I don’t mean to brag, but yesterday I made the best Coconut Yogurt ever! It was so rich and creamy, with tons of nutritional value. I made this batch in my Instant Pot, and I couldn’t believe how easy and delicious it was. If you have an IP with the yogurt function but haven’t used it yet, this recipe is a great opportunity to pop that culinary cherry 😉
COCONUT YOGURT: HEALTHY PROBIOTIC FOOD
As Mae West might have said, “I like my kitchen like I like my men: alive!” Alive with live cultures, that is. My kitchen is always populated with fermenting jars and all sorts of probiotic foods, like sauerkraut, kefir, and yogurt. While I love making my favorite kefir with goat milk, I prefer to make yogurt with coconut milk. It yields a surprisingly rich, tangy flavor if done right.
A yummy factor is always good, of course, but this yogurt is not just “a pretty face”. It’s also packed with probiotic benefits associated with the live cultures in the yogurt starter, which contains gut-friendly bacteria like Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria. Those benefits include:
- Strengthening the Immune System. Probiotics reduce inflammation and, therefore, the chances of getting sick or contracting infections.
- Improving Gut Health. Probiotics help with IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), constipation, diarrhea, and dysbiosis in the GI tract.
- Improving Digestion
- Inhibiting Candida and Yeast Infection
YOUR SHOPPING LIST FOR IP COCONUT YOGURT
If you already have an Instant Pot with a yogurt function, all you need for this recipe is:
- Coconut Milk (Canned)
- Gelatin (or Agar Agar if you are vegan)
- 100% Maple Syrup
- Yogurt Starter
Maybe it’s because I married a Balkan man, but I love this Balkan style yogurt starter. It works perfectly!
TIP: DON’T SKIP GELATIN AND MAPLE SYRUP
I know that some recipes don’t call for any gelatin or syrup, but adding small amounts of both will ensure foolproof results. The bacteria in the starter feed on the sugar in the liquid. Cow’s milk contains 12 grams of sugar per serving, while coconut milk only contains 1 gram of sugar per serving. That is great, but the bacteria might need a bit more than that to fully perform their task. But don’t worry, by the end of the fermentation process the bit of maple syrup you added will be completely consumed by the Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria.
As for the gelatin, it will help with a creamy and thick consistency. Another easy tip for that is to make coconut cream by putting one or both cans of full-fat coconut milk upside-down in the fridge for a few hours or overnight. The cold temperature will separate and solidify the milk, allowing you to easily discard the thin liquid before making this delicious yogurt.
HOW TO MAKE COCONUT YOGURT IN YOUR INSTANT POT
Making yogurt is not hard at all, but using an Instant Pot makes it even easier. All you need is a mason jar, an ordinary whisk, and a food thermometer. If you don’t have one at home and feel like splurging, this tool is a great option. Otherwise, any meat thermometer will do, like the one I’m using in the photo.
The steps are simple, and you can use just one pot for the whole process:
- Wash all the utensils really thoroughly, including jars, Instant Pot liner and lid
- Pour the coconut milk and cream into the IP liner
- Start stirring and set the Instant Pot on “Saute”
- Before it gets warm, add the gelatin and whisk thoroughly
- Once the milk starts bubbling at the edges, turn off the Instant Pot and let the coconut milk mixture cool down
- Check the temperature with a thermometer. When it goes down to 100 – 110 F, you can add the starter
- You can add the starter directly to the IP liner. In this case, make sure to whisk vigorously. Alternatively, you can reserve a few spoonfuls of the milk/cream inside a small bowl, and whisk in the starter before adding it to the rest of the batch in the Instant Pot. This will ensure that you don’t end up with any lumps and that the starter is evenly distributed
- Now it’s time to put the lid on (ring removed) and select the yogurt function on the IP
- Set the timer for a minimum of 8-12 hours to a maximum of 18-20 hours. The longer the fermentation, the tangier the yogurt will be. Just don’t over or under ferment it. I opted for 18 hours, and it was just perfect for my taste (I don’t have a sweet tooth, though)
- When the time expires, remove the lid, whisk the yogurt thoroughly before pouring it into a mason jar and refrigerating for at least 4 hours. It needs time to set and firm up, so overnight it’s even better
- REMEMBER: you only need to use the starter the first time you make yogurt. If you make this on a regular basis, you’ll be able to reserve a couple of spoonfuls of each batch and use it as a starter for the next batch. The second time around, fermentation will be a lot quicker. To give you an idea: the same tangy results I obtained here in 18 hours, with a batch starter would only take 6 hours or even less
AND… ACTION!
Blah, blah, blah… right? I always say that talk is cheap. Let me show you how quick and easy it is to make your own coconut yogurt. And look, you can flavor and garnish it however your heart desires!
Here is the full recipe for you. I really hope you’ll give this incredibly simple yogurt a try and love it as much as I do!
INSTANT POT COCONUT YOGURT
Ingredients
- 2 13.5 cans coconut milk full fat, liquid drained
- 1 bag (1 gr) yogurt starter (substitute non-dairy starter, if vegan)
- 1 tsp gelatin (agar agar, if vegan)
- 1/2 tbsp 100% maple syrup
Instructions
- Wash all the utensils really thoroughly, including jars, Instant Pot liner and lid
- Pour the coconut milk/cream into the IP liner
- Start stirring and set the Instant Pot on "Saute"
- Before it gets warm, add the gelatin and whisk thoroughly
- Once the milk starts bubbling at the edges, turn off the Instant Pot and let coconut milk mixture cool down
- Check the temperature with a thermometer. When it goes down to 100 – 110 F, you can add the starter
- You can add the starter directly to the IP liner. In this case, make sure to whisk vigorously. Alternatively, you can reserve a few spoonfuls of the milk/cream inside a small bowl, and whisk in the starter before adding it to the rest of the batch in the Instant Pot. This will ensure that you don't end up with any lumps and that the starter is evenly distributed
- Now it's time to put the lid on (ring removed) and select the yogurt function on the IP
- Set the time for a minimum of 8-12 hours to a maximum of 18-20 hours. The longer the fermentation, the tangier the yogurt will be. Just don't over or under ferment it. I opted for 18 hours, and it was just perfect for my taste (I don't have a sweet tooth, though)
- When the time expires, remove the lid, whisk the yogurt thoroughly before pouring it into a mason jar and refrigerating for at least 4 hours. It needs time to set and firm up, so overnight it's even better
- REMEMBER: you only need to use the starter the first time you make yogurt. If you make this on a regular basis, you'll be able to reserve a couple of spoonfuls of each batch and use it as a starter for the next batch. The second time around, fermentation will be a lot quicker. To give you an idea: the same tangy results I obtained here in 18 hours, with a batch starter would only take 6 hours or even less
Nutrition
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