Foolproof Instant Pot Yogurt – Only 2 Ingredients
Updated May 07, 2025
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Instant Pot yogurt is surprisingly easy to make with just 2 ingredients and not a whole lot of hands-on time! This foolproof method makes homemade yogurt that’s healthier, more affordable, and much more customizable than store-bought options. If you love yogurt like we do, this is a great way to make a big batch of it at a way lower cost.
Table of Contents
My 2 Best Tips For Making Instant Pot Yogurt
Use A Good Yogurt Starter: Any plain store-bought yogurt will work as your starter as long as it contains active bacterial cultures. Check the label for ingredients like Lactobacillus bulgaricus or Streptococcus thermophilus. Never use flavored yogurt as your starter! After making your first batch, you can save a few tablespoons in the freezer to use as starter for your next batch.
Perfect Milk Temperature: For successful yogurt, milk must be heated to the right temperature (around 180°F) and then cooled to the proper culturing temperature (about 110°F) before adding your starter. An instant-read thermometer is invaluable for this process. If you don’t bring the milk to the right temperature initially, the yogurt might not set properly.
🩷 Melissa
This is SUCH an easy recipe and you only need three things: milk, a couple tablespoons of plain yogurt with live and active cultures, and an Instant Pot!
Store-bought yogurt can be pricey, especially if you get it all the time and use it almost daily like we do.
Whether you love yogurt in parfaits, fruit salad, smoothies, as a sour cream substitute, or any other way, this recipe yields a big batch for a lot lower price than buying yogurt in bulk from the grocery store!
The amazing thing is that your Instant Pot has a yogurt setting, and all you have to do is add milk and yogurt to the pot, turn on the yogurt setting, and let it do its thing for 8 hours.
Recipe Ingredients
- Milk: Whole milk makes the thickest and creamiest yogurt in my opinion, but you can also use 2% or skim.
- Plain yogurt with live and active cultures: The live, active cultures are important because these are what mix with the milk to turn it into yogurt!
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Homemade Yogurt Variations
Low-fat: Use low-fat or skim milk to make low-fat yogurt.
Sweet: Stir in 2 to 3 tablespoons honey or brown sugar after the yogurt is done in the Instant Pot for sweet yogurt.
Vanilla: Add 2 teaspoons vanilla to the yogurt once it’s done in the Instant Pot.
Instant Pot Yogurt
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 gallon milk
- 3 tablespoons plain yogurt with live and active cultures
Instructions
- To prep your Instant Pot, remove the rubber ring on the underside of the lid. For lots of people, this rubber ring smells like all of the things that you cook (mine smells like chili), and we don’t want yogurt that tastes like chili. Remove the ring and wash the lid and metal insert/bowl well.
- Dry all the pieces well, and put the bowl back into the Instant Pot.
- Add the milk.
- Stir in your plain yogurt.
- Add the lid (you don’t need the rubber ring, you aren’t pressure cooking the yogurt; the lid doesn’t need that to seal for this).
- Note for First Time: The first time using your Instant Pot to make yogurt, you may want to check the temperature after 1-2 hours to see if it reads 110-115° F. If it has not reached this temperature range, press cancel and then press the yogurt button until it says "boil." Keep checking the temp with the digital thermometer and press cancel when it reaches 110°. Then resume the warming setting by pushing the yogurt button and choosing the amount of time. You will only need to do this the first time and then you'll know if your Instant Pot gets the milk up to the perfect temperature just by pressing the yogurt button or if you need to help it along by using the boil setting first.
- Press the yogurt button and select “low” (just press the yogurt button a few times until the light that indicates the amount of pressure says low).
- Select the time that you'd like it to run. (The default is 8 hours, but it can keep the yogurt warm as long as 24. The yogurt will be as set as it's going to be at 8 hours and will get more tart with more time, not thicker.)
- Leave the Instant Pot alone for the amount of time you chose.
- When the time is up, remove the lid and you have yogurt!
- If you'd like it thicker, you can strain the yogurt. I like to strain it. You can use a yogurt strainer (like this one), or line a colander with 3 layers of cheese cloth and set it in a large bowl. Let it strain for 2 to 3 hours depending on how thick you'd like it.
- Place the strained yogurt in the fridge (I keep mine in mason jars).
- Reserve a few tablespoons of your homemade yogurt to make your next batch.
Notes
- Pour the milk into inner pot of pressure cooker. Turn on the Sear/Sauté button.
- Heat milk to 180°F, and use a thermometer to check the temperature often. Be sure to stir very often so milk does not scorch.
- Once the milk reaches 180°F, turn off the pressure cooker.
- Remove inner pot and cool to 110° F, and then whisk in the yogurt until incorporated.
- Put inner pot back into the pressure cooker and add the lid.
- Wrap in a large towel, or two regular towels, and incubate for 8 hours.
- Fresh berries or other fruits
- Honey or maple syrup
- Homemade jam or preserves
- Vanilla extract and a sprinkle of cinnamon
- Granola and a drizzle of honey
- Use as a sour cream substitute in tacos or baked potatoes
- Make tzatziki sauce with cucumber, garlic, and dill
- Create creamy salad dressings
- Use in marinades for tender, flavorful meat
Nutrition
Recipe FAQs
You have many options when it comes to milk for your homemade yogurt! Whole milk yields the thickest and creamiest results, but you can also use 2% or skim milk with good results. If using lower-fat milk, you may want to add some nonfat dry milk powder to help thicken the final product. Some people successfully make yogurt with lactose-free milk as well. The higher the fat content, the creamier and thicker your yogurt will be.
Any plain store-bought yogurt will work as your starter as long as it contains active bacterial cultures. Check the label for ingredients like Lactobacillus bulgaricus or Streptococcus thermophilus. Never use flavored yogurt as your starter! After making your first batch, you can save a few tablespoons in the freezer to use as starter for your next batch.
The silicone ring on the Instant Pot lid tends to absorb odors from previous cooking. If you don’t remove it, your yogurt might end up tasting like the last thing you cooked, such as chili or curry! Since you don’t need pressure for making yogurt, it’s perfectly fine to use the lid without the ring.
**I actually bought the same lid with the silicone ring for my Instant Pot at a yard sale and since it didn’t have the strong smells from cooking (like mine does!), I save it for using only on things like yogurt and sweet things to keep out the smell!
If your Instant Pot does not have a yogurt button, here’s how to make it:
Pour the milk into inner pot of pressure cooker. Turn on the Sear/Sauté button. Heat milk to 180°F, and use a thermometer to check the temperature often. Be sure to stir very often so milk does not scorch. Once the milk reaches 180°F, turn off the pressure cooker. Remove inner pot and cool to 110° F, and then whisk in the yogurt until incorporated. Put inner pot back into the pressure cooker and add the lid. Wrap in a large towel, or two regular towels, and incubate for 8 hours.
Store homemade yogurt in covered containers in the fridge for 7-10 days. (I use mason jars.) Reserve 3 tablespoons, which can be frozen, to make your next batch.
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Did you make this recipe? Leave a ⭐️ review and share it on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest!
How Easy! I never would have thought it would be this simple and delicious.
I have made homemade yogurt for years and really wanted to love the Instant Pot method. However, I prefer to use the double boiler and then incubate in quart jars in a cooler of warm water overnight. It makes my yogurt thick and creamy without straining. Mine keeps 3-4 weeks in unopened quart jars in the refrigerator.
Thank you for letting us know what worked for you!