Homemade Yogurt Recipe – Simple Overnight Method
A few years ago I had a lassi at an Indian restaurant that stopped me in my tracks. It was creamy, tangy and had that distinctive freshness that shop-bought yogurt never quite manages to replicate. I asked the waiter and (unsurprisingly) he informed me they made their own yogurt or curd as he called it.
Indian restaurants that make their own yogurt produce something fundamentally different from the commercial version. Large-scale manufacturers use ultra-heat treated milk, modified starch thickeners and carefully controlled fermentation times designed for shelf life rather than flavour. The result is consistent but bland. Traditional yogurt made with whole milk and live cultures, incubated slowly overnight, develops a complex tanginess that is genuinely difficult to replicate any other way.
Making your own yogurt requires only two ingredients (milk and a small quantity of yogurt to act as a starter) and about 15 minutes of active work. The rest is time. Once you’ve made it a few times the process becomes completely instinctive and you’ll find yourself making a fresh batch every week.
Homemade Natural Yogurt
Ingredients
Method
- Pour the milk into a large heavy-bottomed pan and heat over a medium heat, stirring continuously to prevent burning. Heat until the milk reaches 93°C (200°F) , just before boiling. Without a thermometer, heat until the milk is very hot but not yet boiling, small bubbles will appear at the edges.
- Remove from the heat. Sit the pan in a sink of cold water and allow to cool to 46°C (115°F). Without a thermometer, the milk should feel comfortably warm rather than hot when you briefly dip a clean finger in, similar to a warm bath.
- Place the starter yogurt in a large bowl and whisk in one cup of the warm milk until smooth.
- Gradually add the remaining warm milk, stirring gently with a whisk until fully combined.
- Cover the bowl tightly with cling film or a clean tea towel. Place somewhere consistently warm for 8-12 hours…an airing cupboard is ideal. Alternatively, briefly warm your oven to 50°C, switch it off, wrap the bowl in towels and place inside with the oven light on to maintain gentle warmth.
- After 8-12 hours the yogurt should be set. It will be thicker than commercial yogurt and may have some clear liquid (whey) on top, either strain this off for a thicker Greek-style yogurt or stir it back in.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. The yogurt will firm up further as it chills.
Notes
- The starter yogurt must contain live active cultures – check the label. Greek yogurt works well as a starter
- The longer you incubate, the tangier and thicker the yogurt becomes – 8 hours gives a mild result, 12 hours gives something closer to restaurant-style
- Save 3 tablespoons from each batch to use as the starter for the next one – freeze in a sealed container for up to 3 months as a backup
- Using full-fat whole milk produces a richer, creamier yogurt. Semi-skimmed works well and gives a slightly lighter result
Why Homemade Yogurt Tastes Different
The difference between homemade and commercial yogurt comes down to three things.
The milk. Commercial yogurt uses UHT (ultra-heat treated) milk which has been sterilised at very high temperatures, significantly changing its protein structure and flavour. Homemade yogurt made with fresh whole milk starts from a fundamentally better ingredient.
The cultures. Commercial yogurt uses precisely controlled bacterial strains at carefully managed temperatures to produce a predictable, shelf-stable product. Home fermentation with a good live-culture starter creates a more complex microbial environment that develops more nuanced flavour.
The time. An overnight slow fermentation at moderate temperature produces a different flavour profile than the rapid industrial fermentation process. The extra time allows the bacteria to develop more of the organic acids that give yogurt its characteristic tang.
Choosing Your Starter Yogurt
The starter is the most important ingredient beyond the milk. It must contain live active cultures, the label should specifically say “contains live cultures” or list specific bacteria such as Lactobacillus acidophilus or Streptococcus thermophilus.
Most good quality natural or Greek yogurts work well. Avoid yogurts with added starch, gelatine, sugar or flavourings, the simpler the ingredients list, the better it will work as a starter.
Once you’ve made your first batch, save 3 tablespoons immediately as the starter for your next batch. Homemade yogurt cultures become increasingly vigorous over several generations, many yogurt makers report that their fourth or fifth batch is noticeably better than the first.
We keep a small sealed container of yogurt frozen specifically as an emergency starter backup. Frozen at the right stage it retains its culture activity for several months.
What to Make With Homemade Yogurt
Raita. The natural home for homemade yogurt. Grated cucumber, a pinch of cumin, fresh mint and a little salt stirred into your yogurt produces a raita that genuinely complements spicy food rather than just sitting alongside it. The tanginess of homemade yogurt works far better here than the flatness of commercial yogurt.
Lassi. Blend yogurt with cold water (1:1 ratio), a pinch of salt and either sugar and cardamom (sweet lassi) or cumin and chilli (salted lassi). This was the original motivation for making homemade yogurt and the result is exactly what prompted it. Check out our lassi recipe here.
Tandoori marinade. Our tandoori marinade recipe uses yogurt as its base. The lactic acid in a good tangy homemade yogurt tenderises meat more effectively than commercial yogurt and produces a better final char. Our paneer and pineapple tikka recipe uses yoghurt as the base of the tikka marinade. Homemade yoghurt gives a noticeably better result than shop-bought.
Indian curries. Stirred into korma, tikka masala or any yogurt-based curry, homemade yogurt adds a depth that commercial yogurt simply doesn’t have. Add off the heat or at very low temperature to prevent splitting.
Breakfast. With honey and fresh fruit, or stirred through overnight oats. The tanginess works brilliantly with anything sweet.
Tzatziki and dips. The same technique that makes great raita makes great tzatziki. Greek-strain homemade yogurt strained through muslin for 2-3 hours produces the thick, creamy base that Greek restaurants use.
Making Greek-Style Yogurt
If you prefer a thick, strained yogurt similar to Greek yogurt or labneh, simply pour your finished yogurt into a muslin-lined yogurt strainer and refrigerate for 2-4 hours. The whey drips through, leaving a much thicker yogurt behind.
The strained whey isn’t waste….it’s protein-rich and mildly tangy. Use it in bread baking, smoothies, or as a base for cold soups. It keeps refrigerated for a week.
Straining for 8-12 hours produces labneh which is a spreadable, cream cheese-like product that’s used throughout the Middle East. Season with olive oil, salt and za’atar and serve with flatbread.
Troubleshooting Home Made Yogurt Problems
Yogurt hasn’t set after 12 hours:
Either the milk was too hot when the starter was added (killing the cultures), the milk was too cold during incubation, or the starter yogurt didn’t have strong enough live cultures. Check that your incubation spot maintains consistent warmth – an airing cupboard with a working boiler is ideal. Try a different starter brand.
Yogurt is very runny:
Most common with semi-skimmed milk, which has less protein than whole milk. Either switch to whole milk or extend the incubation time. Adding a tablespoon of dried milk powder to the milk before heating increases the protein content and produces a thicker result.
Yogurt tastes too sour:
Incubation time was too long or temperature too high. Reduce incubation to 8 hours and make sure the incubation environment isn’t too warm.
Whey separation:
Completely normal – the clear liquid sitting on top of set yogurt is whey. Either strain it off or stir back in. Extensive separation can indicate over-incubation or temperature fluctuation during setting.
FAQ
What milk is best for homemade yogurt?
Whole full-fat milk produces the richest, creamiest result. Semi-skimmed works well and gives a lighter yogurt, this is what we use most often. Skimmed milk produces a thinner yogurt that may not set as firmly. Non-homogenised or unhomogenised milk from a local dairy gives the best results of all if you can find it.
Can I use plant-based milk?
Oat, soy and coconut milk can be used but require specific vegan yogurt starter cultures as the standard bacterial strains don’t colonise plant milks as effectively. The method differs slightly and the result is less predictable. For plant-based yogurt we’d recommend following a dedicated recipe rather than this one.
How long does homemade yogurt keep?
Up to 2 weeks in the fridge in a sealed container. It will continue to develop flavour and tanginess over this time, the yogurt at 10 days is often better than on day 1.
Do I need a yogurt maker?
No. An airing cupboard, a warm oven with the light on or any consistently warm spot works perfectly well. A yogurt maker simply provides a controlled temperature environment, which is genuinely useful if your house is very cold or you make yogurt frequently. An Instant Pot on the yogurt setting also works very well.
Why does my yogurt smell strange?
A slightly sour, tangy smell is completely normal. If it smells unpleasant, off or mouldy, discard it as contamination has likely occurred, usually from unclean equipment. Always ensure your pan, bowl and utensils are thoroughly clean before starting.
Can I use flavoured yogurt as a starter?
No. Use only plain natural yogurt with live cultures. Flavoured yogurts contain sugar and other additives that interfere with fermentation.
Related Recipes
Tandoori Marinade Recipe — yogurt is the base of this marinade. Homemade yogurt makes a noticeably better result.
Indian Rasam Recipe — serve a small bowl of raita alongside rasam and rice for a complete South Indian meal.
Dishoom Black Daal Recipe — a spoonful of homemade yogurt stirred through dal makhani just before serving adds richness and balances the heat.
Lime Pickle Recipe — yogurt, lime pickle and naan alongside any curry is a genuinely satisfying combination.
Scotch Bonnet Sauce — stirring a teaspoon of scotch bonnet sauce through natural yogurt makes an instant spicy dip.
