Vegan Yogurt Recipe (Thick, Creamy & Dairy-Free)

Good vegan yogurt should not taste like a compromise. It should be thick enough to hold a spoon upright, tangy enough to wake up your breakfast, and creamy enough that nobody at the table asks what is missing. This recipe gets you there with just two ingredients and a warm spot in your kitchen.

The base is full-fat canned coconut milk, and the magic comes from live cultures. A spoonful of store-bought vegan yogurt with live cultures, or a couple of probiotic capsules, does the fermenting for you.

I make a batch on Sunday night and it is ready by Monday morning. It keeps all week in the fridge, thickens as it chills, and works everywhere dairy yogurt does: breakfast bowls, smoothies, overnight oats, or a dollop next to spicy food.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

The texture is the first win. Full-fat coconut milk sets into something closer to Greek yogurt than to a thin drink, especially after a night in the fridge. It holds its shape on a spoon and takes toppings without sinking.

The second win is the flavor. Fermentation gives it a real tang, the kind that makes granola and berries taste better. A little maple syrup and vanilla turn it into dessert; left plain, it is the perfect cooling spoonful next to curry or chili.

It is also genuinely simple and cheap. One can of coconut milk costs less than a tub of fancy store-bought vegan yogurt, and this batch makes about two cups. And if you like building healthy breakfasts around homemade staples, our applesauce recipe is another jar worth keeping in the fridge — it is lovely swirled straight into this yogurt.

Ingredients

Two ingredients are all you need, plus whatever you want to stir in at the end:

• 1 can (13.5 oz) full-fat coconut milk, refrigerated overnight (do not shake it)
• 2 tablespoons store-bought vegan yogurt with live active cultures, or 2 probiotic capsules (contents only)
• Optional: 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• Optional: 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Optional: 1 teaspoon lemon juice, for extra tang

How to Make It

1. Chill the coconut milk: Refrigerate the unopened can overnight so the thick cream rises to the top and the watery part sinks. Do not shake the can before opening it.
2. Scoop out the cream: Open the can and spoon the thick white cream into a clean glass jar, leaving the clear liquid behind. You should get about 1 cup of cream. Save the liquid for smoothies.
3. Whisk until smooth: Whisk the cream until it is completely smooth and lump-free. A few lumps at this stage will stay lumps later, so take a full minute here.
4. Add the cultures: Stir in the vegan yogurt or the contents of the probiotic capsules until evenly mixed. Do not use a metal spoon if you can avoid it; wood or silicone is the traditional choice.
5. Cover loosely: Cover the jar with a clean cloth or a coffee filter secured with a rubber band. The cultures need air to work, so do not seal the lid tight.
6. Ferment in a warm spot: Set the jar somewhere warm, around 75 to 85°F, for 12 to 24 hours. The top of the fridge, near the oven, or inside the oven with just the light on all work well.
7. Taste and chill: After 12 hours, taste it. When it is tangy enough for you, stir in maple syrup and vanilla if you like, then seal the jar and refrigerate. It thickens as it chills and keeps for up to 1 week.

Cooking Tips / Variations

The coconut milk you buy matters more than anything else in this recipe. Choose a can whose only ingredients are coconut and water, with no gums or thickeners if you can find one. Some brands set beautifully and some stay runny, so if your first batch is thin, try a different brand before you blame the method.

Temperature sets the pace of fermentation. In a cool kitchen it can take the full 24 hours to turn tangy; in a warm one it may be ready in 12. Taste is your guide, not the clock. If it still tastes like plain coconut cream, give it another 6 hours.

For a soy version, swap the coconut milk for soy milk and add 1 tablespoon of cashew butter or coconut cream for body — soy milk alone sets thinner. For an almond version, use the same method but expect a lighter, pourable yogurt that shines in smoothies. And if you are building a whole week of lighter eating, this yogurt pairs beautifully with the bright, fresh flavors in our anti-inflammatory diet recipe — a spoonful on the side cools the turmeric salmon bowls perfectly.

Do not ferment longer than 36 hours. Past that point the yogurt turns sharply sour and can separate. If it does separate, just whisk it back together; it is still safe and usable, only stronger in flavor.

Serving or Storage Tips

Serve it the way you would any yogurt: in a bowl with berries and granola, layered into parfaits, blended into smoothies, or dolloped over oatmeal. It also works as a cooling topping for tacos, curries and spicy roasted vegetables.

Store it sealed in the fridge for up to 1 week. It thickens slightly and the tang deepens a little each day. Stir before serving if a little liquid pools on top — that is normal.

Freezing is not recommended. The texture turns grainy when thawed, and a good yogurt deserves better than that.

Conclusion

Two ingredients, one jar, and a warm corner of your kitchen are all that stand between you and thick, tangy vegan yogurt made exactly to your taste.

Make a batch tonight and adjust the tang to taste.

Vegan Yogurt (Thick, Creamy & Dairy-Free)

Thick, tangy homemade vegan yogurt made from coconut milk and live cultures — just 2 ingredients, no yogurt maker needed.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Fermenting Time 12 hours hrs

Total Time 12 hours hrs

Servings: 4 servings

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 can (13.5 oz) full-fat coconut milk refrigerated overnight
• 2 tablespoons store-bought vegan yogurt with live active cultures or 2 probiotic capsules
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup optional
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract optional
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice optional

Method

 

1. Refrigerate the unopened can of coconut milk overnight so the cream rises to the top.
2. Open the can without shaking it and spoon the thick cream into a clean glass jar, leaving the clear liquid behind.
3. Whisk the cream until completely smooth.
4. Stir in the vegan yogurt or probiotic capsule contents until evenly mixed.
5. Cover the jar loosely with a cloth or coffee filter secured with a rubber band.
6. Ferment in a warm spot (75 to 85°F) for 12 to 24 hours, until tangy.
7. Stir in maple syrup and vanilla if using, seal the jar, and refrigerate. It thickens as it chills.

Notes

• Use full-fat coconut milk with as few additives as possible; some brands set much better than others.
• Taste after 12 hours and ferment longer for more tang, but not past 36 hours.
• A little liquid pooling on top in the fridge is normal; just stir before serving.
• Keeps sealed in the fridge for up to 1 week; do not freeze.