Easy Homemade Greek Yogurt Recipe | Simple No-Starter Yogurt Method - Thick, Tangy, and Foolproof
Making your own Greek yogurt at home is simpler than it sounds, and you don’t need a store-bought starter to get creamy, tangy results. With just milk and a little lemon juice or vinegar, you can coax natural cultures to do their job. The process is hands-off, budget-friendly, and surprisingly consistent.
Ingredients
- Whole milk (1/2 gallon or 2 liters) – Whole milk makes the creamiest yogurt, but 2% works too.
- Lemon juice or white vinegar (2 tablespoons) – Provides the gentle acidity to help kickstart fermentation.
- Optional: pinch of salt – Enhances flavor without making it salty.
Instructions
- Heat the milk. Pour the milk into a heavy pot and warm it over medium heat until it reaches about 180°F/82°C, just below a boil. Stir now and then to prevent scorching. This step helps your yogurt thicken later.
- Cool it down. Take the pot off the heat and let the milk cool to about 110–115°F/43–46°C. If you don’t have a thermometer, it should feel warm but comfortable to the touch—like a hot bath.
- Add the acid. Stir in the lemon juice or vinegar. You won’t see curds form like cheese; you’re just creating the right pH for fermentation.
- Keep it warm. Cover the pot with a lid. Place it somewhere consistently warm for 8–12 hours. Good spots: an oven with the light on, an insulated cooler with a warm towel, or a yogurt setting on an Instant Pot (no pressure).
- Check for set. After 8 hours, gently tilt the pot. If it looks thickened and jiggles as one mass with a little whey on top, it’s ready. If it’s still very liquid, give it a few more hours.
- Stir and chill. Once set, stir gently for a smooth texture. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to cool and firm up.
- Strain for Greek-style. Line a fine-mesh sieve with a clean cotton towel, cheesecloth, or coffee filters. Set over a bowl and pour in the yogurt. Refrigerate and strain for 1–3 hours, depending on how thick you like it. The longer it strains, the thicker it gets.
- Finish and flavor. Stir in a pinch of salt if you like. Keep plain for versatility, or add honey, fruit, or vanilla right before serving.