Homemade Yogurt & Greek Yogurt Recipe
- niyousha
- Jun 26
- 3 min read
Updated: Aug 7
I grew up enjoying plenty of yogurt alongside my mom's homemade meals. It is a staple in our culture, and my mom has been making her own yogurt for quite some time. Meanwhile, I was purchasing pricey organic Greek yogurt, and eventually, I decided to make my own since it’s incredibly easy to prepare at home. Plus, homemade yogurt often tastes better, is more cost-effective, and you can control exactly what goes into it—no additives or excess sugar.
Let's get started with the recipe!
For a full video instruction of this recipe, you can visit my IG account: @lemon.tree.holistic
Ingredients
*2-4 Litres of milk
*Yogurt starter (best to use one with probiotics) I used Yogourmet
OR a cup of store bought yogurt.
Kitchen Tools
*Large pot
*Whisk
*Food Thermometer
*Bowl
*Sieve
*Glass jars with lids (You can use mason jars or re-use your store bought pickle or pasta glass jars)
Yogurt Instructions
Step 1:
Set the pot on the stove and add the milk to it.
Insert the food thermometer into the pot so that the dial is visible.
Set the stove dial to low or medium. Heat the milk to 180 degrees, ensuring it does not boil. Avoid boiling the milk; if it starts to boil, reduce the stove setting.
Step 2:
After your milk reaches 180 degrees, take it off the stove and let it cool to 100 degrees, keeping the thermometer in place.
Tip: Occasionally, I place my pot in the sink and let it sit in cold water to speed up the cooling process.
Step 3:
After the milk has cooled, use a ladle to pour approximately 4-5 cups of the cooled milk into a bowl.
You have two choices: either use a yogurt starter to make your yogurt from scratch, or use a cup of store-bought yogurt.
--If you opt for the starter, open its packet and add it to the bowl of cooled milk. The starter will provide instructions on the number of packets required per liter or cup of milk.
--If you decide to use store-bought yogurt, add 1 tablespoon of yogurt for each cup of milk.
Using a whisk, thoroughly mix the starter or yogurt into the bowl of cooled milk.
Next, pour the whisked milk from the bowl, where you mixed in the starter or yogurt, back into the original pot of cooled milk and whisk it again.
Step 4:
It's time to let your milk incubate.
You can incubate the milk by wrapping the pot with a thick blanket and placing it on the counter.
OR
Pour your milk into glass jars and secure them with a tight lid. You might need several jars. Then, place them in your oven with the oven light turned on. (This is the method I use).
Step 5:
I typically let it incubate for about 10 hours, usually overnight, and by morning, I have yogurt.
Remove the yogurt from the oven or blanket after 10 hours and put it in the fridge for a few hours before enjoying it!!!
NOW LET'S TAKE IT UP A NOTCH! LET'S TURN THAT YOGURT INTO GREEK YOGURT!
Greek yogurt is high in protein with a nice thick creamy texture!
Greek Yogurt Instructions:
Step 6:
Position the sieve over a bowl, ensuring it fits well and can remain stable without tipping over.
Once the yogurt has chilled in the fridge, take a portion of it (I prefer doing this in parts), typically around 2-3 cups.
Transfer the yogurt into the sieve. This process will enable the liquid whey to drain into the bowl, resulting in thicker yogurt.
Place a cover over the bowl and put it in the refrigerator.
You can let the liquid whey drain for at least 3 hours or overnight, depending on your yogurt preference. I prefer mine very creamy, so I leave it in the fridge overnight.
Step 7:
When your Greek yogurt reaches your preferred consistency, you can transfer it from the sieve to your chosen container and return it to the fridge.
Liquid whey can be added to your smoothies or protein shakes!
Tip: Reserve a cup of your yogurt in a sealed jar in the fridge to start your next batch! You can repeat this process with each batch, eliminating the need to purchase yogurt again!
I'm Niyousha, an integrative holistic nutritionist. If you're seeking assistance with nutrition, healthy eating habits, gut health issues, or wish to make a lifestyle change, you can schedule an initial consultation with me by clicking the button below!
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