How to Make Greek Yogurt With Ingredients You Already Have

We call it a Greek yogurt catastrophe. You’ve just woken up and poured yourself a whopping bowl of cereal, then reach for the Greek yogurt that makes your morning routine so special. But you realize you finished off your last pot last night.

There’s none left!

In this situation, many would give up and have breakfast without, or rush to the store to buy more pre-made Greek yogurt. But what would you say if we told you that you can make your own just as good at home, with ingredients you already have?

It’s true! We’re here to teach you how to make Greek yogurt from the comfort of your own home. Follow this simple post and you’ll never need to head for an emergency yogurt store run again.

How To Make Greek Yogurt: What’s The Difference?

Some people don’t know the difference between ordinary yogurt and Greek yogurt. The key difference between the two is that Greek yogurt has been strained.

This process removes much of the liquid in an ordinary yogurt and results in a much thicker, creamier texture. This straining also allows it to have a more concentrated flavor than ordinary yogurt, making it particularly delicious.

The variation is so popular that Greek yogurt was valued at $1.5 billion in America alone in 2011!

Thanks to this concentration, it also contains more protein than ordinary yogurt. This is a huge bonus as protein is an important part of the human body, and necessary for the growth of bones and muscles.

Now that you know why it is a popular alternative to ordinary yogurt, read on to find out how to make your own at home.

What You’ll Need: Ingredients

To make the very best Greek yogurt from home, all you need are two main ingredients. The first of these is milk. 

When it comes to the milk for making it, the higher the fat content the better. This will ensure that your yogurt is both smooth and packed full of flavor. As an optional extra, if you have some in your cupboard, you can also add powdered milk to this recipe. 

In total, you’ll need around 4 cups of milk for every batch. Bear in mind that the yogurt yield is usually 2:1 against the amount of milk you use. So if you use 8 cups of milk, you should get 4 cups of Greek yogurt.

The second key ingredient you’ll need is yogurt. We don’t mean just any yogurt though, we mean particularly live culture yogurt. You could also use what’s known as a yogurt culture packet.

You’ll need either 2 tablespoons of the live culture yogurt or a single yogurt culture packet for this recipe. 

That’s all there is to it in terms of ingredients. These are likely ingredients you’ll already have in your home, but had no idea you could make Greek yogurt with!

What You’ll Need: Equipment

You don’t need any hugely fancy equipment to make your own homemade Greek yogurt. Firstly, you’ll need a measuring cup.

Specifically, you’ll need a 4-cup measuring cup, as this will allow you to properly measure out the amount of milk you need.

You’ll also need a sturdy whisk, as well as a saucepan or pot that can hold at least 6 cups worth of liquid. Finally, you’ll need a cloth that we’ll teach you how to use as a strainer. That’s all there is to it in terms of equipment!

If you want to be precise with your temperature monitoring, you can also use a thermometer. Now, let’s go through the step-by-step method.

How to Make Greek Yogurt: The Process

Step 1: First you must pour your measured milk into the saucepan and turn on the heat. You want the milk to reach approximately 110°F. This is also where you add the powdered milk if you are using it.

Step 2: Once your milk is at a suitable temperature, you need to add your yogurt, either the yogurt culture packet or the 2 tablespoons of live culture yogurt. Stir this in with the milk using your whisk.

Step 3: Once the yogurt and the milk have mixed, you need to decant the mixture into a glass jar or other suitable container. It then needs to be stored in a warm place for 4-12 hours.

Step 4: After waiting a suitable amount of time, you need to strain your yogurt! To do so, take the cloth you’ve designated as a strainer and place it over a bowl. Then stretch elastic bands over it to keep it in place.

Slowly, pour your yogurt over the cloth strainer. Now, place the whole thing in the fridge and let it strain for another 2 hours. When you return to it, you should have a rich, creamy bowl full of Greek yogurt!

What Should I Eat My Homemade Greek Yogurt With?

Now that you’ve learned how to make Greek yogurt there are all kinds of things you can eat it with. Breakfast is by far the best meal of the day when it comes to pairings.

Greek yogurt can be paired with all manner of fruits and nuts for a healthy, delicious breakfast recipe treat. Or, if you want to go a bit more out there with your consumption, think about making mint sauce!

We promise you Greek yogurt mint sauce is an absolute treat. It’s best paired with lamb for a hearty and moreish plateful at dinner. And these are just two of the thousands of different ways in which you can now eat your homemade Greek yogurt.

If you want to find more recipes, make sure you take a scroll through our website. Here at Make Greek Yogurt, we’re the experts in collating authentic and delicious Greek yogurt recipes that you can try your hand at in the comfort of your own home.

Get scrolling for some ideas of what to do with that fresh batch you just made!