Vegan Yogurt Recipe

4.86 from 28 votes

An easy cultured vegan yogurt recipe that's smooth, tangy, exceptionally thick & creamy & just perfect for dolloping on anything and everything! Easy to make with or without an Instant Pot.

a large bowl of yogurt with chocolate granola and raspberries

We're jumping back on the fermentation train for this vegan yogurt recipe. And it's a whole lot quicker and easier than making sourdough starter or sourdough bread so you're A-Ok!

And this vegan yogurt is so good! We're talking sheer yogurt decadence. It's smooth, tangy and unlike many other homemade vegan yogurt recipes, it is exceptionally thick and creamy.

Yep, this cultured vegan yogurt recipe is THICK. And it continues to thicken as it sits in the fridge. If you leave it there for a few days it's almost Greek yogurt-like. And you won't be needing any expensive probiotics, powdered starters or thickeners like agar agar, tapioca or xanthan gum either.

Jump to:

Is yogurt vegan?
Does vegan yogurt have probiotics?
What ingredients and equipment do I need?
Do I need an Instant Pot to make vegan yogurt?
How to make vegan yogurt
How to culture yogurt without an Instant Pot
Success tips
How to flavour
Storage
How to serve
What makes this yogurt so thick and creamy?
Hungry for more?
📖 Recipe
FAQS

a tray with open jars of vegan yogurt on it

Is yogurt vegan?

Most mainstream yogurt you buy at the grocery store is made with dairy, usually cow's milk, but also sometimes sheep or goat milk. This means it is not vegan. However, there are a growing number of really good store bought vegan yogurts available. They are made with plant-based milks like coconut milk, oat milk, almond milk, cashew milk and soy milk.

Does vegan yogurt have probiotics?

Most vegan yogurt contains the same gut-friendly probiotics that non-vegan yogurts do, and that includes this recipe, which when made the first time is "seeded" with probiotics from a store bought yogurt and then cultured. For future batches you can use a spoonful of your own homemade yogurt to start the culturing process which means you won't need one from the store.

What ingredients and equipment do I need?

Wondering how you can possibly make vegan yogurt without probiotics or special yogurt starters? I'll let you in on my secrets.

These are the ingredients you need to make my vegan yogurt recipe and why you need them:

Light canned coconut milk - Light canned coconut milk because it gives consistent results and makes the yogurt really rich, decadent, thick and creamy without an obvious coconut taste. I do not recommend you use any other milk.
Raw cashew nuts - These add a lovely cashew flavour and also work to make this yogurt extra thick and creamy.
A tiny bit of store bought vegan yogurt - This acts as the starter. It contains the live cultures that will ferment your yogurt. You only need this the first time you make it. For subsequent batches you can use a tiny bit of your own homemade vegan yogurt instead.
Maple syrup - Maple syrup is always my first choice because it is the most natural sweetener, but or agave or white/cane sugar will work too. It's necessary for the bacteria to feed on. It won't make your yogurt sweet.

You will also need some glass jars with lids. I use cleaned up empty jam jars. I don't recommend making this recipe in one big pot, or directly in the inner pot of an Instant Pot.

3 small jars of vegan yogurt, one with a spoon in it and one topped with fruit

Do I need an Instant Pot to make vegan yogurt?

An Instant Pot with a designated yogurt button provides the perfect environment for making this vegan yogurt recipe and it's the quickest method too. You don't have to use one though. You can make it without an Instant Pot and instructions are included.

How to make vegan yogurt

For detailed measurements and instructions, see the printable recipe card.

Wanna know how to make the best vegan yogurt? It's much easier than you might think and you can make it with an Instant Pot or without one.

Here's how it's done:

Step 1 - Soak the cashews in boiling water.

Step 2 - Add them and the other ingredients to a blender and blend until completely smooth.

Step 3 - Decant into jars.

Step 4 - Place in an Instant Pot on the yogurt setting or leave in a warm place to ferment.

Step 5 - Chill thoroughly before serving. When you remove it from the fridge it will be very thick. The longer you leave it there the thicker it will get.

The fermentation makes it really bubbly. Here's what it will look like when you first spoon some out:

thick vegan yogurt in a jar with a spoon removed showing the bubbly fermented texture

It will be incredibly thick but once you stir it up it becomes super, silky smooth like this:

Step 6 - IMPORTANT - Before you eat it all remember to save a few tablespoons of yogurt to culture your next batch!

How to culture yogurt without an Instant Pot

The easiest way to incubate and culture your homemade vegan yogurt is with an Instant Pot that has a yogurt setting. That will keep it at a consistent temperature throughout with no effort from you. And it's no secret that I love my Instant Pot. I use it for something nearly every single day, including recipes like my Instant Pot Black Beans, Instant Pot Portobello Pot Roast and Instant Pot Tomato Soup and also for cooking rice, grains and oatmeal etc.

A yogurt maker would work well too and if you don't have either of those then you will need to keep your yogurt at a temperature of between 29 ° C (85 ° F) and 46 ° C (115 ° F). Anything below 29 ° C (85 ° F) and you'll have trouble getting it to culture.

It is also really important that the yogurt doesn't get close to or above 49°C (120 °F) because at that temperature the yogurt cultures will start to be killed off and the recipe won't work. Because of this I highly suggest you check the temperature of the yogurts location with a thermometer before you start incubating it if you aren't using the controlled environment of an Instant Pot or yogurt maker.

Here are some suggestions for ways to keep your yogurt warm so it cultures successfully:

Warm house? - If your house is around 29 °C (85 °F) or more you can leave the covered jars on your countertop away from direct sunlight and in a spot where they won't be disturbed.
In your oven - Preheat your oven to 200 ° C (400 °F) for 1 minute then turn it off. Sit your jars on a baking tray and place them in the oven on the top shelf with the oven light on. Do not open the door for at least 10 hours or the heat will escape.
Use your home heating - Place your jars of yogurt near (but not too near) the furnace, radiator, fireplace, stove.
On top of your fridge/fridge freezer - This is usually a nice warm spot and works well if you don't have built in appliances.
In the airing cupboard - If you are in the UK in an older style house you might well have one of these.
A warm closet - I have forced air heating in my house and the closets have vents into them and get really warm.

a jar of creamy vegan yogurt with a spoon in it

Success tips

Follow the recipe exactly. Vegan yogurt is finicky. If you make any changes at all it might not work as well or even at all.
Be sure to soak the cashews even if you have a high powered blender. We want this super-duper smooth.
Do not omit the sweetener. It is necessary for the bacteria to feed on. Don't worry, your yogurt won't taste sweet because it's all consumed by the time the yogurt has fermented.
Canned light coconut milk should be used to make this vegan yogurt recipe. I don't recommend using full fat coconut milk as it will make the yogurt too firm and it also tends to cause separation to occur. Don't be tempted to buy full fat canned coconut milk and dilute it yourself to make "light" coconut milk. That will not work in this recipe.
Blend everything absolutely thoroughly.
Ensure the yogurt you use to "seed" your yogurt is a cultured/live one. Most are but double check. If you don't like the results using a particular brand of yogurt try another one next time. Better quality yogurts will give better results.
Makes sure everything is very, very clean.
For this recipe I recommend incubating the yogurt in glass jars. I do not recommend you make it in one big pot, like the Instant Pot's inner pot. This is because this yogurt gets the very best texture when it is completely undisturbed while it incubates and chills. If you stir it or disturb it you will lose the lovely thick, creamy texture.
If using an Instant Pot do not set your jars on the trivet. They need to be directly in contact with the inner pot. Don't use the trivet at all.
Don't use metal utensils, pots or bowls as there's a small chance prolonged contact with them could harm the bacteria in the yogurt.
Try not to disturb the yogurt in the jars. It gets much thicker if you leave it well alone.
If you've got an Instant Pot with a yogurt function use it. It makes this process so easy!
I like to make my yogurt just before I go to bed. That way the incubation time happens while you sleep.

How to flavour

I don't recommend adding anything prior to culturing your vegan yogurt because it might hinder the process, but after it has cultured and chilled and you are happy with tanginess feel free to stir though:

more maple syrup
fruit jam/conserves
vegan lemon curd
more maple syrup
blueberry lavender sauce
defrosted frozen berries
date caramel
smashed fresh berries
stewed or canned fruit
chopped mango, peach or nectarine
applesauce
ground cinnamon
vanilla or other extracts
nut butter
prunes

Storage

Keep your vegan yogurt in lidded jars in the refrigerator. It will keep for 7 to 10 days depending on your fridge temperature. It will continue to thicken and get more tangy. I do not recommend freezing this yogurt.

How to serve

Uses for vegan yogurt are wide and varied. I suggest keeping a jar in the fridge at all times so you can eat it on repeat for breakfast, snack and dessert.

a healthy chocolate banana breakfast bar with a dollop of yogurt on top

Use it on or with:

my healthy breakfast bars (see pic above)
Bircher Muesli
pancakes like my giant vegan blueberry pancake or my vegan banana pancakes
smoothies
berry compote
on oatmeal waffles
on strawberry baked oatmeal
dolloped on oatmeal or overnight oats
in Bircher muesli
swirled through red lentil dal and curries
dolloped on chilies or soups like my Vegan Tortilla Soup
with vegan granola
with a drizzle of maple syrup and fruit
on crumbles and crisps
in sauces and dips
in place of cream on desserts
in place of sour cream
as a substitute for yogurt in baking. Try it in my super delicious Vegan Apple Cake recipe.

What makes this yogurt so thick and creamy?

If you've made vegan yogurt in the past you've probably found that it usually turns out quite thin. You might be wondering what you can do to thicken your homemade vegan yogurt?

It's very hard to make thick vegan yogurt without adding a thickener of some kind. Store bought vegan yogurts all contain them. The most common thickeners are agar agar, tapioca flour or xanthan gum.

In this recipe though we are blending soaked cashew nuts into the light coconut milk to naturally thicken it. The combination of the creamy canned coconut milk, the cashews and the fermentation make a really thick and creamy vegan yogurt.

Hungry for more?

If you love this vegan yogurt recipe you might also enjoy some of my other vegan dairy substitute recipes like:

Subscribe to my email list for a fabulous FREE eCookbook featuring my top 10 recipes. Being on the list means you will be first to see my new recipes and you’ll be kept in the loop on all things new and exciting too. Also be sure to check out my cookbook Vegan Comfort Cooking for even more recipes!

📖 Recipe

FAQS

Is there a nut-free version of this recipe?

Not at this time. I have only tested this yogurt with cashew nuts. If you use anything other than cashew nuts I cannot guarantee that the recipe will work. I think it should work if you omit the cashews but the yogurt will be much thinner. Please note that I have not tested it that way though so if you try it you do so at your own risk.

Can I use a different milk in place of the light coconut milk?

A lot of plant-based milks will not make successful yogurt. This recipe works well and consistently when using light canned coconut milk. I do not recommend using any other milk as there is a good chance it will not work well or at all.

What should I do if my yogurt separates?

If it's a just a really small amount of separation in the bottom of the jar, just stir it in and pop the jar back in the fridge. Often that's enough to get it to stay nicely homogenized.
If there's a lot of separation you have 2 options:
Scoop off the creamy top and put it in a clean jar and discard the watery part.
Strain it. Line a sieve with cheesecloth and sit it over a bowl. Pour in the yogurt and cover the top with a clean, fluff-free cloth or more cheese cloth. Place the whole thing in the fridge for 24 hours. The liquid will slowly drip down and out into the bowl leaving you thick and creamy yogurt in the sieve. Once 24 hours have passed, scoop the creamy yogurt into a lidded jar.

My yogurt failed. What can I do with it to save wasting it?

Use it in place of milk, sour milk, sour cream, buttermilk, evaporated milk or yogurt in any recipe. Add it to smoothies. Use it as the liquid in pancakes, waffles, cakes or muffins.

My yogurt smells funky or is moldy, what should I do?

If it smells funky (cheesy or foul) or there is any mold in it then it is important you don't eat it. Discard or compost it.

My yogurt stayed thin and didn't culture. Why?

This is likely either temperature related (it was too warm or too cold), the yogurt you used to "seed" it wasn't a live one with probiotics in it, or the yogurt you used to "seed" it wasn't stored correctly either before or after you got it and the bacteria was no longer active.

Can I omit the maple syrup?

Sugar is necessary for the bacteria to feed on so you need to add some form of it. Maple syrup is always my first choice because it is most natural. Agave will work fine, or white or cane sugar. Don't use a dark coloured sugar because it will affect the appearance.

My yogurt smells of sulphur/eggs. Why?

Did you omit the maple syrup? This is necessary for fermentation and without it the bacteria could start dying off before the fermentation process has completed. When this happens an "eggy" sulphur smell could occur. Not sterilizing things properly could also cause issues.

Comments

Gwynne says

July 04, 2021 at 1:44 pm

Can you make the yogurt directly in the stainless pot? Or does it absolutely need glass jars?
Thank you

- Melanie McDonald says
  
  July 04, 2021 at 4:59 pm
  
  Copied and pasted from the post:
  "For this recipe I recommend incubating the yogurt in glass jars. I do not recommend you make it in one big pot, like the Instant Pot's inner pot. This is because this yogurt gets the very best texture when it is completely undisturbed while it incubates and chills. If you stir it or disturb it you will lose the lovely thick, creamy texture."
  
Sophie says

May 03, 2021 at 5:28 am

I made two batches of this recipe over the last couple of days. The first was ok but the second was way better. I used ground almonds in the first one because I was feeling lazy. Big mistake. Don’t do that. It tasted nice but had a gritty texture, not surprisingly. Saying that, I totally forgot to soak the cashews for the second lot! I blended the mix for a good few minutes however and it came out beautifully smooth. Apart from the texture of the first lot, both were beautifully thick although a skin formed on the top in each case. Not that I minded, just thought I’d mention it. I used Alpro Soya Yogurt for the live cultures and fermented for 11.5 hours in individual glass jars (about 110ml each) using the yogurt setting on my bread machine and the “tangy-ness” was spot on. When the time was up I put them straight in the fridge and they came out silky smooth and deliciously thick. The only down side, if I were pressed to give one, would be the calories (thanks to the cashews) weighing in at 240 each. This isn’t a problem if you just want a dollop on top of some berries but for a stand-alone pot of yogurt I think 110ml is a decent portion size so these do score high on that front. They will be an occasional treat. Yum ?

- Frank says
  
  July 08, 2021 at 5:58 am
  
  Soya has GMO in itself so that makes it non vegan
  
  - Melanie McDonald says
    
    July 08, 2021 at 12:43 pm
    
    1 - Just because something is GMO doesn't necessarily make it non-vegan.
    2 - Most soy available to humans as food is non-GMO. The GMO crops are mostly what they use for animal feed.
    3 - All organic soy is 100% without a doubt non-GMO by default.
    4 - Alpro (which I assume you are referring to) is ProTerra certified which means its ingredients/products are sustainably sourced and not genetically modified.
    5 - Please refrain from commenting unless you are asking a question about a recipe or reviewing a recipe.
Jody says

April 30, 2021 at 10:57 am

Does the maple syrup leave an obvious maple syrup flavour in the yogurt? If yes, can you think of anything that be substituted for it? honey, agave syrup, etc.

- A Virtual Vegan says
  
  April 30, 2021 at 11:37 am
  
  You can't taste it. It's just there as food for the bacteria and dissipates as the yogurt ferments. It's explained in the post and alternatives to maple syrup are given in the recipe. I don't recommend honey as it's not vegan.
  
JoAnne says

March 30, 2021 at 9:06 am

Is it possible to make yogurt with dried coconut? I have loads of dried coconut flakes and would love to find a recipe, but all I can find are ones with canned coconut milk. Thanks for any help you can offer.

- A Virtual Vegan says
  
  March 30, 2021 at 3:10 pm
  
  This recipe won't work with dried coconut. You absolutely need the canned coconut milk.
  
  - JoAnne says
    
    March 30, 2021 at 5:34 pm
    
    You are such a dear to respond so quickly. Thank you for that information.
Venus28 says

March 27, 2021 at 12:13 pm

made this for my dairy free baby. super easyand he loved it

- A Virtual Vegan says
  
  March 28, 2021 at 12:17 pm
  
  That's awesome. I'm really pleased he enjoyed it!
  
Giorgia says

March 01, 2021 at 7:06 am

Hi!

I'm really eager to try this recipe, it looks really well thought out and the amount of information makes it really clear to understand.

I don't have an instant pot, but I was wondering if you think it would work in a slow cooker, and if so, if you would recommend to put the jars directly into the pot as you recommend we should with the instant pot.

Thanks!
Giorgia

- A Virtual Vegan says
  
  March 02, 2021 at 12:11 pm
  
  I don't have a slow cooker so have never tried it, but they definitely run a lot hotter than an Instant Pot with yogurt mode. You might be able to modify things a bit, maybe by having the jars sit on thick folded up cloth and leaving the lid off? If you sit them directly on the bottom there is no question that it will be too hot and kill the bacteria. The only way to get it absolutely right though is to get a thermometer and measure the temperature in there. It needs to stay at a consistent 29 ° C (85 ° F) to 46 ° C (115 ° F) to work.
  The oven with just the light on should work ok too. I hope that helps!
  
  - Giorgia says
    
    March 02, 2021 at 2:21 pm
    
    Thank you! It does help!
Candela says

February 28, 2021 at 1:34 pm

Has anyone tried making it with homemade coconut milk? I cant find canned coconut milk where i live

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