Easy Soy Milk Yogurt Recipe (Instant Pot, Oven, Yogurt Maker)

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If you're looking for a clean and healthful way to support your gut health, this Soy Milk Yogurt recipe is just what you need. Made with simple ingredients, it's a creamy, tangy, and probiotic-rich option perfect for improving digestion and overall well-being. Whether you use an Instant Pot, oven, or yogurt maker, this easy recipe delivers a plant-based yogurt that's wholesome, delicious, and free from unnecessary additives. Start your journey to a cleaner, healthier lifestyle with this versatile and satisfying yogurt!

Vegan yogurt in a white bowl with frozen blueberries and ground chia seeds.

I enjoy my soy milk yogurt with ground chia seeds and frozen berries for a nutritious and satisfying treat. Ground chia seeds are a fantastic addition, as they’re rich in fiber, which may help with weight loss by adding bulk to your meals and keeping you full for longer. They also slow digestion and delay the release of glucose into the blood, making them an excellent choice for steady energy. For a touch of sweetness, drizzle with your favorite sweetener, and you have a delicious, healthful way to enjoy your yogurt!

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🦠 How Fermented Foods Improve Your Gut Health and Longevity
👩🏼‍🌾 Ingredients & Health Benefits
🥛 Substitutions
📖 How to Make Soy Milk Yogurt
🫙 Why Homemade Yogurt is Healthier Than Store-Bought
✔️ Expert Tips
🛒 Shop Nisha's Yogurt Essentials
🙋🏽‍♀️ Recipe FAQs
🥄 Healthy Toppings
👩🏽‍🍳 Made this recipe?
📖 Recipe
💬 Comments

🦠 How Fermented Foods Improve Your Gut Health and Longevity

Incorporating low-sodium fermented foods into your daily diet is essential for promoting excellent health and longevity. Research on fermented foods and gut health reveals that yogurt can significantly enhance microbiome diversity, a critical factor for maintaining a healthy gut. When combined with a high-fiber diet, fermented foods also help lower markers of inflammation. However, individuals with lower microbiome diversity experienced increased inflammation, likely because their gut bacteria struggled to process the fiber. This highlights the importance of gradually introducing both fiber and fermented foods to allow them to work synergistically, improving gut health and overall well-being.

Since many fermented foods are high in sodium, choosing low-sodium options is key to maintaining optimal health. Unsweetened plant-based yogurts, like my Easy Soy Milk Yogurt or Cashew Yogurt recipes, are excellent choices. These options provide the benefits of fermentation while keeping your sodium intake in check, making them a delicious and health-conscious addition to your diet.

👩🏼‍🌾 Ingredients & Health Benefits

Two boxes of soymilk and vegan probiotic capsules.

Soymilk: Use unsweetened soymilk with soybeans and water as the only two ingredients. Plant-based milk, like soymilk, offers several health benefits over cow's milk, including lower saturated fat and zero cholesterol. Soymilk is particularly notable for its protein content, which is comparable to cow's milk, and it contains spermidine, a compound that promotes autophagy and supports cellular health and longevity. I recommend these brands for this recipe.
Vegan probiotic: To make your first batch of soy milk yogurt, you'll need a vegan probiotic to kickstart the fermentation process. This essential ingredient introduces the beneficial bacteria that transform soy milk into creamy, tangy yogurt. Once you've made your first batch, you won't need a probiotic for subsequent batches—simply reserve a small amount of yogurt to use as a starter for the next one. It's a simple, sustainable way to enjoy homemade soy milk yogurt! My recommended brands for vegan prebiotics are linked here.

See the printable recipe card below for quantities.

🥛 Substitutions

Soymilk - Use a brand made with only soybeans and water. Eden Foods Unsweetened Eden Soy, West Life, and Trader Jo's Unsweetened Soymilk are good options. Use a brand-new sealed container.
Probiotics - use a vegan probiotic (at least 12 billion CFUs per 32-ounce carton of soymilk) for the first batch of soy milk yogurt.

For more healthy vegan breakfast recipes, visit my Vegan Breakfast Recipes page.

📖 How to Make Soy Milk Yogurt

1. Instant Pot Method

This is an overview. The full recipe is at the bottom of the post.

A box of Eden Foods soy milk showing the ingredients.

Use a brand-new sealed carton of soymilk to avoid preheating the milk to 180ºF to kill off bacteria.

Vegan probiotic capsule powder emptied into a white bowl.

Tip for adding probiotic capsules: Empty the contents of the probiotic capsule directly into the soy milk, whisking well each time to ensure the probiotics are evenly distributed. This step is key to a successful fermentation process!

Soymilk in the inner pot of an Instant Pot.

Pour a brand-new sealed 32 oz container of plain, unsweetened soy milk into your clean inner pot of the Instant Pot.

Soymillk with probiotic powder in the inner pot of an Instant Pot.

Add your starter—around 12 billion CFUs probiotics for the first batch or ½ cup of yogurt from a previous batch.

Whisking a white creamy liquid in the inner pot of the Instant Pot.

Combine: Gently stir to combine the probiotic powder, or yogurt starter from the previous batch, and soy milk. This is the only time you will stir until the yogurt-making process is complete.

Cover and Set: Place the lid on the Instant Pot and ensure the valve is turned to 'vent.'

Instant Pot showing 15 hour setting normal pressure for yogurt.

Press the 'yogurt' button on the Instant Pot and set the timer for 15 hours.

Set yogurt in the inner pot of an Instant Pot.

After 15 hours, your soy milk will have transformed into thick, creamy, vegan soy yogurt. Open the lid of the Instant Pot and flip it over quickly to capture any condensation at the top of the lid.

Whisking white liquid in the inner pot of an Instant Pot.

Use a large spoon to remove any liquid formed at the top. (Optional: Whisk well for an even consistency.)

Remove ½ cup of the yogurt to use as a starter for the next batch of yogurt. Store it in a clean, sealed container to maintain potency and freshness.

Soy milk yogurt in a glass storage conatiner.

Transfer the remaining yogurt to airtight containers.

Ground chia seeds and homemade soy milk yogurt.

For serving: Grind chia seeds to top the soy milk yogurt to boost omega 3s. Add homemade protein powder for a delicious high-protein snack. Serve with fruit and your choice of sweetener. Or use plain soy yogurt in recipes. Add some to healthy vegan dal, chana saag, easy Vegan Butter Chicken, or vegan curries.

🫕 Instant Pot Soy Yogurt Without the Yogurt Setting

The yogurt setting on an Instant Pot incubates milk to make yogurt by keeping it at a constant temperature between 112° and 115° F. This allows bacteria in a starter to multiply and thicken the milk into yogurt.

Pour the soy milk from the sealed container into the clean inner pot of the Instant Pot. Heat your milk to the correct temperature (around 112°F) using the 'normal' cooking setting, then add your yogurt starter and let it sit on the 'warm' setting overnight to ferment, ensuring the lid is slightly vented to allow steam to escape; you can monitor the temperature with a thermometer to ensure it stays within the ideal range for yogurt culturing.

Alternatively, pour the soy milk from the sealed container into the clean inner pot of the Instant Pot. Turn on the sauté setting. Bring the milk to 112°F to 115°F. Check the temperature using an instant-read thermometer. (If the milk is too warm, it will kill the probiotics.) Stir in the probiotic powder. Whisk to combine. Place the lid on, and seal with the valve set to 'vent' to allow humidity to escape. Cover completely with a large blanket and wrap it tightly. Leave it for 8 to 15 hours, depending on the desired tanginess and thickness.

🎛️ 2. Oven Method

Use the same quantities listed in the recipe.

Prepare the Soy Milk: Pour the sealed unsweetened plain soy milk into a clean pot or container.

Add the Starter: For the first batch, mix in the powder from vegan probiotic capsules. If using a starter yogurt (from a previous batch or store-bought vegan yogurt), add ½ cup of starter per 32-ounce carton of soymilk (or 2 to 3 tablespoons per cup of soy milk). Stir gently to distribute the starter evenly.

Fermentation: Using an Oven: Preheat the oven to the lowest temperature for 10 minutes. Then turn it off and keep the door closed. Pour the mixture into clean jars and place them in the oven with the light on for gentle warmth. Let them ferment for 8-12 hours, or longer for a tangier taste.

Chill and Set: After fermentation, transfer the yogurt to the fridge for at least 2 to 3 hours to fully set and thicken.

Enjoy: Your homemade soy yogurt is ready to enjoy plain, with toppings, or in recipes. Remember to save a small amount as a starter for your next batch!

3. Yogurt Maker

Follow the recipe as written and set the yogurt maker temperature to 112ºF and the time to 15 hours.

Add the soymilk & starter: For your first batch, empty the contents of the new sealed carton of soy milk and probiotic capsules into a clean bowl. (For subsequent batches, add ½ cup of yogurt from the previous batch as the starter.) Stir gently but thoroughly to distribute the bacteria evenly.
Pour into Yogurt Maker Jars:
Divide the soy milk mixture evenly among the jars that come with your yogurt maker.
Set the Yogurt Maker:
Place the jars into the yogurt maker and close the lid. Turn on the yogurt maker and set it to incubate for 12 to 15 hours, depending on your desired tanginess. For a stronger flavor and more probiotics, let it ferment for up to 15 hours.
Check Consistency:
Once the incubation time is complete, check the yogurt. It should be thickened and slightly tangy.
Chill and Set:
Remove the jars from the yogurt maker, cover them, and transfer them to the refrigerator. Let the yogurt chill for at least 2 to 3 hours to fully set and thicken.

🫙 Why Homemade Yogurt is Healthier Than Store-Bought

No BPA Leaching: Store-bought yogurts often come in plastic containers that may leach BPA into your food. Homemade yogurt eliminates this concern.
Naturally Sugar-Free: You control the ingredients, avoiding the added sugars used in many store-bought varieties.
No Additives or Preservatives: Made with organic soybeans and water.
Customizable Fermentation: Adjust the fermentation time to achieve your preferred tanginess while boosting beneficial probiotics.
Clean Ingredients: Enjoy yogurt with simple, wholesome ingredients, free from unnecessary additives or preservatives.
Easy to Make: With an Instant Pot, making yogurt is quick and convenient, making healthier choices accessible and effortless.

✔️ Expert Tips

Use a brand-new sealed carton of soymilk to avoid preheating the milk to 180ºF to kill off bacteria. The consistency of the soymilk is important. If the brand used is watery, the yogurt will not set well.
Starter: For your first batch of soy milk yogurt, use vegan probiotic capsules. After that, use ½ cup of yogurt from each batch as a starter for the next one. Not only does this save you from needing more probiotics, but it also improves the texture and flavor over time. The yogurt prepared with a starter develops an even creamier consistency and tangier taste than the first batch made with the probiotic capsule.
Tip for Adding Probiotic Capsules: Empty the contents of the probiotic capsule directly into the soy milk, whisking well each time to ensure the probiotics are evenly distributed. This step is key to a successful fermentation process!
Use an Instant Pot with the yogurt setting for the best results. The other two methods will work, but the results are not as predictable or consistent.
Instant Pot Tips: Make sure the inner pot is clean before adding the milk. Place the lid on the Instant Pot and ensure the valve is turned to 'vent.' This allows humidity to escape during the fermentation process, helping the yogurt set properly. Once the yogurt is ready, open the lid of the Instant Pot and flip it over quickly to capture any condensation at the top of the lid.
Start your yogurt at a time when you’ll be home 15 hours later to transfer it to the refrigerator. Proper timing ensures the yogurt is chilled promptly for the best flavor and consistency!
Batch Tip: Consider doubling the recipe to make 8 cups at a time. It’s a great way to save time and ensure you have plenty of creamy, tangy yogurt for breakfasts, snacks, and recipes.
Storage: Use your starter within 10 days to make a fresh batch of soy yogurt. Store it in a clean, sealed container to maintain potency and freshness. Refrigerate soy milk yogurt in an airtight container for up to 7 days.

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🙋🏽‍♀️ Recipe FAQs

Is an Instant Pot worth it?

Using an Instant Pot with the yogurt setting is a foolproof way to create perfectly creamy and delicious soy milk yogurt with minimal effort. Beyond yogurt, the Instant Pot is also one of the healthiest tools in the kitchen for cooking vegetables, beans, and other plant-based staples. Its shorter cooking times help preserve nutrients while saving you time, making it an invaluable appliance for anyone focused on health and convenience.

What is the best temperature for making yogurt?

The ideal temperature for incubating yogurt is between 110ºF to 115°F. Temperatures above 120°F can kill the bacteria that turn milk into yogurt, while temperatures below 100°F will not be effective. Keep the yogurt at a consistent temperature of about 112ºF for 12 to 15 hours.

Will this work with other plant-based milks?

This method should work with other plant-based milks, but I have not tested this. Use a 2-ingredient milk, where water is one of the ingredients. Milk made with just water and a single base ingredient (like soybeans, almonds, or oats) is ideal because it lacks additives like oils, gums, or stabilizers, which can interfere with fermentation.

How do you serve soy milk yogurt?

I enjoy topping mine with ground chia seeds for an omega-3 boost and frozen berries for their antioxidant power— a nutritious and flavorful combination. Since the yogurt is naturally tangy, you might prefer to sweeten it to taste. A drizzle of date syrup is my go-to, but for a naturally sweetened option, blend the yogurt with soaked, pitted Medjool dates for a creamy, subtly sweet twist.

How can I make a thicker, Greek-style soy yogurt?

To achieve a thicker, Greek-style consistency, strain the yogurt. Line a colander with three layers of cheesecloth, and set it over a bowl to catch the liquid. Pour in the soy yogurt. Let it drain until it reaches your desired thickness. This process removes the excess liquid, leaving you with rich, creamy yogurt perfect for enjoying on its own or in recipes!