Many of you have been asking for soy and coconut-free yogurt recipe. After using 6 pounds of almonds for testing, here it is!
This yogurt is thick, creamy, slightly tart and made with 100% homemade almond milk! I didn’t want to go with cashews here simply because it would have made the yogurts too heavy, and I wanted something light. Almonds are great but there was one problem, when making yogurt from almond milk, it never thickens.
So after checking the ingredient list of tens of vegan yogurts and reading reviews about it, I started to work with thickeners.
I first went with pectin, but it’s a bit messy to work with and I was not getting a satisfying texture. In the end, I went with a mix of three thickeners: locust bean gum also known as carob bean gum, xanthan gum and a pinch of agar-agar. When combined together, they form a gel, it’s science so don’t ask me how it works exactly! The main point is that it results in thick and creamy yogurt. Xanthan gum helps thicken everything a bit more and improves the mouthfeel while agar prevents the yogurts from having a slimy texture.
I use a very small amount of agar here (1/32 tsp) because it’s very powerful and you don’t want to get a flan or jelly yogurt texture!
HEALTH BENEFITS
Yogurts are packed with good live bacterias, known as probiotics. They help boost the immune system and improve digestion. Since these yogurts are made from 100% almonds, they are naturally soy-free, refined sugar-free, dairy-free and gluten-free!
HOW TO MAKE VEGAN ALMOND MILK YOGURT
Before starting: Please don’t try to substitute or omit any ingredient here, it took a lot of tests to get this recipe right and just a small change will affect the texture of the yogurt. For example, when using cornstarch or arrowroot, the yogurts have a slimy texture, so stick to locust bean gum. If using too much xanthan gum, the yogurts tend to be gelatinous, etc… Don’t be scared by this recipe, it’s actually very easy!
You will need 5 ingredients to make your own almond milk yogurts:
- Almonds
- Locust Bean Gum
- Xanthan Gum
- Agar Agar
- Yogurt Starter (or non-dairy yogurt)
- Optional: vanilla bean or vanilla extract, maple syrup
Alright, let’s do it! We will first prepare the almond milk because we are going to do everything from scratch. Start by soaking the almonds for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight. I tried with roasted almonds but the flavor was bitter, so only use raw almonds. You can use blanched or whole almonds, it doesn’t really matter.
Once your almonds have soaked for several hours, drain them and place in a blender with the filtered water. Blend on high speed until smooth, about 30-40 seconds. For exact quantities please check the recipe at the end of this post. You can then strain the almond milk using a nut milk bag, just squeeze the bag to release the milk. Almond pulp can be discarded or saved for other recipes. Your milk is ready to use, now comes the easiest part, making the yogurts!
Combine your freshly made almond milk with the locust bean gum, xanthan gum and agar agar in a saucepan and whisk until everything is well combined. Then heat to 185°F (85°C) to activate the gums and agar. Remove from heat and let cool.
Once it reaches 110°F (43°C), stir in the yogurt starter, or 3 tbsp non-dairy yogurt and whisk. I used only half a packet of this starter since one packet is given for 4 cups milk. Be aware the almond milk will need to be churned as it will have already thickened a bit, this is normal. So whisk well to break any possible lumps and make the texture smooth again.
You can now pour into glass jars and let the yogurts culture for 5-6 hours at 105-115°F (40-45°C). If you don’t have a yogurt maker, you can use your oven. Place the jars in a dish filled with warm water and put in the oven with the light on, or set at 105°F for 5 hours. It’s the technique I used and it worked great!
After 6 hours, place the yogurts in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours. Your yogurts are now ready! These make a tasty and fresh breakfast. Top with granola, fresh fruits, a drizzle of maple syrup and some nut butter for healthy fats!
If you plan to make these regularly, make sure to save 3 tbsp of yogurt for the next batch.
GREEK-STYLE
This yogurt is already thick, but if you want an even thicker yogurt, you can get a Greek-style yogurt consistency by draining the whey from the yogurts. To do that, line a fine mesh strainer with cheesecloth, pour the yogurt into it. Let the strainer rest on top of a bowl to catch excess liquid and place in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours. After one hour, your yogurt should already be thicker, let it rest longer for a thicker texture.
FLAVORS
Now for those of you who don’t like plain yogurt, I’m sharing 7 variants (not all pictured) to flavor your yogurts. Commercial yogurts almost always contain added flavorings and a lot of sugar, by making your own you know exactly what’s in there.
- Blueberry: Mix 1/2 cup yogurt with 1/4 cup homemade blueberry jam. I recommend checking Bakerita’s Blueberry Chia Jam recipe for a low sugar version.
- Peach: Purée 1 large peach with 2 tsp maple syrup. Mix 1/2 cup yogurt with the peach purée.
- Salted Caramel Crunch: In a small bowl, mix 1 tbsp almond butter with 1 tbsp maple syrup and 1/8 tsp salt. Stir the caramel into 1/2 cup yogurt and top with roasted pecans.
- Amaretto: Mix 1/2 cup yogurt with 1/4 cup cherry jam and 1/8 tsp almond extract.
- Nutella: Mix 1/2 cup yogurt with 2 tbsp hazelnut butter, 2 tbsp cocoa powder, and 2 tbsp maple syrup.
- Key Lime: Mix 1/2 cup yogurt with 2 tbsp lime juice. Sweeten to taste.
- Double Chocolate: Mix 1/2 cup yogurt with 2 tbsp cocoa powder, 1 tbsp maple syrup (or more, to taste) and 1 tbsp chocolate chips.
For those of you who prefer it plain, you can simply sweeten it with a drizzle of maple syrup, coconut nectar or even stevia.
If you are looking for a soy-free, coconut-free yogurt, this is it. It’s creamy, smooth and has the perfect texture! Let me know in the comments if you try this recipe and what is your favorite flavor!
Vegan Almond Milk Yogurt
Smooth and creamy homemade yogurt made from almond milk. Healthy, packed with good bacterias and easy to make!
Yield: 4 Yogurts (5.3oz) 1x
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeIngredients
Almond Milk
- 1 cup (140g) raw almonds
- 3 cups (750ml) filtered water
Yogurts
- 2 and 1/2 cup homemade almond milk
- 1 tsp locust bean gum
- 1/4 tsp xanthan gum
- 1/32 tsp agar agar (see notes)
- 1 yogurt starter (or 2 tbsp non-dairy yogurt) I used half a packet of this starter.
- Optional: 2 tsp maple syrup, seeds from 1/2 vanilla bean (or 1/4 tsp vanilla extract)
Instructions
Almond Milk
- Soak the almonds for at least 6 hours, or overnight. Drain and add to a blender with the 3 cups of water. Blend on high-speed for 30-40 seconds, until smooth.
- Place a nut milk bag over a large glass bowl. Pour the almond milk into the bag and twist to close. Using your hands, squeeze to extract as much almond milk as possible. You should end up with about 2 and 1/2 cup of almond milk.
Yogurts
- Combine the almond milk (2 and 1/2 cups), locust bean gum, xanthan gum, and agar in a medium saucepan. If you want to make a sweetened yogurt, also add the maple syrup and vanilla seeds. Heat over medium heat until it reaches 185°F (85°C), whisking constantly to make sure all the gums are fully dissolved and don’t stay at the bottom. Remove from heat at soon as it reaches 185°F, just before it boils. Transfer to a large glass bowl and let sit for about 20 minutes, or until the temperature reaches 110°F (43°c). This is important, if the milk is too hot it will kill the cultures. Using a thermometer is strongly recommended.
- Once the milk is at the right temperature, stir in the yogurt starter. At this step, the almond milk will have already thickened and may appear gelatinous, don’t worry this is totally normal. Give it a good whisk to break any “lumps”, and make it fully smooth again. Pour into glass jars and close the lid, or use plastic wrap to cover.
- Place the jars in a baking dish filled with warm water, they should be half immersed. If you have a yogurt maker, skip this step and just put the jars into your machine.
- Place the baking dish with the jars in a 105°F preheated oven for 6-10 hours depending on how sour you like your yogurts. Personally, I prefer them with a milder flavor so I let them culture for only 6 hours.
- Transfer the yogurts to the refrigerator and let cool for at least 8 hours.
- Enjoy for breakfast or dessert, sweetened with some maple syrup and topped with granola, fresh fruits, jam or nut butter. Always give the yogurts a good stir before eating!
- The yogurts will keep for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Notes
Agar agar is very powerful so only 1/32 tsp is enough for about 3 cups almond milk. To measure 1/32 tsp, fill one-half of a 1/8 tsp. Using the tip of a knife, remove half of it to get 1/32 tsp.
This recipe might work with store-bought almond milk but I haven’t tried yet.
If you don’t have yogurt starter or non-dairy yogurt, you can also use probiotics. For this recipe, use 3 capsules vegan probiotics.
If you plan to use this yogurt for savory dishes, omit the maple syrup and vanilla.
Nutritional information is just an estimate and may not be accurate.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5.3oz (150g)
- Calories: 72
- Fat: 6.6g
- Carbohydrates: 2.2g
- Fiber: 1.95g
- Protein: 2.35g
Hi Thomas,
Thank you very much for posting this recipe and this is the only recipe that gives me good almond yogurt! I do have 2 questions,
1) when I use 1 cup of almond and 3 cups of water, I get more than 2.5 cups of almond mile, should I reduce the water?
2) your recipe says to heat the almond milk up to 180 F jut before it boils. When I am heating the almond milk, just before it boils, it is around 165 F. I made yogurt with 165 F because I misread the temperature. The yogurt turns out okay just the texture is a little too soft. Today I made sure it reached 185 F and it was boiling for a few minutes. What did I do wrong?
Thanks.
Hi Helen,
Great! Regarding your questions, 1) I wouldn’t reduce the water, use leftover almond milk in smoothies, oatmeal, etc. You get more or less milk depending on how much you strain the almond pulp. Sometimes I get just 2.5 cups and sometimes more. 2) It shouldn’t boil at 185°F, the boiling point is 212°F so maybe your thermometer is not perfectly accurate. Actually, you don’t really need a thermometer for that, just keep an eye on it and remove from heat as soon as you see some bubbles appearing on the sides.
Mine started to boil on the edges well before that temp as well, both times. Are you sure that’s the boiling point for almond milk? I known it is for cows milk, but I’d assume they’re structurally different.
I didn’t have bean gum or agar agar, but mine turned out great:) Just bought some agar agar and using it in the batch I’m making now. So delicious with granola and blueberries!
★★★★★
Since almond milk is like 90% water then yes I think the boiling point is around the same as milk.
Glad you liked the recipe!
This recipe works! I had given up on making almond yogurt because it never thickened. I decided to try this recipe because of the great reviews. Thank you, Thomas!
★★★★★
Glad to hear you liked it Kelly! Thanks for the feedback!
I’m anxious to try this recipe. It sounds terrific. Being a life-long fanatic about plain, unsweetened dairy yogurt, and love to make my own, the store-bought dairy-free versions available are, if nothing else, disappointing now that I am forced to be dairy-free. The texture is wrong, they are always sweetened, etc. In short: WRONG!
One question: Did you mean 1/16th teaspoon Agar Agar? Half of 1/8th is 1/16th, right? Unless you were trying to describe just taking half the tip of the 1/8th teaspoon, or 1/4 of the 1/8th teaspoon. Clarification, please.
It is 1/32 teaspoon of agar, so 1/4 of a 1/8 tsp. Agar is very powerful and if you use too much your yogurt might have a jelly texture, not something you want. That’s why I’m using so little.
If you like the consistency and flavor of the yogurt, then you can make a double batch next time so it’s easier to measure 1/16 tsp.
Hello! First time jumping into this hence would love to clarify something 🙂 I’ve actually read from many other places that it’s highly unlikely to impossible to re-culture old non-diary yoghurt and make a second batch as the cultures don’t last long in alternative yogurts. So based on your experience, how successful have you been in re-culturing old non-diary yoghurt?
Thanks!
Hey Sophie,
Humm…from my experience it is totally possible! Actually, I almost always use non-dairy yogurt as the starter now, I don’t bother buying a powdered starter. I usually just get a teaspoon from my old batch or from a store-bought soy yogurt.
Thanks so much for taking the time to reply to my queries! I did try it out using store bought non diary yogurt as a starter. The first attempt was perfect! However, when I tried to re-culture the yogurt (from first attempt) on my second attempt, the texture came out a little off! The yogurt first looked like a flan, and then when I beat it up with a whisk it had this very grainy and gritty texture. The yogurt was also more watery than on my first attempt.
I read online that it could be due to heating up the milk to 185degrees too fast, or due to the non-diary yogurt starter containing additives. May I know if you have an idea what caused the gritty yogurt?
Another question! Can the yogurt be freezed and then defrosted to be used as a starter for a new batch?
I see, what you describe is what happens when you use too much starter. How many tablespoons of yogurt starter did you use?
Regarding if the yogurt can be frozen I honestly have no idea, I never tried but I guess it should work.
I’ll try to make the Vegan Almond Milk Yogurt however, I’m not able to find in your page any measurements to mix the right amount of milk with the 3 ingredients you recommend
Locust Bean Gum
Xanthan Gum
Agar Agar
In other words, how much Locust Gum, Xanthan Gum and Agar I have to use per 1 liter of milk (US 1 qt)
Thank you for your answer
Angela, everything is written in the recipe box at the end of the article.
can I use kefir as a probiotics?
Kefir doesn’t have the same cultures as yogurt so I doubt you will get satisfying results.
Is it possible to use hazelnut milk instead of almond milk? Love the recipe, thanks for sharing
★★★★★
I think it should work! Maybe add some cocoa powder later and boom, nutella yogurt 🙂
Thanks so much for this amazing recipe! I’m going to try it out later this week. Can I ask if rejuvelac can be used instead of yogurt starter?
Hi Kristen, thanks! I wouldn’t use rejuvelac here as it’s better to start with yogurt cultures. Yogurt cultures are active at higher temperatures and yield a different flavor.
Hi!! Can I double or triple this recipe for larger batches?
Hi Avani! I have never tried to triple but don’t see why this wouldn’t work!
Looking forward to trying out this recipe! The one I have been using was from Cultures for Health and tasted fair to poor often used in shakes to disguise the flavor. My question is would using Cultures For Health Vegan Yogurt Starter dense | Non GMO, Gluten Free by Cultures For Health work for the yogurt starter? Thank you
Well, it should work well (I haven’t tried it though) but if you are not sure I would recommend buying your favorite yogurt and using a tablespoon as the starter.
Half of 1/8 tsp of agar agar is 1/16. This is twice as much as 1/32. Do you use the 1/16 tsp or actually go down to the 1/32?
Yes, half of 1/8 is 1/16. Measure that and then using the tip of a knife remove half of it to get 1/32 tsp. Or you can double the recipe if you think it’s too hard to measure.
Can l use one 50 billion probiotic pill that l use for soy yogurt? Thanks!
It really depends on what’s inside the pill, not all probiotics are suitable for yogurt making.
It’s Ultimate Flora by Renew Life. The one everyone recommends for soy yogurt.
I’m afraid I have never tried this brand, if it works on your soy yogurt then it should work on almond milk yogurt!
Just finished sampling my first batch. Soooo good!! I cultured mine for 14 hours in my Instant Pot and love the sour kick it has. I made a newbie mistake of forgetting to add the thickeners until after I heated my milk but the texture is still great. There are a few lumps due to my error, but I will iron that out in the next batch. This recipe is gold! THANK YOU!
★★★★★
Awesome! Glad to hear you liked it Jennifer!
1) I cannot find locust bean gum. My local heath food store is awesome but doesn’t carry it.
2) Can you use some regular yogurt (Fage) for the culture? That’s what I did with my dairy yogurt.
Thanks in advance!
Have you searched for it online? I’m not sure it’s easy to find in local stores. Yes you can use yogurt as a starter as explained in the recipe 😉
What is the shelf life of this yogurt?
4 days, as stated in the recipe.
Hi, Thank you very much for posting such a detailed recipe. I’ve tried making this 3 times, and everytime it just has the consistency of warm milk. It never thickens up, I’ve also tried staining to make like Greek yogurt, but that also doesn’t work. Can I increase the agar agar? Do you have suggestions?
Hi Melissa,
Are you using the locust bean gum + xanthan + agar combination?
You could increase the agar but then you will end up with a texture that looks more like a flan.
I too have made numerous attempts at homemade almond milk yogurt. I am so anxious to try your recipe although i had hoped to do in instant pot but i do have a yogurt maker with lots of little jars with dates on lids.
★★★
Yogurt maker or Instant Pot, both work great!
Have you tried making this with homemade cashew milk? I’d be curious. I will try it with almond milk though, I keep failing at yoghurt making.
I’m still testing with cashew milk. From my experiments, heating the cashew milk doesn’t yield a nice flavor, it’s too nutty. So if you want to thicken it try to thicken just 1/3 of it and then mix it with the rest of the cold milk.
Hi Thomas. Do you have instructions on how to make the yogurt in an Instant Pot? Thanks.
It’s the same as using a yogurt maker, you place the almond milk in a small bowl on top of the liner (I prefer this than pouring the milk directly into the Instant Pot). Fill the bottom of the Instant Pot with about 1 cup of water, close the lid and set it on yogurt mode.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU for posting this recipe! I have tried several times to make almond milk yogurt and it failed to thicken. Your suggestions on ingredients worked well. The only thing I did differently was blend the store bought almond milk with the thickeners in my Nutribullet before heating it on the stove. It came out of the Nutribullet pretty thick even before heating it. Delicious!
You’re welcome Niki! 🙂 Glad you liked the yogurt!
Hi Thomas,
Love your almond milk recipe! Can I use organic full fat coconut milk instead of almond milk for this recipe? My doctor told me to have more coconut instead of almond.
Thank you very much for sharing!
★★★★★
Hi Helen,
I think that should work!
Hello Thomas!
I have a question about EASY ALMOND MILK YOGURT , found in the book The Art of Vegan Cheese Making.
Recipe:
INGREDIENTS
• 1 cup (150g) raw blanched
almonds
• 2 and 3/4 cups (700ml) water
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 2 tbsp tapioca starch
• 1/2 tsp vegan yogurt (or
1/8 tsp yogurt starter)
If I don’t have yogurt starter or non-dairy yogurt, how many capsules vegan probiotics I use instead?
Thanks a lot
Dani
★★★★★
Hi Daniela,
I’m afraid I can’t answer as I have never used vegan probiotics for this. Plus it depends on the brand, how many micro organisms, etc…
Hi there,
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe! I am a little confused though as in the print out of the recipe it says to use 2 TBSP of a non dairy starter but some where else in the article it says 3 TBSP. Then in another spot when you answer a question you state you just keep a teaspoon from a previous batch. Can you please clarify this for me. Also is it OK to use a dairy starter if I wish? Thanks so much for your time.
Ina
Hi Ina,
I found out that just 1 teaspoon is usually enough to get the yogurt to culture instead of 2 tbsp.
Regarding the dairy starter, yes you can do it but then your yogurt won’t be vegan anymore obviously.
Is there anything I can use in substitution of locust bean gum?
Hi, I’m afraid there is none for this recipe.
I made this almond milk and then the yogurt. FANTASTIC! I will never buy from a grocer again. This recipe is easy to follow and I used my Instant Pot to ferment the yogurt. I used belle bella starter and their customer service is praiseworthy.
I also got about 3 1/2 cups of milk from the almonds but that gave me almond milk for drinking and it is delicious.
★★★★★
Glad to hear this recipe worked well for you Judy!! 🙂
Thanks for your feedback!
I love yogurt but most are full of sugar. I have made almond yogurt using your recipe for a while now. And always with great results. Thank you.
★★★★★
Thanks for your feedback Mylene 🙂
Has anyone tried this with store bought almond milk?
Yes and it did not work. I experimented with several options and Thomas’ recipe was perfection!
★★★★★