Homemade Greek Yogurt Recipe - Savory Simple (2024)

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Have you ever tried making yogurt at home? It’s surprisingly easy! Homemade greek yogurt tastes wonderful and has no preservatives.

I have an unapologetic love for America’s Test Kitchen. I read the magazine, watch the show and collect the cookbooks.

I’ve become a huge fan of one book in particular,The America’s Test Kitchen DIY Cookbook, which teaches all sorts of basics like homemade cheeses, jams, tofu and cured meats.

I became so enamored with this book that I reached out to ATK and asked if I could share some of the recipes from the book on this site.

I was overjoyed when they said yes! These are the kinds of recipes I love experimenting with for fun. And homemade yogurt has been something I’ve wanted to try making for ages so this seemed like the perfect recipe to share first.

It’s very easy to make and the taste is worlds above anything you’ll buy at the grocery store. It still has a tang but the flavor is mild, fresh and smooth.

It’s worth noting a few things about this recipe since I’m skipping over their intro:

The cookbook uses 2% milk but you can use whole or skim milk if you prefer.
You want pasteurized milk but NOT ultra-pasteurized or UHT milk.
Use high quality milk and yogurt for best results.
I’ve spoken with several recipe developers who say they make homemade yogurt without the addition of nonfat dry milk. I haven’t yet tried it this way. According to the Jennifer Lalime, the creator of this recipe, it helps with the thickening process.
The recipe specifies to let the yogurt set for 5-7 hours but you can leave it in the oven for a longer time. I let mine set overnight for 9 hours.
You need some store bought greek yogurt for this recipe to add the live cultures. For future recipes you can use the homemade yogurt to start new batches.
If you want regular yogurt that is not Greek style, skip the final straining step. Or you can strain for less time for an in between consistency.

That’s it! Enjoy the recipe and thanks to America’s Test Kitchen for allowing me to share it with you!

Homemade Greek Yogurt

5 from 2 votes

Have you ever tried making yogurt at home? It's surprisingly easy! Homemade greek yogurt tastes wonderful and has no preservatives.

Course Breakfast, Brunch

Cuisine American

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

▢ 4 cups 2% pasteurized (not ultra-pasteurized or UHT) low-fat milk
▢ 1/4 cup nonfat dry milk powder
▢ 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt

Instructions

▢
Adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Place a fine-mesh strainer over a large bowl, then set the bowl in a larger bowl filled with ice water. Heat the milk in a large saucepan over medium-low heat (do not stir while heating) until it registers 185 degrees F.
▢
Remove the pot from the heat, gently stir in the milk powder, and let it cool to 160 degrees F, approximately 7-10 minutes. Strain the milk through the prepared strainer and let it cool, gently stirring occasionally, until the milk registers 110-112 degrees F. Remove from the ice bath.
▢
In a small bowl, gently stir 1/2 cup warm milk into the greek yogurt until smooth. Stir the yogurt mixture back into the milk. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and poke several holes in the plastic.
▢
Place the bowl in the oven and turn on the oven light, creating a warm environment of 100-110 degrees F. Let the yogurt sit undisturbed until thickened and set, 5-7 hours. Transfer to refrigerator until completely chilled, about 3 hours.
▢
Set a clean fine-mesh strainer over a large measuring cup and line it with a double layer of coffee filters. Transfer the yogurt to the prepared strainer, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until about 2 cups of liquid have drained into the measuring cup, 7-8 hours. (You can also skip this step for regular yogurt that is less thick). Yogurt can be refrigerated for up to one week.

Notes

Reprinted with permission from 'The America's Test Kitchen DIY Cookbook'
by the editors at America's Test Kitchen

Please read my full post for additional recipe notes, tips, and serving suggestions!

Nutrition

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