt starters and discovered that almost any vegan probiotic will work but only specific plant-based milks work. I recommend shelf stable unsweetened WestSoy milk or unsweetened Edensoy milk. I’ve found these milks at Trader Joes, WalMart, Whole Foods and a few mainstream grocery stores. I’m not a yogurt expert by any means, but this recipes works wonders in our house. I use soy yogurt to create dressings, dips, and breakfast parfaits. Enjoy!

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Prep time    5-10 minutes  

Cook time   10 hours    

Yield               4-6 servings

 

Ingredients

‍ Directions

  1. Place the room temperature unsweetened soy milk and the powdered contents of 4 vegan probiotic capsules to a blender. Blend for 15-20 seconds to evenly disperse the probiotic powder.
  2. Pour the milk into small pint sized mason jars and place the opened jars into the instant pot. Do NOT add any sweeteners or fruit to the yogurt at this point or it will not culture properly.
  3. Place the top on the instant pot and seal the vent. Set the yogurt time for 8-12 hours. The longer it cultures in the Instant Pot® the tangier the results (It’s a personal preference so the culturing time can vary). I like to make yogurt before bedtime so it’s ready in the morning.
  4. When the yogurt time is complete, place the tops on each mason jar and refrigerate for 4-5 hours. It will continue to thicken as it cools. If you notice a bit of water (whey) separating on the top of the yogurt, you can either mix it in the yogurt when serving, or pour it off. Store in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
  5. For thick and creamy Greek style yogurt, I recommend straining it. Place a coffee filter or double layer of cheese cloth over a mesh strainer and spoon the yogurt onto the filter. Place the strainer over a bowl to catch the liquid (whey). Cover and refrigerator for 4-6 hours. The longer you allow the yogurt to strain, the thicker the results. You can even create a cream cheese like thickness if you strain more than 8 hours.

✏️ Tips & Hints

  • Most vegan probiotic capsules work well as long as they contain one of these strains: Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Streprococcus thermophilus, Bifidobacterium lactis or Lactobacillus acidophilus. I’ve experimented with a few and had success every time. The brands I have used with success are Solaray Multidophilus, Advanced 40+ Acidophilus, and Now Probiotic-10
  • Instead of a probiotic capsule, you can also opt to use 1/2 cup of already made vegan yogurt or a commercially sold unsweetened vegan yogurt that contains live cultures.
  • After the yogurt has cultured, we like to sweeten it with a bit of maple syrup, granola, and fresh fruit when serving.

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