How to make dairy-free coconut yoghurt at home (that actually sets)

If you've ever tried making yoghurt with coconut milk the same way you'd make it with dairy, you'll know the feeling. You wait all night, lift the lid with high hopes, and find something closer to a sad, tangy soup. Don't worry, you didn't do anything terrible. Plant milks just play by slightly different rules. Once you know them, homemade dairy-free yoghurt is honestly one of the easiest, most rewarding things you can make in your kitchen.

This guide walks you through the whole thing: picking the right milk, getting it thick, keeping it warm enough, knowing when it's done, and what to do when it doesn't behave.

Why plant milk behaves differently from dairy

Cow's milk has two things going for it when it comes to yoghurt: lactose (a natural sugar the bacteria love to eat) and casein (a protein that sets into a soft gel as the milk gets more acidic). That's why dairy yoghurt thickens on its own.

Coconut milk has lots of lovely fat but very little protein and only a small amount of natural sugar. So the good bacteria still do their job and make it pleasantly tangy, but there's no casein to firm it up. That's the whole secret: with plant milk, the culture brings the flavour and you bring the thickness.

What you'll need

• About 1 litre of full-fat coconut milk (more on choosing one below)
• A dairy-free culture. Our Vegan Yoghurt Starter Kit has 8 culture capsules, a thermometer, a glass jar, a vegan thickener and an instruction booklet, so it's the easiest place to start
• A thickener, either the one in the kit or a sachet of plant-based Agar-Agar
• A thermometer, like the Stainless-Steel Thermometer, because guessing temperatures is where most batches go wrong
• A stainless-steel pot, a spoon and a clean glass jar. If you like making a few flavours at once, a set of Fermentation Jars (Set of 3) works well
• A warm spot to keep it cosy overnight (we'll get to that)

Choosing your milk

This is the step that makes or breaks your yoghurt, so it's worth a few extra seconds in the shop aisle.

• Go full-fat. Tinned or boxed full-fat coconut milk gives you the creamiest result. "Lite" versions are mostly water and tend to stay runny.
• Read the label for gums. The best milk has just coconut and water. Added guar gum, xanthan gum or carrageenan can make the texture slimy or stop it setting evenly.
• Skip anything sweetened or flavoured. You can add sweetness at the end. Sugary milks can over-sour and some contain preservatives that slow the culture down.
• Other plant milks work too. Cashew, almond and soy can all be cultured. Soy sets the firmest because it has more protein. Nut milks are lovely but usually need a bit more thickener.

Shake the tin or box well before opening. Coconut milk separates when it sits, and you want all that cream mixed back in.

Thickening: agar-agar or a little starch

You have two easy options, and you can use them together.

Agar-agar is a natural gelling agent made from seaweed. It has no taste and sets more strongly than gelatine, so a little goes a long way. Use the amount in your recipe or kit booklet and don't be tempted to add extra, or you'll end up with jelly instead of yoghurt. The key thing to remember is that agar only works once it's been brought to a simmer. Whisk it into the cold milk first, then heat and let it bubble gently for a minute or two, stirring all the time.

A little starch, such as tapioca starch or cornflour, gives a softer, spoonable body. Mix a tablespoon or so into a splash of cold milk to make a smooth paste, stir it into the pot and heat until it thickens slightly.

Agar gives a firmer, more "set" yoghurt. Starch gives a silkier, looser one. Using a pinch of each is a nice middle ground.

Step by step

1. Heat and thicken. Pour the milk into your pot, whisk in your thickener and bring it up to a gentle simmer, stirring so nothing catches on the bottom. Simmer for a minute or two.
2. Cool it down. Take the pot off the heat and let it cool to around 40 to 43°C. This matters. Too hot and you'll kill the culture, too cool and it will be slow to get going. This is where your thermometer earns its keep.
3. Add the culture. Open a capsule, sprinkle it over the milk and stir it in gently but thoroughly.
4. Jar it. Pour into a clean glass jar and put the lid on loosely.
5. Keep it warm. The culture is happiest at about 40 to 43°C for 8 to 12 hours. An oven with just the light on, a cooler box with a hot-water bottle, or a jar wrapped in a thick towel all work. The kit booklet has a few more homemade ideas. Try not to move or stir it while it works.
6. Chill it. Once it's ready, pop it in the fridge for at least 4 to 6 hours. This is where most of the thickening happens, especially with agar, so don't judge the texture straight out of the warm spot.

How to tell when it's ready

• Smell: clean, fresh and pleasantly tangy, a bit like regular yoghurt with a coconut twist.
• Taste: take a small spoonful from the edge. It should be noticeably sour compared to the plain milk. If it still tastes sweet and flat, give it another hour or two.
• Look: it may still be soft while warm. That's normal. The real set comes in the fridge.

Once you find your sweet spot, write down the time. Your kitchen, your milk and your warm spot will all be a little different, and after two or three batches you'll know exactly how long yours needs.

Troubleshooting

It's runny. The most common one. Usually it's a "lite" milk, too little thickener, or agar that wasn't simmered long enough to activate. Next time, use full-fat milk and make sure the agar bubbles for a minute or two. You can also rescue a runny batch by reheating it with a little starch, cooling and chilling again (it won't be as live, but it will taste great).

It's separated. A layer of liquid or a thick cap of coconut cream on top is completely normal. Just stir it back in. Shaking your milk well and using a gum-free brand helps.

It's too sour. It cultured for too long or somewhere too warm. Cut the time back by an hour or two next round. A drizzle of maple syrup or some fruit will balance today's batch nicely.

It didn't sour at all. Check the temperature you added the culture at. If the milk was over about 45°C the culture may not have survived. Also make sure your capsules have been kept in the freezer.

It's pink, orange, fuzzy or smells off. Throw it out. No scraping, no "it's probably fine". Any coloured spots, fuzzy mould or a yeasty, rotten smell means unwanted guests got in. Wash everything in hot soapy water, sterilise your jar and start fresh.

Serving ideas

• A big spoonful over granola with mango, granadilla or berries
• Blended into a smoothie for a creamy, dairy-free breakfast
• Stirred with grated cucumber, garlic, lemon and mint for a vegan tzatziki-style dip with your braai
• Dolloped on curries and bobotie to cool things down
• Swirled with a bit of lime zest and toasted coconut for a quick summer dessert

Keep your yoghurt in the fridge and enjoy it within about a week. And yes, you can save a few spoonfuls to help kick off the next batch, though starting fresh with a new capsule every few rounds keeps things strong and reliable.

If you eat dairy too and want something extra thick and high in protein, have a look at our guide on how to make thick Greek yoghurt at home.

Ready to give it a go? Grab a Vegan Yoghurt Starter Kit, pick up a tin of good coconut milk and start your first batch tonight. Home made, made easy.