This 2-ingredient homemade cashew yogurt is the easiest dairy-free yogurt I’ve tried! All you need is cashews, water, and a high-quality probiotic supplement–no straining required.
Making your own yogurt might sound intimidating, but it’s actually one of the easiest things once you learn a few simple tips and tricks! I learned how to make regular dairy yogurt from my mom years ago. But since trying to cut back on my dairy intake, I’ve been experimenting with making a dairy-free version, which is a bit different. The first non-dairy yogurt I tried was this delicious 2-ingredient coconut yogurt. It’s been my favorite up until attempting to make my own cashew yogurt!
Don’t get me wrong, I still love coconut yogurt. However, it’s one of the trickiest yogurts I’ve ever made! If you use coconut milk without any thickeners, your coconut yogurt will come out pretty runny. So after lots and lots of experimentation and trying different thickening agents, what worked best for me was letting the can of coconut milk chill in the fridge overnight and just using the solid cream on top. That way, you’ll get thick Greek-style coconut yogurt. The issue here is that your yogurt will be quite dense and high in fat. Although the fat in coconut has been shown to be beneficial for the body in so many ways (1, 2, 3, 4, 5), I believe in moderation. So I try to limit my intake to just a few spoonfuls. That lead me to continue my hunt for another non-dairy yogurt that I could enjoy instead of regular organic yogurt.
Reasons to Love Cashew Yogurt:
I have to say cashew yogurt is the clear winner for me! I love it more than any other plant-based yogurt I’ve tried for the following reasons:
- It’s very easy to make and has turned out great for me everytime without fail (unlike coconut yogurt which took me a long time to master).
- It tastes tangy and delicious and has a quite thick texture.
- The fermentation time seems to be shorter compared to coconut yogurt. You will get a deliciously tangy flavor after 8 hours of fermentation. Whereas with coconut yogurt, it works best if you leave it to ferment for at least 24 hours. The longer you ferment, the tangier the taste and the higher your yogurt would be in probiotics though.
- There’s no need to strain the milk first (which is required when making almond milk yogurt) since cashews get very soft after an overnight soak and don’t leave behind much pulp.
- You only need a few simple tools such as a blender, a glass jar (for storing the yogurt), a paper towel/cheesecloth, and a rubber band (to cover the jar) and just 2 ingredients: cashews + a high-quality probiotic capsule. That’s it!
Probiotics Health Benefits
As you probably already know, yogurt is a fermented food, which means it can be a great source of probiotics depending on how it’s made. Probiotics are the good gut-friendly bacteria that have been shown to provide a long list of health benefits. They help balance out the bad bacteria and make our gut microbial community and intestines healthier. They can reduce bloating, pain, diarrhea, and other symptoms of digestive disorders. An increasing number of studies find that probiotics can improve mood and mental health and help with depression, anxiety, OCD, and stress. Probiotics may also help keep your heart healthy by lowering LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and blood pressure. And finally, probiotics help strengthen our immune system by inhibiting the growth of bad bacteria and promoting the production of natural antibodies.
My go-to probiotic supplement is Genuine Health advanced gut health probiotic women’s DAILY. I love that it’s specially formulated with 15 balanced strains to support vaginal and immune health. It’s vegan, Non-GMO, free from toxins and allergens, and contains 50 billion live colony forming units (CFUs) guaranteed right up to the expiry date.
When using this product, you only need 1 capsule for 2 cups of cashews, which will yield about 4 cups of yogurt. You can also use their advanced gut health probiotic 50 billion CFU, which is not specific to women for same results. If you opt for a product with a lower CFU, it’s best to add more accordingly. For instance, with the advanced gut health probiotic 15 billion CFU, I would use 3-4 capsules.
I love serving this delicious homemade cashew yogurt with berry sauce, fresh fruits, and/or sugar-free granola. But you can also add it to smoothies, soups, or stews to make them extra creamy with a touch of tartness. Can’t wait for you to try this easy and nourishing recipe! Please leave a comment below once you do and tag me in your photos @nutriholist #nutriholist on Instagram or Facebook, so I can see and share them. XO
Homemade Cashew Yogurt
Ingredients
- 2 cups raw cashews , soaked for 4+ hours
- 1 3/4 cups water
- 1 probiotic capsule with 50 billion CFU (I used Genuine Health advanced gut health probiotic women's DAILY)
Instructions
- Cover the cashews with warm filtered water and let them sit on the counter for 4 hour or overnight. Rinse a few times, drain, and throw into the blender.
- Add fresh water to the blender and blend for 2 minutes on high until the cashews have completely broken down and the cashew milk gets a bit warm.
- Open up a probiotic capsule and add the powder into the blender. Blend for a few more seconds so the probiotic is thoroughly mixed with the cashew milk.
- Pour the mixture into a clean glass jar. I like to rinse the jar with boiling water first to make sure it’s sterile. Cover with a paper towel or cheese cloth and use a rubber band to keep it in place.
- Place the glass jar in a warm spot in your home. I always put it in the oven (OFF) with the light on. Let it ferment overnight (about 8 hours) or up to 24 hours. The longer it sits, the thicker and tangier it will get.
- Remove the yogurt jar and taste with a clean spoon. Once you’re happy with the level of tanginess, cover with a lid and let it chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours to let it firm up even more. Serve it as is or in a parfait with layers of berry sauce, granola, and berries/fruits. Enjoy! Keeps fresh in a cold spot in the fridge for about 2 weeks.
Notes
Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post, but all the opinions are 100% my own. I would never promote a product that I don’t personally use and love.
38 Responses
This is my go to recipe for cashew yogurt it’s so simple and easy. I add honey or vanilla or maple syrup if I want it a bit sweeter. It’s great with fruit, in smoothies or I love it for my overnight oats.
Glad you enjoyed it. Adding it to overnight oats is a great idea! Thanks for your rating.
Thanks for this great recipe!
Very welcome and thanks for your rating!
Wow! So easy and absolutely creamy and delicious! I don’t think I’ll ever buy yogurt again. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
So glad you enjoyed it, Marian, and thank you for the rating! Homemade yogurt is so much better, not to mention cheaper!
I just made this recipe for the first time and it turned out great! Thank you! Nice and simple.
One question- is it possible to start a yogurt with a few spoonfuls of the prior batch, in lieu of using a new probiotic pill each time? The ones I have at home aren’t cheap …
So glad to hear that, Michelle! Yes, absolutely! You can use 2-4 tablespoons of yogurt per quart of cashew milk as the starter. Stir to make sure it’s well-distributed throughout the mixture. Enjoy!
Can you freeze this yoghurt?
Also is there a way to make it super smooth a maybe I didn’t blend for long enough?
Yes you can, but the texture might be slightly different after defrosting. The key to getting it super smooth is soaking the cashews for 4+ hours (preferably overnight) and blending for long enough until there are no small pieces of cashews left. Hope this helps! 🙂
It won’t thicken
What did I do wring
There could be multiple things causing this. Make sure your starter culture is strong (I recommend using a probiotic capsule with 50 billion CFU) and not old or expired. Also, make sure the environment you’re fermenting your yogurt in is warm, around 110°F (43°C). If the temperature is too low, the bacteria won’t be active enough; if it’s too high, they can be killed. Also, keep in mind that moving or or stirring the mixture during the fermentation process could prevent the yogurt from setting properly. Hope this helps!
Also, what if my probiotic has 100 Billion CFU?
That shouldn’t be a problem!
Is the probiotics necessary to use in making the yogurt? What other substitutes can be used instead of the probiotic.
The probiotics are what help ferment the cashews and turn them into yogurt, so you do need a starter culture. Instead of probiotic capsules, you can use a small amount of plain, unsweetened dairy-free yogurt with live active cultures, such as coconut yogurt.
can you use soy milk in place of cashew milk
I don’t use soy milk and haven’t tried it but I think it should work.
Would it be possible for the yogurt to last for 16-17 days in the fridge, you think? I am looking for a way to meal prep for three 5-day cycles on one batch. Otherwise, I will have to make it every 10 days. just wondering if this is possible. Thank you!
That’s a bit tricky since there are no preservatives in homemade yogurt. There’s a risk it could spoil or develop off-flavors. For optimal safety and taste, aim to consume it within a week. However, there are thing you can do to extend its freshness: 1. Sterilize ALL equipment and containers. 2. Cool the yogurt quickly and refrigerate immediately. 3. Store in an airtight container at the back of the fridge. 4. Keep the fridge temperature steady at about 4°C (39°F). 5. Always use a clean spoon to avoid contamination when serving. Hope this helps!
What is the protein content
It’s 5.9 g per serving, assuming the whole batch provides 8 servings.
Hi
I made this today and it was at 105°F for 8 hours and it smells like fermented sourdough starter and had air bubbles in it. Is this normal? It does taste a bit yeasty.
Hi Rebecca, the smell of fermented sourdough, presence of air bubbles, and yeasty taste in your cashew yogurt suggest contamination, likely from wild yeast, as these characteristics are not typical for yogurt. This could be due to cross-contamination, incorrect fermentation temperature (105°F), or unclean equipment. It’s advisable to discard this batch, thoroughly clean all equipment, and use fresh ingredients for your next attempt. Additionally, consider fermenting at a lower temperature (95-100°F) and keeping yogurt-making separate from other fermentation processes to avoid future issues. Hope this helps!
Hi. Thanks for this great recipe.
Is it ok that the yogurt has air bubbles in it in the morning and expanded in size? The smell and taste seem ok. A bit tangy with a slight sharp after taste
Very welcome Simcha! Yes, that’s totally normal. The air bubbles are a natural result of the fermentation process, where the probiotics produce gases. Hope you enjoy!
Thanks for your advice and I think it would really help. I learned a lot from your post and would like to try by myself in the future. If there are more I can know, I really would like to learn more. Thanks you again. And there is a very good post that I learned from a lot. I would like to share with you. https://www.icapsulepack.com/capsule-filling-machine/
Very welcome, Chris! So glad to hear that!
I am gonna try it these days, though i was wondering if i can put the mix into the instapot (which has the Yogurt setting, keeping it warm)?
Also, can you overdo the soaking? 🙂 If i put it at 6 pm, would it be a problem until next morning at 10 or so?
Thanks!
Yes, the yogurt setting of the Instapot should work well! Soaking is fine up to 24 hours. If you plan to soak for longer, it’s best to change the water to prevent mold and bacteria growth. Let me know how it goes 🙂
Could I use the yogurt setting on my instapot for the fermentation process?
Yes, you certainly can.
Wow, this was an easy and turned out great. It came out so thick and creamy. I put the jars in my instant pot and used the yogurt setting for 12 hours, but when I checked it after 8-9 hours it was thick and tangy. I’m so pleased to have found a simple recipe for a non dairy yogurt. I was making soy yogurt in my instant pot last year, but I cut back on my soy intake. This is a huge money saver too. I was paying $8.00 for a large container of cashew coconut yogurt that had a lot of additives. This is much cleaner and simpler. I used 1 capsule of Physicians Choice 60 billion probiotic. Thanks for the great recipe!
Thanks for taking the time to comment and rate the recipe, Deb! So glad it worked out well and that you enjoyed it. It is definitely much cleaner and more economical than store-bought options!
I would love to make this recipe since I am paying $7.99 for a 24oz container of Harmless Harvest coconut yogurt. The plain flavor is the cleanest yogurt I have found with only 3 ingredients – organic coconut milk (only water and meat), organic tapioca starch (not sure I should really be consuming this), and 4 live and active cultures.
I would definitely ferment in my instant pot on the yogurt setting.
Here are my questions:
1. DebB said she had the instant pot yogurt setting on 12 hours but checked the jar after 8-9 hours. Would the batch be ok if I checked my yogurt after this time but had to turn on the yogurt setting again to let the batch ferment for a longer time? I am questioning it since the batch will be disturbed by inserting the spoon for a taste.
2. You mentioned in one post to cool the yogurt quickly. How would you do that? Simply put the jar in an ice bath, or is there another way?
Thank you for your time in answering my questions.
Hi Beth, yes, that’s totally fine. Checking it won’t ruin the batch as long as you use a clean sterilized spoon. You can continue fermenting afterward if you want it tangier.
No need for anything fancy, just seal the jar and place it in the fridge to cool and set. An ice bath isn’t necessary.
I love the ease and minimal simple ingredients of this recipe. I have a few questions before I try it. Is it possible to ferment the yogurt for too long of a time? What is the ideal fermentation time? Would it be a good idea to put the jar in a sunny window? I have a nearly 100% southern exposure on one side of my house. Thanks for your time.
Great questions, Beth! Yes, you can ferment it too long. It will become very tangy, may start to separate, and if left too long, there’s a risk of spoilage or mold. Around 8–12 hours is ideal for a mild flavor, up to 24 hours if you prefer it tangier.
I wouldn’t recommend a sunny window. Too much heat or direct sunlight can affect the fermentation. A warm, stable spot (like the oven with the light on) is more reliable.
Hope that helps and happy fermenting 🙂