Homemade Greek Yogurt
This homemade Greek yogurt recipe is luxuriously thick, creamy, and far simpler than you might think. With my tips and tricks, you'll have the yogurt of your dreams in no time.
Servings: 1 quart Greek yogurt
Calories: 305kcal
Equipment
- Cooking thermometer or Candy Thermometer
Ingredients
- ½ gallon whole milk*
- ¼ cup plain unsweetened yogurt (or plain unsweetened Greek yogurt) use one that you love, as long as it has live active cultures
Instructions
- Before starting, make sure all equipment is thoroughly cleaned to prevent spoilage.
- Heat the milk: Add ½ gallon whole milk* to a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot. Set over low heat until the temperature reaches 180°F (82°C), about 15 - 20 minutes. Stir every few minutes to ensure even heating and prevent a skin from forming on the milk.
- Cool: Remove from the heat, and strain through a fine mesh sieve into a large bowl. Cool the milk to 108°F (42°C), stirring occasionally. This process can take as long as an hour, but you can speed it up by placing the bowl into an ice bath, which should take just a few minutes.
- Add the yogurt: In a small bowl, whisk ¼ cup plain unsweetened yogurt (or plain unsweetened Greek yogurt) with ¼ cup of the cooled milk until smooth. Add the yogurt mixture into the bowl, and whisk until well-combined.
- Incubate: Cover the bowl and place it in the oven with the oven light on for 8 - 12 hours. Note: The ideal temperature of the yogurt should be around 100°F (37°C) - 110°F (37°C). Using just the oven light can keep the yogurt around this temperature, however, it's not completely foolproof. If you have an oven setting in this temperature range (i.e. 'Bread Proofing'), you can keep it on at that setting for a more consistent temperature! See my blog post for tips on using a Yogurt Maker or Instant Pot.
- Check consistency: At this point, the yogurt should have a firmer, jelly-like consistency. You can check the consistency by gently tilting the bowl. The yogurt should hold its shape and not run.If desired, you can incubate for an additional 12 - 16 hours (up to 24 hours total) for a tangier texture. Otherwise, proceed to the next step. Note: If the yogurt is still completely liquid after 12 hours, the starter may have been inactive or the incubation temperature was too low. For safety, discard and start fresh with new starter and ensure the milk is held between 100°F – 110°F during incubation.
- Strain: At this point, the yogurt can be chilled and enjoyed as is. For Greek yogurt, line a fine mesh sieve with a large piece of cheesecloth and set it over a large bowl. Carefully scoop and transfer the yogurt into the cheesecloth and strain for 5 - 8 hours in the fridge, or until it's reached your desired consistency. Note: If you'd like to make more yogurt in the future, set aside ¼ cup plain (pre-strained) yogurt to keep as your starter. Store in the fridge in an airtight container.
- Finish: Transfer the strained yogurt to a clean, airtight container, and chill in the fridge completely before serving. Store in the fridge for 1 - 2 weeks. Enjoy!
Notes
* For best results, use whole milk. Though I know it's possible, I have not tried this recipe with lower-fat milk, and I can't attest to its success with this particular method.
For extra creamy yogurt, hold the milk at 180°F (82°C) for 10 minutes before cooling.
For a sweetened or fruit-based variation, allow the yogurt to chill for at least 2 - 3 hours before adding your mix-ins. Note that added sweeteners and fruit will cut the shelf-life of the yogurt!
The strained liquid (or whey) can be saved and used for smoothies and broths. No need to discard it!
Recipe lightly adapted from Bright Cooking by Camille Becerra.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup | Calories: 305kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 180mg | Potassium: 592mg | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 810IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 497mg | Iron: 0.06mg
