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This is your foolproof guide to making healthy homemade Greek yogurt. With just two simple ingredients and basic kitchen tools, you can enjoy homemade Greek yogurt that is healthier and more flavorful than store-bought versions.

Greek yogurt in a bowl with granola and fruit.
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Milk is made up of casein and whey. While whey is the watery substance left when the milk curdles, casein is what curdles and is used to make cheese and yogurt! And the best part? This process is incredibly easy to do at home!

Hundreds of people have used this recipe to successfully make yogurt in their kitchens—yours next?

  • Control the ingredients: No thickeners or added sugars—just milk and live cultures (aka yogurt).
  • Budget-friendly: A quart of homemade yogurt costs a fraction of the store-bought stuff.
  • Double-duty: You also get whey (the leftover liquid), which you can use in smoothies, bread, or cooking grains.

Reader rating

★★★★★

“I just gave it my first go and it turned out perfect! Never dreamed making yogurt was so easy!” —Nicole

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Greek yogurt in a bowl.

Just 2 Ingredients

Yogurt is a fermentation (just like kefir, kombucha, and kimchi), meaning it’s created by adding some bacteria (yogurt) to a sugar-containing substance (milk) and letting the bacteria eat up the sugar. So to make yogurt at home, you’ll just need 2 ingredients:

  • Yogurt: Use a good-quality yogurt with live or active cultures listed on the label. (After this first batch, all future batches can use what you made as the yogurt starter. You’ll never need to buy it again!)
  • Milk: Whole-fat milk produces the best texture for homemade yogurt.

This is just an overview; jump to the recipe card for measurements!

Greek yogurt parfait in a jar with granola and fruit.

The process is simple

This is just an overview; jump to the recipe card for full printable instructions and step-by-step photos!

  1. Heat the milk: Warm milk to 185–200°F. This changes its proteins so the yogurt thickens properly.
  2. Cool it down: Quickly cool to 100–110°F. This is the ideal temp for activating the yogurt cultures.
  3. Add the starter: Whisk in live culture yogurt to introduce the bacteria that make yogurt.
  4. Ferment: Cover and let sit in a warm spot (like the oven with the light on) for 4–8 hours to thicken and develop tang.
  5. Strain (optional): For Greek yogurt, strain in the fridge until it reaches your preferred consistency.
  6. Store and enjoy: Chill and use as you would store-bought yogurt—sweet or savory!
@liveeatlearn

It’s the last day of Fermentation Week! Let’s make Greek yogurt 🍨 Yogurt is a fermentation (just like kefir, kombucha, and kimchi), meaning it’s created by adding some bacteria (yogurt) to a sugar-containing substance (milk) and letting the bacteria eat up the sugar. The result of fermentation is always acid, gas, or alcohol. Fermentation of milk gives us acid, making for the distinctively tart flavor of yogurt! So to make yogurt at home, you’ll just need 2 ingredients: yogurt and milk! (We’re basically making a lot of yogurt out of a little yogurt). The full guide is at the link in my bio! #homemadeyogurt #homemadeyoghurt #greekyogurt #howtomakeyogurt #fermentationstation #FermentationMagic #lactofermentation #FermentationFun #fermentationworkshop #fermentationisfun

♬ Countryside – Andrew Joy
Straining yogurt in a cheese cloth, showing whey drip out.
The liquid that is drained out of the yogurt is whey! This is a great protein source and works well in smoothies and soups.
Thick Greek yogurt.

Tips For Success

Keep it warm: The oven light should be enough, but if your kitchen’s cold, turn the oven on for one minute every few hours to gently rewarm.

Tanginess depends on time: A 4-hour ferment makes mild yogurt. Closer to 8 hours = tangier.

Save some as a starter: You can use a few tablespoons of your homemade batch as a starter for the next one.

Greek yogurt parfait in a jar with granola and fruit.

More than just for breakfast

Use your freshly made Greek yogurt to whip up Spinach Artichoke Dip or Healthy French Onion Dip. And my favorite way to use Greek yogurt? In this quick and easy tzatziki sauce!

Greek yogurt in a bowl with granola and fruit.
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How to Make Greek Yogurt (No Special Equipment)

4.88 from 193 ratings
By: Sarah Bond
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 6 hours
Total: 6 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 2 cups
Make thick, tangy Greek yogurt at home with just two ingredients! This foolproof guide walks you through how to make healthy, flavorful yogurt that’s better than store-bought.

Equipment

  • Medium pot with lid, aim for the heaviest/thickest pot you have
  • Kitchen thermometer
  • Quart-sized jar or bowl
  • Mesh sieve
  • Cheesecloth or thin dishcloth, coffee filters, paper towels etc. placed inside a mesh strainer

Ingredients 

  • 4 cups whole milk, 960 mL
  • ¼ cup plain store-bought yogurt, ensure the container says “live” or “active” cultures, 60 g
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Instructions 

  • Heat Milk: Place 4 cups whole milk in a medium pot and heat to 185-200°F (85-93°C), stirring frequently to preventing a skin from forming.
    Heating milk for yogurt.
  • Cool Bath: Transfer the pot with milk to an ice bath (I filled my sink with ice and water), to cool milk to 100-110°F (37-43°C).
    Cool milk for making yogurt.
  • Mix: Add ¼ cup plain store-bought yogurt to the cooled milk and whisk well to combine.
    Adding yogurt to milk to make yogurt.
  • Ferment: Cover jar or bowl with a lid, wrap in a moist, warm towel to keep in heat, and place in oven. Turn on oven light to keep warm, and let the bacteria do its yogurt making magic for 4 to 8 hours (or overnight).*
    Making yogurt in the oven with the light on.
  • Strain: You can eat the yogurt like this, or strain it to make Greek yogurt. To strain, line a mesh sieve with cheesecloth (or paper towels, coffee filters etc), and pour yogurt in. Place over a large bowl and let strain in the fridge for a few hours (or overnight), until it’s reach a consistency you like.
    Straining yogurt in a cheese cloth.
  • Serve chilled with your favorite yogurt toppings, or use it in a recipe as you would store-bought yogurt!
    Greek yogurt in a bowl with granola and fruit.

Notes

*The oven light should be sufficient for keeping the milk warm enough for fermentation. You can also turn the oven on for 1 minute (just enough to warm things up an insy bit) every so often. We’re aiming to keep the milk/yogurt at about 100°F (37°C) throughout the whole process.
Store in a clean, airtight container for up to 1 week.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 220kcal | Carbohydrates: 13.5g | Protein: 22.7g | Fat: 8.5g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 168mg | Potassium: 437mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 13.5g | Vitamin A: 72IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 363mg | Iron: 0.3mg

Nutrition information calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist.

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379 Comments

  1. Betsy Kern says:

    5 stars
    This was my first time making yogurt and I was surprised how much better it tasted than store bought! I took half and added vanilla & stevia after it was done and it was delicious! No more store bought for me as this is way better!

    Reply
    1. The Live Eat Learn Team says:

      So glad the recipe worked out for you Betsy, thanks so much for trying it!