This homemade yogurt recipe will give you a creamy and rich yogurt that will rival any store-bought yogurt at a fraction of the cost. Use this yogurt as a base to make shawarma sauce, or a healthy yogurt drink!
In our family, we go through a lot of yogurt. I find it's cheaper and more convenient to make my own homemade yogurt recipe instead of constantly running to the store for more.
This two-ingredient yogurt recipe couldn't be simpler, or more delicious! To keep yogurt stocked in the fridge, I've had to perfect the yogurt making process that my mom and her mom used over the years.
All you need is a few tablespoons of yogurt and approximately half of a gallon of whole milk. If you have milk that's about to expire, use it to make yogurt!
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😍 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Homemade yogurt is easy to prepare and loaded with probiotics.
- Making homemade yogurt is a great way to save money.
- Instead of tossing milk that's about to expire, you can use it to make yogurt.
🛒 What You Need For This Recipe
🔖 Ingredients & Substitutions
- Milk: For this recipe, you'll need ½ gallon milk.
- Yogurt: You also need a few tablespoons of yogurt.
🔪 Helpful Tools
- large pot
- thermometer
- large mixng bowl with lid
- heating pad
🥛 How to Make Yogurt (Mesta)
Step 1: Cover the pad with a dishtowel and place a ceramic casserole dish on top of it. Meanwhile, heat the milk until it reaches 180°, then turn the burner off.
Step 2: Allow the yogurt to cool until it reaches 105-109°, or as my mom used to say: "until you can dip your little finger in and can tolerate it to the count of ten."
Step 3: Ladle approximately one cup of the warm milk into the yogurt and mix until the yogurt is completely diluted.
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Step 4: Pour the diluted yogurt into the warm milk and mix until incorporated. Then carefully pour the milk/yogurt mixture into the warmed casserole dish.
Step 5: Place the lid on the dish and cover it with a towel. Do not disturb for eight hours.
Step 6: Once it's ready, there will be some whey that rises to the surface. Place a few folded paper towels over the yogurt to soak up the extra liquid.
🍚 What Can You Make with Yogurt?
Assyrians use yogurt in many of their recipes. Yogurt soup, purslane dip, jajik (yogurt cheese), and booshala (spicy Assyrian yogurt soup) are just a few examples. For this reason, most Assyrian mothers always have plenty of homemade yogurt on hand.
My mom added citric acid into her yogurt in order to make it slightly sour. The slightly sour-tasting yogurt was better suited for the Assyrian recipes mom would use the yogurt in.
If you would like to achieve the same sour taste, just mix in ¼ tsp. of citric acid in step 5 of the recipe card below.
👩🏼🍳 Pro Tips
- Periodically replace the paper towels as they get soaked with whey.
- Another option is to drain the whey and use it to make this healthy yogurt drink!
- Store the yogurt in the fridge and use as needed.
🫕 Related Recipes
If you enjoy this homemade yogurt recipe, be sure to try these related recipes too!
📖 Recipe
Homemade Yogurt Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ gallon milk
- 2 tablespoon yogurt
Instructions
- Cover the pad with a dishtowel and place a ceramic casserole dish on top of it. Meanwhile, heat the milk until it reaches 180°, then turn the burner off.
- Allow the yogurt to cool until it reaches 105-109°, or as my mom used to say: "until you can dip your little finger in and can tolerate it to the count of ten."
- Ladle approximately one cup of the warm milk into the yogurt and mix until the yogurt is completely diluted.
- Pour the diluted yogurt into the warm milk and mix until incorporated. Then carefully pour the milk/yogurt mixture into the warmed casserole dish.
- Place the lid on the dish and cover with a towel. Do not disturb for eight hours.
- Once it's ready, there will be some whey that rises to the surface. Place a few folded paper towels over the yogurt to soak up the extra liquid.
Notes
- Periodically replace the paper towels as they get soaked with whey.
- Another option is to drain the whey and use it to make this healthy yogurt drink!
- Store the yogurt in the fridge and use as needed.
Kurt says
I read on another site today that you supposedly can make yogurt using only milk and citric acid. My only question is would it be as beneficial as cultured yogurt.
https://yogurtnerd.com/how-to-make-yogurt-without-starter-culture/
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Kurt, I would guess not but I have never prepared it that way so I'm only speculating. Maybe ask the same question on the other site where you found that info? Thanks!
Kurt says
Thank you for your response. Unfortunately, comments aren't available on the site I referenced and I didn't see an easy way to ask the author the question.
However, I continued researching making yogurt without using starter culture. I came across a post about using lemon juice, which would be similar to using citric acid, and the result is uncultured yogurt. Basically, you're making curdled milk; not what I want.
Hilda Sterner says
One of my friends who makes my yogurt recipe often actually tried making the yogurt with just whey instead of using a yogurt starter and it actually worked. I've been meaning to add that tip to the post but haven't gotten around to it.
Kurt says
That's interesting to know. In the post I referenced, the author stated that chickpeas (Central Asian version of yogurt making) could be used in lieu of yogurt culture to make yogurt. I've researched it a bit, but I can't find the reason for why it would work.
I did find a YouTube video on making yogurt with chickpeas, but it was an involved process and involves creating a culture using chickpeas first.
One question for which I've not found an answer is how people made yogurt in the old days before you could buy starter culture and before there was refrigeration.
Kathy Fisher says
I did it. First try at making yogurt. So simple. I use a lot of yogurt. I'm done buying it. Thanks Hilda. Great and easy recipe.
Hilda Sterner says
That's very impressive, it took me a couple of tries to master it. By the way, I recently learned that the Mercantile sells gallons of milk that's about to be expired for like a dollar. That would be perfect for making yogurt! You can freeze them until you need them.
Kathy Fisher says
Thanks for the tip. It would be nice if I could make a gallon as I use a lot of yogurt. Have you tried making a gallon?
Hilda Sterner says
No, I usually do 1/2 of a gallon at a time but mom always made a gallon's worth.
Brijet says
Thanks for adding in the thermometer temperature! My hubby and I were trying to figure out the perfect temp. Love your cookbook too, Hilda!
HildaSterner says
Hi Brijet,
Thank you so much for your comment! I'm so glad you're enjoying the book too. I have less than 20 books left and on the fence about printing more...I'm glad you have your copy 😉.
Faith says
This is so delicious and easy! Now I don't have to buy it any more. Fresh any time I want it. Left my heat pad and towel on the table for next time!
Hilda Sterner says
Thank you, Faith! I appreciate your review and glad it turned out for you too!