How to Make Greek Yogurt at Home Without Special Equipment
Sneak Peek: Ready to make creamy, thick, and perfectly customizable Greek yogurt at home? This recipe is packed with simple tips—like heating milk in the microwave and avoiding messy cheesecloth—to help you create the yogurt of your dreams with ease.
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Making yogurt is easier than you think. Follow my instructions, and before you know it, you’ll be turning cartwheels over your first successful batch of Greek yogurt.
At first, I wasn’t turning cartwheels. I approached making Greek yogurt like a high school term paper. I read many recipes and tried to distill millions of ideas and traditions into the perfect “recipe.”
Before long, I was confused. So many people copy from a friend. When they make one good batch of yogurt, they publish the directions. Who should I listen to??? Aach!
What Makes This One Worth Sharing?
- Microwave milk without fuss (other options discussed): Skip constant stirring and scorched pans—this method is fast, even, and boil-over friendly.
- Strain it your way: Use a yogurt pouch, mesh sieve, or even coffee filters. Set it up on the counter or in the fridge.
- Naturally thick results: Heat to 180°F to unlock creaminess—hold it there longer for even thicker yogurt.
- Incubate with what you have: Use your oven light, a cooler with warm water, or an Instant Pot—whatever fits your kitchen.
What’s the Difference Between Greek Yogurt and Regular Yogurt?
- Greek yogurt is regular yogurt with the whey (liquid) strained out.
- Thicker, higher in protein, lower in sugar.
- More fat unless made with non-fat milk.
- Homemade Greek yogurt avoids added thickeners like gelatin or powdered milk, preserving fresh flavor.
Let’s get started.
Step 1. Heat the Milk (Three Ways)
- Choose your method:
- Microwave:
- Add milk to a 2-quart microwave-safe glass bowl (paid link)or Pyrex dish,
- MW on HIGH for 14–18 minutes until it reaches 180°F (82°C). Use a quick-read thermometer (paid link) to check temperature.
- Stove-Top:
- Add milk to a large 4-quart pan.
- Heat milk slowly to 180˚F (82°C), stir often, and check the temperature to prevent scorching
- Instant Pot:
- Pour milk into the Instant Pot’s inner pot.
- Use the “Saute” function on LOW or NORMAL or press the “Yogurt” button until it says “Boil.” Press start to heat the milk to 180°F (82°C). Stir frequently to avoid scorching. Use a thermometer to monitor the temperature. Once it reaches 180°F, turn off the pot and remove the inner pot to cool.
- Limitations include inconsistent heating in older models and a smaller capacity.
- Microwave:
- Avoid boiling milk:
- If it happens, carry on—your yogurt should still work, but it may be less smooth.
- For thicker yogurt:
- Hold milk at 180°F for 15 minutes using 20% power.
- Optional: Some people swear by this trick. In my experience it doesn’t matter if you’re going to make Greek yogurt.
Why the Microwave Works: No stirring, no scorching, and fewer dishes to clean.
Microwaves can vary wildly. Experiment with yours to see what works best. Once you figure out the perfect timing, make a note. You’ll never have to think about it again unless you get a different microwave or use a different amount of milk.
Step 2: Cool the milk
- Target temperature:
- 100-110˚F (37–43°C)
- Speed It Up:
- Place the bowl in an ice bath or sink with ice water for faster cooling.
Step 3: Add Starter
Starter Options:
- Plain Greek yogurt (store-bought) with live cultures, no additives, and unflavored
- Freeze-dried starter cultures (available online)
- Yogurt from your previous batch (as long as it’s not flavored or more than 7-10 days old)
How to Add Starter:
- Spoon starter into a small bowl:
- Use a small amount of starter—less than you might think.
- Add cooled milk:
- Pour some cooled milk into the starter
- Whisk until smooth.
- Combine starter with warm milk:
- Whisk the starter mixture into the warm milk to ensure even distribution.
Read more about the pros and cons of various types of cultures.
Step 4: Incubate Yogurt (Without a Yogurt Maker)
- Temperature:
- Keep milk at 100–110°F (37–43°C).
- Incubate:
- Place covered, inoculated milk in a warm place for 2.5-10 hours.
- The longer the incubation the tangier the yogurt
- Options:
- Oven with the light on.
- Cooler with warm water bottles.
- Wrap in a towel and set in a warm spot.
- Instant Pot:
- After letting the milk cool and adding the starter, Use the “Keep Warm” function to maintain 100-110˚F (37–43°C). Or press the “Yogurt” button until the display reaches your desired incubation time. Close the lid.
CAUTION: If your incubation system is too hot (over 120˚F (49°C)), the cultures die; if too cool (below 100˚F), nothing happens—either way, you’ll end up with milk, not yogurt.
Read about more ideas for an incubation system.
Step 5: Remove Yogurt from Heat Source
- Check if the yogurt is set:
- It should appear set, like “Jello.”
- If you’re unsure, learn more about checking yogurt consistency here.
- Watery liquid on top:
- This is whey, a normal byproduct.
- Stir it back into the yogurt (if not making Greek yogurt) or pour it off and save it for other uses like smoothies or baking.
- Chill or strain: Chill the yogurt for 2-3 hours if you like it plain, or strain it immediately to make thick, creamy Greek yogurt (See next step.)
If your yogurt still looks like milk at this point, learn how to rescue your yogurt
Step 6. Strain for Greek Yogurt
- Why Strain:
- Remove whey for thicker, protein-packed yogurt.
- Mess-Free Tools:
- Industrial coffee filters tucked into a colander
- A yogurt pouch or a fine mesh strainer as seen above
- Straining Tips:
- Time: Longer straining = thicker yogurt.
- Fermentation: Properly fermented yogurt strains best.
- Thin yogurt fix: Use finer mesh or double-layer coffee filters.
- Tip: Strain yogurt immediately after incubation for faster results or do it after the yogurt is chilled, in the refrigerator or on the counter.
- After Straining (in this order):
- Whisk by hand (furiously) to make silky smooth yogurt.
- Save yogurt (or whey) for next batch before flavoring.
- Add flavorings such as extracts, fruit, etc.
For more about straining yogurt, see these posts: How To Strain Yogurt with Paper Coffee Filters – Not Cheesecloth; An Easy Way To Strain Yogurt Without Cheesecloth
Step 7: Storing Homemade Yogurt
- Storage Window:
- Unflavored yogurt without additives should last at least two weeks.
- The freshness window may be smaller if you add fruit or other flavorings.
- Smell it:
- If it seems off, throw it out.
- Examine the yogurt carefully for mold:
- Pink mold can be hard to see, so look carefully.
- Black, green, or gray mold is easy to spot. Throw it out.
If you’re unsure whether homemade yogurt is right for you, hop over to this post for an easy and humorous read about “Five Things You Should Not Do When Making Yogurt.”
Shared & Loved
“Paula, I have been using your original recipe for Greek yogurt, starting about 2009, and I am glad to see you have the website. Very recently, I discovered Icelandic skyr. Last night, I made my first batch of whole-milk skyr, using this same method. The texture is great and the taste is every bit as good as the starter culture I purchased. Well done!” –DAVE E.
How to Make Greek Yogurt at Home Without Special Equipment
Video
Ingredients
- 2 quarts (1893 g) fresh milk (fat-free, 2% or whole milk)
- 1-2 tablespoons yogurt (commercial or your own homemade yogurt for starter)
Instructions
- Heat the milk Microwave 2 quarts milk in a large microwave-safe bowl until bubbles form around the edges and the temperature reaches 170–180˚F. Stir to check. (In my microwave, this takes 16 minutes on HIGH.)
- (Optional) Hold for thickness Keep milk at 180˚F for 15–20 minutes to make thicker yogurt. I do this on 20% power in the microwave for 15 minutes.
- Cool the milk Let milk cool to 100–110˚F. An ice water bath helps speed this up.
- Add the starter Whisk 1–2 tablespoons plain yogurt with a little cooled milk until smooth, then stir it into the rest of the milk and whisk again.
- Incubate Cover and keep warm (100–110˚F) for 4–8 hours, or until the yogurt is set and jiggles like gelatin.
- Strain (optional) Pour into a mesh strainer, a colander lined with coffee filters, a yogurt bag, or even layered cheesecloth. Let it drain until it is reduced by about a third (or to your preference).
- Finish and chill Whisk until smooth, thin with milk or whey if needed, and chill. Sweeten now or before serving. Keeps for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
Equipment
Nutrition
All images and text ©️ Paula Rhodes for Salad in a Jar.com
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Final Thoughts
Does this whole process seem too complicated? Anytime you work with living organisms when making food like bread or yogurt, those yeasty bodies depend on you to throw the perfect party so they can have fun. Check out all my posts related to making yogurt.
It takes a few tries to determine what yeasty bodies prefer, especially the ones that hang out in your kitchen. Keep trying. I guarantee that creamy and delicious yogurt is within your reach. I’ll help you.
If you still have questions, see this post: 31 Top Questions About Making Yogurt.
Questions? Email me: Paula at saladinajar.com. Hope to see you again soon!
Paula Rhodes, owner
As a retired home economist, I created Saladinajar.com to share my belief that you don’t have to be a chef to find joy in creating homemade food worth sharing. Bread machines (used in an unconventional way), homemade yogurt, and quick microwave recipes are my specialty.