Making yogurt at home was one of those things that seemed absurdly simple once I actually did it. Heat milk, cool it down, add a spoonful of store bought yogurt as a starter, keep it warm for 8 to 12 hours, and you have yogurt. That is it. No special equipment, no complicated process. An Instant Pot set to the yogurt function does the temperature control for you, but even a cooler with warm water or an oven with just the light on works fine.
The reason to make yogurt at home goes beyond cost savings, though those are real. A gallon of milk produces about a gallon of yogurt for around four dollars, compared to five to eight dollars for a quart of quality store bought. The bigger reason is probiotic content and flavor control. Homemade yogurt fermented for 12 to 24 hours has significantly more beneficial bacteria than most commercial yogurt, which is typically fermented for just 4 to 6 hours. Longer fermentation also produces a tangier, more complex flavor that you cannot buy.
The 23 recipes here cover dairy yogurt, plant based yogurt, Greek yogurt (which is just regular yogurt strained through cheesecloth), flavored variations, and things you can do with yogurt once you have it. Yogurt as a marinade tenderizes meat beautifully. Yogurt in baking adds moisture and tang. Yogurt as a base for dressings and dips replaces sour cream with more protein and beneficial bacteria.
One important note: all yogurt is gluten free by nature, both homemade and store bought. The only exception is yogurt with mix ins like granola or cookie pieces, which may contain wheat. Plain yogurt and fruit flavored varieties are safe.
Beginner
65 min
