By 
Homemade yogurt sounds complicated.
It isn’t.
What makes it fail is bad timing, wrong temperature, or guessing instead of watching.
The Instant Pot removes most of the risk.
This method gives you thick, mild, clean-tasting yogurt that actually sets every time.
No shortcuts
No powdered milk
No weird texture
Just real yogurt made correctly.
What You Need for Good Yogurt
Yogurt is about temperature control and patience.
- Heat the milk properly.
- Cool it to the right range.
- Let the cultures work undisturbed.
If you respect those three things, yogurt is predictable.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Milk – ½ gallon (whole milk works best)
- Plain yogurt with live cultures – 2 tablespoons
Use plain, unsweetened yogurt with live active cultures.
Greek or regular both work.
Instant Pot Settings (Important)
Your Instant Pot must have a Yogurt button.
Do not use the pressure setting.
Yogurt is made with gentle heat, not pressure.
Step-by-Step Instant Pot Yogurt
Pour the milk into the Instant Pot liner.
Press Yogurt and adjust to Boil.
Let it run until it beeps.
This heats the milk to about 180°F, which helps create thickness.
Remove the liner and let the milk cool to 110–115°F.
This step matters.
- Too hot kills the culture.
- Too cool slows fermentation.
Once cooled, whisk a small amount of milk into the yogurt starter.
Then stir that mixture back into the pot.
Cover with the lid.
Press Yogurt and set time to 8 hours.
For tangier yogurt, go up to 10 hours.
Do not move or disturb it while it incubates.
After Incubation
When time is up, check the yogurt.
It should look set and slightly jiggly, not liquid.
Transfer to containers and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
Chilling finishes the thickening.
Making Greek-Style Yogurt
Line a strainer with cheesecloth or a clean towel.
Pour the yogurt in and let it drain in the fridge for 1 to 3 hours.
The longer it drains, the thicker it gets.
Save the whey if you want.
Common Problems & Fixes
Yogurt is runny
Milk wasn’t hot enough or culture was weak
Yogurt tastes sour
Incubated too long
Grainy texture
Milk was too hot when starter was added
Most issues come down to temperature.
Storage
Store yogurt in the fridge for up to 10 days.
Always save a little to use as your next starter.
Final Thought
Instant Pot yogurt isn’t about hacks.
It’s about control, consistency, and letting time do the work.
Once you make it once, store-bought yogurt feels unnecessary.
If you want
a non-dairy version
a sweetened vanilla yogurt
or a high-protein Greek method
Tell me.