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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.
save this recipe!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
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!
The process is simple
This is just an overview; jump to the recipe card for full printable instructions and step-by-step photos!
- Heat the milk: Warm milk to 185–200°F. This changes its proteins so the yogurt thickens properly.
- Cool it down: Quickly cool to 100–110°F. This is the ideal temp for activating the yogurt cultures.
- Add the starter: Whisk in live culture yogurt to introduce the bacteria that make yogurt.
- 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.
- Strain (optional): For Greek yogurt, strain in the fridge until it reaches your preferred consistency.
- Store and enjoy: Chill and use as you would store-bought yogurt—sweet or savory!
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.
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!
How to Make Greek Yogurt (No Special Equipment)
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
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.
- 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).
- Mix: Add ¼ cup plain store-bought yogurt to the cooled milk and whisk well to combine.
- 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).*
- 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.
- Serve chilled with your favorite yogurt toppings, or use it in a recipe as you would store-bought yogurt!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist.
did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!
This didn’t work for me at all, it’s still very runny after letting it sit for hours. I have no idea where I went wrong.
Maybe it’s too cold. I have made yogurt for about 8 months. It has come out great each time. However in December it happened to me. I threw it away the first. The next time I tried, I was attentive. So, when a few hours had passed and it was still runny, I thought it was the cold room. I turned the oven light and it worked. The yogurt came out great.
I just gave it my first go and it turned out perfect! Never dreamed making yogurt was so easy! I used a mix of whole and 2% milk because I want to find a balance between a bit of a lower fat content and creaminess. Depending on the texture I might do all 2% next time. I’m letting some of the whey drain now. Could this whey then be used to make some yogurt farmers cheese? Can’t wait to dig in! Thanks so much for the recipe!
So happy to hear you loved it, Nicole!! I’m not totally sure on the farmer’s cheese – I think you would need to start with milk (not whey) to make that.
I have a question I went directly by the recipe and strained it but it came out kinda slimy like it tastes good I out fruit in the bottom of the cup but why is the consistency like this?
Homemade yogurt can turn slimy if the milk wasn’t heated enough to kill off competing bacteria or if the yogurt starter culture was overpowered by unwanted microbes. It can also happen if you incubate it too long or at inconsistent temperatures—basically, the bacteria got a little too excited!
Hey I made this yogurt and it turned out perfectly except the consistency is slightly off a little cottage cheesy, is there a way to make it a smoother consistency?
To fix cottage-cheesy yogurt, just give it a quick blend or whisk—it’ll smooth right out. If it’s a bit watery, strain it through a cheesecloth for a thicker, creamier texture. Next time, make sure you’re using whole milk and keeping the incubation temp steady at 110°F for that perfectly smooth texture!
How would I made this with less sugar?
The longer you let it ferment, the more sugars will be “eaten” by the bacteria. This will also make for a more tart yogurt!
I’ve made this a few times now. I use raw milk from a local dairy.
I use my dehydrator to keep it warm (has a yoghurt making setting on it). And tend to leave on overnight.
Draining the yoghurt through cheese cloth, allows it to thicken and removes some of the sharpness from it.
Do you have to use plain, store bought yogurt the first time? Will vanilla yogurt mess up the fermentation process?
Technically, yes—but it’s not ideal. Most vanilla yogurts contain added sugars, flavorings, and sometimes stabilizers that can interfere with the fermentation process. If it’s the only option, make sure it contains live active cultures and no weird additives, but for the best results, plain yogurt is the way to go!
If I want fruit flavored yogurt, at what point do I add the purée of fruit and how much?
Hi John! Add fruit flavor after fermentation, once the yogurt has fully set and strained. Stir in ½ to 1 cup of fresh or blended fruit per 2 cups of yogurt, or mix 2 to 3 tablespoons of fruit compote or jam per cup for a smoother texture. Blend for a smooth consistency or gently stir in for a chunkier texture—perfect for customizing your homemade yogurt!
Hi thank you! Howong does it last?
Store in a clean, airtight container for up to 1 week 🙂
Thanks a lot Sara I made it yesterday and all my family loved it.