Homemade Soy Milk (Stovetop or Instant Pot)
This homemade soy milk recipe uses dried soybeans soaked overnight, then blended with water and strained to achieve a smooth, fresh plant-based milk. The soybeans are thoroughly soaked and rinsed before blending with water and strained typically through a nut milk bag or cheesecloth. The raw milk is then cooked either on the stovetop or in an Instant Pot to develop flavor and ensure safety. This process yields a natural soy milk without added stabilizers, which may have some settling that can be remedied by shaking before use.
Ingredients
For Soaking
- 1 cup soybeans dried
- 3 cups water cold
For Blending
- 2 qt water divided into 6 cups + 2 cups
Instructions
- Soak the soybeans in 3 cups of cold water overnight (12–16 hours). If you plan to soak any longer, please leave in the fridge, or the beans will start to develop a sour smell.
- After soaking, pick out any debris and misshapen beans, then rinse and drain. No need to de-hull the beans.
- Add the clean, drained soybeans to a blender along with 6 cups of water. (See Note 1 if your blender is too small for this.)
- Blend on high speed for a minute or until very smooth. (If your blender has a smoothie mode, use that.)
- Strain the soybean mixture using a nut milk bag (see Note 2 if you don't have one of these) into a large cooking pot or Instant Pot. Rinse out the blender with 2 more cups of water and pour that through the strainer.
- Save the okara for some other use, then cook the soy milk using one of the two options below.
Stovetop Option
- Set the pot containing soy milk on medium heat. Stir frequently and keep a careful watch over the pot because soy milk foams over very quickly when heated, just like real milk! Be ready to take it off the heat at any moment.
- The milk foam will gradually increase while cooking, but just keep stirring to keep it down. At some point, the foam will keep rising and rising despite continuous stirring. This is when you should quickly take it off the heat. The foam will slowly subside... and once it's cool enough to touch you can enjoy it right away or pour it into containers for storage (it will keep up to five days, refrigerated).
Instant Pot Option
- Set the Instant Pot on the Pressure Cook function ("Manual" on older models) on High Pressure for 5 minutes. Allow pressure to naturally release before opening. You can drink the soy milk right away (after cooling it down, ofc) or store for up to five days in the fridge.
Notes
- If your blender is small, blend soybeans with less water and add remaining water later to ease blending.
- You may substitute a nut milk bag for finely folded cheesecloth or muslin to strain the soy milk.
- Shake refrigerated soy milk before use to recombine any settling that occurs naturally without additives.
- Soak soybeans in the fridge if soaking longer than 12–16 hours to prevent sour odor.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 8 cups (240 g each)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 100
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 100kcal | 5% |
| Carbohydrates | 7g | 2% |
| Protein | 8g | 16% |
| Fat | 4g | 6% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 3g | 18% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Sodium | 0.5mg | 0% |
| Potassium | 404mg | 9% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 2g | 4% |
| Vitamin A | 5IU | 0% |
| Vitamin C | 1mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 62mg | 6% |
| Iron | 4mg | 22% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.