Soy Yogurt – How to make from scratch

I bring to you a simple, homemade soy yogurt recipe using very few ingredients but packed with essential nutrients. This homemade soy yogurt is made with just 2 ingredients and the end result is delicious, lactose-free, dairy-free, and animal cruelty-free.

How often have you looked at a box of vegan yogurt and thought to yourself – “Hmmm. I need some inexpensive ways of consuming vegan yogurt.”

Packaged vegan options for yogurt will surely rip a hole in your pocket considering how much I consume it on a daily basis. I bet some of you have actively been looking for easy and inexpensive ways of making yogurt at home. So, don’t you worry, @beeextravegant has your back? I’m here with a Soy based yogurt recipe that is creamy, delicious and so versatile that you can use it to make smoothies, curries, Chaas, and in marinades. You can use this recipe for making other plant-based yogurts as well. This soy yogurt recipe is extremely no-nonsense and requires very little effort. This is the perfect preservative- and additive-free option for those who want to keep their soy purchases extremely cost-efficient.

Ending the Curd vs Yoghurt argument

The only difference between curd and yogurt is that curd contains Lactic acid known as Lactobacillus whereas yogurt uses a commercial fermentation bacteria Streptococcus Thermophilus along with lactobacillus. Essentially, two bacterias together break down and ferment the milk into yogurt. Otherwise, there is no real difference. Depending on your strain and the temperature in your city, you can alter the thickness and consistency of yogurt.

Also, it’s important to keep in mind that yogurt needs a good healthy starter to begin the bacterial fermentation process. There are multiple ways to get a yogurt starter. I’ll explain the options in detail. Let’s first understand why we are looking at making soy yogurt first.

Why Soy Yogurt?

If I have to start naming the benefits, this blog will go on and on. So, I am going to summarize it in a few bullet points.

1. Soy milk is easily available in stores. It’s the perfect alt milk if you want to be more plant-based. Soy is extremely healthy and nutritious to consume in smoothies, and pre and post-workout drinks.
2. Soy has many health benefits and anti-oxidant-promoting properties.
3. If you’re a beginner at vegan yogurts, soy milk is the best to start with. There is no hassle in making yogurt and it tastes just as delicious as dairy-based yogurt.

Vegan Yogurt: Type of yogurt starters

There are a few ways that you can get a yogurt starter.

1. First is to mix a teaspoon of non-dairy yogurt like soy yogurt in warm soy milk, and let it ferment for 6 – 8 hours. The consistency of the curd also plays a role. If the curd is over-fermented and has turned sour, so will your new batch. So, make sure that the starter used is fresh and not acidic.
2. Store-bought yogurt starters have the strain Streptococcus thermophiles and Lactobacillus Bulgaricus. Check the packaging for the above-mentioned strain of bacteria.

How to make Soy Yogurt: Step-by-step instructions

I will be showing you two ways of making soy yogurt – one method is the yogurt maker method and the second is the oven method.

Yogurt-maker Method

1. Drop a spoonful of thick yogurt into a bowl. Pour 500 ml of room-temperature soy milk into the bowl

2. Mix well using a spoon and keep the container in the yogurt maker. Leave it in for up to 5 to 10 hours. This number of hours allows good bacteria to flourish.

3. Please make sure to leave it alone, undisturbed, for 12-15 hours.

Oven method

1. Sterilize the glass jars by boiling them in hot water. Remove from the hot water, and clean them dry until squeaky clean.
2. Add a spoonful of thick yogurt or starter into the jar. Pour room-temperature soy milk into the jar.

2. After pouring the soy milk into the jar, mix well and keep it in an oven that’s at 45C. Make sure to turn the oven off but keep the oven light on.

3. Keep the jar of yogurt without moving it for about 12 hours. Once it has thickened, store it in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.

Pro-tip

1. Do not over-ferment the yogurt, as it turns sour. Acidic yogurt is difficult to consume directly. If it has turned slightly acidic, that’s good.
2. You can use it in marinades, and smoothies with fewer citrus fruits or use it as a base to make curries.
3. If you live in colder regions and are using the oven to ferment the soy milk, then preheat the oven for 10 minutes and place the jar inside once the oven is warm.
4. The oven should not be hot in any case. Overheating will kill the bacteria and the fermentation will not take place.
5. Yogurt starter to soy milk ratio should be 1 tbsp: 500 ml of soy milk. Be careful when making in bulk, use enough starter to get the right consistency.

And there you go. This yogurt recipe is as easy as it can get. Now, you don’t have to worry about looking at yogurt prices. For a few bucks, you can have a huge batch of yogurt ready to consume. Keep a teaspoon of this yogurt for safe keeping for your next batch as this set of yogurt can act as a yogurt starter for your next batch. You can make 3-4 batches before you start over with store-bought yogurt or commercial starters. This can be a continuous process until it is time to replenish the starter. Let me know in the comments how your yogurt batch came out to be. If you have any doubts, you know where to reach me.

Recipes where you can make use of this delicious creamy soy yogurt:

1. Chaas or buttermilk
2. Vegan Raita and Aloo Paratha
3. Mint Corriander Chutney with Soy Yoghurt