How to Make Greek Yogurt
Hi, it’s Kim today :). When Scott and I were newly married we moved to Spain for Scott’s MBA. To say it was a magical year is an understatement. We LOVED it! Since I didn’t have a working visa, I decided to teach English online. It wasn’t the worst job I’ve ever had, but it definitely wasn’t my favorite. Just about every day I had to reward myself when my work was done. It was absolutely exhausting. My reward of choice? It may not sound exciting, but my post-work treat was a cup of plain Greek yogurt, often topped with raspberries. If it was an especially rough day a little dark chocolate would sometimes find its way in there.
The Greek yogurt in Spain is creamy, smooth, and delicate. Unlike the yogurt here in the States, it isn’t tangy and doesn’t need any added sweeteners. All the plain yogurt here has a really tangy flavor and is difficult to eat without dousing it with something sweet. It’s much more like sour cream, whereas the yogurt in Spain is more like cream. If I could send you a bite of the Spanish Greek yogurt, you would understand why it was my chosen reward for finishing the work day. It is so much yummier than anything you can buy at the stores here!
When we moved back to the States, my mother-in-law gave me a recipe for homemade Greek yogurt. She knows I try to be healthy and like DIY. I must admit though, when she gave me the recipe, I didn’t try it for a long time. Just looking at it was overwhelming. There were so many steps! I put it away and forgot about it. A little while later she asked if I had tried it, and I told her that it looked too complicated so I hadn’t. She then sent me a simplified version, and after some time I worked up the guts to try it out.
What I didn’t realize when she gave me the original recipe, was how simple making yogurt is. There are a lot of steps, and it isn’t exactly a short process, but it is truly SO simple and easy. You do have to kind of be somewhat around for the first part of the process, but not most of the time. It’s pretty hands-off.
The other thing I didn’t realize was that you can control how tangy the yogurt is! The longer you cook it, the tangier it becomes. I cook my yogurt for 8 hours instead of 9, giving it a more creamy and less tangy taste. I can still enjoy my Spanish yogurt :).
Other than making tastier yogurt, there are a lot of other benefits to making it yourself! The first is the environment - think of all the yogurt containers you are saving from the ocean and landfill by making it yourself! Bonus points if you buy your milk in a reusable/returnable bottle (like Rosehill if you’re in Utah, look up milk delivery in your area).
Another benefit is that it is very economical. My family loves yogurt, we eat it daily. We easily save $20 a month by making yogurt ourselves. I also love that I know what’s in it and can control the sugar content. I like it as is, but if my boys want it sweeter, we simply add a little bit of honey.
I make yogurt about once a week. Like I mentioned, it’s not exactly a short process, which can intimidate some people (I can relate!). But trust me, each step is super short and simple. You do have to be close to home for the first part, but not the entire time. If you go into the office at 9 am every day I recommend starting this either at night or on a day off. This is how Kim in real life makes it:
In the morning I pull out the Instant Pot and pour as much milk as I want in the inner pot, usually about 3/4 gallon. I put the lid on and press the “Yogurt” button until it says “Boil.” Then I walk away.
I normally stick around the house so I can listen for a beep, usually about 30-40 minutes later. I notice the time and wait 10 minutes.
Once it has been about 10 minutes I take the lid off, pull the inner pot out of the Instant Pot and set it on the counter to cool. I notice the time and walk away.
After about an hour, an hour fifteen or so (depending on how much milk I poured) I check on it. I scrape the top stuff off and check the temperature.
Once it’s between 105-115 F, I ladle a little bit of the warm milk into a small bowl with at least 2 Tbs yogurt starter (yogurt from the last batch) and mix it until smooth. Once smooth I add it to the warm milk in the inner pot and stir it around until it looks smooth. I put the lid back on, press the “Yogurt” button until it says “8:00.” I walk away.
Once it’s done, I take the inner pot out of the Instant Pot, cover it, and place it in the fridge overnight (or 8 hours).
At this point it can be eaten as is for regular yogurt. We like Greek yogurt so I strain it in the fridge for another 8 or so hours. To strain, I pour it in a nut milk bag and will either wrap it around a pitcher or place the nut milk bag in a metal sieve over a bowl. My sister-in-law has this amazing Greek yogurt strainer that makes straining even easier. I am hoping to get one soon!
When done straining, I pour the yogurt in a large glass bowl. I like to stir the yogurt with a handheld mixer. I like my yogurt thick and creamy, but if it’s too thick I’ll add more whey (the stuff that strained) back in and mix it up.
Yogurt is ready. And it’s delicious. Enjoy!
Below are two different methods for straining. The first is using a nut milk bag and the second is using a Greek yogurt strainer.
So there you have it. If you are feeling overwhelmed and intimidated but want to try it, go for it. I have totally felt that way before. I’ve been making this once a week for years, so now I just go into auto-pilot when I’m making it. The people I know who have started making their own yogurt say they’re never going back to the store-bought stuff. This stuff is the best!
YOGURT
1/2 - 1 gallon milk
2-4 T. Yogurt
Pour milk in Instant Pot. Press the yogurt button until it says, “boil.” Make sure it gets to 180 degrees - then let sit 5-10 minutes (the longer it sits, the thicker it gets)
Cool to 105-115 F. Take off any skin on the top layer.
Add some cooled milk to the yogurt starter. Mix well, then whisk in with the rest of the cooled milk.
Put back in Instant Pot, and press “Yogurt” until 8 hours.
Cool for 8 hours in the fridge.
To make Greek yogurt, let strain for 8 hours.
Enjoy!
I enjoy my yogurt with berries and my granola recipe. My boys like it with granola and a touch of honey. We also use it as a sour cream substitute and for veggie and fruit dips. We can’t live without it :)
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