Making Yogurt in the Instant Pot
Using an Instant Pot makes this process easier when it comes to keeping a proper temperature for fermentation, but you can also use a simple glass jar in a warm area of your home for similar results. I’m still in minimalist-mode after living in tiny apartment kitchens for so long in Los Angeles, so I aim to keep my kitchen appliances to a minimum. That’s why when I decided to finally take the plunge and buy the Instant Pot, I wanted to get the model with the yogurt-making function, so it could multitask. Using the yogurt function did NOT come intuitively to me, but I finally figured out a one-pot method that makes the yogurt-making process as easy as possible.
How to Make Instant Pot Coconut Milk Yogurt
Creamy coconut milk (the culinary or canned version, not the type found in the refrigerated section) makes a natural substitute for dairy milk in yogurt-making, but it won’t thicken up like the creamy yogurt that we’re used to on its own. It needs some sort of thickener added to it. The common thickeners used in yogurt making include:
Tapioca starch Agar Agar flakes Gelatin (not vegan!)
I tried using tapioca starch first, but I found it difficult to achieve the results I wanted. I needed to use about 1/4 cup of tapioca starch per 2 cans of coconut milk to get the thickness I was looking for, and the resulting mouthfeel was a bit “off” to me. If you’ve ever tasted store-bought yogurts with a lot of gums and thickeners, the tapioca-thickened yogurt reminded me of that.
How to thicken Coconut Milk Yogurt
There’s also the possibility of using no thickener if you want to use straight coconut cream (the part that thickens up when chilled in a can) to make your yogurt instead. I don’t care for the taste or texture of the yogurts made with only coconut cream, as I think they taste too rich and fatty, but feel free to go that route if you’d like to. As written, this coconut milk yogurt recipe produces a very thick result, similar to a Greek-style yogurt, thanks to the thickener and fat content of the full-fat coconut milk. The yogurt will be very thin and runny when it’s in the Instant Pot fermenting, but it will thicken up perfectly once you transfer it to the fridge to chill.
Here are a few other things to keep in mind when making Coconut Milk Yogurt in the Instant Pot:
What does Coconut Milk Yogurt Taste Like?
I think it’s also important to note that if you don’t care for the taste of coconut milk, you probably won’t care for the taste of this yogurt. It definitely tastes like coconut milk, though you can adjust the flavor however you like when it’s done fermenting, either by adding some sweetener or fruit. Coconut milk can also have a slightly grainy-texture from the desiccated coconut, so don’t expect the coconut milk yogurt to be quite as silky-smooth as dairy-based yogurts are. I have been enjoying this yogurt served with my Grain-Free Pumpkin Seed Granola as quick breakfast or snack, so I hope you’ll enjoy this probiotic-rich yogurt just as much. I think it tastes similar, if not better, to the store-bought brands and costs just about $1 per serving, to help fit into your healthy eating budget!
Need more healthy Instant Pot recipes?
Be sure to check out The Fresh & Healthy Instant Pot Cookbook. You can see a sneak peek here!
Substitution Notes:
I used agar flakes when testing this recipe, because they were locally available to me. If you can only locate agar powder, you’ll need to use less than this recipe calls for. (Probably closer to 1 teaspoon of powder.) If you’re not vegan and would prefer to use gelatin, I would start with 1 teaspoon of gelatin, too. If you try this substitution, please leave a comment below letting us know how it worked you. Also, if you prefer a thinner yogurt, you might just want to use 1 teaspoon of agar agar flakes in this recipe, rather than the full tablespoon. (I like my yogurt to be thicker.) If you need to be strictly dairy-free and vegan, be sure to check that your probiotic powder is dairy-free and vegan, as some brands do contain dairy. I bought my probiotic powder from the refrigerated section at Whole Foods, but I imagine that any high-quality probiotic powder will work well in this recipe. (You can empty probiotic capsules into a measuring spoon if you would prefer.) I tested this recipe using a bottle of store-bought almond milk, and I did not care for the results. (It wasn’t creamy, and had more of a jello-like texture from the agar flakes.) The fat in the coconut milk definitely contributes to the classic creamy yogurt texture, so other non-dairy milks will most likely not produce ideal results. (The same goes for the refrigerated type of coconut milk. The full-fat canned version and boxed culinary coconut milk produce the best results.) If you use the culinary milk to avoid using canned coconut milk, I’d recommend adding 1/2 cup of water to the pot before boiling, as this coconut milk is thick and a bit grainy.
I hope you’ll enjoy this more affordable coconut milk yogurt. Let me know in the comments below if you give it a try! – Reader Feedback: Have you tried making Coconut Milk yogurt before? Let us know in the comments below if you have any additional tips or tricks! We can all benefit from your experience. SaveSave
