Homemade vegan Greek yogurt that is thick, luxuriously creamy, and perfectly tangy! No special equipment required – just 4 ingredients.
A blend of cashews and rich coconut milk equals Vegan Greek Yogurt that is as thick and rich as regular Greek yogurt. It sticks to your spoon and doesn’t slide off. Tangy, impossibly creamy, and begging to be swirled with fresh fruit, topped with granola, and devoured in 30 seconds flat.
The real magic here is the probiotics. They take our rich and creamy dreamy base and turn it onto tangy Vegan Greek Yogurt overnight. Yes, OVERNIGHT! And could anything be more magical than waking up to Vegan Greek Yogurt?
Reasons to love this recipe:
- This yogurt is made with 4 ingredients and no special equipment!
- It’s packed with probiotics.
- Can be made as mild or tangy as you like.
- Keeps in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Perfect for meal prep!
Ingredients:
Though this recipe is very easy, it is fairly scientific and requires accuracy. I can’t recommend any substitutions to the ingredients.
- Raw cashews – use whole, not pieces
- Coconut milk – from a can. Do not use lite.
- Probiotics – in capsule form. More on probiotics below.
- Tapioca starch
How to make vegan Greek yogurt:
Soak the cashews: The night before, place the water and cashews in a large bowl. Cover, and place in the fridge to soak overnight, at least 8 hours.
Blend: In a blender, combined drained cashews, coconut milk, and tapioca starch. Blend until very smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.
Simmer: Transfer the mixture to a pot and bring it to a simmer, stirring constantly. The yogurt will thicken as it heats. Once simmered, remove from the heat and let cool.
Add probiotics and ferment: Once the yogurt is no longer warm to the touch, add in the probiotics. Stir with a silicone whisk well to mix. Do not use metal as this may kill the probiotics. Cover with cheesecloth and set on the counter to ferment between 12-36 hours.
How do you know when the yogurt is done?
Give the yogurt a taste test, using a plastic or wooden spoon, at the 12 hour mark. If your yogurt is tangy, fermentation is happening! At this point, you can transfer it to the fridge, or continue to let it ferment on the counter.
Use your taste as a guide. If you like a more sour yogurt, let it keep fermenting, testing every 4-12 hours until desired taste is achieved.
What probiotics to use:
For this vegan Greek yogurt, you’ll need probiotics in capsule form. They need to be the style of capsules that can be opened, not hard pills.
I find this type of probiotic at most grocery stores. There are some shelf stable options, but check the refrigerated section. You’ll have the best luck here of finding the right kind of capsules.
All probiotics have different CFU’s, which is essentially how many “probiotics” are in the capsule. In general, the more the better. You will have better success of your yogurt fermenting and it will ferment quicker the more CFU’s in your probiotic. I like to shoot for between 200 billion and 300 billion total CFU’s per recipe. You’ll need to check your bottle of probiotics and adjust the number of capsules accordingly.
Here are some brands I have used with good results and the number of capsules you'll need for this recipe:
- Soloray Urgent Care Probiotics: 2-3 capsules.
- Now Probiotic 10 – 8-12 capsules
- Flora Super 8 Hi-Potency – 4-6 capsules
Can I use yogurt starter?
I do not recommend using yogurt starter as I haven’t had good results with it. However, some readers have used it with success.
Storage:
This yogurt will keep for up to 2 weeks in the fridge. Store it in a lidded container or smaller individual serving jars.
More homemade vegan staples:
- Easy Vegan Butter
- Dairy Free Cream Cheese
- Best Ever Baked Tofu
- How to Cook Jackfruit
- Cashew Sour Cream
Homemade Vegan Greek Yogurt
- Prep Time: 8 hours
- Cook Time: 12 hours
- Total Time: 20 hours
- Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Fermentation
- Cuisine: Greek
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Homemade Vegan Greek Yogurt recipe is a revelation! Thick and tangy yogurt that is made with only 4 simple ingredients!
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews, (soaked in water overnight and drained)
- 2 cans coconut milk
- ¼ cup tapioca starch
- 3 capsules high quality probiotic
Instructions
- Combine the drained cashews, coconut milk, and tapioca starch in a blender. Blend until silky smooth.
- Transfer the mixture to a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat and let cool.
- Add to a glass bowl (no metal!) and stir in the probiotic with a wood, plastic, or glass utensil.
- Cover the bowl with cheesecloth and secure it with a rubber band. Let ferment at room temperature overnight or until desired tanginess is achieved.
Notes
This yogurt is ready overnight, but can be left longer depending on your desired level of tanginess. I like my yogurt tangy, so I usually let it sit on the counter for 36 hours. Give it a taste every 12 hours until you have reached your perfect level of tangy perfection.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ⅙th recipe
- Calories: 376
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 18mg
- Fat: 35g
- Saturated Fat: 24g
- Carbohydrates: 16g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Colette says
When your desired tang level is reached, do you put it in the fridge to lock it in? I'd hate to make 4 servings at tangy-perfection, just to have it continue to get more and more tangy until it's unpalatable by the fourth serving.
Laurel says
Hi Colette! Yes, exactly. You lock it in by sticking it in the fridge :) It will keep for 1-2 weeks
Judy says
Page keeps resetting so I can’t leave a review. It really worked out well. A batch of 28 oz. I do 4 oz portions at 4 carbs each. Great with stevia drops and fruit
Mimi says
I cannot wait to try this. I have had so many failed attempts with coconut yogurt, and I did use tapioca starch, but it just never worked. Thanks for this recipe!
Laurel says
You're welcome Mimi! Let me know if this one works for you :)
Cheryl says
Yesssss! I was just Pinteresting recipes for coconut yogurt to make in my new Instant Pot. Can't wait to try this! Do you think I could use the probiotic *pills*, not capsules, I have on hand?
Laurel says
Hi Cheryl! As long as your pills are filled with a powder and you can either twist open the pills or snip them open, you betcha! If they are a pressed pill, I don't think it would end well - you want all of the probiotic goodness to evenly distribute into the mixture so that it can work its magic! Happy cooking!
Paula Sharma says
Oh my goodness, I've literally just put the probiotics in the blender then put on the heat!!! Will it be OK??? Xxx
Laurel Perry says
Hi Paula, These probiotics won't survive the heat, but to save you from starting over, just stir in more probiotics where the recipe indicates! Let me know if you have any questions!
Daisy says
Not for the calorie counter...
I try to limit breakfast calories to 300,
400 at most. Close to protein as much
and less than 50 calories of fat.
Still searching for a decent 'not too fat'
homemade vegan yogurt...but, yours is
divine. Thanks~.
Laurel says
Thank you Daisy! I am SO glad you like it! I am still searching for that not too fat yogurt too, so if you ever find it, I would LOVE to know :)
Julie says
Is this recipe only 4 servings? Wow at the calories! Yikes. I’m missing where the grand amount of protein is... im clocking this recipe in as a whopping 570 calories and only 7.5 grams of protein... where am I going wrong? Granted, this is if the recipe is indeed only 4 servings!
Laurel says
Hi Julie, yes that sounds correct to me. But you can make this recipe into as many servings as you'd like. I usually portion it out into 6 or 8 servings since it is so satiating from all the healthy fats.
Yen says
May i use dr ohhira probiotic?
Laurel Perry says
Hi Yen, if it is in a capsule that can be popped open so you can access the probiotic powder it should work.
Leah says
Doesn’t the heat kill the properties in the probiotic?
Mia says
Did you read the recipe? It stated you allow it to cool before adding.
Margaret Sullivan says
Omg there IS hope for a simple vegan Greek yogurt! Followed this to the letter & feared at the runniness before refrigerating, but chilling it firmed it right up! I'm so grateful to you for this recipe! Couple qs. 1. I'll typically be eating 1/2 cup at a time -- what portion of the recipe would that be, for calories' sake? 2. I'd love this to have a roughly equal protein content to dairy yogurt -- any additions you'd recommend to get it there? Again thank you so much! So happy to have found your site.
Leah says
Sorry I meant leaving it out, not refrigerated. I see that you put the probiotic in after you heat up everything else but I’m curious if leaving it out will make the probiotic not as useful?
Laurel says
Hi Leah, Actually leaving it at room temperature is what allows the probiotic to do its magic! Much like other fermented recipes (sauerkraut, beer, wine, etc.), fermentation happens at room temperature (or even slightly warmer). Happy cooking!
Donna says
Couldn't you crush the pills to a very fine powdery form in order to distribute the probiotic evenly?
Laurel says
Hi Donna! You will want to use probiotic capsules (this is the brand I use) in this recipe, not pills. You can pop open the capsule type of probiotics and the powder will be ready to add to the recipe without any crushing.
Rebecca Dumas says
I tried crushing pill and every time it didn’t work!! I also read somewhere that you want a pill that doesn’t have prebiotics in it, not sure if it’s but it worked out for me!!!
Devin says
I've tried this a few times and it's worked great but the last two times have failed. No tanginess develops. I am not using metal (except for in heating step) and my probiotics expire 7/20. Do they go bad? What else could have spoiled my recent attempts.
Laurel says
Hi Devin, I am sorry to hear about the recent failed attempts! There are a couple of reasons this could be happening. First, it could be the probiotics. I have had probiotics stop working as they get older and closer to their expiration date (even if they aren't quite there yet). I have also found that some brands work much better than others (this is my go-to!). Usually a higher potency probiotic will work better. Second, it could be related to the room temperature. If the yogurt is left to ferment in a room that gets cold at night or drafty, that could be the problem. I would try sticking the yogurt in an off oven with the light on (which will keep it barely warm) overnight to ferment. Please let me know if you have any more questions!
Sharie DeBord says
What sized cans of coconut milk do you use?
Laurel says
Hi Sharie! I use a 13.5 ounce can for this recipe. That should be the size carried by most grocery stores :) Happy cooking!
Mary woods says
Have you tried using 2 cans reduced fat coconut milk, or one can of full fat and one can of reduced? The calories are through the roof. I really do like how you don’t need a yogurt maker for this though.
Laurel says
Hi Mary, Yes, the calories are quite high but with all those healthy fats it is really filling for a small amount! I haven't tried it with reduced fat coconut milk, but I do think it would work. I bet the yogurt will be a thinner consistancy, more like traditional yogurt than Greek yogurt, but still delicious! If you give it a go, please let me know how it turns out! Happy Cooking :)
Lacey Tygenhof says
I love this recipe. Thank you! I also added a touch of vanilla extract to mine and it was great!
It is very filling, and I love adding fruit!
Laurel says
So glad you are enjoying the recipe, Lacey! It is one of my favorites :)
Sue says
How big is the serving size if you separate into four portions
Laurel says
Hi Sue, I haven't measured out the portions, but I bet they are around 1 cup each for four servings.
Michaela says
Hi :) I am anaphylactic to all nuts, is there an alternative for cashews? id really love to make this.
Laurel says
Hi Michaela, I haven't tried it, but I have a good hunch that you could sub in equal amounts of coconut cream for the cashews. The consistancy will likely be thinner, but still delicious. If you give it a try, please let me know how it turns out! Happy cooking :)
Sara says
Can I use canned coconut cream rather than coconut milk? Or use 1 can coconut cream and 1 can coconut milk?
Laurel says
Hi Sara, Great question! I think either option would work :) The only change is that with all coconut cream your yogurt may turn out bit thicker than the original recipe - not a bad thing in my opinion! If you do give it a try, let me know how it turns out!
Sally says
Hi! Can't wait to try this recipe :) Just wondering if you've tried/had any success with topping up the existing yoghurt as you run low with more coconut milk/ cashew blend, to make the next batch or do you have to start from scratch all over again? Thanks!
Laurel says
Hi Sally, I haven't tried it myself, but I do think it that would work!
tash says
Hi, just wondering if this yoghurt has a coconut flavour or any hint of coconut taste? I've tried a few yoghurts and majority are really coconuty which makes me feel sick. (No idea why), so wondering if there is a a way to slightly adjust the ratio to make it more tangy or less coconut flavour please?
Thank you.
Laurel says
Hi Tash, The yogurt does have a coconut flavor. Less than others I have made, but I would hate for you to feel sick! I do think you could tinker with the recipe to make it work. It may take some trial and error, but you could start by replacing the coconut milk with some homemade cashew milk or almond milk. You may need to adjust the fermentation time and starch to get the right consistancy, but I think it is worth a try!
Nasser says
Hi Laurel,
Thanks for amazing recipe! Do you know the amount of calories per serving?
dafna sinay leibel says
Quick question...could I try this recipe with oat milk? and instead of probiotic caps, I bought the vegan yogurt starter...would those options still work with this recipe instructions?
Thank you.
Dafna
Laurel says
Hi Dafna, great questions! I think it could work, but you may have to experiment to get the desired consistency and sourness. The oat milk is thinner than the coconut milk, so the yogurt may turn out thinner. If that is the case, you could increase the arrowroot a bit on the next batch to help thicken it up. I would give it a shot, but know that the results may vary. Your yogurt starter brand may have some good suggestions too :)
beth says
Hello! just wondering if you had a go with oat milk? Im interested in doing this too ;-)
Alex M says
Hi! I’ve been making this recipe for a few months now and I am absolutely obsessed with it. It’s perfect. Thank you!
I have a question about the probiotics;
On your suggestion for a high quality probiotic it takes me to a probiotic with 10 billion CFU. The one I purchase had 87 billion. Do you think this means I can use less capsules?
Thanks again!
Laurel says
Hi Alex, so glad to hear you have been enjoying the recipe! I do think you could reduce the capsules since your probiotic has more CFUs. I would start slowly lowering the amount until you reach your desired fermentation time/tanginess.
Broome says
Hi,
I just found this page and recipe. Is it possible to make this with almonds instead of cashews?
Thank you 😊
Laurel says
Hi Broome, Welcome! The swap sounds delicious, but I would not recommend using almonds in place of cashews. I have tried it before and in addition to being gritty, the yogurt is far too watery and does set up. Cashews help thicken the yogurt, giving it a great creamy consistency.
Isabel Gregório says
Hello. Can i use a yogurt maker ? I have Now probiótics.....but 8 -12 cápsules ?
Thank you
Laurel Perry says
I am not sure on the number of capsules, yogurt can be a bit temperamental! I would err on the side of more, not less. My mom makes this in her yogurt maker with great success! You will need to check for doneness much sooner, but your yogurt maker should have instructions on this. Happy cooking!
Erin says
Is there a replacement for probiotic capsules? Like the probiotic drops? Or coconut kefir?
TIA
Laurel says
Hi Erin, in theory, another probiotic source should work, but I have not tested it in the recipe which makes me hesitant to recommend it. If you end up experimenting, let me know how it goes!
Jeanette Paisley says
How long will this keep in the fridge? Can it be frozen?
Laurel says
Hi Janette, Great questions! The yogurt will keep for up to one week in the fridge. I can't recommend freezing as it will kill off all the good bacteria produced during fermentation and give the yogurt a chunky texture - much the same as when freezing traditional dairy.
Kisha says
I am trying this recipe this afternoon, I already have my cashews soaking. I was just curious, what are the calories per serving ?
Kishalya says
Also. I did use a liquid probiotic as it was the only one i could get. I added 3 tablespoons. Do you think it would still work ?
Maybe if I leave it out longer?
Laurel says
Hi Kishalya, I haven't tried this with a liquid probiotic, so it's hard to say. It will depend on the cfus of probiotic added to the yogurt. Do you know haw many cfus per serving? And how many servings did you add?
Jennifer says
Throughout the recipe it talks about not using metal utensils. Once the yogurt was ready to be refrigerated it did not look smooth enough so I zapped it with my hand blender...metal attachment (oops!). Does that do something to the probiotics? Nice and smooth after the blending.
I added the juice of1/3 of a lemon and 2 tbsp of vanilla....very good but tastes a little starchy. I am thinking cutting back on the tapioca starch will solve that. Do you agree?
Laurel says
Hi Jennifer, it's possible that the metal can kill the probiotics, making them ineffective. But it sounds like you blender after fermenting? In which case it wouldn't have caused a problem. For the starchiness, I would recommend simmering the mixture longer, stirring constantly. This changes the starch and makes it smooth, not gritty or starchy feeling. You could also use less if you would like to try it out. It will create a thinner, but just as delicious, yogurt. Happy cooking!
Kaye says
After bringing to a simmer it had chunks in it! Is that normal??
Laurel Perry says
Hi Kaye - Great question! It's not normal, but it can happen. Using a heavy-bottom saucepan and whisking constantly should prevent chunks. If they do form, you can pass the mixture through a fine mesh strainer to remove them. And if you leave them, they won't affect the flavor or fermentation, just the texture.
Julia Saylor says
Have you ever tried with almonds instead of cashews? My son is allergic to cashews but this recipe looks amazing!
Laurel Perry says
Hi Julia! I have tested this with almonds, but sadly they do not work in the recipe. Since cashews are softer, then blend into a rich creamy consistancy, but almonds tend to stay grainy, giving the yogurt an off texture. I would try a coconut only based yogurt like this recipe. Happy cooking!
Doris Jones says
Came out great! I did realize my probiotic capsules were expired, so on day two I went got more; liquid coconut water that was 10b CFUs per tbs. I added three, let it sit the next two days, and perfection. Another note: I did strain it before putting it in the fridge because I love super thick rich greek yogurt; came out amazing. I don't have a masticating blender and may try this again without the cashews. The grittiness isn't noticeable after I add fruit and some granola, so still a win :)
Laurel Perry says
Thank you so much for the review Doris!
Jessica Hollander says
I just tested mine at the 24 hour mark- and the yoghurt has developed a dry tan colored skin on top. When I skim this skin off, the underneath is normal white creamy color and it smells and taste fine. I have covered my glass bowl with paper towel and a tea towel and it is sitting on my kitchen bench. Is this normal to develop a dry skin on top? I guess there is nothing to prevent the air drying it out but I haven’t read about this occurring in general. Would appreciate your feedback and how I can prevent this from occurring.
Jessica H. says
I just wanted to check that I haven’t done anything wrong…
My yoghurt looks and tastes delicious but it developed a very light tan dry skin on the top of the yoghurt at 24 hours. I had the yogurt in a glass bowl covered with paper towel and a kitchen towel and it was left on my kitchen bench.
When I scraped off the dried top layer, underneath it looks perfect and tastes delicious.
I guess the top of the yoghurt should technically dry as air is circulating. Is this something others have experienced and is there a way to stop it from happening?
Laurel Perry says
Hi Jessica, Yes, some skin is totally possible depending on your climate and indoor air conditions. If there is less humidity in the air, a skin may form.
Alexis says
Hello! I tried this recipe twice now, and the first time I royally messed up, so the second time when I did it, I was all out of coconut milk and resorted to oat milk I had on hand instead. It was going so much better than the second batch except it was taking longer to become tangy, it’s been at least 18 hours and it’s still not tangy at all. I wasn’t worried about it, so I just let it sit longer but I had put vanilla and honey into the yogurt to sweeten it because taste testing it before the sweetener was unpalatable. I left it on the counter longer while I went into work and when I got back home a few hours later, all of the thickness from the yogurt had gone and it was very liquidy again. Could adding the flavorings too soon have caused it to lose its body? I’m not sure why this would happen but it was fine this morning 12 hours after I had originally done it. Not sure what happened between then and now besides the flavorings.
Laurel Perry says
Hi Alexis! Great question. If the yogurt wasn't tangy at all, it is likely that the probiotics were the problem. I would recommend starting over with a fresh batch of refrigerated probiotics.
Judy L says
Hi Laurel,
The probiotics were so expensive and I forgot my phone at home. I ended up buying Solaray 30CFU. The 100CFU were $50! So I know I will have to use 8-10 capsules.
I would like to try a half batch, because I wasn't successful before.If I do a half batch, could I use 5 capsules to equal 150CFU?
By the way, there are so many ads on this page that the page kept having errors and resetting. This is my fourth try!
Laurel Perry says
Hi Judy! I apologize that the ads are frustrating. If you print out the recipe, you won't have to look at the ads. Ads are how all bloggers make money and are able to provide free recipes like this one and support our families.
I have not tried this recipe as a half batch, but it should work just the same. Yes, you will want to use 150 cfu of probiotics for a half batch. The big concerns are not using metal spoons, buying high quality probiotics, and letting the yogurt cool all the way down before adding the probiotics.
Happy cooking!
Judy says
Hi Laurel, thank you for your reply. I will give a half batch a try. Will soak cashews tonight!
I am not having a hard time printing out the recipe. It's when I try to read the comments or leave a comment when I have problems. The page resets a lot with a web error. I understand that the ads help you earn money. It's just that many bloggers have so many!!!
I am in a race to finish this comment before the reset. The computer hangs, too.
Laurel Perry says
Hi Judy, Can I ask what browser you are using? I want to talk with my ad people about this. The ads will be there, but it should not cause your computer to reset. Thanks for the info!
Anant Sidana says
Hello,
I have tried this recipe and is it normal to get an off smelling yoghurt? I always leave it for around 6 hours but the more I leave it, the more it smells. It tastes fine but its just the smell that is off putting. I make mine with slightly a bit more cashews and don't add any starch.
Thank you for the wonderful recipe.
Laurel Perry says
Hi Anant! The smell will be coming from the different probiotic strains in your probiotic capsule. Try switching up the strain and see if you get different result!
Camoya says
Hi! Your recipe looks simple and interesting. I would like to try. How do I get these probiotic pills? Can I use the yogurt starter culture on iherb instead of the probiotics?
Laurel Perry says
Hi Camoya, I have not tested this with yogurt starter culture so I can't advise quantities or other changes that might need to be made to the recipe. I am sure it is possible to use, I just don't have any expertise to offer :) For the probiotic pills, several are linked in the post that you can purchase through Amazon. I usually pick them up at my local health food store. Happy cooking!