Simple Vegan Almond Milk Yogurt Recipe

by Alena
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One of the favorite foods we used to enjoy before going vegan was a creamy, refreshing yogurt in the morning or as a snack. Today, we just whip up this simple almond milk yogurt for an almost tastier and definitely healthier treat!

Thick-ish, creamy and slightly tart, this homemade almond yogurt doesn’t require any uncommon kitchen tools or heating and is made with basically only 2 ingredients.

If you’re a bit intimidated by the thought of making your own yogurt (I know I was!), then rest assured that this simple recipe just calls for some soaking, blending and whisking.

Granted, our almond milk yogurt might not give you the same experience as store-bought dairy-free yogurts (hello, additives!) but it can help you save some money and you know exactly what goes into it.

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There are some recipes that do require 10 (or 20 or 30) rounds of testing until we’re satisfied with the result… this almond milk yogurt is one of them.

We’ve tried it with different starters and thickeners, just to find out that this simple 2-ingredient recipe is pretty much the sweet spot between tasty and easy to make!

It can be enjoyed on its own or dressed up with vanilla, fruit and granola — you don’t have to be vegan to love the taste and subtle sweetness of our almond milk yogurt! Even those on a low-fiber vegan diet can enjoy this.

white table with some granola next to a jar of easy almond milk yogurt and a spoonpin it

What Is Almond Yogurt?

Almond yogurt is usually made with raw almonds, water, probiotics and some kind of thickener.

Nowadays, you can find store-bought almond milk yogurt at many supermarkets — common U.S. brands include Kite Hill, Silk and Almond Breeze

Homemade almond milk yogurt isn’t difficult to make and it’s certainly a lot cheaper than what you would find at the grocery store. There are different ways of making your own almond yogurt at home, some of which we’ll explain in this article.

Let’s take a look at why you should try almond milk yogurt!

Dairy-Free Yogurt Benefits

First and foremost, we’re happy to find good replacements for animal-based food to share with others any day of the year for ethical reasons. Plants are usually much better for the environment compared to dairy or meat, even thirsty almonds!

Almond milk is responsible for fewer greenhouse gas emissions than cow’s milk or soy milk and has less saturated fat (which should be limited to 10% or less of total calories)! 

Almonds are a good source of vitamin E, fiber, biotin, calcium and magnesium and relatively budget-friendly. Compared to dairy milk (both high and low fat), almond milk has fewer calories and still tastes delicious!

Most dairy-free yogurts (our almond milk recipe included!) include live active cultures called probiotics that support healthy digestion. Good gut bacteria keep us healthy by supporting our immune function and controlling inflammation.

Keep on reading to see why we love this particular almond milk yogurt!

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The Best Homemade Vegan Almond Yogurt Recipe

  • No fancy tools or skills required
  • Perfect lactose-free dairy replacement
  • Tangy, smooth and delicious
  • Simple 2-ingredient recipe
  • Nutty & gut-friendly
  • 100% homemade and customizable
  • Kid- and family-friendly
  • Full of natural probiotics
  • Sugar-free, dairy-free & soy-free
  • Great for meal prep & weight loss

If you’re a fan of dairy products and yogurt but want to eat 100% plant-based, try this simple vegan almond yogurt recipe with some fresh fruit or use it in a plethora of ways which we’ll list below.

white table with yellow towel and a white bowl with blanched almonds covered with waterpin it

How to Make Almond Milk Yogurt From Scratch

When you want to create your own simple almond yogurt from scratch, you really need only two ingredients — plus some water. 

Going for homemade almond milk allows you to have control over every single component of your dairy-free yogurt and by using a larger amount of almonds, you can create a thicker milk base to begin with.

Start by soaking your almonds for at least 6 hours, better overnight, and definitely go for raw, not roasted almonds (blanched or whole). When you’re ready to make the almond milk yogurt, drain the soaked almonds and place them in a blender (preferably high-speed) along with 2 cups of water.

Blend until smooth, which might take around 30-40 seconds, then strain through a nut milk bag. Squeeze to release as much liquid as you can and save the pulp to make crackers, cookies, energy balls or simply add it to your oatmeal.

The good news is that this was already the hardest part! You could straight up drink this goodness, pour it over your cereals or make your own almond milk little (awesome recipe here!).

To create your simple homemade almond yogurt, you now have to add your probiotic powder to the almond milk and mix well with a spoon or hand whisk. Get some small glass jars and sterilize them so your yogurt doesn’t go bad really quickly (find the instructions below).

Pour the almond milk with the probiotic powder into the sterilized jars and cover with a cheesecloth. Now, you just have to let them sit at room temperature for about 48 hours (I know, this takes some patience!) and you’ll be rewarded with a slightly tangy, sour and creamy almond milk yogurt!

Enjoy it immediately and store any leftover jars in the fridge for up to 5 days. If your yogurt smells at all weird or unpleasant, don’t consume it — make sure to sterilize all kitchen tools better and start the process again.

white table with black probiotic capsules and a white bowl with homemade almond milk which is being stirred with a spoonpin it

How to Thicken Almond Milk Yogurt

Our simple 2-ingredient almond milk yogurt recipe doesn’t require any thickeners per se. We love its consistency and even when we are left with a runnier dairy-free yogurt, we’re still happy to pour it over our muesli or just use it in a smoothie.

However, you might be looking for a really thick and creamy end result, so we wanted to quickly guide you through the different ways of thickening almond milk yogurt.

Common Vegan Thickeners

  • Cornstarch 
  • Arrowroot
  • Tapioca flour
  • Guar gum
  • Pectin
  • Locust bean gum 
  • Agar-agar powder
  • Xanthan gum
  • Soy or sunflower lecithin

Additionally, you can add some chia or flax seeds that are really healthy and easy to come by — but they will change the color, texture and consistency of your almond milk yogurt most noticeably.

For a really thorough guide on creating the perfect vegan yogurt at home, check out this wonderful resource by Healthy Girl’s Kitchen.

Please be aware that most of these must be mixed into the cold almond milk and then heated to unfold their magic. You can see an example of using arrowroot powder to create some easy and delicious vegan vanilla custard here.

If you’re looking for greek-yogurt-level thickness, you’ll need to remove any excess liquid from your dairy-free yogurt by lining a fine mesh strainer with cheesecloth, then pour your yogurt in. Let it sit in the fridge for 1-2 hours to achieve a denser consistency!

close up of a glass jar with dairy-free homemade almond yogurt being poured from a spoonpin it

Tips for the Best Almond Milk Yogurt

To achieve the best results, definitely go for homemade almond milk! Not only has this always worked best for us but most of our blogger colleagues agree and recommend the same.

Additionally, here are some tips and suggestions around making your own vegan yogurt that you might find helpful!

Vegan Yogurt Starter

To make your own almond milk yogurt, you need some good probiotics. Unfortunately, most of them are not vegan-friendly, so you might need to do some research. We’ve used different kinds thus far but always made sure that they have over 50 billion active cells.

Already taking probiotic capsules? Great news, you can just open them with a knife and use the powder to make your own almond milk yogurt!

Although we’ve never tried this, many recipes talk about using almond yogurt (or any dairy-free yogurt!) as a starter when making your own.

Dairy-Free Yogurt With Soy Milk

Don’t have any almonds on hand or want to make a higher protein dairy-free yogurt? Get some store-bought soy milk with no added ingredients and follow our recipe or check out this Instant Pot soy yogurt version by Vegan Blueberry.

Sterilize Your Tools

It would be best to sterilize all of the kitchen tools you want to use when making your almond milk yogurt before you start — at the very least, make sure the jars you’re going to put the yogurt in are sterilized.

To do so at home, you can wash them with hot water and put them in the oven for 10 minutes at 320 °F (160 °C). Please be aware that this shouldn’t be done with any plastic parts! Find a good guide on how to sterilize utensils here. 

white table with two glass jars filled with almond yogurt, mango, granola and blueberriespin it

Vegan Yogurt Flavoring Options

For more sweetness, you can add maple syrup or agave to this dairy-free yogurt. We love making almond vanilla yogurt by stirring in some fresh vanilla bean or a bit of vanilla extract.

Other delicious flavorings include all kinds of fresh fruit or jam, nut butter, almond extract, vegan caramel sauce and cocoa powder. 

Instant Pot or Yogurt Maker

Our simple homemade almond yogurt recipe doesn’t require either of these kitchen tools — it’s made with wholesome raw almonds which won’t get heated at any point.

But dairy-free yogurt making is oftentimes successfully done with a yogurt maker or even an Instant Pot — an electric pressure cooker we personally often use.

Full Instant Pot Guide + Download →

What to Serve With Almond Yogurt

You can enjoy your almond milk yogurt straight from the jar or dress it up with different delicious toppings — from nuts to homemade date granola, swirled chia jam, roasted nuts or puffed quinoa, there are too many ideas to list here.

We like to eat it with some oatmeal or muesli in the morning, as a dairy-free yogurt bowl or simple vegan parfait! 

You can also use it as an oil-substitute in baking recipes, enjoy it with vegan pancakes, waffles or crêpes, in a smoothie and as a savory yogurt salad dressing — most of these work great even if your almond milk yogurt turns out too runny.

white bowl with plant-based milk and homemade vegan granola that's being sprinkled into the bowl with a spoon that's held by a handpin it

More Vegan Breakfast Recipes

If you’re looking for more vegan breakfast ideas apart from this almond milk yogurt recipe, you’ve come to the right place! How do these sound?

We hope you’re excited to try making your own almond yogurt now and feel confident enough to do so. Be sure to share your experience with us!

Have you made our almond milk yogurt recipe and liked it? Feel free to comment below and Pin this article here. You can also tag us on Instagram — we’d love to see your creations!

white table with some granola next to a jar of easy almond milk yogurt and a spoon

Homemade Vegan Almond Yogurt Recipe

Yield: 1.5 cups
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

The easiest vegan almond milk yogurt recipe made with only 2 ingredients! Probiotic-rich and gut-friendly, this dairy-free yogurt is a healthy addition to any breakfast or snack, kid-friendly and slightly tangy. Serve this smooth and delicious vegan yogurt with some granola, as a parfait or make a dressing out of it!

Ingredients

  • 1 cup almonds
  • 2 cups water (480 ml
  • 2 vegan probiotic capsules

Instructions

    1. Place your almonds in a bowl and cover with water. Soak overnight and drain once you’re ready to make the almond milk yogurt.
    2. Transfer the soaked almond with 2 cups of fresh water into a blender and process to obtain a frothy, creamy liquid.
    3. Use a nut milk bag to separate the liquid from the pulp, squeezing it with your hands to obtain as much almond milk as possible.
    4. Pour the liquid into a large bowl, cut open the probiotic capsules and add the powder to the almond milk. Mix well with a spoon or hand whisk.
    5. Transfer the almond milk to sterilized jars and cover them with cheesecloth. 
    6. To create your probiotic-rich almond yogurt, let the jars sit at room temperature for 48 hours. The result should smell tangy and pleasant —  if you notice an unpleasant smell, don’t consume the almond milk yogurt and start the process again.
    7. Store the jars with homemade vegan yogurt covered in the refrigerator where it can be kept for up to 5 days.

Notes

  • To obtain a thicker almond milk yogurt, add guar gum, arrowroot powder or any of the other vegan thickeners listed in the article.
  • Add some chia or flax seeds for a healthy & easy whole food plant-based thickener!
  • Make sure to properly sterilize your yogurt jars or even all of the equipment you’re using.
  • Find additional tips & serving suggestions in the article above.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 3 Serving Size: ½ cup
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 275Total Fat: 24gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 21gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 235mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 5gSugar: 2gProtein: 10g

Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated automatically, their accuracy is not guaranteed. Just focus on whole plant-based foods and eat until satiety!

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About Alena Handwritten FontAlena Schowalter is a Certified Vegan Nutritionist who has been a vegetarian since childhood and vegan since 2012. Together with her husband, she founded nutriciously in 2015 and has been guiding thousands of people through different transition stages towards a healthy plant-based diet. She’s received training in the fields of nutrition, music therapy and social work. Alena enjoys discussions around vegan ethics, walks through nature and creating new recipes.

15 thoughts on “Simple Vegan Almond Milk Yogurt Recipe”

    • mix the arrowroot powder with a bit of cold almond milk, then heat it up with the rest of the almond milk to around 85ºC/185F (just before it starts boiling) on low-medium heat. The let it cool down for around 30 minutes before adding the yogurt starter (milk should at about 45ºC/113ºF), then pour in your desired sterilized jar(s) and let the yogurt incubate for 24 hrs.

      Reply
  1. Hi Alena,

    thank you for this wonderful recipe. I would really like to give it a try. However, all the probiotics I have had yet did really work with almond milk (especially not without adding a lot of thickeners. Which one do you use? As I am from Germany, do you have one you recommend that is available here?

    Many thanks in advance and greetings. Sandra

    Reply
    • Hey Sandra,
      if you’re in Germany, try the My.Yo probiotics, they work almost every time when I make vegan yogurt! Also, be sure to start out with a thick homemade vegan milk, then your yogurt shouldn’t be very runny at all.
      Best wishes,
      Alena

      Reply
    • you would need to add the thickener right after making the almond milk and before letting your yogurt sit & incubate! haven’t tried it the other way yet.

      Reply
  2. I didn’t use almonds exactly, I used soaked Walnuts and Steel Cut Oats in my vitamix. I didn’t bother to strain them because I thought this would give the probiotics more starch to chew on. When I checked on them after 48 hours they had a hardened surface and smelled like cheese but I’m not confident about how to proceed. Should I skim the top off since it looks questionable to me, or should I just mix it all in. Oh, and I tried two different types of starters, high quality probiotic capsules for one jar and a cashew yogurt drink from the store that supposedly had a high probiotic count. I’m not sure which one turned out better because they look different.

    Reply

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