Yep, that's right! You CAN make yogurt in the Ninja Foodi and it's wonderful! I have made several batches and tested my method over and over... it has worked every time.
Yep, that's right! You CAN make yogurt in the Ninja Foodi and it's wonderful! I have made several batches and tested my method over and over... it has worked every time.
Homemade Yogurt in the Ninja Foodi is very easy to make and I'm going to show you exactly how.
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I love making yogurt. At first I thought (after reading a few recipes like this one), this is ridiculous... why would I spend all this time making yogurt, when I can buy it? Then I made some, and realized how delicious yogurt is without all the added sweeteners and artificial ingredients found in most store-bought yogurts. I don't flavor or sweeten my yogurt when I make it. Sometimes, I'll add a bit of honey, berries, or homemade quinoa granola when I serve it; and other times, I just enjoy the wonderful flavor, just as it is.
I've been making homemade yogurt for a few years now and I'm happy to say that I've only had it fail once. My first try with the RockCrok. Back then I was using a RockCrok from Pampered Chef, which is a wonderful slow cooker (and more) type of appliance. The pot that sits in the slow cooker base can go on the stove top, in the oven, in the freezer, and even on the grill. It's pretty amazing and makes searing meats before slow cooking them super easy. It's also great for starting soups/chili/stews on the stove and keeping them warm in the slow cooker base without dirtying another pot; and I was able to make yogurt in it, but it just wasn't controlled enough for me.
Then I starting making homemade yogurt in my Instant Pot. It has a yogurt function, but to be honest it was a little confusing to use and I always thought I had ruined my yogurt. I hadn't, but I felt like I always missed a step.
When I first got my Ninja Foodi, I didn't even try to make yogurt. I was so busy having fun with all the other features, that I used my Instant Pot for yogurt. As I learned more and more about the versatility of the Ninja Foodi, I figured there HAS to be a way to make yogurt. And there is.
The principles of making Homemade Yogurt in the Ninja Foodi
The principles of yogurt making are straightforward and pretty simple: time and temperature. In this recipe we are referring to cow's milk when we talk about milk.
Time
It takes time for the active yogurt cultures to ferment the lactose in milk and produce lactic acid. It is the lactic acid that causes the milk to form the soft gel texture of yogurt. So, yogurt is a not a quick thing to make, but it is mostly hands off; especially when making homemade yogurt in the Ninja Foodi.
Temperature
There are different methods of making yogurt; the cold start method and the traditional boil method. I will briefly explain the cold start method, but the way we will be making homemade yogurt in the Ninja Foodi is with the traditional boil method.
Cold Start Method: When using ultra-pasteurized milk, you can use the cold start method. What this means is that you simply mix the ultra-pasteurized milk with the yogurt starter or plain yogurt that contains active cultures together and push the yogurt button on the machine you are using. Then, the mixture is brought up to a temperature that will allow the active cultures to ferment.
*Avoid milk that has been ultra high-temperature pasteurized. The high temps break down the proteins needed to set yogurt.
Traditional Boiling Method: You can use skim, low-fat, or whole milk to make homemade yogurt in the Ninja Foodi; but the lower the fat content, the thinner your yogurt will be. I always use whole milk to make yogurt and I suggest you start with that at first. With the boiling method of making yogurt, you heat the milk to a temperature between 181° F and 200° F. Despite being called the "boiling" method, your milk won't come to a rolling boil. The boiling temperature for milk is around 212° F, and we are only going to bring the temp up to around 181° F. This is sufficient to kill any bacteria in the milk while not heating it so high that it scorches.
Time & Temperature
The cooling phase: When using the boiling method (as this recipe for homemade yogurt in the Ninja Foodi will show you), the milk has to be cooled after it is brought up to the 181° F - 200° F. We will cool it down until it reaches about 110° F before adding in the yogurt culture. This is very important because, if your milk is too hot, it can kill the active cultures and will not turn into yogurt. I'll explain what you can use for your yogurt culture in the next section.
Incubation: No matter which method you use, it's the incubation time and temperature that make the biggest difference in the outcome of your yogurt.
In order for the active yogurt cultures to ferment the lactose and thicken the milk into yogurt, it should be kept between 110° F and 115° F. Now, if it drops below 110° F, don't panic. In fact, I urge you to set it and forget it once you are finished the boiling and cooling phase. You know that saying "a watched pot never boils?" Well... an over-checked yogurt pot doesn't thicken as quickly. Going above 115° F can be a bit more problematic, because the active cultures can be destroyed by the higher heat. This is why we don't add the culture in before we heat the milk.
What You will Need to Make Homemade Yogurt in the Ninja Foodi
Whole Milk: While you can use lower fat milk, but I suggest you start off with whole milk before experimenting with other types. Whole milk will give you the best consistency with the least amount of effort.
Ninja Foodi with the Dehydration Function: This recipe uses the dehydration function on the Ninja Foodi to incubate the yogurt. I am working on a few other ways for those of you who don't have the dehydration function, but right now the only method that I've tested is using the dehydration mode.
Yogurt Starter: This may seem silly that you need yogurt to make yogurt, but think about it like sourdough bread. You have to have a starter. This starter can be any kind of PLAIN yogurt (Greek or regular) that has active cultures. You only need about ¼ cup to get started and then you can save your own yogurt to act as the starter for future batches.
You can also buy yogurt starters that are freeze-dried, but I have never done this.
Thermometer: I highly recommend using a thermometer when making yogurt to make sure you heat the milk to at least 181° F and cool it to around 110° F.
Time: You can't rush yogurt making. Thankfully, it's one of those great foods that pretty much makes itself... in time. I recommend that you start making yogurt in the evening, about 90 minutes before you plan on going to sleep, or early in the morning. Once the incubation time is up (6-12 hours), you'll want to get it in the fridge.
Okay, let's get to making homemade yogurt in the Ninja Foodi!
How to Make Homemade Yogurt in the Ninja Foodi
First, make sure your inner pot for the Ninja Foodi is sterilized. I run mine through the dishwasher. Take out the yogurt you are going to use as the starter from the fridge. You want it to come to room temp before adding it into the milk. You will add the yogurt starter AFTER you heat and cool the milk.
Place the inner pot into the Ninja Foodi and pour in milk. Set the saute mode to High (you can use a lower setting, it will just take longer) and heat the milk until it reaches at least 181° F, but not more than 200° F. Stir frequently to prevent milk from scorching on the bottom. When the milk is heated to 181° F, turn the Ninja Foodi off. Let the inner pot sit in the Foodi for 5-10 minutes. This isn't necessary, but I've found that it helps with the thickening of the yogurt.
Remove the inner pot and place it on a heat resistant surface. Allow to cool until it cools down to about 110° F. If you let it cool a bit longer and it's 100° F, do not worry. It's fine. Just make sure the temp is below 115° F. before adding the yogurt starter.
Add the yogurt starter (plain yogurt with active cultures) and stir into the milk. You can use a whisk (and I sometimes do), but gently whisk it in.
Cover the inner pot with aluminium foil (brand name, but not heavy duty). Place the inner pot into the Ninja Foodi and close the Air Crisping lid. Select the dehydration mode and set the temp to 180° F. No, that's not a typo. Now, you can set the temp lower if you want; however, it's just going to take a lot longer for your milk to thicken into yogurt.
I've tried the lowest dehydration setting up to 180° F and tested the temp of the milk at each. At 180°º F, the milk maintains a temp of between 108° F and 110° F. This is perfect for making yogurt. In fact, I made yogurt in 6 hours. It was a little on the thin side, but since I strain mine for Greek Yogurt it wasn't an issue. I recommend at least 8 hours for a yogurt with a nice consistency without straining.
Allow the yogurt to incubate in the Ninja Foodi with the dehydration setting on 180° F for at least 6 hours. 8 hours is better. 12 hours may not be better depending on how sour you want your yogurt.
Place the inner pot in the fridge for a few hours or overnight to allow the yogurt cool and set.
Strain until you have your desired consistency. This is optional, of course, if the yogurt is how you like it, then you are done. If it isn't thick enough or you want to make Greek yogurt, strain it until the yogurt releases its whey.
Don't try to squeeze it through the flour sack or cheese cloth, you will cause the actual yogurt to seep out. It is best left alone. The whey will drip out.
I personally like a very thick yogurt, so I strain my yogurt quite a while. There are many ways to strain yogurt, the easiest and most reliable is by placing the yogurt into a clean flour sack and hanging it with straps over a bowl. This allows the whey to drip out, but retains the yogurt. If you don't have flour sacks at home, get them! My mother-in-law introduced me to them many moons ago and I can't live without them. They are the best kitchen rag/towel/strainer I've ever had.
You can also strain your yogurt in the fridge, which I do if I'm not going to be home or if the yogurt is done just before bedtime.
Don't discard the whey! Use it to replace water when making bread. Use it to add protein to smoothies. Add it to your dog's food (check with your vet, please). You can even add it to your bath water. Okay, I haven't done that! Sounds kind of gross... but, that's what I read in this article by Spruce Eats; Many Uses for Whey.
Tips for Making the Homemade Yogurt in the Ninja Foodi
The longer you let the yogurt incubate, the more sour it becomes. I've never had an issue with the taste being too sour, but I love sour cream. I have found that sweet spot for homemade yogurt in the Ninja Foodi is an incubation time of 8-9 hours. Any longer than that, you will have a stronger (sour) tasting yogurt. I happen to like yogurt on the sour end; as I said earlier, I like a thick Greek style yogurt. Not only is it delicious to eat as yogurt, I often use it in salad dressings instead of mayo or sour cream.
I have nothing against either of those two, but I really love when I know exactly what ingredients I'm using in my recipes. Like when I used homemade Greek yogurt to make these delicious and Easy Homemade Biscuits made in the Ninja Foodi!
Be patient. It's hard. You will check on your yogurt (the first time you make it) way too much. You will think you failed. It's not getting thick and you'll be tempted to stop the whole process. Don't. Time and temperature is key. The temperature is taken care of by the Ninja Foodi, your only job is to give it time. It's perfectly fine to check the temp a few times. I suggest that you stick the thermometer through the foil so you don't let the heat out, but go ahead and check the temperature. I did. Every 30 minutes to be exact. Why? So you don't have to. I know the milk doesn't get too hot, I already did the ground work. Now, you just sit and relax or go to bed and let nature and a kitchen appliance make the best homemade yogurt in the Ninja Foodi that you've ever had.
I thought I failed, almost every time I've made yogurt. I really thought I failed the first time I made homemade yogurt in the Ninja Foodi! It looked like milk. Every single time I checked it, milk. I almost threw it away. Seriously. I hate wasting time and I had so many new recipes to develop in the Ninja Foodi for you, I wanted to give up. I'm so glad I didn't. Magic starts to happen around hour five or six. Then it continues to happen. In 8 hours you will have glorious yogurt that YOU made! It's quite amazing. I know I'll never buy store-bought yogurt again.
Tips on Making Homemade Yogurt in the Ninja Foodi on a Regular Basis
I hope once you make your first batch of homemade yogurt in the Ninja Foodi that you are hooked like me. The best way to make your second batch is using the first batch as your yogurt starter.
No need to keep buying plain yogurt at the grocery store, just save ¼ cup of yogurt from your most recent batch to make the next.
There is only one issue with that, right? You might eat it all, go away on a trip, or not make yogurt for a month or two. Yep! That happened to me a few times. I was right back to, why do I buy yogurt to make yogurt? It seemed silly, even though homemade yogurt tastes so much better.
I hate wasting or spending money on something that is so easy to make at home. So, when I looked at how much a new yogurt starter would cost, I said, "nope." I'll make an entire batch of homemade yogurt in the Ninja Foodi and separate it out into ¼ cup portions and freeze it. I didn't know if it would work or not, but I did it. It works great! Freezing the yogurt does not kill the active cultures, but you do want to bring it to room temp before adding into the milk. Once frozen, I put them into a freezer baggie and take one out when I want to make yogurt. I have not had one batch fail. I use this ice cube tray to freeze my yogurt, but you can use any ¼ cup container you'd like.
Sweetened or Unsweetened
I enjoy my homemade yogurt in the Ninja Foodi just like it is. I love the slightly tart taste and the thick texture I get from straining. On occasion, I will add honey when serving and add some fresh fruit or granola.
You can certainly add honey or sugar or whatever sweetener you'd like to the yogurt. You want to do this after it finishes incubating.
You can also add in flavors, vanilla, for example. Gently stir in a teaspoon at a time of vanilla and gently stir until it's the flavor you like.
Don't Be A Stranger
Since you didn't bail after the first twenty paragraphs, you're definitely making this Homemade Yogurt in the Ninja Foodi! Yay! I'm always around to answer questions (unless I'm sleeping), so don't be shy. Join our Facebook groups, they are super informative and the group members are AWESOME! No drama in my groups! Nope. Come say Hi.
Ninja Foodi 101: A Facebook Group for those seeking basic knowledge and recipes for the Ninja Foodi.
Ninja Foodi Fresh & Healthy Meals: A Facebook Group for people who want to cook healthier meals in the Ninja Foodi
Want more instruction?
Head on over to my YouTube Channel @thesaltedpepper. I have a bunch of great videos cooking with the Ninja Foodi, including this one that uses the yogurt you made: easy homemade biscuits in the Ninja Foodi!
Homemade Yogurt in the Ninja Foodi
Ingredients
- 8 cups whole Milk
- ¼ cup yogurt Plain with active cultures
Instructions
- Place the inner pot into the Ninja Foodi and pour in milk. Set the saute mode to High (you can use a lower setting, it will just take longer) and heat the milk until it reaches at least 181° F, but not more than 200° F. Stir frequently to prevent milk from scorching on the bottom.
- Remove the inner pot and place on a heat resistant surface. Allow to cool until it cools down to about 110° F. See post for details
- Add the yogurt starter (plain yogurt with active cultures) and stir into the milk. You can use a whisk (and I do sometimes), but gently whisk it in.
- Cover the inner pot with aluminium foil (brand name, but not heavy duty). Place the inner pot into the Ninja Foodi and close the Air Crisping lid. Select the dehydration mode and set the temp to 180º F.
- Allow the yogurt to incubate in the Ninja Foodi with the dehydration setting on 180º F. for at least 6 hours. The longer you allow it to incubate, the tarter it will become. I found about 8 hours was perfect for me.
- Place the inner pot in the fridge for a few hours or overnight to allow the yogurt cool and set
- Strain until you have your desired consistency.
- Add sweeteners of your liking and what ever mix-ins and Enjoy!
Nutrition
Are you ready for a few more Ninja Foodi Recipes? Here are some of my favorites!
Martijn
Thank you for the video, I really enjoyed watching it! I used the yoghurt function on my Foodi and when I added the yoghurt after the cooldown was completed I noticed some orange spots in the yoghurt. Is this normal or should I cancel the process and just start over?
lili
Hi!
Ok so something is a tiny off. My yogurt doesn’t look smooth. Has tiny little lumps (I drained whey, thickness is like a softer Greek). Not hard though, tastes good. I followed to the T, temps were correct. I’ve researched my issue and it seems that it could be either 1. Additives in starter yogurt (mine did have modified corn starch, it was Icelandic style) 2. Incubation milk temp was too high. I set it to 180 on the dehydration setting, what I didn’t ever do was periodically check to make sure the temp stayed at 110. Maybe it got hotter than I realized. Any advice???
Louise
I have had that happen to me once when using the yogurt function on my newer Foodi and I have never pinpointed what went wrong. I think you are correct that either the yogurt starter wasn't strong enough or the temp got too hot during the incubation period. The dehydration temp of 180F has always worked for me and has kept the milk right between 105F-110F, but that isn't to say that yours didn't get too hot towards the end and stop the fermenting process. Did you use the foil? A few people have skipped that step and ended up with thinner yogurt and sometimes lumpy. Using milk other than whole milk can also cause it because whole milk is thicker than 2% or skim. I don't think it would be any problem to drop down to 150F and see if that works better for you. The cornstarch additive could also affect things, but I haven't used a starter with that in it, so I can't say for sure.
Shannon M
Ok, I just found you and I officially love you. THIS WAS SO GOOD!!! I used half whole milk and half raw milk because I wanted to make cheese but couldn't find rennet.
This was so unbelievably easy. I followed the directions exactly...dehydrate at 180 for eight hours. We like our yogurt a little looser, so I didn't strain it at all. I split it into thirds...added strawberries for the kids, blackberries for me and the husband, and plain for a sub for mayo/sour cream.
I was surprised at how tasty and sweet the plain is.
Just so very good and so very easy. Three billion stars!!
Louise
I'm so glad you liked it!
julie SOFONEA
Hi, I have the ninja food max, french version 9 in 1. The yogurt is with the slow cooker function. I like your recipe, as the temperature is low, so my question is what is the difference with the set yogurt setting, and the dehydrator way. As want to keep the temperature to 110/115
Thank you
Louise
This technique was developed by me before the yogurt function was available on the Foodi. I would use the yogurt function since you have one, but make sure you hit the button on the slow cook function to get to the yogurt function.
Kati
Hello, thank you for this recipe. I am not sure if you would like to mention the process of yogurt making when using the "Ninja Foodi 8-qt. 9-in-1 Deluxe XL Pressure Cooker & Air Fryer - Stainless Steel". With this product, the guess work is taken out of the process 🙂 Step 1: boil the milk, step 2: let it cool down, step 3: mix it with yogurt, step 4: choose fermenting for 8 hours. I have made my own yogurt 4 x now and love it 🙂
Fia Afitu
Do you sell this product in New Zealand?
Louise
I'm not sure, you'll have to check with Ninja Kitchen.
Sandy
Awesome! First try turned out perfect. My boyfriend and I love yogurt so I will be making this on a weekly basis. Thank you for taking all the guesswork out of the equation.
Louise
I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Jane
I made this on impulse last night, and it worked beautifully. Today I drained all the whey to make yogurt cheese, and then added herbs and garlic to make dip. It tastes like Boursin cheese. I am in love. I may never buy yogurt again.
Louise
That is awesome! I'd love to know how you did the yogurt cheese with the whey.
donny larsen
I am first time user and realize my mistake on last post and feel like the village idiot. I have used the presure cook option and had to release the steam before opening. I thought I would need to do the same in sear setting.
Sincerely Homer Simpson
"Doup"
Louise
Don't feel that way! If your pot is telling you you need a lid for sear/sauté there could be something wrong with the machine. I do hope it worked out!
donny larsen
I read your recipe for yogurt and am confused. You say to heart the milk to at least 181 in the sear/saute mode and stir continualy. The sear funtion insructs me to place the presure lid on which would require me to remove the lid to stir.
Hope you can tell me if you could enlighten me.
Louise
You should be able to use the sear/sauté without the lid. If you can't, I would contact Ninja for sure.
Carole
Help! I have got to the part where I put the milk/yoghurt mixture into my 5 qt Foodi. Your instructions say close the Air Crisp lid, but my Slow Cook/Yoghurt function needs the pressure lid. The settings only have Hi/Lo and it will not set for more than 12 minutes. I am at a loss what to do, how to proceed! Love your website and appreciate all yout detailed instructions!
Louise
This recipe was created before the Ninja Foodi had the option of the yogurt feature, so it uses the dehydration lid. To make yogurt with the yogurt function, you select the yogurt function by pressing the yogurt/slow cook button twice. If you have already heated and cooled the yogurt and added the culture before selecting the yogurt function, then you select the down temperature arrow until it says "Frmt" and then hit start.
Carole Brookfield
Just saw your response but had already figured a solution. I had left it on "warm" for a few minutes which quickly took the temperature up but my thermometer broke and I could not check it. I decided to pop it into my oven with the light on (which I often do to rise bread dough) and I checked it a couple of hours later, before going to bed. It did not appear to be doing much so I threw caution to the wind and dumped another measure of plain yoghurt in it, stirred it and went to bed! When I woke in the night I had a peek and guess what, it was becoming yoghurt. Right now it is draining the whey in the fridge and it is perfect! So excited and thanks for the response! I will use the Foodi next time! I would not have been heartbroken to throw it out and start again - for the cost of the milk! But I feel emboldened to do it again using the Foodi!! I will freeze some starter for next time! Meanwhile I am going to try using the whey in my next bread bake! Off to buy a new thermometer! Thanks again!
Louise
That is perfect! So glad it worked out in the end!
Lisa Bugg
I'd love to make coconut milk yogurt. Do you have a recipe for that?
Louise
No, I've never tried to make it.
Danica
Worked well with some adjusting..
I've made this recipe five times on 4 different Ninja Foodis so far; all were the Deluxe 8qt. All times I used Ellenos Greek Yogurt (Plain), and Alta Dena whole milk. The first two times I did the recipe straight out as written on my own machine; monitoring the temperature (after testing 2 thermometers for accuracy) carefully as I feared 180° F would be too hot as it was for several others in the comments, and boy was it ever! In the first hour it went to 115° F, so I lowered it to 165° F. Still too hot! By the 3rd hour it was 112° F. Lowering it to 150° F did the trick, however and by the 8th hour it was looking about right. Refrigerated, then strained it in a cloth sack made for yogurtmaking. Flavor and texture-wise it was ok; but thought it could use a little sweetness.
The second time was at a friend's house using her Foodi. Same experience except I caught the overheating early, checking at the 30 minute mark and finding it at 112° F already. Once again, 150° F was the magic number. I checked it a couple times more and it maintained a temperature of 108° F-110° F the entire time.
The third time I was at another home and another machine. My bf's mom was excited as she'd just gotten her Foodi! This time I added a 14 oz. can of Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk to the 8 cups of whole milk before bringing the Ninja to 185° F. Cooled it down and continued, this time not bothering to put the Dehydrate function to 180° F at all; went 150° F all the way and it came out perfect! After refrigerating & straining it was lightly sweetened and thick just the way I like it (and she did too!)
The last two times were a similar experience; 150° F was the temperature that worked on all five machines at the Dehydrate stage. Both of these times I didn't have Store Brand aluminum foil and it made no difference whatsoever. Ambient temperature ranged at all locations 72° F-82° F. At the initial heating stage of the fifth Ninja used, however the temperature read 204° F in the same amount of time as all the others. That one I quickly put the inner pot in the sink and dumped some ice around it. Thankfully that that batch acted exactly the same as the others for the Dehydration stage.
It's definitely a learn as you go process but it's SUCH a money-saver that it's definitely worth it!
Next time I'll take that other commenter's advice and add another can of sweetened condensed milk just to see how we like it. Thanks for all the tips, they were super helpful!
Louise
WOW! Thank you for that feedback! It is so interesting how the different Foodis got to different temps! I have decreased my heat to 150F when doing a cold start yogurt, but have always found that 180F was the number that worked on my 6.5qt. I really appreciate you giving so much detail! I know you said you didn't have store brand aluminum foil, but did you use any kind of aluminum foil? That could be the difference in temp because the aluminum foil shields some of the heat.
Danica
Sorry I was up in the wee hours writing that and missed that typo. I meant I didn't have name brand foil the last two times, so used regular foil from CVS. All the other times I'd used branded regular aluminum foil (Reynolds Wrap). That one time the milk came to 204° F it was during the initial heating stage, which per the recipe is done without foil. It's possible the heat/humidity of the recent heat waves here in California affected the temperature gradation; even though in all cases air conditioning was in use there are still fluctuations as the a/c turns off and kicks on again as the heat rises. It will be interesting to see how the recipe and machines behave when things get cooler!
Louise
The temp of 112-115F is fine, just on the edge though. The foil from CVS is not quite as thick, so I would lower the dehydration temp to 150F when using it.
Geri Low
Made your recipe for the first time in my 6.5 Ninja foodi. Everything, so far, has gone pretty much according to the recipe except setting dehydration at 180 degrees and the heat never went up past 105 degrees. Since I read the Ninja beginners cookbook that said you could just leave it in the inner pot with no heat, I did not turn it up. I was using my candy thermometer and tested it by putting in boiling water to make sure it was still reading correctly. The yogurt is in the refrigerator and has thickened a lot so I’m not worried about it but wonder why at 180 degrees, it never came up to 110 degrees. Should I have turned the temp up to 185 degrees?
My husband will be the tester because I have never liked yogurt. He does. I might have to try it though.
Louise
It's not supposed to go over 110 degrees or the culture would be killed. It takes the setting of 180F on the dehydration mode to get the milk to the right temp for optimal yogurt making (105F-115F). Think about it like baking chicken in an oven, you set the oven to 350F, but the chicken does not reach an internal temp of 350F, it's the same principle. I'm glad your yogurt worked out!
Geri Low
It still did not get up to even 105 degrees—I wasn’t worried about going over 110, just worried it didn’t get to even 105.
I work with bread making and my starter sourdough so I understand too hot additives spoiling/killing the yeast so am familiar with the concept. I just don’t want to poison anyone because I didn’t follow directions.
I just made the yogurt again and when I turned dehydration on to 180, the yogurt again did not reach 105. I don’t understand the problem and again wonder if I should turn up the temp during the use of the dehydration function. Or is it okay not to even reach 105 degree temp?
Louise
I'm sorry, I'm just seeing this comment. I'm not sure why it didn't reach the 105F, but it's fine as long you ended up with yogurt. You can try to increase the dehydration temp to the next step up, but keep an eye on it for sure.
Amanda
Thanks for the recipe. Mine is just starting the 8 hour dehydration. So far so good.
Why is the aluminum foil needed to cover the pot? Just curious.
Also, I don't have a big cheese cloth or flour bag. Do you think a pillow case could work?
Louise
I'm not sure about the pillow case. I think some people use coffee filters (doubled). The aluminum foil protects if from the fan that runs and prevents a crusty skin. It also reduces the heat so the culture isn't killed. I have done it without foil and decreased the dehydration temp down.
Sue
Hi Louise,
I’ve made your yogurt numerous times with much success expect for the last two attempts. The 1st fail I attributed to the new type of milk I used. Last night I went back to whole milk, when I removed the inner pot after 8 hours everything looked fine. When I took it out of fridge to strain, it was very loose and soupy. I strained it for 3 hours and got 2 cups of whey, let strain for another hour and still runny. Any idea what went wrong? I did not check the temp during the 8 hours cooking, and never did in the past. Should I have kept it cooking longer?
Louise
8 hours should really be enough if the starter is strong. What did you use as the starter?
Sue
I used Greek store bought with active culture. Once in the past I used starter from a prior batch, so I assumed my starter was bad, since then I only use store bought.
I’m making another batch now and just checked the temp after 3 hours and it was at 115; so I dropped temp down to 165. I assume it’ll now take more than 8 hours. Not sure what the internal temp is so high.
Louise
What size pot are you using? And is your milk whole milk? Good move to drop the temp down. I'd keep an eye on it for sure.
Beth
Have you developed a method for making yogurt if the Ninja Foodi doesn't have a dehydration or yogurt setting? I have a 6.5 quart that doesn't have either but would like to give yogurt a try. Love your videos! Thanks for helping us all learn to use our appliances better!
Louise
I haven't done it, but you can make yogurt on the counter it just takes longer. So, heat the milk and let it cool as directed in the recipe. Add yogurt starter and stir. You can put the pot in the oven with the light on or wrap it in a towel (that helps keep the heat in longer) and leave it be overnight on the counter. Make sure to cover it though.
Marietta
Can you use the bake setting? I don't have dehydration or yoghurt setting on my Foodi.
Thanks Louise
Louise
No, the bake setting gets to hot, so does the slow cook and it will kill the culture. You can make yogurt without any heat, but it takes longer. If you wanted to try it, boil the milk as instructed, cool it down as instructed, then add the culture and wrap a towel around the pot. Make sure it's covered and you can sit it on your counter or the warmest place in your kitchen. You can also sit it in the oven with only the light on for a little extra warmth.
Marietta
Thank you.... i'll give that a try.
Nicole
How long should it take to do the traditional boiling start method and bring your milk up to 181 and 200 degrees F?
Louise
I honestly didn't time it, but maybe 10-15 minutes using sear/sauté. It, of course, depends on how much milk you are using. As far as the 200F, I'm not sure where that temp would be in the recipe. You heat to 181F, then cool to 110F and then add starter and use the dehydrate for fermentation.
Eve
This recipe was fantastic! I am new to the Foodi and have never made yogurt before. This was so easy to follow and came out perfect. I made it during the day and put it in the fridge until the next morning. I didn't even need to strain it. I love that it tastes great and doesn't have any sugar added at all.
Oops.....I just realized that I read the recipe wrong and did a whole gallon of milk and it still came out perfect.
Louise
I'm so glad you enjoyed your yogurt. It doesn't matter how much milk you use up to a gallon.
Valerie
I have enjoyed using the cold start method with ultra pasteurized milk in my Instant Pot. I just got Ninja Foodi and I can't figure out how to use the cold start method with it. My yogurt setting goes straight to the boil setting and I can't find a way around that. Is it possible to do the cold start method with the Ninja?
Louise
Yes, hit the temp button after you select yogurt and it should go directly to the ferment stage. Add in your milk and start and let it incubate.
Valerie
Thank you so much! I would have never figured that out. 🙂
Kelly Astleford
Great recipe! Very easy and I love the results. after reading a lot on the subject, there is one little thing I do differently that gives me even creamier results. I bring the milk up to 181 to 185 and hold it there for 30 minutes and stir. it gives you a much smoother outcome. I have been straining some of the whey off because I like my yogurt thicker. With a gallon of milk I usually get about two cups of whey. I then use the whey to make bread, replacing water with whey. I love that I can make two things I really enjoy and not waste anything. Thanks for the recipe!
Louise
I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe! I'll have to try holding the milk at that temp longer, thanks for the tip!
Mary
I have not tried this yet. My foodie had a yogurt setting. However, it never went to add/start even after 5 agonizing hours. I tested it and it was at 110 degrees so I did add the starter and set it to ferment for 10 hours. I woke to a soupy mess. Hung it in the flour sack for 1.5 hours got mason jar of liquid out. Still pours. 2 questions. How long is it safe to drain at room temperature as you do? I read the FDA says to throw out yogurt that has been at room temp for 2 hours? and How do you drain it in the fridge because you really can hang it there? Thanks
Louise
I've never had to strain mine longer than 2 hours to get it to the consistency I like (which is thick), but my yogurt is always thick to begin with. I have the compact model (5qt) and have made the yogurt with the yogurt button and it does take a lot longer. You may have had hot spots in your milk that killed the culture. When you selected the yogurt function, did it read Ygrt and then boil when you hit start?
C P
Euro cuisine sells a yogurt strainer with lids that you can put in the fridge to let your yogurt strain as long as you like. I highly recommend it. Mine has lasted for five years with careful handwashing.
Louise
That is a great idea! I'll have to look for one, thank you!
Karen Rigney
I have a question: I have the newest 8 quart ninja, does it have a dehydrate mode? I am not home but I don’t recall seeing that?
I would like to share a method of straining. I put a large colander inside a mixing bowl. I lightly sprayed the cola bar with water then I strategically place four coffee filters around the cola bar and one in the center at the bottom ( I make a flower basically!) then I pour my yogurt in the cola sat. I only make non fat.. the whey that I catch I put in mason jars and use it when I bake my bread weekly.. it is the thickest method... if I wait too long I end up with farmer cheese! Perfect for me!
Karen Rigney
Colander was supposed to be there, not cola bar! Lol
Louise
Great tip on the coffee filters, I'm going to try that for sure. I love that you can just throw them away! Yes, your 8 qt will have the dehydration function, all of the 8qts do as far as I know.
Sharon
If I wanted a lightly sweetened vanilla yogurt could I just add some sweetened condensed milk with the milk and add the vanilla when I add the yogurt before the dehydration process?
Louise
I haven't done that successfully, but I know people do. I tried once and it didn't work out, but I think it's because I overheated the milk in the beginning. Let me know if you give it a try.
Sharon
So I tried it with a can of sweetened condensed milk and vanilla. I measured out the milk/condensed milk to equal 1 gallon. Heated as instructed and added the vanilla just before the dehydration process. The only thing I would change next time is to actually use 2 cans of condensed milk for a gallon of yogurt because it wasn't quite as sweet as I had hoped. No biggie, I'll just have to add a little sugar to the fruit when I make my parfaits. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Shalei
So if a can of condensed milk is 12 oz does that mean you use 12 oz less of the whole milk? This is just an example, I dont know how much is exactly in a can.
Louise
Add in more milk or condensed milk won't make a difference. 1/4 cup of starter is plenty. No need to reduce the whole milk.
Lisa
I’m so excited to try this- can you tell me what thermometer you use please?
Thank you -
Lisa
Louise
The one I used for a long time (my husband just bought me a new one) is this one: (affiliate link) https://amzn.to/2RBVmJx
Kelly
I am going to try this recipe with Greek Yogurt and Whole Milk. How long is the newly made yogurt good for? Can't wait to try!
Louise
Unless you already have Greek yogurt on hand, don't pay the extra for it because it doesn't do anything different than plain yogurt. I would say the yogurt lasts at least 5 days in the fridge. I hope you love the yogurt and be sure to strain it at the end for delicious Greek yogurt.
amy
Different commercial yogurts use varied cultures so although there is nothing magic about Greek yogurt, if you are using commercial yogurt as starter, best to use your favorite.
I've tried tons ... my faves are brown cow organic plain (htf) and Fage (pricey so I freeze it in ice cube trays and only need a cube or two for each gallon I make).
Plain Dannon also isn't bad but I got terrible results using Aldi store brand Greek yogurt and Walmart brand as well (both tart beyond belief)
I always culture at least 12 hours, sometimes 18... shorter culture times may be more forgiving ... and strain each gallon down to two quarts ... sour cream consistency.
Perhaps because so much of whey has been removed the end result isn't tart at all.
RE: dehydrator temperature ... depending how n ambient heat it in the kitchen 180 Fahrenheit may be too high. I also suspect dehydrator temperatures are less exact/consistent. I have never known any small kitchen appliance to have a thermostat of high enough quality to wholly rely upon, especially after a year or two of use.
BTW ... thank you for all the dehydrator temp testing. If I hadn't found your recipe I would have set the Foodi too low (I settled on 150 in the end). I'd also have skipped the foil and ended up with a yogurt skin!
Larissa Haney
I’m really wanting to use fair life milk to reduce the carbs. I’ve seen some discussion but I’m curious if you have tried fair life? Cold start and 150 dehydrate is what I’ve seen. Any thoughts?
Louise
It didn't work for me, but I am 99.9% sure that was my own fault and I haven't had time to try again. I would definitely decrease the dehydration down because it is thinner, I might even try 130F. You won't ruin yogurt with too low of a temp (it just takes longer), but if you kill the culture it's ruined. Keep me posted!
Cathy F Maringer
How do I use FairLife milk and do the cold start method?
Louise
I would think you would just skip the heating process. Whisk your starter in to the milk and then dehydrate. I would drop the temp down to 150 though and check a temp a few times to make sure you don't go over 115 F. In my experience, Fairlife is a little thinner than vitamin d and might heat up more.
Stacey
Have you tried doing the cold start method with the foodie? I'm wondering if you can just add the milk (fairlife) and yogurt. Cover with food and set the dehydrate for 8 hours? Just not sure on temp?
Louise
I tried and it didn't work for me, but I think it was user error and I just haven't had the time to try again. I would decrease the dehydration temp to below 130 degrees F because the Fairlife milk is a little thinner and might heat up too much and kill the culture.
Sue
I noticed in your video you used 1 gallon of milk whereas the website recipe is for 1/2 a gallon. If I use 1 gallon, do I double the yogurt to 1/2 cup?
Louise
I use the same amount of yogurt starter for 1/2 gallon or 1 gallon.
Sue
I just made my first batch. Turned out wonderful. Thank you.
Sarah Volpe
Has anyone used the foodie with the yogurt function? 😩 inured all the steps but I didn’t turn out.
Sarah Volpe
Used *
Louise
I have made it in my compact Ninja Foodi with the yogurt function and it worked fine. I'm not sure what went wrong for you, but feel free to email me: louise@thesaltedpepper.com if you want to discuss further.
Sue
What do you store your finished product in ? If jars, do they need to be sterilized?
Louise
I always store my yogurt in plastic sealed containers in the fridge. You can use glass as well and as long as they are clean, I don't see why you would have to sterilize them.
Arlene
I'm looking forward to making yogurt. I do not have a dishwasher to sterilize the inner pot. Do you think I could use my water bath canner?
Louise
I don't sterilize it, I wash it with hot soapy water and dry it. You can use the water bath canner, but honestly if you want to sterilize the inner pot, just put in 2 cups of water and pressure cook for zero or 1 minute and that will do the same thing as the water bath canner.
George
Made this this weekend, I also had too high a temp on 180. However i was using HD Aluminum foil as that's all I had on hand. After 1hr the temp was approaching 115. I turned the temp down to 135, and it maintained 107-109 for the rest of the 9hr incubation period, the yogurt turned out beautifully.
Louise
Thank you so much for letting me know this! Can I ask what type of milk you used? I'm about to make yogurt again and I think I'm going to try a lower temp and see what happens. Thanks again and I'm glad your yogurt turned out great!
George
I used whole milk(3.25%), the yogurt turned out really good, I let it drain for about 1 hour or so. I use it for smoothies so I didn't want it too thick.
Louise
Thank you!
Josh
O. M. G. So easy. We love our Foodi and I decided to try my hand at homemade yogurt. Your directions gave me the confidence to just walk away and trust the process. Just 7 hours from cold milk to hanging in the fridge. As a family of 6 we are currently eating 6-8 quarts of yogurt a week. Tomorrow morning we will flavor it and see if we hit a homerun. Thanks for this great page!
Louise
YAY! I'm so glad your yogurt turned out. I have to share a funny story with you, I was going to cheat and buy some Greek yogurt for a recipe I'm working on and took one look at the price and headed for the milk section. Too expensive! I'd love to hear how you flavored it and how it turned out.
Stephany
Love this recipe! I was wanting to make again today however I only have heavy duty tinfoil on hand. Should I make any changes to the temp?
Louise
I would just check the temp after you incubate for a few hours. It is better to have a lower temp then a higher one because the yogurt will still make itself with low temps, but if the temp gets too high, the culture can be killed and you will end up with milk. I'd stick to the same temps if it was me.
Kelley
I am a novice with both the foodi and cooking in general. As an example I had to look up on the internet what a cheesecloth was and how to use it. But, I do love my yogurt so I searched the internet to find a recipe to follow. I came across yours and read it, and then I re-read it over and over again for three days. (not exaggerating). Gathering my courage, I followed your directions and only made a few changes. It turned out PERFECT!!
The only changes I made is that i used a gallon of whole milk (I have a foodi 8, it's big enough) and I used about 1/2 cup of greek yogurt as my starter. I also used regular heavy duty foil and just laid it across the top loosely underneath the lid. . I cooked it over night for 8 hours on the dehydrator (like you say) and woke up to beautiful yogurt. Now I am using the cheesecloth to strain, but I have already tasted it and it is delicious!
I am so proud of myself and so thankful to have such DETAILED instructions on your site. Thank you so much!
Louise
Thank you so much for taking the time to write this, it has really made my day! I'm so happy that your yogurt turned out and I know you will be shocked at all the wonderful things you can make in the Ninja Foodi!
Kelly
Thanks so much for this recipe! I made almond milk yogurt using homemade almond milk (1 cup almonds to 2 cups of water, after soaking the almonds overnight) and used kite hill plain almond milk yogurt as my starter which has live active cultures. My Foodi did get too hot - the temperature of the yogurt was 120 degrees. I had used heavy duty aluminum foil (store brand not name brand) which is all I had on hand, set the dehydration temperature at 180 degrees and set the time for 7.5 hours. I will try a lower dehydration temperature next time. It was quite watery when done, but after putting it in a bag to strain the water out (for about an hour) it was a good consistency. Now I can make my own almond milk yogurt which is great because store bought is quite pricey. I appreciate your very detailed instructions which took the guesswork out of making yogurt!
Louise
I'm so glad that it turned out for you despite getting too hot! I'm thinking it's the viscosity of the almond milk that allowed it to get hotter than regular milk. Definitely decrease the temp and I think you'll be fine. Thanks for sharing this because I do get questions about making almond milk yogurt and I have never done it before, so this will be very helpful for people! I'd love it if you let me know what temp works best and I can update my post to give instructions for almond milk yogurt. Thanks!
Jineen
Just bought a NF and am excited to try this yogurt recipe! Two questions: 1) For the starter, how do I know whether the yogurt I use has active cultures? (I typically buy Fage 5%). 2) If I use a half gallon of whole milk, do I cut the amount of starter in half, or still use the 1/4 cup! TIA!!
Louise
Almost all yogurt has active cultures and Fage does, so you are good to go there. I would still use 1/4 cup of yogurt. Can't wait to hear how it turns out!
Odessa
I made the yogurt and was so happy to see that after 6hrs and 45 minutes it totally looked smelled and tasted like yogurt still letting it cool till morning, but was not sure if you have to strain it or if you can eat as is, I will check it in the morning and see what it looks like, it was already thick. OMG I can't wait to add fruit to make smoothies and make treats for my fur baby he loves yogurt. Thank you so much for the recipe.
Louise
I'm so glad everything worked out for you!
Nina
I can't wait to try this! Sounds like it will be easy to do. I just have a couple questions. Sorry if this has been stated, I might have missed it. What size ninja foodi do you have that you are using? When straining for a thicker yogurt, How long do you strain for? Thanks in advance!
Louise
I'm using the 6.5 qt, but either works great. You can strain as little or as long as you want to achieve the thickness of yogurt you want. The Ninja Foodi does an incredible job at making yogurt and it's pretty thick to begin with. You don't have to strain at all if you don't want to. I can't wait to hear how it turns out for you!
Lila Garvin
Hi Louise, I’m planning on getting a ninja foodi pressure cooker as it has so many features. Right now I make my own yogurt every week on my stove top and oven combo. Looking forward to making it in the Foodi. I noticed that you and your followers use cloth to strain your yogurt. I did that a couple of times and it was too labor intensive and messy for my taste. I now use the Euro Cuisine Greek yogurt maker every time. And it comes out delicious! I do let it come to room temp before pouring into the stainer - seems to solidify more. I use to throw out the whey, but now use it in my smoothies so I don’t have to buy almond milk. I find it very tasty! To me it has been a life savor. I think I would have stopped making yogurt had I not found this item to make Greek yogurt making much easier for me.
Lila Garvin
PS - thank you for your yogurt instructions, looking forward to using them when I purchase my goodies this month! 🙂
Louise
You are welcome. I just made it yesterday and skipped the foil, but decreased the dehydration temp to 150 and it worked fine. It didn't thicken until the last hour though, so I was getting worried. It kept the temp around 110 F.
Louise
That's funny you mentioned this! Yesterday, I made yogurt and for some reason had a terrible time with my flour sacks and it was messy! LOL I'll have to think about what I can use for straining.
Brenda
Would this work with coconut or almond milk?
Louise
From what I've read, you can make yogurt from Almond milk, but you have to make your own almond milk (store-bought has too many preservatives to work) and use a starter culture. If you do a search for almond milk yogurt on google, a few recipes will come up. I haven't done any research on coconut milk, so I'm not sure about that one. Hope that helps!
Kristi
Why not use heavy duty aluminum foil ??
Louise
I think it might be too thick to allow enough warmth to incubate the yogurt. I haven't tried it though, so if you do please let me know!
Jennifer
I'm so excited to do this tomorrow. On the last step it says to cool the yogurt in the fridge and allow it to set up before straining. Since the yogurt is hot at this point do you have to cool it in the inner pot for a few hours before putting it in the fridge? Thank you so much for all of the effort and details you have provided in this recipe. 😊
Louise
Sorry if I wasn't clear on that. Put the whole inner pot into the fridge to set up. If you can't fit the inner pot into the fridge, you can gently pour it into a container that will fit in the fridge or better yet, scoop it out. The yogurt will not be hot at the end of the process (about 105-110° F), so it is fine to put it right into the fridge.
Janet
I am a little concerned, I have had my yogurt on the dehydrate cycle with temp at 180. I just checked it at 7.5 hours not set and when I checked the temp it is quite high, definitely over 110!
Louise
Janet, I am not sure why your temp got so high. I'd like to help troubleshoot, if you can answer a few questions. Do you have the 6.5qt or the 8qt? What type of foil did you use to cover the yogurt? Did you check a temp with a thermometer. It definitely should have been setting up at 7.5 hours. It sounds like your temp got much hotter than mine and I'd love to figure out why. I have tested this recipe several times and have never had an issue. I am so sorry it didn't work for you and I hope we can figure out why!
Julianne Yeaman
Thank you so much for this recipe and the detailed instructions. I cooked the yogurt for 10 hours and it turned out perfectly - no straining needed. Keep up the good work!
Louise
YAY! I'm so happy to hear this recipe turned out great for you!
Phyllis Gunther
Just did my second try on yogurt in Ninja Foodi. OUTSTANDING BEST YOGURT I HAVE EVER EATEN. Your instructions and pictures are great. I was so impressed -I posted picture and your website on Facebook on Nija Foodi Nation. Keep up the good work.
Louise
I am so happy to hear that you liked the yogurt! Thanks for sharing my website, I appreciate it!
Shelley
My yogurt turned out a little lumpy and has a look and texture close to ricotta, but tastes good. Cooked on dehydrator for 8 hours at 180. Was wondering if you had encountered that and had any ideas. I did use milk straight from the farm.
Thanks for your recipe and any suggestions.
Louise
Did you try straining it? The other thing I was wondering is if the cream was removed from the farm milk? I have not encountered this issue the several times I made yogurt using this technique. When you brought the temp up before adding the yogurt culture, did you see any curdling?
Colleen
I made this yesterday. What I do is put the cold milk in whisk in the yogurt and leave it on overnight on the dehydrate setting. After testing the temp I found that 120-130 worked best for me. I did not use the foil and I only checked the temp twice before going to bed. In the morning there was a thick crust kinda like fruit roll up on the top, which I pulled off and gave to my 3 dogs as a treat. I attempted to strain it, but it seemed really thick already, so I just put it in the fridge and let it sit. It tastes like success. I really missed the casori yogurt function and now I have home made yogurt again. Thanks Louise!
Louise
That's great to know! Thanks. I do have one question though. It sounds like you did a cold start yogurt, did you use an ultra pasteurized milk like Fairlife? I want to try this and then I can add it to the post to help other people. Mine didn't thicken at 130°F, but I'm do to make yogurt again and I'll certainly give it another shot! Thanks so much for sharing your method!
Colleen
Hi Louise,
I just made your Ninja foodie Cottage Pie (super delish) & I scrolled down & found your recipe for yogurt. I had the casori pot (may it RIP:( ) and loved making yogurt in it, but didn't have a clue how to do it in the foodie. I am going to give it a try and thanks for the freezing the started idea. I've been buying the expensive plain one each time.
Louise
I am so happy you liked the Cottage Pie! I can't wait to hear how your yogurt comes out!
Dan
Any issues with doubling the recipe? Have you tried it?
Thanks,
Dan
Louise
I have doubled the recipe without any issues. I'd love to hear how it turns out for you!
Dan
Did you have to increase the time?
Louise
No, the time is the same. Let me know how it works out!
Pam
My foodie didnt come with the dehydrator cycle. Is there a way to make yogurt still?
Louise
I haven't tested one without the dehydrator function, but you might be able to use slow cook on low for 1 hour and then turn it off to incubate the yogurt. Here are my findings about the temps of the slow cooker and I think it might work as long as you add the culture when it's cool enough and then use the slow cook on low (vented) for only one hour. Let me know if you try it! https://thesaltedpepper.com/overnight-breakfast-casserole/
Angela moyer
5 stars so far since I was able to Live my life and do everything about the house and go shopping during the day while the years with prepped then when I came home made dinner and then was able to do the yogurt. I am super excited to see what the next day brings and I bought flower Bag towels that will straighten the yogurt a strain it one time for a couple of hours and then make parfaits in my eight 8oz parfait jars. Super excited to see how my husband likes. Looking forward to try more recipes. Do u have a cheesecake one.
Louise
Thank you! I have not made cheesecake yet, but it is on my list! I am waiting for my spring form pan to be delivered.
Jeff
Very detailed and well-written post. Keep up the great work.
Louise
Thank you!