Vegan Greek Yogurt
This thick and creamy homemade vegan Greek yogurt is easy to make with just 3 ingredients and packed with plant-based protein. You’ll never need to buy vegan yogurt again with this easy tofu yogurt recipe.
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Why make this recipe
I have been making vegan yogurt from soy milk for many years now and my soy yogurt recipe is one of the most popular recipes on the blog. However, the most common question that I have gotten over the years has been how to make it thicker and more like Greek yogurt.
I tried many methods over the years to make it thicker, with only minimal success, until I got the idea to blend silken tofu and soy milk before turning it into yogurt. The result was an amazingly thick, high-protein Greek-style vegan yogurt.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Plain Soy Milk – You must use the ones that only have soybeans and water, any added sugar or vanilla will ruin your yogurt! I like Trader Joe’s or Westsoy brands. If it lists any ingredients other than soybeans and water, it will not work.
- Silken Tofu – This is the type of tofu that comes in a shelf-stable carton. (I use the extra-firm version of this.) Don’t use water-packed tofu.
- Probiotic – I use a general acidophilus probiotic with 2.4 billion CFUs per serving that comes in a vegan gel cap, but most probiotics will work. You will want to open the gel cap and sprinkle in the powder.
Helpful tools
- Blender – for mixing the soy milk and the silken tofu. You will need a large blender or an immersion blender to blend the tofu with the soy milk.
- An Instant Pot – with a yogurt setting. You can also use a yogurt maker, but I find that an Instant Pot is the easiest way to make a large batch of yogurt and well worth the investment if you plan on making vegan yogurt regularly.
How to make vegan Greek yogurt
A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.
Step 1 – Open a new factory-sealed carton of silken tofu, drain off any excess liquid, and put it into a large blender. Open a 32 oz factory-sealed container of plain soy milk and pour about 1/4 of it into the blender along with the tofu. Blend on high until creamy. Pour in another cup of soy milk and blend again. (Be sure not to overfill your blender.)
Step 2 – Pour the blended soy milk and tofu along with any remaining soy milk from the container into a very clean instant pot. Stir with a whisk until well combined.
Step 3 – Add the powder of 5 capsules of probiotic (or an equivalent to 12 billion CFUs) (or use the starter that you saved from previous batches).
Step 4 – Stir well again with a whisk. Then lock the lid on the Instant Pot, set it to vent, press the yogurt button, and set it to 15 hours.
Step 5 – Come back 15 hours later to find beautiful thick, creamy, vegan Greek yogurt! Flip the IP lid off quickly so the condensation doesn’t fall back into the yogurt. Spoon any excess liquid off of the yogurt. Let it cool in the Instant Pot before stirring or transferring it to another container.
Step 6 – Save 1 cup of the yogurt in a clean separate container to use as a starter for your next batch of yogurt. (You will only need to add this starter instead of using any additional probiotic in your future batches.)
Note: (It will start to look like yogurt after 8 to 12 hours, but I always give it 15 hours to allow more beneficial bacteria to grow and give it more of a yogurt tang). As the yogurt culture matures, each new batch of yogurt made from the starter will taste better and become thicker.
Pro Tips
- You must use factory-sealed containers. If you open the tofu or soymilk even a few hours before, you must heat it to kill any unwanted bacteria and then let it cool again.
- Be sure your Instant Pot, blender, and utensils are very clean so you do not introduce any unwanted bacteria into the yogurt.
- Make sure to use a whisk and stir well after adding each capsule until you can’t see any powder.
- The probiotic is only needed the first time that you make your yogurt, then save a 1 cup of yogurt to use as your starter and you won’t need the probiotic again unless your starter stops working. (Starter typically lasts a few months. Don’t use it if it changes color or starts to smell funny).
Storage
Refrigerate – Keep the vegan Greek yogurt in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 10 days. Be sure to use a clean spoon to scoop it out so that you don’t introduce bad bacteria.
Caring for your starter
The starter will last for up to 10 days in the fridge in a clean glass container. As long as you continue to make a new batch of yogurt every 10 days or less, it will last about 2-3 months before the starter will begin to lose its powder.
Flavoring your yogurt
This vegan Greek yogurt has a sour tang to it and you may want to add a sweetener. If you want vanilla-flavored yogurt, add 1 tsp of vanilla extract and 3-4 tablespoons of sweetener of choice to 4 cups of yogurt for vanilla yogurt.
This Greek-style yogurt is also delicious with fresh berries, berry compote, or chia strawberry jam mixed in.
You can also use this yogurt to make vegan tzatziki sauce or use it in recipes in place of vegan sour cream.
More homemade vegan basics
Vegan Greek yogurt recipe
Vegan Greek Yogurt
Ingredients
- 1 (32 oz.) container unsweetened plain soy milk, water and soybeans as the only ingredients
- 1 (12.3 oz) container silken tofu
- 5 probiotic capsules with 2.4 billion CFUs, or any number of capsules totaling 12 billion CFU (first batch only). For all subsequent batches, use ½ cup of plain yogurt from your last batch as a starter.
Equipment
Instructions
- Open a new factory-sealed carton of silken tofu, drain off any excess liquid, and put it into a large blender. Open a 32 oz factory-sealed container of plain soy milk and pour about 1/4 of it into the blender along with the tofu. Blend on high until creamy. Pour in another cup of soy milk and blend again. (Be sure not to overfill your blender.)
- Pour the blended soy milk and tofu along with any remaining soy milk from the container into a very clean instant pot. Stir with a whisk until well combined.
- Add the powder of 5 capsules of probiotic (or an equivalent to 12 billion CFUs) (or use the starter that you saved from previous batches).
- Stir well again with a whisk. Then lock the lid on the Instant Pot, set it to vent, press the yogurt button, and set it to 15 hours.
- Come back 15 hours later to find beautiful thick, creamy, vegan Greek yogurt! Flip the IP lid off quickly so the condensation doesn’t fall back into the yogurt. Spoon any excess liquid off of the yogurt. Let it cool in the Instant Pot before stirring or transferring it to another container.
- Save 1 cup of the yogurt in a clean separate container to use as a starter for your next batch of yogurt. (You will only need to add this starter instead of using any additional probiotic in your future batches.)
Notes
- You must use factory-sealed containers. If you open the tofu or soymilk even a few hours before, you must heat it to kill any unwanted bacteria and then let it cool again.
- Be sure your Instant Pot, blender, and utensils are very clean so you do not introduce any unwanted bacteria into the yogurt.
- Make sure to use a whisk and stir well after adding each capsule until you can’t see any powder.
- The probiotic is only needed the first time that you make your yogurt, then save a 1 cup of yogurt to use as your starter and you won’t need the probiotic again unless your starter stops working. (Starter typically lasts a few months. Don’t use it if it changes color or starts to smell funny).
- Flip the IP lid off quickly so the condensation doesn’t fall back into the yogurt.
- Spoon any excess liquid off of the yogurt.
- Let it cool in the Instant Pot before transferring it to another container or stirring.
Did you make this recipe?Please leave a star rating and review below!📌 Be sure to follow me on Pinterest for new vegan recipes!
Hi! I can’t wait to make this! Just so I understand, only the first batch you use the tofu and the probiotics. For all the subsequent batches you just use the soy milk plus one cup of your reserved yogurt from the last batch, correct?
No, you want to blend the tofu and soymilk for the subsequent batches too. The first batch is the only one you will need to use probiotics, the other batches, you can use some of your saved yogurt from the batch you made before it.
This yogurt has a great taste, but I didn’t get the consistency right on my first go. I probably blended it too much, but the mixture I poured into the Instant Pot was filled with small bubbles. After 15 hours, the bubbly part (about 1/3 of the mixture) floated on top of a watery layer with a creamy yogurt at the very bottom. Sadly, the creamy yogurt was only about 1.5 cups. I strained the water out, mixed the bubbly part and the creamy part together, and put it in a Greek yogurt strainer bag for a few hours. It’s thick, but not smooth. The taste is fantastic, and I will make this recipe again, but I will need to figure out how to blend it without incorporating so many bubbles. If anyone has any suggestions, I’m all ears. Thanks for posting this recipe!
You can pop any bubbles that float to the top before you start cooking the yogurt. This happens to me with the first batch, but the subsequent batches come out better and better as you culture matures.
I finish blending by running my Vitamix on its lowest speed until all bubbles are released. It’s quite effective.
How long will the yogurt last in my refrigerator? Thank you…
It will last about a week to 10 days. Be sure to use a clean spoon to scoop it out so you don’t contaminate your batch.
Hi!
I love the result of this recipe, but as there are only 2 of us, it makes a lot .
Do you think I could freeze half of it for later?
Chantal
Yes, you can freeze it, but it may change the texture a little.
When making the Greek yogurt can I double the recipe?
Yes, you can. Enjoy!
Is this firm or soft silken tofu? Can I use the stuff in a tube or does it have to be the stuff in a box?
I use firm silken tofu from the box. I have not tested it with the type in a tube.
I’ve been making soy yogurt but didn’t know how to make it thicker. This technique with adding silken tofu works great for thicker yogurt. However, the yogurt is always clumpy and doesn’t look pretty. I discovered that, after the yogurt is cooked and before serving, I could whisk in a tiny bit of vegan heavy cream, and that completely smoothed it out. I don’t know why it worked but it did!
Hi Monica, thanks for this recipe. My question is this: could I use my yogurt maker and the little glass jars that come with it, to culture the blend? If it it OK, I would prefer this.
Also, my IP does not have a yogurt button. How do I set it for making yogurt without the preset button?
I’m standing by anxiously, waiting to get started on my first badge! Yay! Thanks for all your hard work!
Yes, you can use a traditional yogurt maker with the little glass jars. I like the IP because I just dump it in and go, and there is less to clean. If your IP doesn’t have the button, I don’t think that there is a way to make yogurt in it. Enjoy!
Hello Monica,
I have been searching for the way to make a vegan Greek yogurt for so long, thank you so much, I made this yesterday, I didn’t have any probiotics so added some of my home made soya yogurt as a starter, 10 hours with the oven light on and it looked good, refrigerated overnight and this morning I was sooooo happy, delicious!
Do you have any experience making silken tofu please?
Thank you again
Jenn
Glad that the recipe worked for you. I have found that store-bought yogurt as a starter isn’t strong enough to develop a good culture, but I’m so glad that it worked for you. Sorry, I have never made my own silken tofu.
I have an airfryer with a dehydrate setting. Would that be ok to use? Can it be made without yet another machine in my kitchen? Not sure what an Instant Pot is. Ive made coconut milk yoghurt just leaving it in the kitchen
This will probably work, it should keep the yogurt about 112°F for 15 hours. If it gets too hot it will kill the bacteria, but if you have had success with other yogurt this way, it should work fine.