By Melissa Clark
- Total Time
- 20 minutes, plus fermentation and chilling
- Rating
- 4(202)
- Notes
- Read community notes
Of all the nondairy milks you could use for yogurt, cashew milk works best, turning pleasantly sour with an underlying sweetness. If you wish to go beyond cashew milk, and use soy milk, coconut milk or your homemade nut milk, our How to Make Yogurt guide can help, but whatever you choose, look for nondairy milk with the fewest possible ingredients, ideally just nuts, grains or pulses, and water. While not strictly necessary, the starch used here makes for a creamy, silky yogurt that’s still loose enough to stir. If you prefer a thicker yogurt, add a little more, or try the agar powder variation. Or leave the thickener out entirely for a thin, pourable yogurt that’s perfect for smoothies.
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Ingredients
Yield:1 quart
- 4cups cashew milk
- 3 to 4tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot powder
- 2tablespoons yogurt with active live cultures or 1 probiotic capsule
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (10 servings)
71 calories; 3 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 1 gram monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 7 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 3 grams protein; 43 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
Place ¾ cup milk in a small bowl and whisk in starch until smooth.
Step
2
Bring remaining milk to a simmer in a medium pot. Whisk starch into hot milk, then let simmer until mixture thickens, 2 to 3 minutes. It should be very thick, like pudding. (It will thin out after fermentation.) Remove from heat, transfer to a glass jar or ceramic bowl (not a reactive metal bowl), and let cool until it reaches 110 degrees.
Step
3
Stir in starter, cover, and let ferment somewhere warm and draft-free for 12 to 24 hours, until it milk turns sour, to taste. If it separates, simply whisk or shake it back together.
Step
4
Refrigerate for at least 4 hours to set.
- — If your milk doesn’t seem to be turning sour after 24 hours, it might be the brand you’re using: It could have too many additives, which can inhibit fermentation. Try again with another brand.— Agar powder gives nondairy yogurt a thicker, jellied texture that some people prefer to the starch-thickened kind. To make an agar-thickened yogurt, skip the starch, and instead add ½ teaspoon agar powder to the milk while it’s heating, whisking well to dissolve it, then proceed with the recipe.
Ratings
4
out of 5
202
user ratings
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Cooking Notes
Krysten Chambrot, Senior Staff Editor, NYT Cooking
You can! From our guide:Cover 1 cup cashews with at least 2 inches water. Soak at least 4 hours, and preferably overnight. Drain and transfer nuts to a blender, along with 4 cups filtered water. Blend until very smooth. Strain mixture through 2 layers of cheesecloth, squeezing on solids, into a medium pot. Heat milk to 180 degrees, let cool to 110 degrees, then continue with recipe as directed for from Step 2. The thickener is optional here. If using, follow directions in master recipe.
funnybone
Why aren't there any more Melissa Clark videos ??? The recipes are great but I would like to see her too. She is adorable!
Bana
I know this somewhat defeats the purpose of non-dairy, but can I use dairy (cow) yogurt as a starter for the cashew milk?Thanks!!
elise
I just made this yesterday and it was perfect. I used coconut milk, 1 probiotic capsule and 3T yogurt just to be sure. Turned out so well. I am thrilled as I tried another method before and had terrible results. Thanks Melissa. You are a talented chef.
Krysten Chambrot, Senior Staff Editor, NYT Cooking
Hi, Janet. You absolutely can! Check out this instruction from our guide: https://cooking.nytimes.com/guides/52-how-to-make-yogurt"Substitute soy milk and eliminate thickener. Heat milk to 180 degrees, let it cool to 110 degrees, then continue with recipe as directed for from Step 2, skipping the thickener."
Sue
First, be sure that your yogurt starter contains live active cultures, and try a different brand if you have one available. A different starter often makes all the difference. Then, think about incubation temperature: warmer (up to a point; don't go warmer than ~110-115) and longer --> more sour.
ronda
can you use your own homemade cashew milk (i.e., soaked cashews in water & blended/strained)? then there's no additives..
Hannah
I am lactose intolerant and have tried all the commercial substitutes for yogurt. Then I realized I could make yogurt from lactose free milk, like lactaid brand or others. I use a recipe for regular milk. When it’s ready, I line a strainer with cheese cloth and let the whey drip out until I get the thickness I want. I can now enjoy delicious yogurt again. It is tangy and has no fillers.
DW99
Yes, you have to strain out the solids -- but save then and add them to the finished yogurt, or to casseroles, rice dishes, etc.
Grace
I am wondering the same question - how long might the yogurt last in the fridge? Would it be the same amount of time that the milk package was opened? Planning to do this with a mix of hemp and almond milk.
YM
How long will this yogurt keep in the fridge?
Hannah Liddell
I simmered it for much longer than the recipe called for because it would not thicken to a pudding-liked consistency. I added more cornstarch, too, but it never got very thick. Although the flavor was good, the yogurt had tiny tapioca-like lumps in it (maybe I simmered too long?). I'm not sure what went wrong. Next time, I'll try half coconut to see if that helps with the thickness and texture.Note: I used Forager cashew milk.
Kimberley
My hunch is that the Forager cashew milk was too thin, since it's a commercial brand with added water. And since they add oats, which don't have that creamy fat, that could also inhibit the thickening. So many variables with so few ingredients!
Jeff Margenau
Why is it that with coconut milk you have to use the canned stuff which is extremely rich compared to cashew milk? Why can't you just use coconut milk from a carton?
Vivian
Tried to do this with cashew milk. It was tasteless and watery.
Judy Mendel
So do you use non dairy yogurt as a starter?
Gramma B
"Substitute soy milk and eliminate thickener. Heat milk to 180 degrees, let it cool to 110 degrees, then continue with recipe as directed for from Step 2, skipping the thickener."
Hannah
I am lactose intolerant and have tried all the commercial substitutes for yogurt. Then I realized I could make yogurt from lactose free milk, like lactaid brand or others. I use a recipe for regular milk. When it’s ready, I line a strainer with cheese cloth and let the whey drip out until I get the thickness I want. I can now enjoy delicious yogurt again. It is tangy and has no fillers.
elise
I just made this yesterday and it was perfect. I used coconut milk, 1 probiotic capsule and 3T yogurt just to be sure. Turned out so well. I am thrilled as I tried another method before and had terrible results. Thanks Melissa. You are a talented chef.
CeeCee
Can this be made with fruit and honey at the onset? Or do I need to wait to add them?
Ella
My yogurt seems to thicken up almost immediately but does not turn very sour (only a faint sour taste which I attribute to the yogurt starter). Does anyone have suggestions on how to get the yogurt more sour? I used soy milk.
Sue
First, be sure that your yogurt starter contains live active cultures, and try a different brand if you have one available. A different starter often makes all the difference. Then, think about incubation temperature: warmer (up to a point; don't go warmer than ~110-115) and longer --> more sour.
Susan
Anyone have any problem with mold developing during Step 3?
Sue
The only way you'll see mold here is if your jar or implements aren't clean, or maybe if you don't cover your dish during fermentation. Wash everything thoroughly in hot water before you begin, cover, and you won't have anything to worry about.
Bana
I know this somewhat defeats the purpose of non-dairy, but can I use dairy (cow) yogurt as a starter for the cashew milk?Thanks!!
LCV in VT
I just tried this recipe but it came out too thin, but I may not have gotten the milk warm enough in step 2. If I make my own cashew milk, do I have to strain out the solids? Seems silly to strain them out and then add fruit and nuts to the finished product.
DW99
Yes, you have to strain out the solids -- but save then and add them to the finished yogurt, or to casseroles, rice dishes, etc.
Rolnrn
HmmA protein bust, at 3 grams per serving. You’d have to eat 4 servings a day to make any dent in your protein RDA. Maybe add more hemp hearts if you make your vegan smoothie with this!
Kate
I have to eat a low protein diet (no more than 50g/day) so recipes like this are grand; I adore protein so it is a bit of a struggle to be good.
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