Sous Vide Yogurt Recipe (2024)

Published: · Modified: by Sarah Mock As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This post contains affiliate links.

Jump to Recipe

Did you know you can make homemade yogurt with the help of your sous vide circulator? Sous vide yogurt is an easy way to make your own yogurt while maintaining all the probiotic benefits that come with incredible homemade yogurt.

Sous Vide Yogurt Recipe (1)

Here are my step-by-step instructions that will lead you to sous vide yogurt success. This is a basic plain yogurt recipe but feel free to top it with fresh fruit or a scoop of jam and a drizzle of home.

Jump to:
  • Want To Save This Recipe?
  • 🥛 Ingredients needed to make yogurt at home:
  • What type of milk should I use?
  • How to make Sous Vide Yogurt:
  • 📝 Frequently asked questions
  • 👩‍🍳 Chef Tip To Make Thicker Yogurt
  • Want To Save This Recipe?
  • Sous Vide
  • 📖 Recipe
  • 👩🏻‍🍳 Sarah Mock
  • Comments

🥛 Ingredients needed to make yogurt at home:

  • milk - whole milk is preferred but 2% milk and skim milk can also be used.
  • yogurt - with live-culture yogurt.

What type of milk should I use?

Sous Vide Yogurt Recipe (2)

I use either 2% or skim cow milk to make yogurt for my family. But you are welcome to use whole milk. The higher the fat content the thicker the yogurt will be.

What is most important about the type of milk you use be either raw or pasteurized. Pasteurized is what I am able to find at my grocery store and raw milk can be found in various states, depending on the raw milk laws.

If you find milk that is labeled Ultra pasteurized milk (UP) or ultra-high temperature treatment (UHT) you are going to need to add a starter culture to the milk or the yogurt will not set. With UP or UHT milk, the milk has been heated to 275°F or higher for about one second and has killed any of the good cultures in the milk.

How to make Sous Vide Yogurt:

Sous Vide Yogurt Recipe (3)
  1. Use a large gallon Ziploc bag or several quart-size glass jars, heat the milk to 180 F in the sous vide bath.
  2. Set a timer and hold the milk there for 30 minutes.
  3. Add ice to the water bath to cool it and drop the temperature of the milk to below 110 F.
  4. Stir in the starter culture yogurt.
  5. Transfer to clean quart glass mason jars or multiple smaller glass jars.
  6. Reheat the sous vide water bath to 110-115 F
  7. Submerge the jars in the reheated sous vide making sure the water level is above the jars and place on a lid to keep evaporation to a minimum.
  8. Incubate the yogurt for a minimum of 5 hours or up to 24 hours.
  9. Chill in the refrigerator overnight.
  10. Enjoy the yogurt with your favorite fruit or granola toppings.
Sous Vide Yogurt Recipe (4)

📝 Frequently asked questions

Why isn't my sous vide yogurt exactly like the flavored yogurt cups I find at the grocery store?

The yogurt you find in the grocery store is not the same recipe. This sous vide yogurt recipe does not have added thickeners, stabilizers or flavorings.

What is the difference between 5 hours and the 24 hour incubated yogurt?

yogurt to have a distinct yogurt tang, incubate it for 24 hours. The longer the incubation the more tangy flavor it will have. Additionally, if you are looking for a firmer set to your yogurt, go with a 115 incubation versus the 110 that will give you a softer, more pourable yogurt.

Which yogurt has live and active cultures?

I have found that most commercially made yogurts at my grocery store will be labeled 'live and active cultures on the side of the container. It may be in small print but it should be there. This is what you are going to be looking for when you are looking to use a yogurt starter or yogurt with live active cultures.

👩‍🍳 Chef Tip To Make Thicker Yogurt

To make the yogurt thicker in consistency without adding thickeners, strain the yogurt in a strainer lined with cheesecloth or several layers of paper towels.

Sous Vide

  • Sous Vide Filet Mignon
  • Beef Liver And Onions Recipe
  • Best Sous Vide Beef Recipes
  • Best Sous Vide Brisket Recipe (24 Hour Smoked Brisket)

See more Sous Vide →

📖 Recipe

Sous Vide Yogurt Recipe (9)

Sous Vide Yogurt

Sarah Mock

Sous vide yogurt is an easy way to make homemade yogurt with your own ingredients. Here are my step by step instructions that will lead you to sous vide yogurt success.

4.85 from 19 votes

Pin Recipe Print Recipe

Note From Sarah

There is more to a recipe than just the recipe card. Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!

Prep time for the recipePrep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook time for the recipeCook Time 1 day d

total time to prep and cook the recipe.Total Time 1 day d 30 minutes mins

Course Sous Vide

Cuisine French

Makes 8 cups

Per Serving 67 kcal

Ingredients

  • ½ gal milk
  • ½ cup live active yogurt

Instructions

  • Warm the milk to 180 F.

  • Hold the milk there for 30 minutes. Sous vide is amazing for this because of the consistent temperature. This is a step that can be skipped but I find I have a better set to my yogurt.

  • Cool milk to bellow 110 F.

  • Stir in the yogurt with live active cultures.

  • Transfer to clean quart jars or multiple smaller jars. Secure the with clean lids and bands or the no leak lids.

  • Heat the water to 110-115 F. Submerge the jars in the reheated sous vide.

  • Incubate the yogurt for a minimum of 5 hours or up to 24 hours. I prefer 24 hours for more of a tang to my yogurt.

  • Once time is up, remove the yogurt from the water bath and chill in the refrigerator over night.

  • Enjoy the yogurt with your favorite fruit or granola toppings.

Notes

To make the yogurt thicker in consistency with out adding thickeners, drain the yogurt in a strainer lined with cheese cloth or several layers of paper towels.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/2 cup | Calories: 67kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 69mg | Sugar: 1g

Nutrition Disclosure

Nutritional facts are estimates and are provided as a courtesy to the reader. Please utilize your own brand nutritional values to double check against our estimates. Nutritional values are calculated via a third party. Changing ingredients, amounts or cooking technique will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.

Sous Vide Yogurt Recipe (10)

👩🏻‍🍳 Sarah Mock

CEO/Owner/Founder/Culinary Blogger

Sarah Mock is a classically trained Chef and graduate of Johnson & Wales University. A culinary blogger for 14 years Sarah helps the home cook prepare her recipes with professional results.

    More Ultimate Collection of Sous Vide Recipes

    • Sous Vide Short Ribs (Red Wine Reduction) 48 Hour Beef Short Ribs
    • Sous Vide Pork Ribs Recipe (24 Hour Sous Vide Ribs)
    • Sous Vide Cauliflower Recipe

    About Sarah Mock

    Sarah Mock is a classically trained Chef and graduate of Johnson & Wales University. A culinary blogger for 14 years Sarah helps the home cook prepare her recipes with professional results.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply

    1. Heather

      How long will the sealed jars of yogurt keep in the refrigerator?

      Reply

    2. AaronMsf

      Sous Vide Yogurt Recipe (15)
      Hello,

      Adding powdered milk/cream gives a thicker consistency to the yogurt while increasing the protein (and fat depending on powdered dairy used). Different brands of powdered milk can lend different flavors to the yogurt, experimenting can add fun. I generally add the powder while its still hot then shake or stir to mix.

      I find it to help make a thicker Greek and frozen yogurt.

      Reply

    3. Paul Welby

      Sous Vide Yogurt Recipe (16)
      Hi Pam,
      I have found with making yogurt that if the product comes out runny or lumpy - I stir it up, briskly sometimes, to make it creamier which mixes in the whey and yogurt base, and if I want it thicker I strain it through cheesecloth (to remove some of the whey - the more whey you remove the thicker it will get). The stirring and addition/removal of the whey is going to be your variables to get the product that you want - just right. Hope this helps. :)
      Paul W.

      Reply

    4. Pam Tanner

      Sous Vide Yogurt Recipe (17)
      I have made this several times now and love having this delicious ,healthy yogurt with homemade granola, fruit and nuts to top it off! Thank you!! One question however, I have yet to get my yogurt to come out as thick as I would like. It is always a little soupy and with small lumps. Neither of these issues affect the great taste of it but I prefer a thicker, smooth yogurt. Any suggestions??
      (I use whole milk in our Sous Vide and let it sit for 30 min at 180* and then in jars, back in the Sous Vide for about 8 hrs. )

      Reply

    Sous Vide Yogurt Recipe (2024)

    FAQs

    Can I make yogurt in a sous vide? ›

    Stir in the yogurt with the live culture, thoroughly. Cover with plastic wrap and sous vide for 24 hours. (Some people suggest going as high as 120˚F; feel free to test for yourself.) Allow to cool, then refrigerate.

    Does homemade yogurt have enough probiotics? ›

    Certainly. The heavy processing and use of additives in regular yogurt you buy from store destroy probiotics. On the other hand, you can prepare homemade yogurt by natural fermentation of milk minus the processing and with no additives. The rich probiotics keep getting stronger the longer it stays in the clay pot.

    How many degrees does it take to make yogurt? ›

    The temperature must be 108°F to 112°F for yogurt bacteria to grow properly. Too high a temperature inactivates bacteria; too low a temperature prohibits growth. Inhibitor substances such as detergent from dishes. Wash and rinse dishes well before making yogurt.

    What temp kills yogurt starter? ›

    Will heating milk to 110°F / 43°C kill beneficial microbes in the yogurt starter culture? No, but it also will not kill unhealthy microbes. Heating milk to 195°F / 90°C for 10 minutes will kill any unhealthy microbes present.

    Does bacteria grow in sous vide? ›

    Harmful bacteria can't grow above that temperature, and at around 135ºF, most bacteria will actually be destroyed after a few hours, making pasteurization possible. The precision temperature control of sous-vide cooking means it actually has the potential to be safer than traditional cooking methods.

    Can you make yogurt at 90 degrees? ›

    In general, the higher the temperature, the thicker you'll yogurt will be. If you are using store-bought yogurt as your starter, it's better to go with around 85 to 90 degrees so that you won't kill the bacteria already there. You can go as high as 100 degrees. Leave it to culture for about 12 hours.

    How much yogurt do you need to eat to get enough probiotics? ›

    For example, the report indicated it takes 8-25 daily servings of Danone's Activia yogurt (1 billion cfu per serving) to get the needed dosage of probiotic to reduce bloating, gas, and improve stool consistency demonstrated in clinical trials.

    Is making yogurt cheaper than buying it? ›

    Making your own yogurt is way cheaper than buying yogurt at the store. It's easy to calculate the savings, because one litre of milk makes a 750-g tub of yogurt (plus some). I used to spend $6.99 on a container of organic yogurt, but one litre of organic milk only costs me $2.60.

    Is homemade yogurt healthier than store-bought? ›

    5. It brings you a lot of health benefits – and avoids unhealthy ingredients in your diet. Homemade yogurt making allows you to have healthier and more nutritious food and avoids unhealthy additives and sugars that are often found in regular, store-bought yogurt.

    What is the best milk for homemade yogurt? ›

    Pasteurized milk is an excellent choice for making yogurt at home. HTST (High-Temperature Short Time) or Flash Pasteurized milk is heated to 161ºF and held there for 15 seconds. If your bottle of milk is labeled “pasteurized,” it has most likely been treated in this way.

    Why is my homemade yogurt so sour? ›

    Why is my yogurt too sour or not sour enough? A. Culturing temperatures on the higher end of the range and longer culture times will yield a more sour flavored yogurt. To achieve a less sour flavor, culture at the lower end of the range or for a shorter period of time.

    When to add sugar to homemade yogurt? ›

    You can use plain yogurt in recipes, or you can sweeten or flavor yogurt in a variety of ways. Adding sugar when the milk is first warmed to 120° is the simplest way to sweeten it.

    What temperature is unsafe for yogurt? ›

    If the temperature is 90℉ or above, yogurt can only sit out for one hour. To prevent yogurt from spoiling, it should be refrigerated immediately after returning from the store.

    How to tell if homemade yogurt is bad? ›

    How to Tell Yogurt Is Bad
    1. Mold or yeast growth: Amidor reports that this can be green, blue, gray or white in color. ...
    2. Excessive clumping or curdling: yogurt should have a smooth texture, so a clumpy or curdled consistency is a sign of spoilage and a tip-off to throw the yogurt away.
    Oct 20, 2022

    Why is my homemade yogurt so thin? ›

    The temperature is too low. If the temp is below 68 degrees Fahrenheit, the cultures will not ferment properly and the milk will stay runny. The temperature is too high. If the temperature is above 80 degrees Fahrenheit, the yogurt will ferment too fast and will also render the yogurt runny.

    What can you not cook in sous vide? ›

    Produce that no longer looks completely fresh or already smells strange is, of course, no longer suitable for the sous vide procedure. This particularly applies to fish and meat that is cooked at relatively low temperatures.

    Can you make yogurt without pasteurization? ›

    Step-by-step instructions. Yogurt is made by heating the milk with a yogurt culture and then left to sit at a warm temperature to help the bacteria grow and cultivate. Raw milk yogurt needs to ferment for a minimum of 8 hours, up to 24 hours, at 110°F (43.3°C).

    How do you incubate yogurt without a machine? ›

    10 YOGURT CULTURING ALTERNATIVES
    1. Folding Proofer. The Folding Proofer can be set to the temperature required for culturing yogurt. ...
    2. Oven. ...
    3. Thermos. ...
    4. Crockpot. ...
    5. Insulated Cooler and Water. ...
    6. Insulated Cooler and Heating Pad. ...
    7. Insulated Cooler in the Sun. ...
    8. Hot Water Bath.
    Jun 23, 2022

    Can I make yogurt without boiling? ›

    Yogurt starter is then added into the warm milk and it is allowed to ferment in a warm place for a few hours until it turns into yogurt. With this recipe of cold start yogurt, we can skip the most time consuming step of boiling and cooling the milk and directly make yogurt with cold milk.

    References

    Top Articles
    Latest Posts
    Article information

    Author: Barbera Armstrong

    Last Updated:

    Views: 6349

    Rating: 4.9 / 5 (79 voted)

    Reviews: 94% of readers found this page helpful

    Author information

    Name: Barbera Armstrong

    Birthday: 1992-09-12

    Address: Suite 993 99852 Daugherty Causeway, Ritchiehaven, VT 49630

    Phone: +5026838435397

    Job: National Engineer

    Hobby: Listening to music, Board games, Photography, Ice skating, LARPing, Kite flying, Rugby

    Introduction: My name is Barbera Armstrong, I am a lovely, delightful, cooperative, funny, enchanting, vivacious, tender person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.