Plant milks are very different from dairy milk in their composition and thus behave differently on adding yogurt culture. This is why you need to be careful about choosing the right vegan milk for yogurt.
While it is possible to make yogurt using almost all types of alt milk, some milks just give better results. In this blog, I take you through these best dairy alternatives that can be used for making yogurt.
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11 Exquisite Vegan Milk for Yogurt
The process of making vegan yogurt is fairly simple. Add probiotic culture into your vegan milk, cover with a cheesecloth and let it ferment for a few hours in a warm place. You might also need to add something sweet for the bacteria to feed on since unlike dairy milk, alt milks lack lactose.
Here are my favorite picks for making a plant based yogurt –
1. Cashew Milk
Cashew milk is one of my top favourites for preparing vegan yogurt. Although you can buy store bought cashew milk for the purpose, homemade versions work better. In homemade cashew milk you can control the thickness as per your needs.
Since cashew milk is thick and creamy in texture, the yogurt made from cashew milk too turns out to be creamy, thick and tangy.
- Fermentation Time: 6-8 hours
- Pro Tip: Heat the cashew milk before adding your culture to ensure that the scratch is activated and you get a thick texture.
2. Soy Milk
Soy yogurt is quite similar to dairy yogurt in terms of the protein content. It does however, contain way less carbs and fat than its dairy counterpart.
Since soy milk is readily available and relatively inexpensive, it is a good place to begin for people just starting to experiment with making vegan yogurt at home. Another advantage of using soy milk for yogurt is that unlike many other plant milks, it can maintain a healthy bacterial culture. Therefore, you can save the yogurt for future batches.
- Fermentation Time: 6-8 hours
- Pro Tip: If you want your yogurt to be thick, add a thickener like agar agar into the milk.
3. Coconut Milk
Coconut yogurt is low-carb and keto friendly vegan yogurt. Making yogurt using coconut milk is probably one of the easiest.
If you have recently turned vegan, coconut milk is one of the best options because it is creamy, rich, and tangy or simply delicious.
- Fermentation Time: 1-2 days
- Pro Tip: Either use homemade thick coconut milk or canned coconut milk for the creamiest yogurt
4. Peanut Milk
Being one of the best high protein vegan milks, peanut milk is an ideal option to make curd. Try to use homemade peanut milk for the purpose, because you would get a much thicker result.
Another advantage of using peanut milk is that you do not need to add any thickener for this. You just need your yogurt starter and milk, that’s all.
- Fermentation Time: 10-12 hours
- Pro Tip: You can also use chilli tops or lemon to set your peanut yogurt
5. Almond Milk
I am seeing newer brands coming up in the market that sell almond yogurt. Although these are available in a variety of flavours, I prefer the one made at home because it is cheaper and has no additives.
Almond yogurt can be used as such or can be used as a base in a variety of recipes like curries, cakes, etc.
- Fermentation Time: 3-8 hours
- Pro Tip: If you want a tangier yogurt, leave it for up to 12 hours.
6. Oat Milk
Oat milk yogurt is a great option if you are looking for a dairy-free, nut-free and soy-free yogurt. The naturally creamy oat milk ferments really well and you get a tangy and mild tasting yogurt.
You can use homemade oat milk for this purpose, since it is the easiest and quickest to make.
- Fermentation Time: 10-24 hours
- Pro Tip: If you are using store bought oat milk, look for a brand that has no or minimal preservatives.
7. Macadamia Milk
The nutty, smooth texture of macadamia milk makes it a pretty great option for making dairy free yogurt.
Since macadamia milk has a low carb content, you can add a bit of date paste or vegan sugar into the mixture to help with the fermentation process.
- Fermentation Time: 12-24 hours
- Pro Tip: If you are using homemade macadamia milk, you can avoid straining the milk for a thicker yogurt.
8. Hemp Milk
I recently started making yogurt using hemp milk and it has been a game changer. I use homemade hemp milk for the purpose to avoid the preservatives.
Hemp milk yogurt is rich in good fat and has an earthy and tangy flavour. You can use this yogurt for your fruit bowls, smoothies or consume it as such.
- Fermentation Time: 10-12 hours
- Pro Tip: Add some date paste to your milk to help with the fermentation if you are using unsweetened hemp milk
9. Hazelnut Milk
Hazelnuts milk, although not as popular as its cousin almond milk, is another fantastic choice for making yogurt. Walnuts are powerhouses of nutrients and fermenting their milk only enhances its nutritional value.
Hazelnut milk gives you a very creamy and delicious yogurt.
- Fermentation Time: 10-12 hours
- Pro Tip: Although hazelnut milk alone can be used to make yogurt, you can also mix it up with other plant milks like coconut.
10. Pea Milk
Pea milk is one of the best vegan milk for yogurt if you want your yogurt to have as much protein as in dairy milk.
Pea milk is not only a nutritious option but also a responsible one. Pea production is environmentally sustainable which makes pea milk very sustainable
- Fermentation Time: 8-10 hours
- Pro Tip: If you want a thicker product add agar agar to your pea milk.
11. Sunflower Seed Milk
While experimenting with different types of plant milk fermentation, I recently tried sunflower seed milk and was surprised by the pleasant results.
I would again recommend using homemade milk here. Also, don’t strain your pumpkin milk. Thicker milk will give you a better yogurt consistency.
- Fermentation Time: 18-24 hours
- Pro Tip: If your yogurt seems too thin, let it sit in the refrigerator for a day or two to thicken
Frequently Asked Questions About Vegan Milk for Yogurt
- Can you make yoghurt from plant milk?
Ans. Yes, you can make yogurt using plant milks. However, it is important to remember that they will be different nutritionally when compared to dairy based yogurts.
- Can you make vegan yogurt with existing one?
Ans. While you can use vegan yogurt with the existing yogurts, the result may not be the same. I recommend using a new starter culture every time.
- Is homemade milk better than commercial plant milk for making yogurt?
Ans. Absolutely. Always try to use homemade alt milks for making yogurt. They are preservative free and you can control the consistency of the milk for better results.
- Do you need to add thickener for making vegan yogurt at home?
Ans. Not always. Use a thickener if your milk is too runny. Some of the best options are Pectin, agar agar, starch, gelatin, etc.
- Can you make vegan yogurt without a yogurt maker?
Ans. It is possible to make a perfectly good yogurt without adding an extra appliance in your kitchen. After adding the culture to your milk, just cover it with a cheesecloth and place it in a warm place. I recommend using a glass jar for best results.