How to Homemade Yogurt from Scratch
This simple two-ingredient homemade yogurt recipe is an easy way to start making homemade yogurt. It includes step-by-step instructions and photos of the process.
Equipment
- Instant-read thermometer
- Pot or saucepan
- A Clean, Sterile Container: To prevent contamination of your culture, make sure your containers are clean and sterilized.
Ingredients
- 4 cups Milk 1 quart
- 2 tablespoons Yogurt starter
Instructions
- Wash all equipment to be used for the recipe.
- Add milk to a 2-quart saucepan. Place the pot on a stovetop and heat slowly to 180-185 F, occasionally stirring to prevent milk from burning on the bottom. Use a food thermometer or candy thermometer to monitor the temperature. The milk will steam and form tiny bubbles on the pot’s side.
- Turn off the heat when the milk reaches 180-185 F. Remove milk from the stovetop and leave it at room temperature. Cool milk to between 108-115 F.
- When the milk is cooled, pour one cup into a small mixing bowl. Add the yogurt starter to the milk, mix, and pour the mixture back into the warm milk. Cover the pot and incubate the yogurt between 108 and 115 F for 6 to 10 hours.
- Once it is set, store the yogurt in the refrigerator at 40 F or lower. Your yogurt is ready to enjoy.
Notes
If yogurt is kept in the refrigerator at 40°F or lower, it will last about 10 to 14 days.
To use nonfat skim milk, stir ¼ cup of nonfat milk powder into cold milk before starting Step 2. This will produce a thicker yogurt. Use glass, food-safe plastic, or metal containers with lids. Pour milk into a small container, which will incubate faster and can be used to make pre-portioned yogurt. REFERENCE
Master Food Preservers of Humboldt and Del Norte Counties / University of California Cooperative Extension
College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences. University of Illinois, U.S.
Hadjimbei, E., Botsaris, G., & Chrysostomou, S. (2022). Beneficial Effects of Yoghurts and Probiotic Fermented Milks and Their Functional Food Potential. Foods, 11(17), 2691. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11172691
To use nonfat skim milk, stir ¼ cup of nonfat milk powder into cold milk before starting Step 2. This will produce a thicker yogurt. Use glass, food-safe plastic, or metal containers with lids. Pour milk into a small container, which will incubate faster and can be used to make pre-portioned yogurt. REFERENCE
Master Food Preservers of Humboldt and Del Norte Counties / University of California Cooperative Extension
College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences. University of Illinois, U.S.
Hadjimbei, E., Botsaris, G., & Chrysostomou, S. (2022). Beneficial Effects of Yoghurts and Probiotic Fermented Milks and Their Functional Food Potential. Foods, 11(17), 2691. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11172691
Nutrition
Calories: 102kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 6gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 65mgPotassium: 254mgSugar: 8gVitamin A: 270IUVitamin C: 0.03mgCalcium: 208mgIron: 0.003mg
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