Do you avoid diary but miss yogurt just like I do? Vegan yogurt is a delicious, affordable option if you and your family love yogurt but are vegan or can’t tolerate dairy products. It’s cultured, creamy, smooth, and tangy – just like real yogurt should be. You can serve it plain, or with some fresh fruit or grain-free granola. You can also put it on pancakes, spread it on sweet crepes, or make a beautiful yogurt parfait out of it.
As a child, I loved yogurt. No, not necessarily vegan yogurt. Regular full-fat yogurt with sweetened fruit “on the bottom” and sugar everywhere in between. There were also a lot of flavors to choose from – from all kinds of fruit to chocolate. If they didn’t have the flavor I wanted, I would just buy French vanilla and add some real chocolate or fruit to the yogurt.
The trouble came when I decided to cut out all sugar out of my diet when I turned 16 (I do eat unrefined sugar now). Cutting out sugar was hard! No more chocolate, no more mom’s homemade apple pie, or even my favorite sweetened yogurt! As hard as it was, I was very determined to stick to my plan. The choices were quite limited so you can imagine how excited I was when I found out there was such a thing as unsweetened yogurt.
Well, my excitement faded very quickly when I opened one of the yogurt containers and found out it looked nothing like my favorite fruit-sweetened yogurt. I had no idea how I was gonna eat a whole serving of the tasteless concoction, but I did. Determination is a powerful thing. At first, I hated the taste. But after a few weeks, the taste of plain yogurt actually grew on me and I began to crave it. I guess there really is such a thing as an acquired taste.
So when I became a vegan, one of the things I missed dearly was plain yogurt. Luckily, I found a great alternative – plain vegan yogurt.
Tips for Making Vegan Yogurt
Ingredients
The beautiful thing about plant-based yogurt is that there are a lot of options for the yogurt base. I used young coconut, but you can also use canned coconut cream, frozen coconut flesh, soaked cashews, blanched almonds or soaked macadamia nuts. Essentially, any ingredient that you can turn into a thick white cream will work. To be honest, I find that out of all the nuts I just mentioned, cashews work the best. While both blanched almonds and macadamia nuts “work”, they are more fibrous, and don’t yield that same creamy consistency. If you decide to use raw nuts (and by raw, I mean truly raw, not just labeled “raw”), you might want to boil them for a few minutes first to get rid of any harmful bacteria.
Regular dairy yogurt relies on bacteria to give it a nice tangy flavor, thicken it up a bit, and provide it with some beneficial probiotics. To get the same result, you’ll need some probiotics (or a plant-based yogurt starter). I use Renew Life 50 billion probiotic capsules that are certified vegan and gluten-free. If you choose a different brand, make sure that it contains a few of the following strains: Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacterium lactis and Streptococcus thermophilus. You can also add a few tablespoons of store-bought coconut yogurt with live cultures.
Adding a natural sweetener is optional. I add a little bit of maple syrup to provide food for the probiotics. This is beneficial especially if you decide to let the yogurt culture. I say “if” because if you want a really quick yogurt, you can add the probiotics, but skip the fermenting (and add some lemon juice instead). Of course, you’ll get more beneficial bacteria out of fermented yogurt, but this “cheater” yogurt is an option if you’re short on time.
The last ingredient is fine sea salt. Salt is important for culturing more than anything. It prevents bad bacteria from growing during the initial stage of fermentation when the oxygen is used up and the newly introduced bacteria begin to reproduce. The correct salt concentration will actually encourage the good bacteria to grow, giving them a competitive edge.
Last but not least, the water you use for making cultured foods matters as well. If your water source is a private well than you are in charge of the quality of your water. You should consider having your well water tested every year to check for contamination and the mineral content. If your water comes from a municipal source, you need to be concerned with added chlorine, chloramine, and fluoride, which can inhibit the culturing process. I use spring water for my cultured food and drinks whenever I can. Distilled water is up for debate in my books because it’s completely purified. Not only does it contain no contaminants or additives, but it also contains no minerals.
Technique
As I have already mentioned in the “ingredients” section, you can either culture the yogurt or skip the culturing.
Quick “Cheater” Yogurt
For the cheater version, just blend the base ingredient with filtered water into a thick cream. Start with as little water as possible and add more as you go to get the consistency you’re after. Then add the probiotics – to introduce beneficial bacteria – and some lemon juice for tanginess.
Cultured Yogurt
A few weeks ago, I shared with you a recipe for vegan cultured sour cream from cashews. If you decide to culture this vegan yogurt, you can refer to that blog post for some more directions. The process is exactly the same whether you decide to use cashews or young coconut flesh, or macadamia nuts, or blanched almonds, or …
Tools You’ll Need
Note: the tools vary depending on what base ingredient you use.
1. Blender (Vitamix 5200) | 2. Cookware Set (Calphalon, Stainless Steel) | 3. Mixing Bowls (Set of 3, Pyrex, Glass) | 4. Mesh Strainers (Set of 3, Cuisinart, Stainless Steel) | 5. Measuring Cup (4 Cups, Pyrex, Glass) | 6. Measuring Spoons (Set of 6, 1Easylife, Stainless Steel) |
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Vegan yogurt is a delicious, affordable option if you and your family love yogurt but are vegan or can’t tolerate dairy products. It's cultured, creamy, smooth, and tangy - just like real yogurt should be.
- 2 young Thai coconuts*
- 1/2 cup spring water
- 1 probiotic capsule
- pinch fine sea salt
- sweetener, optional
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Open the young coconuts. Drain the coconut water (you can drink the coconut water or add it to smoothies) and scoop out the flesh.
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Add the coconut flesh into a high speed blender with 1/4 cup (60 ml) water. You will most likely need 1/2 cup (120 ml), but start with less to make sure you get the consistency you like.
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Once completely smooth, transfer the blended coconut meat to a glass bowl. Open the probiotic capsule and empty it into the blended coconut meat. Stir well.
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Add salt and stir again.
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For a quick yogurt, add up to 1 Tbsp. (15 ml) lemon juice. Stir and adjust the flavor and consistency - adding lemon juice for more tanginess, a sweetener of choice for some sweetness, and water for thinner yogurt.
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For a classic cultured yogurt, cover the bowl with a piece of cheesecloth (or an airtight lid for a quicker culturing). Place the bowl in oven with the light on for a few hours hours. The culturing time will depend on many factors, such as the temperature in the oven (mine is 80°F/27°C, the temperature in the house, if you're using an airtight lid, how tangy you like your yogurt, etc).
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Stir the yogurt after about 6 hours and taste. If it's not tangy enough, cover it, and put it back in the oven. You can also add some lemon juice for more tanginess.
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When the yogurt is done culturing, place it in the refrigerator for 6 hours to chill. The yogurt will continue to thicken in the refrigerator. You can always add a splash of water and give it a stir for a thinner consistency.
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Store leftover yogurt in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
*I got about 2 cups of coconut meat out of the 2 young coconuts. If you can't find young Thai coconuts, you can purchase frozen coconut meat (found in the freezer section of some health food stores). If you go that route, you'll need to let the frozen coconut meat thaw first.
**Prep time does not include culturing (~24 hours).
This recipe has been adapted from The Full Helping.
Hi, when I put coconut meat in the blender with water make a milk , not this tthiick product
Hi Rehab – did you start with 2 young coconuts and 1/4 cup water? You should have very thick yogurt with those measurements. 1/4 (60 ml) water is very little compared to the amount of coconut meat you get from 2 coconuts. Or did you use anything else for the base? Let me know – hopefully we can figure out what went wrong.
Hi!! Thanks for this recipe!! I just wonder if I skip the probiotics using only apple cider vinegar, do I need to let the yogurt to ferment or not? Thanks again!!
Looks good, would like to taste it 🙂
Thank you!❤
This sounds like a must try!
Thanks so much Petra!
Sharmeen
Thank you Sharmeen!
Looks good. How many plant based starters are there and how can i use it to make yogurt if i don’t want to go the probiotic way
Hi Geraldine – there are A LOT of brands that sell vegan yogurt starter. I always buy organic and try to make sure that it has several different bacterial strains. Watch out for additives and maltodextrin, which are common ingredients in a lot of yogurt starters. You will need to follow the instructions on the yogurt starter. Every brand is different. Some require a yogurt maker (some don’t), some require a specific culturing temperature (some don’t), etc. Let me know if you have any other questions.
Will you one day actually do an almond yogurt – I really don’t like the taste of coconut but I’ve been trying desperately to figure out how to do the almond yogurt. I can see I can buy it but I’d really prefer not to have all the extras that they put in the bought me version so if you could do a step by step video so we can see it, I’d really appreciate that – thank you
Hi Jan – thank you for the suggestion. I will put it on the list! It might not happen within the next few weeks, but hopefully I will get around to it soon.
I’d love to try the almond version too, cause where I live it’s not that easy or affordable to find coconuts, but this recipe just looks amazing! Looking forward to seeing a video about the almond one or even just an explanation of the amount of ingredients necessary 🙂
Hi Federica – I will try to film a video for almond yogurt in the next few weeks. Stay tuned 🙂
Hola , soy Paola me gustaría si puedes hacer los vídeos en español por favor …mil gracias
Hi Paola – are you thinking Spnish subtitles for the videos?
Could I substitute apple cider vinegar for the lemon juice in this recipe? My daughter has an intolerance to citrus so I have to find alternatives. I love your site, the explanations and simple ingredients are amazing.
Hi Angela – thank you so much for the encouraging comment ❤️ Yes, absolutely! Both lemon and apple cider contain acids (the former has citric acid and the latter has acetic acid). Both of these acids are considered weak, so you can substitute one for another no problem.
Hi Petra
How many tins of coconut cream would i need to make this yogurt and if i use the nuts how much nuts
Hi Geraldine – the amount of coconut cream depends on how much yogurt you want. Depending on the thickness of your cream, you might need to thin it out with a little bit of water, ideally distilled. Generally speaking, you will want 2 probiotic capsules for 1 14-ounce can of coconut cream (or even full-fat coconut milk). I use 50 billion probiotic with 12 different probiotic strains. As far as the nuts go, the same will apply. I tend to use 2 capsules for 1 cup of nuts.
Hi Petra, me again. Anything to substitute for the probiotic? Can I just use lemon juice? I want to try to make this without buying the pack of probiotic, but if it needs it I will. Can’t wait to try this yogurt! I miss my parfaits, I used to have one everyday with greek yogurt, berries and granola. I’m so happy to have your site at hand, I can’t tell you how its helped me and the family with since we’ve switched over to Vegan.
Loria
Hi Loria – feel free to ask any time you have a question 🙂 You could skip the probiotics if you’re not making cultured yogurt. You can just use lemon juice to mimic the sour/cultured flavor.
Yes please
Was excited to try this… until I went to the store and found 2 coconuts alone (1 batch) would cost me $12!! I can’t afford to make this on a regular basis. Have you ever made a good quality, creamy yogurt from oats?
Hi Doreen – I know, coconuts can be expensive, sigh. I have never tried making yogurt out of oats, but I am trying to perfect plant-based yogurt out of almonds. I know, still pricey, but not as much as young coconuts.
Very good recipe, but in my opinion, it is too fat,,
Thank you for the feedback, Katrin.
Hi, If I want to use a store bought yogurt to start the culture, how many yogurt should I add? I am not vegan so, can I use Greek yogurt for that?
Hi Suzanne – yes, you can definitely use non-dairy yogurt. The amount will depend on how much coconut meat you get out of the coconuts. You will want to use ~ 2 Tbsp. of yogurt for 1 cup of blended coconut meat. Make sure the yogurt you use has live, active cultures (this part is very important). It’s also best to avoid a yogurt that uses additives or thickeners. Fat content doesn’t matter. If using previously made homemade yogurt as a starter, it’s best to create only six to eight batches from the original batch. After that, the acidity balance can get off. Let me know if you have any questions 🙂
Hi.
I have done your recipe deverão times. My question is, can i freeze it?
I meant several…. My portuguese dictionary playing it’s tricks
I meant several…. My portuguese dictionary playing it’s tricks
Thanks for the recipe. What I have is a vegan yoghurt starter and I will be using two cups of soaked cashews ,what amount of starter should I use? Thanks
Hi Blossom – every yogurt starter is different. Does your yogurt starter come with package instructions to determine how much starter to use? If not, generally speaking you will want to use 1 packet for 4 cups of nuts.
Hi Petra
You have mentioned “If you choose a different brand, make sure that it contains a few of the following strains: Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacterium lactis and Streptococcus thermophilus.”
I found a cheaper one but it’s missing Bifidobacterium bifidum.
Instead, you have Bifidobacterium lactis (Bl -04), Bifidobacterium breve (Bb-03) and Bifidobacterium longum (Bl-05).
The one you linked to includes all the 4 types of Bifidobacterium.
Do you think it will make any difference? 🙂
Thanks!
HI Efraim – it will be fine. However, you absolutely need Lactobacillus acidophilus and Streptococcus thermophilus. Does the probiotic also contain Lactobacillus bulgaricus? That would be a huge plus. These species eat sugars in the milk (in our case coconut), and produce lactic acid. The lactic acid makes milk proteins curdle and gives yogurt a tart, tangy flavor. These bacteria are what makes yogurt, well, yogurt 🙂 Please, let me know if you have any other questions.
Hi,
It’s weird that I did not get a notification by email after you replied to my message.
No, it doesn’t contain Lactobacillus bulgaricus
https://www.iherb.com/pr/Now-Foods-Probiotic-10-50-Billion-50-Veg-Capsules/21131
I managed to find Renew Life on Iherb… it has the same name but it’s not the same.
iherb.com/pr/Renew-Life-Extra-Care-Ultimate-Flora-Probiotic-50-Billion-Live-Cultures-30-Vegetable-Capsules/7157
I think that I will give up haha
Hi Efraim – it doesn’t have to be Renew Life. As long as the probiotics contain the strains I mentioned above. I just did a search on iHerb, and this probiotic, for instance, happens to have all the strains (and more!) that I talk about. They most likely have more brands – this one just popped up on the first page of my search. Hope this helps 🙂 Please, let me know if you have any questions or need more help searching.
Oh, and I also wanna mention that you can use a yogurt starter (that usually contains all the probiotic strains necessary for yogurt making) instead of probiotic capsules.
Thank you!
You’re very welcome, Efraim!
Hi, I’m thinking of making this. My boyfriend doesn’t like plain yogurt either so I want to make it with vanilla like you did. When you say you added vanilla- do you mean vanilla extract? I know you added vanilla bean paste too. I have never used that. How much would you use of the paste? Thank you!
Hi Belinda – yes! I used 1/4 tsp. vanilla bean paste (you could scrape 1/2 pod of vanilla bean instead) and 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract (for 2 cups of yogurt).
Hi Petra, can I use canned organic coconut milk. If so, do I just pull out the cream if I want a thick yoghurt? If I use 2 cans, how many probiotics would i need? I have renew life. Should i use agar agar or is this not healthy to do? Thanks Laura
Hi Laura – yes, you can! You can make yogurt using the entire can of coconut milk, but it won’t be really thick. Coconut cream works better for thick, creamy yogurt. No need to use agar. It’s not really important what brand of probiotics you use. What’s more important is the strength of your probiotics (the higher the strain, the better).