Yogurt Alternatives: Dairy Free Yogurt

Dairy free yogurt. Sounds like an oxymoron, doesn’t it? Well, believe it or not, it’s very much a real thing.

People who can’t eat or prefer not to eat dairy already know that dairy free yogurt is a thing. In fact, dairy free yogurt is a perfect dairy yogurt alternative for dairy sensitive people and people who prefer not to consume dairy products. Not to mention, most dairy free yogurts are completely vegan.

In this article, we’re going to review some popular dairy free yogurt brands and look at a simple dairy free yogurt recipe.

Dairy Free Yogurt ~ The Most Popular Brands

Amande

Amande is an almond milk dairy free yogurt brand. This dairy free yogurt comes in several flavors, including the standard vanilla and fruit flavors like cherry and strawberry. Some people consider the consistency to be a little ‘strange,’ but it’s a great alternative for people who need a good dairy free yogurt.

This dairy free yogurt is best eaten with granola or other fruity mix-ins.

Almond Dream

As another dairy free yogurt almond milk yogurt, this one has a better and more ‘yogurt-like’ consistency than the aforementioned. It comes in five flavors, including coconut, mixed berry and plain. Much like the last brand, people enjoy mixing in granola or a handful of fruit to bolster the taste factor of this dairy free yogurt.

This is great with a handful of sweet, crunch granola or ripe banana and strawberry—or your fruit of choice.

Trader Joe’s Dairy Free Yogurt

If you can get a hold of Trader Joe’s brand of dairy free yogurt or cultured coconut milk, they present a great alternative to other brands on the market. They have plenty of flavors, including vanilla and blueberry. While this dairy free yogurt works for some people, it might not be good for people with soy allergies, as they may contain guar gum.

This dairy free yogurt is best eaten with granola or ripe fruit.

So Delicious

Another brand of cultured coconut milk, this dairy free yogurt also comes in many flavors, such as the popular blueberry and vanilla kind. It has a watery texture, so people who like a thicker dairy free yogurt might not like it, especially if they don’t want to strain it. This dairy free yogurt might also contain guar gum, so if you have a soy allergy, avoid this brand.

Before you buy dairy free yogurt, make sure you read the ingredients labels. You’re going to want to check for any non-dairy ingredients and any other ingredients that may trigger allergic reactions.

Dairy Free Yogurt ~ Make Your Own

Many people have their own way in making homemade dairy free yogurt. Using a crock pot without its heating plate is a great way to produce dairy free yogurt. This typically ceramic pot is the right size and has great insulation for making dairy free yogurt.

Dash go bulkOf course instead of starting with crock pots and heating plates and cooling down etc etc, you can opt for a yogurt maker. The yogurt maker will take all the extra handling and you don’t have to worry about whether the yogurt will be heated long enough or so.

The recipe below can be made completely with your crock pots etc but also easily be changed to use with a yogurt maker.

If you’re wondering about the milk you should use, don’t worry. There are several dairy free milks that work well for making dairy free yogurt. Coconut milk and soy milk produce the best results (a thicker yogurt), however people also make dairy free yogurt from almond milk and rice milk. You’ll have to use dairy free thickeners, however, to get your yogurt at a ‘yogurt-like’ consistency.

Dairy free yogurt recipe

To make dairy free yogurt, you’ll need:

  • A quart of organic soy or coconut milk
  • A teaspoon of probiotics powder (yogurt starter), dairy-free
  • A thickener, such as gelatin, agar or pectin powder (combine with about 4 tablespoons of water before mixing in finished yogurt), optional

To start making your dairy free yogurt, pour your milk inside of a pan and heat it until its lukewarm or around body temperature. If you heat it too much, it will end up destroying the yogurt cultures. When it’s ready, pour the heated milk into the ceramic pot. Make sure you’ve cleaned out the pot with boiling hot water and left it to dry out to sterilize it.

Mix together your tempered yogurt cultures with your soy or coconut milk. You can ‘temper’ your yogurt cultures by mixing the tablespoon of probiotics powder with a portion of the coconut or soy milk. Combine the tempered milk with the fresh milk until everything is blended properly.

When you’ve mixed everything, cover the mixture with a piece of cheesecloth or a lid and let it sit in a warm area for about 6 to 10 hours, based on its temperature and how thick you want your dairy free yogurt. Longer culturing times will make the yogurt taste tangier.

Remove the lid a few hours later. Thanks to the probiotics, the milk should have separated into one layer, while the remaining liquid into another.

Pour out the liquid if it’s settled at the top and scoop the yogurt into a container for storage. If it’s settled at the bottom, scoop out the thick yogurt on top into container for storage. Once you’re done, mix up your yogurt and put it in the fridge to cool. And, you’re done! Enjoy your dairy free yogurt!

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