Good news! You don’t need a yogurt maker to make delicious, dairy-free yogurt alternative. All you need is a little commitment to keeping the yogurt incubating at 115 degrees F. Don’t worry, it’s not as complicated as it sounds. Here are a few of our favorite methods.
- Add yogurt alternative into sterilized mason jars and place jars into a small cooler. Fill the cooler with hot tap water (the ideal temperature is 120 – 125 degrees F) until jars are submerged but not floating. Close the lid and leave for 6 to 12 hours.
- Add yogurt alternative to sterilized mason jars and wrap the jars with two kitchen towels, making sure to cover the top and sides. Leave in a warm place for 6 to 12 hours.
- Add yogurt alternative to sterilized mason jars, place the jars in a roasting pan, and add 1 cup of hot water to the pan. Cover with a kitchen towel and place in a turned-off oven with the light on. Leave for 6 to 12 hours.
Options for Culture
- 1 package vegan yogurt starter
- 1-2 probiotic capsules (opened), or 1-2 tsp probiotic culture
- 1/3 cup unflavored vegan yogurt alternative (made with active bacterial culture)
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw almonds, soaked overnight and drained
- 2 cups water (filtered, distilled or coconut water)
- 1 Tbsp sweetener (sweetener must be sugar-based, such as maple syrup, to feed the fermentation)
- 1 culture (choose one from the list above)
- 1 cup raw almonds, soaked overnight and drained
- 2 cups water (filtered, distilled or coconut water)
- 1 Tbsp sweetener (sweetener must be sugar-based, such as maple syrup, to feed the fermentation)
- 1 culture (choose one from the list above)
Preparation
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Make sure all your tools are very clean before use.
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In a high powered blender, blend almonds, water, and sweetener and blend until smooth to create a liquid.
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Drape a strainer with cheese cloth over top of a bowl and pour above blend through. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Set aside pulp (you can use it to make crackers!).
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In a pot over medium heat, bring almond liquid to a boil and let boil for 10 to 15 seconds. WATCH VERY CAREFULLY and stir often! Turn off heat. Allow the almond liquid to cool to 100 °F.
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Take ¼ cup of cooled almond liquid and stir in culture. Whisk this into the remaining almond liquid.
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Pour yogurt alternative into your yogurt containers, and prepare to incubate using the method of your choice. Allow to incubate for about 6 to 12 hours. Yogurt alternative will thicken slightly after it cools.
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Store in the refrigerator in an air-tight container.
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Optional: Dairy-free yogurt alternative will not naturally become as thick as traditional yogurt. If you would like your yogurt alternative to be thicker, try adding in a spoonful of chia (ground or whole, to your preference) after incubating and let sit for a few hours in the fridge. Another alternative is adding ¾ teaspoon of agar agar powder to the almond liquid before you bring it to a boil and simmering milk for an additional 3 to 5 minutes or until agar agar is completely dissolved.
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To serve, top with fruit and enjoy for breakfast or a nice snack.
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One last yogurt alternative making insight: You may need to experiment with the length of time yogurt cultures and amount of culture you use. Everyone has different taste preferences and experimenting will allow you to customize your yogurt to your taste.
