After trying a pot of super creamy, slightly tangy coconut yogurt from the supermarket, I started to wonder how it was made — and if I could make it myself. A bit of research and experimentation later, I discovered it’s not hard at all! As soon as you’ve gathered a few supplies, you’ll be well on your way to making (and falling in love with) this delicious dairy-free yogurt.
Regular cow’s milk yogurt relies on bacteria to thicken the yogurt, give it a tangy flavor, and add some beneficial probiotics. Because coconut milk has a very different structure, we have to use other methods to turn it into creamy, spoonable yogurt: probiotic powder for the health benefits and flavor, and agar agar or tapioca starch for the thickener.
For the probiotics, I use probiotic capsules that are certified vegan and gluten-free. If you’re the UK, go with these. If you’re in the US, try these capsules or this yogurt starter culture packet. Check the list of probiotics on the packet — you want a few of the following: Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacterium lactis and Streptococcus thermophilus. You can also add a few tablespoons of store-bought coconut yogurt or vegan soya yogurt with live cultures. If you’re not bothered by dairy, you can use normal cow’s milk yogurt, too.
I recommend using either agar agar (a vegan alternative to gelatin) or tapioca starch to thicken the coconut yogurt. Most store-bought coconut yogurt that I’ve seen use tapioca starch. Both of these thickeners are easy to work with and produce reliable results: a pourable yogurt, similar in texture to the low-fat plain yogurt I usually buy for baking, making smoothies, and eating with granola or muesli.
You can also make a fairly thick yogurt without using any thickener at all. Instead of using the whole can of coconut milk, just use the extra-thick creamy layer that rises to the top. To do this, refrigerate the can of coconut milk overnight, open up the can, and scoop the layer of thick white cream off the top. It’s naturally thick, so there’s no need to add thickening agents to it, and you can also skip the heating step (which makes the process quicker). The only downside is that this yogurt is incredibly rich, so it’s better as a topping for pancakes or desserts, in my opinion.
One final option for making Greek-style yogurt is to make tapioca- or agar agar-thickened yogurt and then strain it through cheesecloth overnight. This also produces a fairly sweet and rich yogurt, though nicely thick.
Makesabout a quart
(14-ounce) cans coconut milk
agar agar flakes, or 2 tablespoons tapioca starch (see Recipe Notes)
probiotic capsules, or 4 tablespoons store-bought coconut yogurt
raw sugar or maple syrup, optional
Glass jars with lids, for storing the yogurt
Thermometer, optional
Warm the oven and sterilize the jars: Warm the oven for about 5 minutes, until it reaches about 100°F, then turn off the heat — leave the light on to help keep the oven warm. Fill the jar(s) you'll use for storing the yogurt with boiling water to sterilize them. Let stand a few minutes, then pour the water out. Alternatively, you can run the jars through the dishwasher.
Pour the coconut milk into a saucepan: Shake the can of coconut milk, open it, and pour it into a medium pot. Whisk until the milk is smooth and uniform.
Add the thickener:If you're using agar agar, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of agar agar flakes into the pot over the coconut milk — but don’t stir! If you're using tapioca starch, scoop out roughly 1/3 cup of the coconut milk and transfer to a bowl with the starch. Whisk this together until the starch is dissolved, then pour back into the pot.
Warm the coconut milk: Place the pan on the stove over medium heat and warm until the coconut milk starts to simmer. (The agar agar will also start to melt together.) Whisk the milk and turn down the heat to low. Continue cooking on low, whisking occasionally, for 5 to 10 minutes, until the agar agar flakes are fully dissolved or the tapioca starch has thickened the mixture.
Cool the milk: Cool the milk until it's just warm to the touch, about 100°F.
Add the probiotics: Twist open the probiotic capsule and pour the powdery contents over the milk (discard the capsule’s casing). Whisk to combine. Alternatively, whisk in 4 tablespoons store-bought coconut yogurt.
Add the sugar or maple syrup. Whisk together well.
Pour into jar(s) and allow the yogurt to set for 12 to 24 hours: Pour the coconut milk into the sterilized jar(s) and screw on the lid(s). Place into the oven — turn the oven light on to keep the environment warm. Alternatively, use a yogurt maker or place into a dehydrator at 110°F. Leave for 12 to 24 hours without disturbing.
Chill the yogurt: Place the set yogurt into the fridge and chill for at least 6 hours. The yogurt will become thicker as it chills. After this stage, you might find that the mixture has separated with a yellowish, translucent layer at the bottom and a thicker white layer on top. Stir to recombine or scoop off the top layer for thicker coconut yogurt.
Keep coconut yogurt refrigerated and use within 2 weeks.
If the yogurt develops a pink or grey discoloration on its surface, that means it has been contaminated with bad bacteria. Throw it away and do not eat it!
Thickener-free coconut yogurt: The night before making the yogurt, chill the can of coconut milk. Do not shake. Open the can of chilled coconut milk and scoop off the top layer of cream, leaving behind the liquidy coconut water below (you can discard the water or use it for making smoothies or cooking oatmeal). Add the probiotics and continue making the yogurt as directed.
Making extra-thick coconut yogurt:
→ Scoop about 1 tablespoon of the fermented yogurt into a small bowl and stir together with 1 teaspoon ground psyllium husk. Pour back into the jar and stir together well.
→ Stir 3 tablespoons of chia seeds into the jar of fermented yogurt. Chill for 4 hours until thickened.
→ Transfer the yogurt to a strainer lined with cheesecloth and set over a bowl. Allow to strain overnight, just like when making Greek-style yogurt.
If the goal was to top one of the biggest dairy yogurt makers, they may have succeeded. Silk Dairy Free Yogurt takes cultured milk beverage to a new sweet and dreamy level.
But first, lets address the elephant in the room. Silk Dairy Free Yogurt Alternative is soy-based. Why do I still like it? It is made with whole, non-GMO soy and not with genetically-modified soy and not soy protein, soy isolates, or soy concentrates. The latter are the types of soy that tend to get a thumbs down from scientific studies when eaten in excess. Fermented soy and whole soy foods actually don’t have a bad rap in the research. Just enjoy in moderation is the mantra I take with all foods! Plus, let’s face it, soy has been largely unbeatable as a base for yogurt substitutes.
Silk Dairy Free Yogurt Alternative has a creamy, perfectly thick consistency and a flavor that certainly doesn’t smack of soy. The Vanilla had marvelous little flecks of vanilla bean! It had a rich, sweet taste with the perfect hint of yogurt-y tang. The Peach & Mango was like summer in a cup. The bright fruits and seamless taste beckoned to beloved dairy yogurts on the market, and made Tony say, “it tastes like Yoplait!”. Black Cherry isn’t the first variety I would usually reach for, but the dessert-like quality made it irresistible.
Which brings me to the one caveat for Silk Dairy Free Yogurt Alternative. Like most dairy-based yogurts, the flavored varieties have 16 to 17 grams of sugars per serving. This is a bit steep for my breakfast. But considering the other virtues, I think it makes a wonderful afternoon or evening treat.
Since it is made with whole soybeans, each serving of Silk Dairy Free Yogurt Alternative has 6 grams of natural, plant-based protein and 20% of the RDA for calcium without fortification. It is also fortified with vitamin D2 for a bigger bone health boost. And of course, it is carrageenan-free and each bite is stocked with dairy-free live and active cultures (a.k.a. probiotics). Plus, for those of us who want a lower sugar option, Silk has delivered.
Silk now offers larger 24-ounce tubs of select varieties, including Simply Plain. This no frills flavor is lower in sugars (7 grams per cup) and has a much less sweet, more versatile flavor profile. I still have to get my hands on a tub to give it a full test, because I have only sampled a little trade show taste, thus far!
Price: $1.29 per 5.3-ounce single
Certifications: Silk Dairy Free Yogurt Alternative is Non-GMO Verified. It is also labeled as gluten-free, but we did not note a certification for this.
Dietary Notes: By ingredients, Silk Dairy Free Yogurt Alternative is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, nut-free, peanut-free, vegan / plant-based, and vegetarian. Nonetheless, always read the ingredient statement and check with the company on their manufacturing processes for all varieties if potential allergen cross-contamination is an issue for you. Processes and labeling are subject to change at any time for any company / product.
For More Product Information: Visit the Silk website at silk.com.
I was very disappointed with silk coconut yogurt. It’s soooo thin and just tastes bad. It’s hardly “yogurt”. And it’s so overpriced. Seven dollars for the regular size.
I was taken at back when I opened the conyainer of vanilla. The image on the package gives the image of white yogurt. I wasn’t sure it was still good. The flavour is good.
Response from Go Dairy Free
Julie, I’m not sure what the package image you have looks like, but the pictures I’ve posted here are actual for what it looks like. It isn’t white, but more of a yellow-ish beige.
If you’re looking for a dairy-free option that rivals popular dairy yogurts in taste and consistency, then this could be your holy grail. Not only does it offer satisfyingly sweet, slightly tangy flavors and the perfect creamy consistency (without carrageenan!), it’s also naturally equivalent in protein and calcium. But like those dairy-based yogurts, these are a bit high in sugars (aside from the Simply Plain with just 7 grams per cup). To note, these have a base of non-GMO, whole soy (not isolates).
A great Dairy Free Yogurt is Soy Yogurt. Soy Yogurt is a great alternative to the traditional yogurts made with animal by-products. As we liked to say here, Keep the milk inside the COW!!! Soy Yogurt is just as satisfying as dairy ones in every aspect. After trying Soy Yogurt you will be pleased on how a yogurt doesn't actually need any dairy in it to have the same benefits and taste as in yogurts made with dairy, cows milk.
To the left you will find most of the current Soy Yogurt brands and each link will provide you with an good overview of what they offer. Nutritional data and ingredients will be listed so you can evaluate which will fit your taste buds.
Brief History of the Soybean:
The Soybean was officially domesticated in 1100 B.C. by Chinese farmers. By the first century A.D. the Soybean began to spread across the world. It wasn't until 1904 that the Soybean was found to have a good amount of protein and oil to benefit the diets of Americans. In the 1940's Soybean farming began to really take off and the U.S. now produces 32% of the Soybeans in the world, next to Brazil. Soybeans are not only used for humans to eat, but livestock eat up the bean by a whopping 25 million tons each year!
Q:John – I have a lactose problem, but I still want the probiotic help that comes in a good natural yogurt. Is there a soy yogurt that has similar probiotic benefit or do I have to stick with the real stuff?
A:Alisa – The short answer is yes, there are several non-dairy yogurts available that will offer probiotic benefits equivalent to dairy-based yogurt. In fact, for those who are lactose intolerant the non-dairy yogurts may have more noticeable benefits since you won’t be contending with lactose maldigestion symptoms from the yogurt too. I have included some soy yogurt options below and will also go into a bit more detail on this topic and address what a “natural yogurt” could be.
It is not uncommon for someone with lactose intolerance to be tolerant of good quality dairy yogurt. This is because certain strains of probiotics have been found to aid in the digestion of lactose.
Though L. acidophilus has long been recognized as the digestion hero, it was actually found in studies to have very little effect on the digestion of lactose. But another member of the Lactobacillus family, L. bulgaricus showed improvements for the hydrogen breath test (a basic lactose intolerance test) and symptoms. (Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition) For more information on lactose intolerance and the tests available, see Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook.
L. bulgaricus is commonly used as a starter for yogurts, both dairy and non-dairy, so it is fairly easy to find. Also, based on the studies I read, it looks like you will get the same benefits from this probiotic no matter the medium (whether in a cow’s milk yogurt or a soy yogurt). The benefits of probiotics are created in the process of fermentation, so the medium is not necessarily what is important. This is why Kimchi, a fermented vegetable Korean dish, has been used for centuries as a tummy-tamer at meals.
What is important is the level of live active cultures in the finished product (those not destroyed in the production of the yogurt), and how well it is stored to avoid destruction of these cultures before they are able to reach your gut (chilled mediums are usually best for both supplements and foods).
Keep in mind, most commercial yogurts are pasteurized (killing off many of the live active cultures) and have probiotics added in after the fact. These may not have the same gut benefits as the cultures from the original fermentation. Check with the yogurt manufacturer to find out their processes and the live active cultures in their finished products.
Better yet, make your own yogurt at home! The definition of a “natural yogurt” can vary since it is not a regulated term – it may simply be one made with all natural ingredients, Greek-style yogurt, yogurt made from a prior batch of yogurt, or a plain unsweetened yogurt. The best way to qualify your non-dairy yogurt as “natural” by any of these standards is to make it yourself. You can easily prepare a batch of yogurt with your own makeshift apparatus or by using a relatively inexpensive yogurt maker.
Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook offers recipes for homemade Soy Yogurt, Coconut Yogurt, and Cashew Yogurt (the latter two also being soy-free options) and full instructions.
My favorite soy yogurt brand, Whole Soy & Co, went out of business. I’m still waiting for another option to emerge that is as healthy as that brand was! Nancy’s also discontinued their Organic Cultured Soy Yogurt, but they have replaced it with dairy-free Oat Milk Yogurt. Luckily, there are still a couple great brands on the market:
The above mentioned products can be found at Whole Foods and other natural food stores. However, I have also seen each of these brands in the natural food aisles (refrigerated) of my local mega-grocer. They are each widely distributed in the United States.
Not into soy? There are almond, coconut and many other types of dairy-free yogurt now available! See our Substitutes Review Section for information on several soy-free, dairy-free yogurt brands.
For more dairy-free Q&A topics, see our Ask Alisa Page.