How to Make Bulgarian Yogurt (With or Without a Yogurt Maker)

Ah, Bulgarian yogurt – my favorite topic! As a proud Bulgarian, I cannot simply describe my deep affection towards this healthy delicious dairy product! And not just because it is a traditional Bulgarian food, but also because I believe it is truly an amazing nutritional superfood which can be added to almost any healthy diet plan (yes, including keto, but more about this – a bit later). If you wish to learn all the amazing benefits of Bulgarian yogurt, jump straight into the previous article:

The Bulgarian Yogurt Benefits

Now, before I show you how to make Bulgarian yogurt, here a few things I would like to clear out:

Is Bulgarian yogurt good for you?

Duh! DIY Bulgarian yogurt made with organic high-quality milk is jam-packed with healthy nutrients like healthy fats, easily-digestible proteins, vitamins, minerals, and immune-boosting probiotics! Here in the Balkans it is famous for being the food of centenarians! But, as I have mentioned above, I have condensed all my favorite top benefits of Bulgarian yogurt right HERE. And the short answer is – YES! And, surprise-surprise, even if you are lactose intolerant or if you avoid dairy products for one reason or another, you can still reap the benefits of the Lactobacillus Bulgaricus probiotics by making your own vegan Bulgarian yogurt with the help of a high-quality starter.

I use this one: Bacillus Bulgaricus

Ivo from Bacillus Bulgaricus will send you a free pdf with all kinds of cool vegan recipes for making Bulgarian yogurt with every purchase!

Image source: Milica Vladova©

Is Bulgarian yogurt keto?

Oh, a big one! I keep seeing people get confused about whether yogurt is keto or not. But for me, Bulgarian yogurt is a 100% LCHF friendly food! Why? Simply because of the nutritional info! All we need to do is check the amounts of net carbs in our end product! Let’s take a look at two of the most popular brands in the Western world: according to Cronometer, Trimona and White Mountain contain about 2.6 grams of net carbs per one 100-gram serving! If that isn’t keto, I don’t know what is! 😀

Why is that?

Simply because the Lactobacillus Bulgaricus starter culture loooooves lactose and through the fermentation process it sort of “consumes” almost all of it, so the end product is very low in lactose, completely LCHF friendly with very few net carbs, and super healthy and delicious!

And remember – if you use goat milk, the amount of lactose (and carbs) will be even lower! BUT! Important note: Bulgarian yogurt made with goat milk is a bit thinner – keep that mind and do not freak out if the yogurt does not turn out as creamy and thick as the regular cow or buffalo types! 

Image source: Milica Vladova©

Here is why you should consider using goat milk:

The Surprising Goat Milk Benefits You Won’t Believe

In contrast, plain Greek yogurt usually contains about 5 grams of net carbs per one 100-gram serving – almost double!

So, keto diet fans, do not fear! Grab your starting culture, some fresh milk, and start fermenting!

Speaking of the keto diet, I have an upcoming book on healthy weight-loss using the low carb diet plan, specially designed for women. If you wish to be among the first to learn more is, feel free to subscribe to my newsletter and become an insider! You will get access to many cool freebies and special surprises!

Image source: Milica Vladova©

And another question I would like to address:

Why is homemade yogurt better?

Before I share with you how to make Bulgarian yogurt, here are some of the advantages of DIY yogurt instead of the store-bought ones:

1. You have full control of the ingredients – you can choose high-quality milk from a local farm, which does not use hormones and/or antibiotics on their animals. Read more about the hazards of taking too many antibiotics:
   

   The Dangers of Antibiotics

   You can use any type of milk you desire – cow, buffalo, or the goat milk which is very low on lactose, as I have mentioned before, hey even donkey (BTW, I have heard that the donkey milk benefits are amazing!)! Or you can even make a vegan version for the fasting periods or if you are abstaining from animal products indefinitely.

2. You will avoid the consumption of preservatives, colorings, or other artificial ingredients in your product! Real yogurt can be stored in the fridge for up to several days. There is no way this low carb goodness can be commercially produced without any preservatives or additives.
3. It is a fun hobby for the whole family! DIY projects, which have the potential to be healthy as well, are a wonderful family bonding experiences! Nothing better than preparing your own food with love and care! Remember when you make Bulgarian yogurt, you need to keep top notch hygiene throughout the process – sterilize your utensils, jars, spoons, the thermometer, etc. and avoid touching the products with your hands! Just sayin’.

How to make Bulgarian yogurt – the easy process

Alrighty, let’s get started! Here is how to make Bulgarian yogurt with our without a yogurt maker!

Image source: Milica Vladova©

Print Recipe

Traditional Bulgarian Yogurt

Course

Desserts, Side dishes

Prep Time

15 minutes

Passive Time

8 hours

Servings

cups

Ingredients

Food ingredients

• 4 cups Milk (cow, goat, buffalo, etc.)
• 1/4 tsp. Bulgarian yogurt starter (see notes)

Tools

• 1 metal pot (large)
• 1 food thermometer* (see notes)
• 1 warm blanket (or a yogurt maker*)
• glass jars with tight lids

Course Desserts, Side dishes Prep Time 15 minutes Passive Time 8 hours Servings cups Ingredients Food ingredients 4 cups Milk (cow, goat, buffalo, etc.) 1/4 tsp. Bulgarian yogurt starter (see notes) Tools 1 metal pot (large) 1 food thermometer* (see notes) 1 warm blanket (or a yogurt maker*) glass jars with tight lids

Instructions

1. First, place the milk in a metal pot and heat it on low temperature.
2. Bring it to boil and immediately remove it from the heat. We perform this step in order to kill all the malevolent germs that might be in the raw milk. They will spoil the yogurt and can potentially harm our bodies.
3. Next, leave the milk aside to cool off to 40°-45° C (104°-113° F).
4. Sterilize the thermometer and dip it in the milk to check the temperature. You can use regular alcohol or silver water to clean the appliance.
5. Now we can prepare the Bulgarian yogurt starter bacterial culture. In a bowl take some of the warm milk and mix it with the yogurt starter. Stir well to blend them completely.
6. Next, bring the mixture back to the pot with the milk and stir well. Take a fork or a whisk and slowly blend the ingredients by hand for several minutes. We need to distribute the bacteria evenly.
7. Consecutively, sterilize the glass jars, or the yogurt maker containers and pour the milk in. Do not seal them too tightly! You can switch the yogurt maker according to its programming. If you do not have such appliance, wrap the jars with a blanket and leave them at room temperature for several hours to set. The time will depend on the temperature of the room. If it is nicely warm, the yogurt can be ready for as little as 5-6 hours. Otherwise, it may take more than 12 hours to set completely.
8. You can check by opening the jars and inspecting the consistency of the product. If it is nice and firm, the yogurt is ready! If it is still too runny, cover it again with the blanket and leave it to set for a couple more hours. Keep in mind that goat yogurt is naturally runny!
9. When the yogurt is ready, remove the blanket and leave it to drop its temperature for 1-2 more hours.
10. Finally, seal the jars tightly and transfer them to the fridge. Real probiotic homemade Bulgarian yogurt is best for a couple of days after production! So, dig in!

Recipe Notes

• The Bulgarian yogurt starters by Bacillus Bulgaricus (aff link) are one of the best on the market and they are available worldwide!
• You can use a food thermometer like this one, for example.
• If you intend to make your own healthy yogurt on a regular basis, it is best to invest in a quality yogurt maker - it will save you lots of time and energy!

       Note: if you are a vegan or doing any type of vegan fasting, you can make Bulgarian yogurt with milk from nuts and seeds as well. You can find the detailed instructions in “The Yogurt-Maker’s Handbook”. You will learn how to make traditional Bulgarian yogurt with all sorts of dairy and non-dairy products, such as Greek yogurt, Icelandic yogurt, soy yogurt, coconut yogurt, yogurt from cashew, rice, sunflower seeds, and more! But also note that the sachet contains a small amount of dried skim milk powder which is needed for the activating the fermentation process. The lactose in this milk powder is completely consumed by the probiotic bacteria and the end product you get is completely dairy-free, but the starter itself (in the sachet) is not. Bear this in mind if you are a strict vegan!

Get your FREE pdf copy with every purchase of any Bacillus Bulgaricus product!

Read more:
3 Healthy Desserts with Bulgarian Yogurt
The Bulgarian Yogurt Benefits
I Took Antibiotics! Now what?
The Dangers of Antibiotics

Stay tuned for more healthy keto yogurt recipes and desserts!

Till next time!