If your household goes through tubs of yoghurt for breakfast bowls, smoothies, dips, and even savoury sauces, it might be worth trying to make your own. With just a little time and patience, you can enjoy all the benefits of fresh, homemade yoghurt, straight from your kitchen.
Benefits of homemade yoghurt
Homemade yoghurt might seem like an added chore, but the pros outweigh the cons:
- Your preference: You have total control over the ingredients. Less sugar, no additives, creating probiotic-rich yoghurts, and using your preferred milk (full cream, low fat, or even plant-based).
- Cost-effective: If you’re a regular yoghurt-eater, it is cheaper over the long run to make it from scratch.
- Sustainability: You’ll be reusing containers, wasting less with each yoghurt tub you would have bought.
- Customisation: You get to choose the flavour, thickness, and sweetness.
The best milk to use
Yoghurt only needs two ingredients: milk and a live culture. So the quality of those ingredients matters. Get the best flavour out of your next homemade batch by using:
- Fresh dairy milk: Full cream makes a smoother and creamier yoghurt, but low-fat milk can also be used (it will make a runnier yoghurt)
- If you’re lactose intolerant: Try your hand at a batch by combining your favourite plant-based milk and live cultures
- Live cultures: Look on the back of a yoghurt tub to check whether it has live cultures, or buy a yoghurt starter online
Quick and easy homemade yoghurt recipe
You’ll need:
- 1 litre milk of your choice
- 2 tablespoons plain yoghurt with live cultures or yoghurt starter
Method
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Gently heat the milk in a pot until it’s steaming, but not boiling (about 85°C).
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Let it cool until warm to the touch (around 45°C).
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Stir in the yoghurt, then pour into a clean jar or bowl.
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Cover with a lid or clean cloth and keep in a warm spot (an oven with the light on, wrapped in a blanket, or a yoghurt maker).
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Leave for 6–12 hours, depending on how tangy and thick you like it.
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Chill in the fridge before serving.
Tip: Save a few spoonfuls of your homemade batch to use as the starter for your next one!
Making yoghurt from scratch is definitely worth the effort. You are in full control of the ingredients used, plus you get to reduce your kitchen waste!
