Instant Pot No Boil or Cold Ingredients Yogurt is a quick way to make yogurt using cold milk and cold starter yogurt in the instant pot.
We are a heavy yogurt eating family. My husband loves yogurt with every meal. Yes, Indians have yogurt as a side with curry. We do need something to neutralize the spicy food 🙂 Yogurt is always a healthy and nutritious choice, you can pretty much have it for any meal - breakfast, lunch, snack or dinner. Making yogurt at home is also very cost effective, and you know that you are feeling the right ingredients to your family.
I have shared the traditional recipe for yogurt in the instant pot before. I certainly love the pot-in-pot method to make yogurt so it is set right in the bowl and I can refrigerate it. However the only thing that sometimes stops me from making yogurt in the evening after work is the time it will take for the milk to boil and then cool down to the right temperature. I have been seeing many posts on Facebook Instant Pot group about making yogurt without boiling, so I wanted to try it out. So here is the cold ingredients method where I don't have to boil and cool down the milk anymore.
That said, I do want to mention that you need a special type of milk, ultra-filtered, to make this yogurt. And the taste is not exactly the same as yogurt made from normal whole milk. This may not be an issue if you flavor your yogurt, however if you eat plain yogurt you might want to taste this and check for your preference.
What is Cold Ingredients Yogurt?
The main difference from normal yogurt is that the milk is not boiled and cooled to the right temperature before adding the starter. You skip the boiling step. The cold milk and the starter with live cultures are added to the Instant Pot, and you let the Instant Pot "Yogurt" mode do it's magic.
Another difference from normal yogurt is that this method gives a thicker greek yogurt like texture, so no straining is required.
The biggest advantage is method is that it is a "One pot, one shot" technique which certainly saves time.
What do you need to make No boil / Cold Ingredients Yogurt?
Fairlife Milk has been the popular choice in the USA for most instapotters. The Canada version for this milk is Natrel. These milks are called ultra filtered and are pasteurized at a higher temperature. There is more natural protein and calcium in this milk and less sugar. Fairlife milk is not organic. But Fairlife milk is lactose free, so this is a great option if you are lactose intolerant.
You can use other ultra pasteurized milks to make cold ingredients yogurt, however I have not tried with any other milk. Also, note that it is not recommended to use this cold ingredients method with milk that has not been through the ultra pasteurization process.
Other than milk, you will need a yogurt with live active cultures to use as a starter. I used Fage yogurt as starter for this recipe, but really any yogurt will work. Just check for live active culture in the ingredients. After you make yogurt the first time, you can save some as a starter for your next batch.
Note: I am not advertising Fairlife or Natrel milk and am not related to the company in any way. This milk has been the choice for making this cold ingredients yogurt.
How to make No boil / cold ingredients yogurt?
Pour the carton of Fairlife milk into the instant pot insert. Add 2 tbsp of yogurt (I have noticed that with 1 tbsp I have not got the right consistency).
Mix the starter well with the milk by using a whisk.
If you like to sweeten the yogurt, you can add the sugar or vanilla or condensed milk. Mix it well.
Set the Yogurt mode on the instant pot. It should read "Normal" and you can set it for anywhere between 8-10 hours. If you prefer, a glass lid can be used when making yogurt as you are not cooking under pressure.
Results of the no-boil yogurt
Open the lid after the set time (8-10 hours). The yogurt should have a thick consistency.
At this time, you can cover with a silicone lid and cool the yogurt in the fridge. You could also transfer it to a glass container or mason jars and then cool it.
You can add your favorite topping to the yogurt or have it as is. One of our favorites is to top this yogurt with this Strawberry Jam made in the instant pot.
My taste test result is that the yogurt is very thick and creamy, but does not have the tang I look for in the yogurt. I am also used to a little less thick yogurt, as that is how the usual homemade yogurt that I grew up eating is. So for my Indian friends, this is not like the homemade yogurt you have known, it is more like greek yogurt. That said, many people prefer greek yogurt and this is certainly a great option!
I still prefer my simple yogurt over no boil yogurt, but if I am crunched on time, this is a great option rather than buying it from the store.
I recommend you try both methods and choose the one you prefer. Do share your comments about what you liked and how you flavored your yogurt!
Here are some recipes you can make with the yogurt you just made:
No boil / Cold Ingredients Yogurt (Dahi) - Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 52 ounce Fairlife Milk or Natrel or other Ultra-filtered Milk
- 2 tablespoon Fresh Yogurt with live cultures
Instructions
- Add milk and yogurt to Instant pot insert. Whisk together so the yogurt mixes evenly with the milk.
- Place the instant pot lid or a glass lid.
- Push the Yogurt button and use the +/- buttons and set time to 8 hours. Make sure the Yogurt setting says "Normal". If you prefer tart yogurt, you can increase the time.
- When yogurt cycle is completed and the instant pot beeps, cover with a lid and refrigerate or transfer to glass jars or container to refrigerate.
- Enjoy yogurt with your favorite flavor and toppings.
Notes
- Do not use raw or normal milk for this recipe. It does not set well and also it contains bacteria due to which it must first be heated.
- If you prefer, you can add sweetened condensed milk or vanilla when mixing the milk and yogurt starter.
Note: Nutrition values are my best estimates. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.
Jas C says
Hello! Will this recipe work if I used Fairlife 2% milk? I'm using lactose free greek yogurt as a starter. Thanks
Meeta Arora says
Hi Jas - The fair life 2% milk would work, however the end result could be a little thinner. I have not tried this with lactose free starter, so cannot say for sure if that will work. Please do share how it turns out if you try.
Sana says
Does the milk have to be room temperature when mixing the culture? I tried fairlife cold milk from the fridge and it was not done in 8 hours
Meeta Arora says
Hi Sana - Typically cold milk works for this recipe. Sometimes it can take a bit longer to set. I would suggest to keep it a bit longer for 10 hours if but does not set in 8 hours.
Gillian says
Hi Meeta
Will home made yogurt work well for making another batch of yogurt
Meeta Arora says
Hi Gillian - yes, I use it all the time to make a new batch. Hope you enjoy it!
NICOLE L. GULACK says
CAN YOU DO A COLD START INSTAPOT YOGURT USING THE FREEZE DRIED YOGURT CULTURES
Meeta Arora says
Hi Nicole - Thanks for the suggestion. I will check out freeze dried culture.
Khushali Shah says
Can I use this yogurt to make another batch?
Danny H says
How much condensed milk? Sugar? Vanilla?
Pam says
I cooked mine for 8 hours and it was still almost as runny as milk when time was up? What did I do wrong?
Meeta Arora says
Hi Pam - Did you use the right kind of milk for this recipe. That is the most likely reason.
Lisa says
Hello!
I’m tried to make this with the milk and yogurt you suggested and it is still runny like milk. But when I push the “yogurt” button, I see Custom, Pasteurize and Ferment as options. If I select “custom”, it asks me the time I want to cook it for. I selected 8:00 and then it asks me for the temperature I want in Fahrenheit. Am I doing something wrong?
Meeta Arora says
Hi Lisa - Thanks for sharing your experience. What model instant pot are you using? In the DUO model, the yogurt mode maintains the temperature between 106°F – 113°F. So I would suggest to set it to 110°F if you are specifically setting the temperature. Also, please do use the milk suggested for this recipe to work well.
Tracey leland says
How long will this stay good?
Meeta Arora says
Hi Tracey - This yogurt will stay in the refrigerator for a week easily.
Lina says
Hello! I have a brand new InstantPot duo Crisp&air fryer and there is no button “yougurt”. There are buttons with different programs as broiled, steam,,,
Can you tell me which program should I choose for yogurt?
Thanks! 😊
Meeta Arora says
Hi Lina - Congratulations on your new instant pot and air fryer lid! I have not tried this, but I see there are recipes to make yogurt in the duo crisp model. If you search on google "instant pot duo crisp yogurt" you will be able to find recipes which uses the sous vide mode.
Johanne B says
I tried this and it worked great! Thank you for the recipe.
Fairlife says
Hi Meeta Arora! Hope your doing good. Am basically a foodie and I came here for the first time, but frankly loved the blog. Amazing article this on yogart instant pot. I will be your follower..thanks so much for sharing this with me!!
Carrie kimball says
What if you have a 6 qt lux with no yogurt button
Priyanka says
Hi Meeta !!
Can you recommend starter culture?
Meeta Arora says
Hi Priyanka - I usually buy an organic yogurt with active live cultures as a starter to make yogurt.