Homemade Plain Greek Yogurt || Foodie Incarnate

Breakfast

Homemade Plain Greek Yogurt

Learning how to make Greek yogurt at home is simple with this easy recipe. Start by making homemade yogurt by heating milk, combining it with a little bit of already-cultured yogurt and letting it sit in a warm spot until the milk turns into yogurt. Making protein-rich Greek yogurt takes one step beyond regular yogurt: straining the yogurt to thicken it. You can add the leftover liquid—also known as whey—to smoothies, or you can use it in place of buttermilk in baking.

8 min

Prep Time

12 min

Cook Time

Easy

Level

Servings

Ingredients

4 cups nonfat or low-fat milk
¼ cup nonfat or low-fat plain yogurt

Method

Heat milk in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until it is steaming, barely bubbling and registers 180°F on an instant-read or candy thermometer. (Do not leave it unattended—it can boil over very quickly.)
Carefully pour the milk into a clean, heat-safe 5- to 8-cup container. Let stand, stirring frequently, until cooled to 110°F. Combine yogurt with 1/2 cup of the 110°F milk in a small bowl, then stir the mixture back into the warm milk.
Cover the container and wrap it in a clean kitchen towel to help keep it warm. Place in a very warm place and let stand, undisturbed, until thickened and tangy, at least 8 hours and up to 12 hours. Refrigerate until cold, about 2 hours. The yogurt will thicken a bit more in the refrigerator.
Line a large fine-mesh sieve with 2 layers of cheesecloth and place over a large bowl. Spoon the cooled yogurt into the cheesecloth, then cover and refrigerate for 8 to 24 hours, depending on how thick you want it.