Make your own non-dairy, gluten-free (even soy-free!) vegan yogurt without a machine, thermometer or hard-to-find ingredients. This inexpensive and simple technique will bring yogurt back into your diet.
I haven’t eaten much yogurt since we went vegan several years ago. Non-dairy yogurts are expensive, and often have flavors that just don’t seem quite right. Buying enough for family of six, and then watching most of it go to waste–tossed out in half-eaten school lunches or downright rejected as “yuck”– gets old fast.
Though I’m pretty resourceful in the kitchen, memories of my own mother’s yogurt attempts include thermometers, machines, special cultures and weird ingredients. I’m the kind of cook that never makes anything the same twice. If I can’t wing it, it’s probably not going to turn out well. (No soufflés at my table…)
Truthfully, I haven’t missed yogurt. It was never an essential staple anyway. But as it’s time to begin making lunches for school again, I decided to see if I could do better than the commercial brands. After all, there is nothing that I buy from the store that I prefer over my own efforts. Convenience is what I buy in stores– delicious is homemade.
I just assumed it would be complicated. I ordered the yogurt maker, a thermometer and the special vegan cultures. I followed the recipe and my stop watch like a Girl Scout. It was surprisingly good from the first try. And the kids were excited.
But familiarity breeds laziness, and each batch I made became less by the book and more off the cuff. And it was still good. So I started paying attention to my forgetfulness and making notes of my results. I divided each batch into mini-science experiments (did you know I used to be a high school chemistry teacher?) and compared different ingredients and methods.
And there are quite a few! Unless you need commercial grade yogurt, you really can’t go wrong. If you enjoy making things your own, and you don’t mind eating the delicious spoils of your own trial and error, then this vegan yogurt recipe is for you.
Here’s what you do:
- Choose your milk
- Thicken
- Flavor
- Culture
- Set
- Refrigerate
Choose Your Milk:
A walk through the non-dairy milk isle offers an overwhelming amount of choices. Gone are the days when it was soy milk or nothing! And that’s great! Options now include unsweetened, original, vanilla, chocolate and organic versions of soy, rice, almond, coconut and hemp milk. Consider:
- If you can buy organic, do. This guarantees it’s free of pesticides and GMOs (especially important with soy!). Interestingly, it’s usually the same price.
- “Unsweetened” is perfect if you want plain yogurt. Otherwise, you’ll add sugar of some kind anyway. “Original” is what I usually go with, as it has less added flavor than “vanilla”.
- Soy is the only plant milk high in protein (8g/serving). Consequently, it’s the only milk that will curdle to a visible extent. The tart and tangy taste of traditional yogurt can be recreated in other ways, however, so if you want soy-free, move on without concern.
- Oat milk has 4g protein/serving, and is a second-best for curdled flavor.
- Rice and hemp milk are lower in protein (1g/serving) and higher in calories than coconut and almond, but they taste great! Note: I’ve not found the ideal recipe for rice milk; it separates. This doesn’t have to be a problem, just shake it before opening the lid. But if you’re looking to impress, use an alternative.
- Good news…mixing and matching of all of the above is allowed.
- I find the best deals at the big box stores. Look for the non-refrigerated boxes, often in the baking isle or natural grocery section. Meijer Organics have several varieties and are often on sale for $1.50/box. Stock up and go once a month or less.
Thicken:
There are many thickeners that work, and you probably have several in your kitchen. See directions below for specific directions for flax seed, arrow root, tapioca flour, agar agar, xantham gum, guar gum, soy lecithin granules and soy and sunflower lecithin.
Flavor:
Add fruit, flavors and sweeteners of choice as it cools and blend well. If working with frozen fruit, make sure it’s room temperature or even slightly warmed. But simple is good too. I like oat milk yogurt (original) just as it is.
Culture:
Yogurt by definition is fermented; this is what makes it tart and creamy. Vegan yogurt is no different. Bacteria must be added to the milk to initiate this reaction. For the best and most consistent result, you’ll need to purchase a culture designed to grow in plant milk. I use a vegan variety from Cultures for Health, and have had fantastic and consistent results.
Can you do it without a specially ordered culture? Yes, but it’s not an exact science. I tried several experimental runs with my OrthoMolecular Probiotic, and found that using one serving size (one capsule) per 1 qt batch of plant milk produced results similar to the commercial culture. But brand efficacy will vary. My only advice is to start with less. Too much will result in soupy and even bitter flavor.
You can also add similarly flavored store-bought vegan yogurt that hasn’t expired. And keep it going if you make it regularly. Use 1/3 cup as a starter for the next 1 quart batch.
Set:
Once the bacteria culture is added to the milk, it needs to set in a warm environment (approximately 110 degrees is ideal) for 6-8 hours. Tartness and thickness increase with time, so if you prefer neither, remove it sooner.
A yogurt machine is perfectly designed for this process. I love mine, if only for the 5 oz serving cups that fit nicely into lunch boxes. If you are going to buy one, look for an automatic shut off. This eliminates the “oops” factor.
But if you have an alarm clock (yes, you do! look on your phone!) and don’t need an extra appliance, your oven is quite capable of handling the job. Simply turn on the light and cover the vegan yogurt with a cloth. It might take a little longer to set as it’s not as warm; the bacteria won’t propagate as quickly. Increase the set time up to 9 hours, but no longer. Beyond that, it turns yeasty and “burpy”, with a sour flavor.
Refrigerate: Once it’s set, put an air tight lid on the container and refrigerate. This will stop the culturing process. As long as it tastes good, it’s safe to eat. The vegan yogurt will continue to thicken as it cools in the fridge. Be patient!
Directions:
1. Pour one 32-ounce box (or a total of four cups combined) of desired plant milk into a sauce pan.
2. Bring to a boil. Add thickener. Return to boil, whisk for 2-3 minutes, and remove from heat.
- flax seed– Dissolve 2-4 tbsp in a small amount of water before adding to the boiling milk.
- arrow root– Dissolve 2-4 tbsp in a small amount of water before adding to the boiling milk.
- tapioca flour– Dissolve 2-4 tbsp in a small amount of water before adding to the boiling milk.
- agar agar powder– Add 1/2-1tsp directly to boiling milk. Whisk vigorously.
- xantham gum– Add 1/2-1 tsp directly to boiling milk. Whisk vigorously.
- guar gum– Add 1 – 2 tsp to a small amount of water before adding to the boiling milk.
- soy lecthin granules– Use a mortar and pestle (or a small grinder) to reduce 1/2 tsp-1 tsp granules to powder. Add directly to boiling milk. Whisk vigorously.
- liquid soy or sunflower lechtin– Add 1/4 tsp directly to boiling milk. Whisk vigorously.
4. Sweeten with favorite flavors. Mix well. I recommend finishing with a hand-held mixer or a quick puree in the blender.
SONY DSC
- Chocolate, Peanut Butter Banana: 1 tbsp cocoa powder, 3 tbsp peanut butter (or peanuts if using a vitamix) 1 banana (frozen is fine)
- Banana, Coconut, Orange: 2 bananas (frozen is fine), 1/3 cup coconut, 1 peeled orange or lemon
- Cinnamon Pear: 1-2 pears, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp each of nutmeg and clove
- Other: 1 cup fresh or frozen fruit, 1 tbsp sweetener (optional)
5. Allow mixture to cool for about 1 hour. (If you add culture when it’s too hot, it will die.) If you are using a thermometer, it needs to be between 90-115 degrees. If you are using your finger, consider that a delightfully hot bath is somewhere between 100 and 105 degrees. If it feels hot to your finger, but not hot enough to need to pull your finger out, it’s perfect.
5. Add culture packet, 1/4-1/2 cup of commercial yogurt or a single serving of a pro-biotic. Mix well. Divide into desired containers as needed and place in yogurt maker or other warm (90-110 degree) environment. Leave the individual lids off the glass jars for your yogurt maker. If using oven, cover container(s) with a towel, turn on oven light.
7. Check in about 6-8 hours. If using the oven, 7-9 hours is necessary.
6. Sometimes the consistency isn’t perfect; various milk, thickener, flavoring, and temperature combinations all interact different. Occasionally, I need to add a little of “this” or “that”, or even just re-blend it. If separation occurs, but it tastes ok, just give it a shake before you serve it. And enjoy the fact that there are no artificial flavors, colors, preservatives, antibiotics or hormones in that little cup of awesome.
6. Store in refrigerator in an air-tight container. It will firm up even more as it cools.
How to Fix a Failure:
There are several reasons vegan yogurt might fail to thicken:
- Too much or too little culture was added
- The culture was expired or improperly stored
- The culture was introduced at too high of heat, or inoculated at too low of heat
But for whatever reason it fails, as long as it tastes ok, it can still be eaten. Simply bring back to a boil and add more thickener. It may not have the pro-biotic benefits to your digestive tract, but it need not go to waste. Allow it to cool and store in fridge.
HAHAHAAAAA…… you did it. Thanks for posting. It’s going into my recipe book right away. Now to watch a documentary a friend sent on GMO….. I’m learning more every day….
I make my vegan (coconut milk) yogurt from start to finish in my MEC yogurt maker. It turns out fabulous –thick and creamy. These are pots but are made from a different material – All-natural clay. They work wonderful for making yogurt. The micro pores in the pot let only the water to slowly evaporate making the yogurt thick naturally without any artificial thickeners or straining. I got mine from miriamsearthencookware.com
I wonder if this would work with a crockpot?
I have an induction range & the light won’t stay on in the oven & the lowest setting I can use is 150. I don’t know what the temperature range is for the warming drawer. I might could try that with an oven thermometer to see what it does or put a bowl of water in with my candy thermometer in it to see what it gets to.
I’d surely appreciate some feedback on this if I could.
Sue, I’m including a link with a recipe that looks solid, and I’ve used her directions before with success. I’ve done this enough to know that it’s not that complicated if you don’t mind experimenting. You can’t go wrong. I added too much thickener last night (because I didn’t bother to measure–this blog is published and I can go back to guestimating.) It was a gelatinous solid this morning. So I added a bit of milk, re-mixed it and sent it in the lunches. I just checked…yep! Jars came back empty.
And when it’s too watery, you can reheat and add more thickener. (This will kill the culture, but you can’t taste the difference.)
BTW: How low does your oven go. Some of them will heat to 115, which means you’ve got a yogurt maker AND a dehydrator.
Check out
Hi Suenell,
I found this site and she uses a crock pot. Give it a whirl, good luck! 🙂
http://vegcharlottenc.com/2012/10/14/eureka-homemade-vegan-yogurt/
Yes, I do use a crockpot, and it turns out great! If you visit my site, do a search for “yogurt” as I’ve written several posts updating my experiences and posting tips I’ve learned along the way! 🙂
What do you mean by “Simply turn on the [oven] light”?
Perhaps a better question is “What happens when you turn on your oven light?” E.g. Is it just a regular light, or is it some sort of heating element that raises the temperature?
My oven doesn’t have a light (it’s a gas oven), so I’m just trying to put your statement in context.
The light shining on the dark towel does add a few degrees, but I’ll be honest. I’ve done this so many times, and the light has invariably been flipped off ( no one would EVER notice the oven light is on unless I’m making yogurt! Then FOR SURE, it gets turned off!). It still sets and I can’t detect a difference. Try it and let me know. Or get creative and heat oven with a ceramic stone or brick, turn it off, and let it cool. The stone will radiate for a bit.
You’re a lifesaver! Ever since Miyoko Schinner’s book Vegan Artisan Cheese came out I’ve been desperate for a completely unsweetened plain soy yogurt. I was also loathe to buy any new equipment. I do have a dehydrator and will use it to make this yogurt. Thank you so much for your detailed and excellent instructions!
Please let me know what works for you. I’ve gotten to a place where I don’t even use a recipe, as my ingredients are so random each time. And it’s always delicious. Maybe I’m not as picky. But I’m not making commercial grade yogurt. The consistency can always be fixed (unless it’s too thick, in which case I just make a cake out of it…) and flavor can always be upgraded with a spoonful of jelly or sugar. I’d love to hear what works for you!
Do you use whole flaxseeds and just let the Vita-Mix take care of them or ground flaxseeds? Can’t wait to try this out, thanks.
I usually buy ground flax, but if you are using a Vitamix, it wouldn’t matter. Let me know what you think!
have been making my own yogurt for ages..just sterilise a thermos flask with boiled water and put the innoculated mixture in there. next morning? delicious yogurt!no oven needed.
Simone London UK
This is such a good idea! I was unsure about how to keep the yogurt warm, this sounds great! Thank you!
Let me know how it turns out. With it being a very “non-scientific” method, results may vary and we are all learning as we go. Post your results here so we can all benefit!
Hi!I’ve seen a recipe for home made dairy yoghurt where they to poured the mixture in a thermos, wrapped it in a blanket and kept it somewhere slightly warm (like near a heater or on the heated bathroom floor) for about 6-7 hours. Do you think that would work for the non-dairy kind as well? Seems so simple and easy! In addition to not having to use any more electricity to keep it warm. I’m so excited to try this out:)
It absolutely would work!anything slightly warmer than room temp will be effective. Of course, it depends on how precise you need it to be, but this recipe is not designed for commercial purposes.
Oops I just asked the same question, woo I got it!! I’m off to make yogurt for breakfast yaaay thanks x
Hi Colleen,
I am very excited to find a recipe that I can make at home and not have to buy additional equipment! Could you suggest an alternative to the soy lecthin granules? My daughter is allergic to soy…
Thanks!
I have the best luck with the agar agar, but tapioca starch and ground flax work great too. You just need a bit more. Also, good old fashioned corn starch will work too!
chia seed works as well
How much chia seed is needed for the thickener?
I just wanted to thank you for your detailed instructions- I made soy yogurt for the first time this morning and it came out just perfect! I used 3 TBS tapioca flour for 1 cup of (dry) soybeans. My son hasn’t tried it yet but it looks and smells just like the store bought one. Thank you so much! I appreciate you 🙂
Awww…Thank you Pauline! That makes it worth the effort!
Okay, so I decided to try almond and it came out runny. I used 3 TBS tapioca again. I wonder if anyone has tried any other thickener with success? I have agar flakes, cornstarch and arrowroot in the cupboard. Do you think I could grind the agar flakes and use those? Also, if I let the mixture cool for an hour, it is no where near warm anymore. Does this matter? It cools much quicker than I realized, in about 20 minutes or so.
Since I am rarely home for 8 hours at a time unless I’m sleeping and my electric oven won’t go below 250, I adapted this recipe to this one for dairy yogurt from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe, which involves a slow cooker/crock-pot: http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2013/01/diy-homemade-yogurt.html .I also used 1/3 cup of store-bought soy yogurt since Cultures for Health was out of stock of their starter.
Here is my final recipe:
DIY Vegan Yogurt
4 cups non-dairy milk
1 tsp xantham gum
optional flavors:
1 tsp vanilla +
2 tsps cinnamon
fruit
1. Bring milk to boil in saucepan – watch it carefully so it doesn’t boil over!
2. Remove from heat, add xantham gum, whisking vigorously for 1 minute.
3. Return mixture to boil, whisk for 2-3 minutes.
4. Remove from heat.
5. Add flavors, mix well.
6. Put mixture in fridge until it cools to 90-115 degrees.
7. Heat crock pot on low until it reaches 115.
8. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Once the oven is fully preheated, turn it off. Turn the oven light on.
9. Remove mixture from fridge, add ⅓ cup of yogurt.
10. Remove the ceramic pot from inside your slow cooker. Pour the yogurt mixture inside that and place the cover on the pot.
11. Lay out a standard size bath towel and place the covered ceramic slow cooker pot in the center. Fold up each side until it makes a neat little towel wrapped package and the pot is completely insulated.
12. Place the towel-wrapped ceramic slow cooker pot into the warm oven. Let the wrapped pot sit in the warm oven for 8-12 hours.
13. Remove pot from oven, pour yogurt into an air-tight container.
14. Store yogurt in refrigerator. It will firm up more as it cools.
Thanks SO MUCH for posting this recipe and the video! I am extremely lactose-intolerant and even though I live in Philadelphia, there are only a couple places where I can find truly vegan yogurt (eg, Stonyfield’s “O’Soy” actually uses milk-based cultures, so that eliminates the options available at major grocery stores), and the stores that do sell truly vegan yogurt (Trader Joe’s, Essene Market and Whole Foods) are consistently out of soy yogurt! Plus, I can totally customize this recipe and make my own without having to bike around town trying to track down a more expensive variety with a much higher sugar content. 🙂
Ingenious! Thank you for this suggestion! I have also seen heating stone cookware to 500 for 30 minutes, and then turning the oven off and the light on. The stone retains heat for several hours. For sure, where, there’s a will, there’s a way. And you’re right, there is NO non-dairy yogurt on the market that has flavor better than what you create at home. Thanks for the great comment!
[…] you’re avoiding dairy, I found this homemade vegan yogurt recipe (although I haven’t tried it myself, so buyer beware.) I also have a sneaking suspicion that […]
I used this recipe 3 time already. The first time it turned out delicious but too liquid (and I really wanted to use my spoon). So because I didn’t want to kill the cultures I tried ground Chia seeds and my blender. It’s a good way to thicken things with out the stove. They do add a bit of a different texture, but they are nutritious and delicious.Now I got your recipe down, but I wanted to share what I learned in the process.
Thank you so much!
Hi there! I’m finding that about a day after making a yogurt batch it becomes progressively and rapidly more liquidy. Any tips to help it maintain the proper yogurty texture for longer? Thanks!
I experience the same thing…sometimes. I continue to log my results, but it’s random. Here’s my general observations: I have found that if I don’t sweeten it until I’m ready to use it, it lasts longer. Once it’s sweetened, it’s got a 24 hour window. So maybe the bacteria are interacting with the fruit sugars? I do find that less is more…less probiotic, and less time to ferment. And truth be told, I’ve forgotten to add the culture a few times. It tastes very similar, doesn’t go bad as quick, and the kids love it. Please keep me posted on your trials!
Vegan Cultures for health yogurt starter is been out of stock for awhile. Is there another brand of vegan yogurt starter you would recommend? I tried the probiotcis and didn’t have much luck.
I just heard back from them. They should be available on May 8th. I also found another brand that is dairy-free. http://www.giprohealth.com/giprostart.aspx
Thank you for check on that for me.
How long before yogurt goes bad?
Can I put this in a flask and jut leave it to thicken in that? That was how I used to make diary yogurts…
I’ve never done that, but I don’t know why not, as long as the temp is at least 100 degrees. Please try it and keep me posted. If it works for dairy, it should work for non-dairy!
Would you recommend using ground flax over xantham gum? Does the flax create a strange texture
I actually prefer the flax seed. A little xantham gum goes a long way and can end up “gummy-like”… Let me know how yours turns out!
I made a boo boo and bought culture that contains skim milk in it. Sigh… I was so excited when I saw it that I didn’t notice the ingredients. Darn…
Thanks, I am a strict vegtarian and my daughter is a vegan. I will try the above yogurt. Can you send me an email with other vegan recipe sources, such as choc mousse. My daughter is an adult and is passionate re eating very well. Many thanks Tessa.
My favorite resource for sweet treats is My favorite recipe book is by The Vegan Table, by Colleen Patrick Goudreau http://www.compassionatecook.com/publications/the-vegan-table
I’m going to give your recipe a try the method making it in the oven. I have a question. Do you strain it after taking it out of the oven? I saw another recipe online showing the yogurt kind of oily/separated looking when it’s down. They suggested straining it. Is this step necessary? Thanks!
[…] haven’t made any coconut yoghurt myself yet, but I plan on doing it soon using Waking up Vegan’s directions as my guide. I’ll let you know how I […]
I was wondering, it there a difference to the thickness? such as nutritional value, taste, effectiveness?
Kristal, that question is tough. If it’s thin and watery, it could be that it didn’t culture properly, which indicates the probiotic benefits aren’t there. But I rarely get the same results twice because I usually combine a few types of milk, and use different thickeners.
This info is just what I was looking for! I’m a little scared, but am going to try it! (smile) I’m admittedly a newbie to dairy-free, but my kids love, love, love the Stoneyfield “Banilla” flavor and I would LOVE to be able to accommodate them. Any idea about ratios to get a vanilla or “banilla” flavor?
Im so sorry, I meant what is the difference between the different “thickeners”. Ive never used, or heard of any of them, do they each leave a different flavor, texture? Is one better than the rest?
I am using a thermal container for making yogurt and may add some more hot water before I go to sleep. I hope that it works. I wasn’t sure abput the thickener. I used arrowroot and it got gelatinous and I pulled out some bit blobs. I remixed it with the soy milk which then appeared to thicken. Any tips about consistency would be appreciated. I assume that the milk thickens after adding any thickener and before adding the starter culture.
I used a liquid pro-biotic I got at the health food store. They say that an individual portion is between 1/4 and the full bottle. I added half of the container. It was flavored and sweetened. I hope that it works. Yours was the only recipe I found with instructions for adding probiotic if you don’t have starter. The proof will be in the pudding, or yogurt so to speak. I love a tart yogurt and was able to find one made with soy that my co-op no longer carries.
I tried this last night with soy milk and lecthin and left it over night in the kitchen – absolutely nothing.
So I put it outside (I live in the Caribbean) before going to work and when I came home I had yoghurt! I really expected it to fail but it worked as promised – thank you!
Next time I’m going to try with tapioca flour and mixing the milks. This is going to be fun!
Awesome! Let me know what works and what doesn’t in your climate. It is my experience that the longer it needs to culture, the quicker it is likely to go bad. So don’t make more than you can eat…
Hey Colleen! First of all, thank you for posting this! I am a plant-based beginner. I live in a small town and I can’t get unflavored Vegan yogurt anywhere, so your blog post was an answer to prayer! My question is about the pro-biotic to culture the yogurt. Can I use any OTC pro-biotic, or do I need to order/look for a special kind?
Thank you! Have a great day!
Thanks, Elise. I’m happy you are finding this as a solution. As OTC brands vary in content and efficacy, and this “formula” allows for your choice of plant-milk, thickener, culturing technique and flavor, it’s impossible to predict the results. But I promise that even the failures are usually delicious, and can be converted into a smoothie if nothing else. I’d start with the “less is more” approach to both the amount of probiotic and the culturing time. You can always add extra thickener before you serve it. Let me know how it goes…
Hi Colleen. I tried to make yogurt last night with a new euro cuisine yogurt maker. It said I could use powdered milk, but it a thin mess and tastes awful with some lumps in the bottom!Do you think I can put it back on the stove? Also, the recipe that came with it did not use any thickener. I did get the starter granules from ChefCatalog.com if anyone needs some. This is my first try and I am so disappointed.
Also for your amusement and your readers: As I bent down to put the container in the refrigerator at 5:30 AM yesterday morning, the bucket dropped straight down on the floor! In my hair,in the frig, and from one end of the kitchen to the other!! LOL I had to laugh..
That story is only funny AFTER you clean up. In pursuit of this post, I too have several “do I laugh or cry”? mishaps. Once dumped my saucepan full of fresh yogurt on the stove top, and it went in between the cabinet and stove… Which seems awful, but when I pulled out the stove to clean it, I realized I had NEVER cleaned back there since we had moved in. Suffice it to say, it was worth losing the batch of yogurt to have the opportunity to remove several years of sticky, icky, nasty.
As long as a batch isn’t spoiled, you can always return it to the stove top to “save” a thin batch. Depending on your thickener, u may have to bring it to a boil (just try whisking it in w/o heat and see if it works), which may denature the active enzymes, but at least it’s still edible and the ingredients aren’t wasted.
Hi Colleen,
I have tried using rice milk and flaxseed. In the morning when I checked the yoghurt. The consistency was basically still like rice milk and separation had occurred. Although it does have a yoghurt sour taste. Upon your suggestion, I have reheated it, but not to boiling, and added more flaxseed (I would usually chuck it out as I’m nervius of getting sick from it, but I’ll tryat you and keep it!). I am using an Easiyo maker, which you fill with boiling water. As I am not a strict vegan, I also used half a cup of dairy yoghurt as a starter. From this explanation, do you have any suggestions on why it didn’t work? I will continue to try, next time I will try different milk and possibly a store bought starter.
Thank you very much,
Lauren
Question: Can you use the yogurt as a starter culture for subsequent yogurts like we do with dairy? It’d be great to not have to keep buying the culture. Thanks!
Yes! I haven’t bought starter in a year. Use your own or a quality commercial brand. Let me know what works for you!
[…] fancy yogurt maker/with stuff I already had, so I’m glad I came across/obsessively sought out this post from Waking Up […]
I have agar agar flakes is it different from agar agar powder? Can I just substitute one for the other with the same amount or would I need more or less of the flakes?
I’m not sure. But probably, it’s similar to flax seed vs/ ground flax. You have less surface area with bigger particles, so you may need to add more. Or use a mortar/pestle or a grinder to turn flakes into powder…
[…] making Vegan Coconut Milk Yogurt. The process was actually very simple and I used multiple sources (Waking Up Vegan, Vegan Guinea Pig, Vegan Cookbook Aficionado, and Excalibur Dehydrator – NOT VEGAN, used to […]
Any insight on making raw vegan yogurt?
The only reason to boil is to activate the thickener. The yogurt will set under 110 degrees, which meets the raw definition. I know flax seed can thicken without heat, as will soy granules and xantham gum. I would place the milk and thickner in a high speed blender for 2 minutes, and just experiment with the amount–u may need a little more than the recipe calls for. I’d love to hear back on your results!
Thanks for the article! What yogurt maker would you recommend to make this? I am thinking of buying one specifically for this purpose but people have had difficulty making vegan yogurt with some of the yogurt makers sold on amazon.
Also, how much milk do you use to create what weight of yogurt? I am wondering if it is cheaper to make my own than buying the store non-dairy yogurt, and how much cheaper. Appreciate your answer.
All yogurt makers are simply temperature regulators. The more expensive ones (~$30) have a shut off and are worth the extra few bucks.
As far as weight to expense, certainly, if u have time to make your own milk, and can buy organic ingredients in bulk, it’s cheaper in the long run. But as some big box stores like Meijer sell organic plant milk as cheaply as $1.50/box (on sale), you have to balance time and effort. Here is a link to my recipe for using the leftover pulp for almond, soy, and coconut, and links to the individual recipes are embedded.
Let me know what you think!
My last 2 batches of yogurt have turned out sour. What am I doing wrong & is there anything I can do with the yogurt besides dump it. I hate wasting food.
I don’t know what you’re doing wrong. I hate wasting food too. Can you add a puréed banana to balance it? I would try using a different culture source. I’ve had a lot of luck lately using a few tbsp of Stonyfield’s “fruit on the bottom” soy blueberry or strawberry. If you don’t shake it, you can scoop from the top, which is pretty close to plain and doesn’t add enough flavor to make a difference.
Pretty! Thhis was a really wonderful article. Thank you forsupplying these details.
hello, My problem is I live in a town with one health food store. They don’t sell plain soy yogurt. I know how to make yogurt. The starters you recommend don’t work to continue the yogurt process, the company will agree with that. I have only one option left-Which is to try using fruited soy yogurt the only soy yogurt national grocers will carry. If someone would have any ideas I would appreciate them. Thank You jjhicks58@gmail.com
I have used Stonyfield’s soy “fruit on the bottom”. Most of the flavoring is in the bottom, and if you don’t shake it up before Opening, it’s as close to plain as it needs to be…
Your method of describing the whole thing in this article isgenuinely fastidious, every one be capable of simply be aware of it, Thanks
a lot.
[…] Homemade vegan yogurt – I’m going to try ours with hemp milk, using the Cultures for Health yogurt […]
Hi, i don’t use a thickener at all, and i’ve still been really enjoying my soy yogurt. i strained the last batch, which made it really rich and creamy, but i don’t think i’ll do that every time. My question: if i want to make a larger batch (about 6 or 7 cups of non-dairy milk) do i need to increase the amount of culture? i’ve been using 1/3 c. of my yogurt for each quart of milk. What are your thoughts?
When I was purchasing the packets of vegan culture, it had a large range of volume. I don’t measure exactly, but I probably use about 1/3-1/2 cup of yogurt per 8 cup batch. (I use 2 boxes of various plant milks…) It always turns out great. There are so many variables, so it’s not an exact science.
Hi Colleen,
I tried to make almond yogurt the other day by using 1/8 tsp of HMF Super powder with about a quart of almond milk. Unfortunately, it just didn’t set after 9 hours in the oven. I re-inoculated with another 1/8 tsp and let it sit over night. Unfortunately I didn’t wake up with yogurt! I’m surprised the HMF Super Powder didn’t work – but it was worth a try since I had it on hand. I have a question about the vegan starter – the website does say it is not re-usable (direct set) but I was wondering if you had ever used your own yogurt made from the vegan starter for the next batch of yogurt with success? If so, how long were you able to keep it up?
Do let me know!
I’ve had a couple of unsuccessful batches of cashew yogurt from another recipe that doesn’t add thickeners. I use the Easiyo container that I found online for £5. I’m pretty sure it’s just thin yogurt as it’s turn a bit tart… pleasantly so. So, I’ve just been adding a couple of handfuls of frozen fruit to the batch and drinking it, like a YOP.
I look forward to trying your recipe as I think it will solve my problem. Thanks for posting. I’m new to a plant-based diet and my support is 100% online and through books. Your blog really really helps.
Thanks so much for posting this! I have been making my own dairy yogurt (a gallon at a time) for the last couple of years but found out today that I need to stop consuming dairy due to allergies. I would love to continue making my own yogurt since I’m on a student budget and find that making my own is typically less expensive than buying yogurt at the store. Everywhere else I saw that homemade non-dairy yogurt cannot be used as a starter for the next batch, but my understanding is that you do actually continue your own. Am I understanding properly? Is there anything special I would need to do? Do you have to be careful not to mix a different starter and milk (e.g.: soy yogurt as starter with almond milk for next batch)?
Also, have you experimented making your own non-dairy milk and yogurt from homemade non-dairy milk?
I hope that my yogurt-making adventures can continue despite my new dietary restrictions!
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[…] Recipe and photo credit to lifeoffthelabel.com […]
Hi, If I am using unsweetened almond milk, don’t I need to add some sort of sugar/honey/agave for the bacteria to use? I’ve made 2 batches so far. Both times I used an Ortho probiotic capsule and both stayed as liquid. I used cornstarch in the first batch with no sweetener at all. I used arrow root in the second batch with a tbs. of sugar/stevia combo. A couple of jars in the second batch got a little lumpier but not by much. The first time I used a thermos incubation method. The second time I used a yogurt maker. The smell and taste was yeasty/bready for both batches.
Thanks for educating us all Colleen. You are quite resourceful and inspirational. Learned a lot here as I am looking for dairy-free alternatives to foods I love, like yogurt.
I am new to being 100% vegan and longed for yogurt! Can I add vanilla or maple syrup to the batch?
You can add anything you want! Go for it and let me know your favorite. Other readers benefit from your experience! Thanks for commenting.
Everything is very open with a really clear description of the challenges.It was truly informative. Your website is useful. Many thanks
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Hey there, just thought I’d let you know I tried your method and it worked out really well! I noticed your yogurt looked pretty soupy in the video so I ended up putting double of the thickener in (used 3 tbs flax and 3 tbs tapioca). I also used 1/3 heaping cup of coconut yogurt as the culture and had it in my oven for about 7 hours. The only downside is that, I think because of the flax, it has the most unbearable, slimy, snotty texture ever. Eugh! So next time, no flax! The batch will get turned into frozen yogurt 🙂 Thanks a bunch for the effort you put into this post.
First of all, thank you very much for the information. I had been searching for this kind of recipe for a couple of days (this time!), and, am very happy to have finally found one. I did find one other “yogurt” recipe, that would be vegan and not have to be soy, but, it was for an uncultured end result, so, not near as helpful.
I am wondering, though, why one could just turn the oven on to 110 degrees? Maybe I’m out of check with “advances” on ovens. I know our old ones could be set for 25 degrees and on up to 550.
You can turn the oven on to 110. Mine doesn’t go that low. That, my friend, is also a valuable dehydrator you’ve got there!You can use it to make raw crackers and wraps!
Hi Colleen, Thank you. Yours is the simplest easiest vegan yoghurt recipe to follow after having scoured the web. Rock On!
p.s. Love your name – haven’t heard it for a long time.
What’s up, just wanted to say, I loved this post.It was practical. Keep on posting!
[…] Homemade non-dairy milk – see this step-by-step post by Cathy Fisher of Straight Up Food blog. Cathy explains how to make almond, pecan, oat and rice milks at home using no-fuss techniques. Want to get even more adventurous with turning that milk into homemade yogurt? Colleen from Waking Up Vegan describes the process with great detail in this post. […]
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[…] vegans we recommend that you either buy non diary yogurt or take look at this article which has some really nice information and a video guide on how to make your own vegan yogurt from […]
I’m coming to this conversation late but I hope you’re still able to help. I’m so excited to try this recipe. I don’t like cocnut or almond milk and I’m now dairy free and avoiding soy. So I’m planning on making this yogurt with the oatmilk since rice seems to not be very ameniable. I’ve read some articles about straining yogurt when putting in the fridge to get a greek yogurt. I’m wondering if that works when using a non-dairy milk like oat. I’m thinking if it thickens it it might be worth the effort.
Please leave a comment on your results, Karen. Other readers want to know! Thank you for the discussion!
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Easy Homemade Vegan Yogurt: No Equipment Required – Waking Up Vegan
Has anyone tried pouring into an ice cream maker? Even failure yogurts that didn’t thicken might yeild a great frozen yogurt…strawberry & banana, or blueberry & lemon. I am wondering if it would it be hard as a rock or scoopable.
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It worked! The first batch didn’t turn out. Today I tried the oak milk with agar agar powder and it is wonderful! So creamy and good! Thank you! It is easy, too! I can’t have dairy, and commercial yogurt costs so much. Nancy’s Soy Yogurt doesn’t taste that great, so I am excited to be able to make my own “clean” yogurt without sugars, etc.! Again, thank you!
Thanks for the recipe! I’ve made plenty of dairy yogurt. Now to try soy and beyond. Fyi- I have the same yogurt maker. I use pint and 1.5 pint size jars in mine. I don’t put the top on the yogurt maker, but instead put it in my microwave or other sealed place to keep the heat in and still be able to plug it in. Allows me to make much bigger batches without worry about the temperature!
Hello, great recipe.
Just wondering..am I right in thinking you need fruit or sugar to start the bacteria off making the yoghurt have the probiotics?
I want my yoghurt to not have any fruit or maple syrup or honey etc. just really plain like Greek is this possible??
Thank you
Dr Rashmi Patel DDS
Easy Homemade Vegan Yogurt: No Equipment Required – Waking Up Vegan
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[…] grocery store, then throw some fresh fruit on top, and enjoy! You can also try this easy homemade vegan yogurt recipe, it doesn’t require you to go buy any gadgets or hard to find […]
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Easy Homemade Vegan Yogurt: No Equipment Required – Waking Up Vegan
Do you know if this method would work with Flax Milk?
Colleen, thank you so much for all your trial-and-error as well as the well-written instructions. I had a bit of a failure on my first attempt and I’m not totally sure why. I used coconut milk (I know, probably not the easiest to work with) and xanthan gum. First off the mixture cooled much sooner than one hour (maybe 35-40 min). I used a culture that I keep refrigerated but maybe it’s just not suited to plant milks. My oven is convection so a fan comes on auto when I “turn on the light” which may have cooled things too much. (I turned the oven off when I went to bed… too nervous about it being on like that). In the morning runny and not sour/yogurty. So did it not culture properly? Any suggestions about the convection oven (as in does the fan cool too much?). Thanks and will try again with a different culture.
I love this recipe thank you so much! I just got a yogurt maker. I need to use almond milk due to being pre diabetic, but i was wondering if you use coconut flour as a thickener? And how much?
How about using a dehydrator instead of an oven?
Have you tried adding rice protein powder to rice milk for yogurt making? If so, how did it turn out? I’m just curious as I’m looking for a low FODMAP vegan yogurt alternative.
Thanks !!!!
Very interesting !!!
Hi, Nice, wonderful and informative website.I am a vegetarian and not a vegan but seriously considering becoming one.I would like to try making yogurt with Soy Milk.Thanks and Regards
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If i use a dehydrator with hemp milk , do i leave the lids on the mason jars or off? So far I have not been successful with hemp milk. The consistency is off. When I make soy milk it is perfect
Hello, and thank you for this!Can chia be used as a thickener for this purpose?
Thank you for the yogurt video! Clear, precise and just what I needed!Bless you vegan girl!
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Thanks for the recipe. I agree that most commercial non dairy yogurts are not tasty and cost too much and are hard to find. Traders Joe’s has the best I’ve had and it’s way across town. I’d abandoned yogurt but I am following a diet that suggests some every day for the pro-biotic health benefits as well as having ground flax seed in the yogurt. Since the flax seed is already thick You are not only saving me money but I am doing less driving which is good for the planet too!
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I’d love this and will make my own home made yogurtThanks.
Hi, I tried making soy yogurt once without blending or thickened and it turned out okay. With I tried my next batch, blending and with cornstarch added, it became a bubbly mess. How do you get all the air out after blending? It’s like a flavourless foam. I think this batch is beyond salvation.
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I am making a plant milk/soy yogurt mix as I write. I live in FL and am trying out an idea… I put 110 degree water in a big pot, set a 2 qt bowl of warmed mix inside thickened with some flax and konjac powder. (a really cool ingredient I LOVE! Google it, it’s great, no calories, a starch from a root that you can do all kinds of cool stuff with! They make those non caloric “miracle” noodles out of it!) I sat the whole shebang out on the side of the house, covered in a black bag, in the sun. I have no idea what the temp inside is going to be like, I have to monitor it for a while. Last time I used my closed car as an incubator! Hey all this sun and heat might as well be utilized…and it’s free! LOL! Yep, I’m cheap…well poor is more like it!
Your method worked PERFECTLY for me the first time I tried! I used plain soymilk, and an industrial strength probiotic I take called VSL3. Popped it the oven overnight, firm yogurt in the morning. Last night, however, I tried using cashew milk, and this morning no sign of “yog-ing” at all. I recently read an article about how commercially prepared almond milk consists of like 90% water, and hardly any almonds. I’m guessing it’s the same with other commercial nut milks. But, I bet if you made your own milk, the yogurt might set. Or not… nut milks seem to separate a lot. But, thanks, what a great way to make soy yogurt without having to buy a commerical product!
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I absolutely love this recipe! Please never ever delete it from your blog 🙂
First attempt was a huge success! (yeyy!) I used 4 cups of soy milk and about 2.5-3 oz of soy yogurt as culture (strawberry fruit on the bottom form StonyField because I didnt have any plain ones haha). plus 2 tbsp of flax seed milled = PERFECT !! yey
So then I decided to get creative and tried again with half the recipe, using:
1 cup cocomilk
1 cup soy milk
1 tbsp plain vanilla soy yogurt (StonyField again)
1 tbsp flax seed milled
Unfortunately it didnt thicken or become yogurt :/ The temperature, everything was the same as the previous method. I am starting to think that perhaps I didnt use enough yogurt to culture it? I read that 4 quarts milk + 2 tbsp of yogurt should be plenty so I used half of that.Do you think this is way too little culture? Because in the first recipe 4 quarts + 2.5oz or about 5 tbsp came out perfect. So maybe for 2 cups milk it should be about 2.5 tbsp culture?
Do you think I can re-boil this “mixture” and re culture it again? (re-do the whole process or no?) And this time add 2 TBSP of culture.
****Now that I re-read your recipe, you suggest 4 cups milk + 4tbsp yogurt minimum so I dont know why I decided to get creative RAWRR)
Help! I forgot to turn the yogurt maker on after i set it.I noticed 6hrs in when i got home. 🙁
I used coconut milk. I turned it on, it doesn’t smell like anything and still had condensation on the cover. Think its any good? Janet
How many billion good bacteria does this reciepe need (4 cups)?I have probiotic capsels (1 = 14 billion) 🙂
…and where in the oven do you place it? in the middle?and is the light really warm enough? if not, how many degrees should I use?
Thank you so much. My vegan kids love this so much. And my son you is very fussy loved it too. I moved to South Africa where it is very difficult to get vegan yogurt, but I am so happy I can create this for my kids. And I am happy that I can find ways to add flax to their diet too. What do you think of trying to use aquafaba, (chickpea juice) for a thickener?
[…] blogs online provided great information but the best was Wakingupvegan.com http://lifeoffthelabel.com/2012/09/23/homemade-vegan-yogurt-no-equipment-required/ The site has recipes for turning various kinds of milks into yoghurt, including cow, coconut, and […]
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Hey, I’ve looked at this page, and I think it’s awesome! I just bought some dairy-free yogurt to try this out with, but I want to know how long this stuff will last so I don’t have to waste money on more store-bought yogurt. Please reply!
I couldn’t hear the video, so thanks for making it available in PDF!I’m hooked on yogurt, but want to eliminate dairy from my diet to spare the cows.
[…] and viscous yogurts, most plant-based milks benefit from thickening agents. Though the Internet abounds with advice on various yogurt starches and thickeners, consistent and dependable results eluded me […]
[…] The blog post I found most helpful when I was first researching how to make vegan yogurt was this one, so if there’s something you’re wondering about that I haven’t mentioned here, check this post out! […]
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How long does the yogurt keep?
After experimenting with solar cooker, I have learned that lot of things like fermenting or making something crisp work well by putting it out in the sun with a glass cover lid. I am going to try it with your yogurt recipe. Thank You for sharing.
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FYI to anyone interested… I used soy milk and agar agar, with 1/3 cup soy yogurt as the starter. After ~9 hours, it was a bit think, but definitely yogurt-y. I blended about 3 tsp chia seeds with and let it set. I’ve now got a sort of yogurt jelly! It can’t really pour, so it doesn’t really work like a yogurt… But it can still be baked with, or eaten in müsli/porridge.