Homemade Almond Milk Yogurt (Vegan) (2024)

Almond milk yogurt tastes amazing and is easy to make at home with or without an Instant Pot or yogurt maker.All you need are 5 ingredients and a few minutes of hands-on time. Then let it culture overnight, and wake up to perfectly tangy, healthy homemade almond yogurt! Naturally soy-free, gluten-free, and coconut-free.

After falling in love with homemade cashew yogurt, I finally got around to experimenting with almond milk yogurt, and now I have TWO favorite ways to make dairy-free yogurt at home!

Honestly, the flavor of this almond yogurt surprised me. It tastes so clean, pure, and simple. That's really the best way to describe it.

The main difference in preparation between cashew yogurt and almond yogurt is that almond milk doesn't thicken on its own without a little help. So we're including a starch and a small amount of agar agar to help the yogurt set.

Related: Check out this new tofu yogurt recipe. It's super quick and easy!

Ingredient Notes

• Raw Almonds - in the U.S., technically almonds labeled as "raw" aren't raw at all. They are steam treated for food safety. But "raw" is what you want to look for on the label or bulk bin.
• Maple Syrup - almonds are lower in carbohydrates than cashews, so this yogurt needs a touch of added sugar to help it culture. Feel free to use another type of sweetener if you don't have maple syrup on hand. Note: it's such a small amount that it doesn't make the yogurt taste sweet; the end result tastes like sugar-free, plain yogurt.
• Probiotic or Yogurt Starter Culture - This is important! If using probiotic capsules you need one with live active cultures. I use this high-potency, multi-strain probiotic by Jarrow. For the most consistent results I recommend using a similar product.
  With this particular probiotic you'll only need ONE capsule because each capsule contains 50 billion live bacteria. If using a probiotic with fewer live active cultures, you may need to use more capsules.
  Per batch of yogurt aim for around 30 to 40 billion live active cultures. Also, the probiotic should contain L. acidophilus and B. lactis.
• Arrowroot Starch - I almost always have arrowroot in the pantry because it's a great thickener for desserts, soups, and sauces. You may substitute corn starch or tapioca if needed.
• Agar Agar Powder - this seaweed-based vegan "gelatin" is such a useful ingredient! I use it to create healthy desserts, like these lightened-up lemon bars, and for the perfect texture in my Vegan Feta Cheese and Vegan Cream Cheese. Agar keeps for a long time in the pantry. If you decide to omit it, the yogurt will still taste great but will be quite a bit thinner, more like kefir.

See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for amounts and full instructions.

Instructions

Making almond yogurt at home is easier than you might think. Here's an overview of the process.

1. Begin by making almond milk. Blend 1 cup of raw almonds with 2 cups of fresh water and a tablespoon of maple syrup.
2. Strain the milk with a nut milk bag. TIP! Don't discard the pulp; use it to make almond pulp energy balls or granola bars.
3. In a saucepan combine the almond milk, 1 additional cup of water, arrowroot, and agar. Whisk to dissolve, then slowly bring the mixture to a simmer, whisking frequently.

4. Once the milk has thickened and simmered for about 2 minutes, remove from heat. Let cool for 30 minutes or until it has reached 105 degrees F. If you don't have a thermometer, drop a little on the back of your hand - it should feel warm but NOT hot. If it's too hot it will kill the probiotics. Open the probiotic capsule(s) and sprinkle the powder onto the milk (discard the capsule). Whisk to combine.
5. Immediately pour into clean lidded jars (see tip below for an easy way to ensure the jars are clean).
6. Place in the Instant Pot, if using, lock on the lid, and use the yogurt function to set the time. See below for other ideas and ways to culture the yogurt without an Instant Pot.

Tip: if using an Instant Pot to culture the yogurt, there's no need to add water to the pot.

Substitutions

• Maple Syrup - as mentioned above, a small amount of sugar helps the culturing process since almonds are naturally very low in sugars and carbohydrates. Feel free to substitute cane sugar or agave syrup if you don't have maple syrup.
• Arrowroot - corn starch or tapioca starch may be used instead.
• Agar - if you don't mind thinner yogurt with a consistency more like kefir, feel free to omit the agar. There isn't a comparable substitute that's vegan.

Equipment

• Blender - A high speed blender like a Vitamix works best to create almond milk, but don't fret if you only have a standard blender. To help the blender along, soak the almonds overnight or in hot water for about 2 hours before blending.
• Nut milk bag - You'll need a way to strain the almond milk. I use these nylon nut milk bags. They're inexpensive, sturdy, and easy to clean. A fine mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth is another option.
  Bonus! Once you have nut milk bags you can also use them for oat milk, condensed oat milk, and oat milk creamer!
• Instant Pot - if you have an IP with the yogurt function, you're golden! It makes the process of making yogurt so very simple. Don't have an Instant Pot? See the next section for multiple other ways to culture the yogurt.

Storage

Store the jar(s) of yogurt in the refrigerator and use within 1 week.

As with any yogurt, a small amount of water may separate during storage. Either discard it, or stir it back into the yogurt.

Top Tips and Troubleshooting

Make sure your utensils and other equipment are clean, and use good common sense to avoid contamination.

• Heating the almond milk is a critical step. This kills any unwanted bacteria or mold spores that may have made it into the milk via the blender or nut milk bag. Heating also activates the starch and agar which thickens the yogurt.
• Avoid double dipping of spoons or dipping fingers into the almond milk once it has been heated.
• If the yogurt develops a pinkish color, often referred to as "pink mold," this indicates contamination with bacteria, and the yogurt should be discarded.
• But if that happens, don't give up! Review your process and environment, and identify potential ways the bacteria made it into the yogurt.
• Remember, different buildings and environments have varying levels of bacteria and mold in the air. You may need to take extra precautions with the next batch. Sterilize the jars, lids, and all utensils. And while the milk is cooling (before adding the probiotic) place the pot in a safe spot where there isn't a lot of action or air disturbance.

Most importantly, don't let these tips scare you away from making yogurt at home. My goal is to make sure you have success on the first try, which means sharing as much information as possible.

Your efforts will be rewarded with creamy, delicious, affordable, homemade vegan yogurt!

Recipe