Instant Pot Vanilla Bean Yogurt

Making yogurt in an Instant Pot

I have had an Instant Pot now for several years and I’ve become quite obsessed with it!

Once I made yogurt in the Instant pot, I was cooked.

Simple ingredients and some time is all you need to make homemade yogurt.

It takes 8 hours to make the yogurt. So while this Instant Pot yogurt recipe is easy, just know it does take 8+ hours of cooking in the Instant Pot! (I say 8+ because there is also an additional 4+ hours of chill time).

Yogurt contains probiotics, which have proven to be beneficial for our gut health.

A perk of making yogurt from scratch is the satisfaction of making the yogurt yourself. Plus, this recipe yields about ~7 cups of yogurt, making this Instant Pot yogurt a cost efficient recipe as well. 

Instant Pot yogurt ingredients

Making my yogurt recipe in an Instant Pot requires just four simple ingredients: ultra pasteurized, ultra filtered whole milk, pre-made yogurt with live cultures, sweetened condensed milk (optional) and a vanilla bean (optional).

No really, that’s it!

How to make Instant Pot yogurt

Pour 1 cup of the milk and the sweetened condensed milk (14 oz) into the Instant Pot and whisk well. Pour the rest of the milk in and 2 Tbsp. of the yogurt and whisk again.

Place the Instant Pot lid, or a plate, on top of the Instant Pot and press “Yogurt.”

You should see “8:00” pop up on the screen. If not, adjust it to 8 hours. The time will count UP, so don’t worry when you see “0:00” after the Instant Pot beeps.

*Also be sure the pressure is set to “normal” and not set to “less” or “more”.

Once the 8 hours is up, the Instant Pot will read YOGT. Do not stir at this point.

Now, you need to chill the yogurt. DO NOT STIR IT OR TASTE IT YET! Cover the Instant Pot with plastic wrap and chill for 4-6 hours or overnight.

Once chilled, add in the vanilla bean. Stir until it’s evenly distributed. Give it a taste, yum!

Store the yogurt in mason jars or containers in your fridge for up to 2-3 weeks (If it lasts that long!)

My favorite yogurt toppings

There are so many ways to dress up a plain bowl of vanilla yogurt. Here are a few of my favorite yogurt toppings I turn to each morning:

• Honey or pure maple syrup
• Cinnamon
• Dark Chocolate Quinoa Granola or Pumpkin Spice Protein Granola
• Fresh fruit
• Dried fruit
• Toasted nuts
• Toasted coconut flakes
• Berry Balsamic Chia Seed Jam
• Nut butters

Yogurt starter FAQs

When making homemade yogurt — whether you’re making an Instant Pot yogurt recipe or using a different method — you must use a yogurt starter.

Figuring out what a yogurt starter is and what kind to use can be difficult if you’re new to the world of yogurt making.

Here are some commonly asked questions I get about making Instant Pot vanilla yogurt.

If I haven’t addressed your question below, please leave me a comment at the end of this post and I’ll help you as best I can!

What is a yogurt starter?

To put it simply, a yogurt starter helps transform your milk into yogurt. It contains live bacteria that helps this process along. 

What’s the best yogurt starter to use?

For homemade yogurt in the Instant Pot, you must use a yogurt start or a store bought yogurt with active cultures. I tried this Instant Pot yogurt recipe using other yogurts for my starter, and the batch that turned out best was when I used FAGE yogurt.

Tips for making Instant Pot yogurt

Don’t mix the yogurt after the 8 hour mark. It needs to be refrigerated for at least 4-6 hours and then you can stir!

Fairlife milk is ultra-pasteurized and ultra-filtered, which means it has more protein and less sugar. This milk will produce a thicker yogurt than just ONLY ultra pasteurized milk. If you use ultra pasteurized milk (and not ultra-filtered milk), you may need to strain your yogurt to get it thick.

I recommend using whole milk in this Instant Pot yogurt recipe for best results. However you can use any percentage fat milk you like. There has been success with the 2% Fairlife as well. (Once again just make sure it is ultra-pasteurized and ultra-filtered).

This method of making yogurt in the Instant Pot is called “cold start.” It comes out just like Greek yogurt, and no need for straining!

This recipe was made in a 6QT Instant Pot, but since making yogurt doesn’t require the Instant Pot to come to pressure, you can make this in the 3QT as well.

Depending on what you last made in your Instant Pot you may want to give it a deep clean so the yogurt doesn’t taste like whatever was made last! You don’t want your yogurt tasting like Corn Chowder!

To clean your Instant Pot, you’ll need white vinegar. Fill the Instant Pot with 2 cups of white vinegar, seal the lid and press the “steam” setting for 2 minutes. Remove the sealing ring from the lid and let it air dry all the way.

Also, I have different silicone rings. I use one for making sweet recipes, one specifically for my yogurt and one for savory recipes!

More Instant Pot recipes:

• Instant Pot Steel-Cut Oats
• Instant Pot Chicken Burrito Bowls
• Instant Pot Corn and Potato Chowder
• Instant Pot Pumpkin Applesauce
• Instant Pot Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken
• Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowls

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