Easy homemade soy milk recipe that is fresh and creamy. Enjoy it both hot or cold - an absolute treat in taste and health.
This easy homemade soy milk recipe is the Chinese version. I know there are many different version of how people make soy milk.
Soybean milk/soy milk (often called soya bean milk in Asia), or dou jiang (豆浆) in Chinese, is a staple beverage in Asia. Dairy milk is not consumed as commonly in Asia, but soy milk is.
Chinese soy milk has a very distinct memory for me. I remember soy milk was something we bought from a local tofu vender or from the grocery store. My mom used to complain the ingredients were easy, but it takes too much effort and time to make tofu or soy milk. Now with some kitchen tools you can have your soy milk in no time.
This post is all about easy homemade soy milk recipe. Fresh and creamy nut milk can be enjoyed both hot and cold.
Equipments
The main equipment I’ll be using for this recipe is an Instant Pot and a high speed blender. I will link the equipments I am using and why I love them. The two main equipment I am using to make soy milk is not just restrictively for this recipe. I use it very very often. If I have more counter place, I would probably leave it there based on how much I use it.
I do know there are some specific soy milk machines out there that will literally do all the cooking, blending, and squeezing of the soy milk, but that also means another equipment to store. I’m all about kitchen counter efficiency and buying less for more. There’s lot of soy milk machine options out there and you can browse around. However, I think with these two equipments I will be introducing to you shortly, will get you more satisfaction than one single machine that does only one singular thing.
Soy Milk is Very Versatile
Once you’ve obtained the knowledge and experience of making soy milk, I promise it’s only the beginning. From here you can advance and start making your own tofu as well. You can flavour your tofu when it is homemade and here is where you can be super creative. Tofu is very versatile in the Asia. We use it as a main dish, and we also make it into dessert.
Tofu Fa (豆腐花) also known as tofu custard is a traditional treat made from soy milk. Usually serve either hot or cold drizzled with sweet ginger syrup.
With fresh creamy soy milk, I also never miss the opportunity to make ramen as well. To make my 7 Ingredients ramen recipe more creamy and packed with flavour, I like to add soy milk to it and add more flavour depth. It’s my secret ingredients for my tonkatsu ramen.
You purchase good quality soy beans on Amazon. A highly recommended bag of soy beans to make soy milk and tofu is this Non GMO Soybeans.
Instant Pot
There’s a lot of different varieties of Instant Pot. This popular kitchen equipment is stocked in almost every home now adays. I have the older version but nevertheless, it works perfectly fine and gets all my cooking essentials done. It cooks my beans perfectly in matter of minutes. Save me time when I’m in a hurry. It has a program to start cooking at the desire time. And my favourite part is that it is easy to clean.
I find it to be a practical equipment for a very busy household. There’s tons of free recipes out there for Instant Pot, and you’ll find something you will like. What I also love about Instant Pot is that most recipes out there are all healthy. Not many recipes are deep fried or drenched in oil. Most recipes cooking methods are cooked in low temperature, stewed, or steamed.
The Instant Pot I am using and you can purchase is the Instant Pot Du 7-in-one.
Vitamix High Speed Blender
The second equipment I would suggest to invest in is a good blender. Don’t go cheap here.
The high speed blender I have is a Vitamix Vita-Prep. It comes with two different jugs – wet and dry. Wet is for your liquids and dry is to blend your dry ingredients like spices. I love baking and I’ve been very intrigued with different flour blends.
The amazing thing about the dry jug is that it can mill grains into flour. You want oatmeal pancakes? Not a problem, you can mill whole oatmeal to flour in a matter of seconds. I love baking decorative sweets, and I make my own powder sugar from regular white sugar. It’s so convenient to have these separate jugs. The product also comes with a recipe book with endless recipes and spice blends.
All in all, it’s a great purchase and it will be one of your most crowned equipment at home. The blender I have and you can purchase is the Vitamix and the dry ingredients jug I use is this one.
Don’t have an Instant Pot but Still Wants to Make Soy Milk?
Don’t worry, we can still make it without a pressure cooker.
This method is a soy milk recipe cook beans first.
Just blend the soaked soy beans with the filtered water, and blend on high for 1 minute. Bring all the liquid to a pot and boil.
Be wary you need to keep a VERY close eye on the pot because it can easily boil over. Soy bean boil over is not fun to clean up. Simmer on low for 10 minutes, or more until you find the consistency you like. Strain and sweeten your drink.
The process is similar with the Instant Pot recipe, but not exact. Soy milk can still be done with the most basic kitchen equipments.
Ingredients
you only need three ingredients.
And they are: water, soy beans, and your preference of sweetner. I use non GMO organic Soy Beans. because I don’t believe food or plants should be created in a lab.
Sometimes I use cane sugar to sweeten my soy milk. Other times when I am feeling extra healthy, I use about 4-5 dried dates as my sweetner. The choice is up to you.
Soaking Soy Beans and Using the Instant Pot
I personally prefer to soak my beans overnight. If you’re last minute and decided to make soy milk, not a problem.
When you soak the beans, some of the skins come off and that’s okay. Up to you if you want to take it out. Some people say taking the skin makes the milk taste better. For me I have not find that true, but the preference is up to you.
Add the pre-washed beans with some water and pressure cook for 37 minutes. Just be aware you are adding 37 more minutes to the original recipe. Regardless, both method will produce fresh creamy soy milk at the end.
Blend, Separate, and Serve
Once the beans are done, all there is left is to blend and separate the milk and okara (soybeans residue) from the milk. Making sure the milk is not overly hot, pour the beans and water into the blender and blend away. Pour into a cheesecloth or a milk bag to separate the residue and milk.
The milk bag I use is this one: Pro Quality Nut Milk Bag. Be sure to squeeze every last drop and ta-da – fresh creamy soy milk right at home.
Homemade Fresh Creamy Soy Milk
Ingredients
- 2 cups dried soy beans
- 11 cups filtered water
- sugar to taste
- 4-5 dried dates optional
- 1 TSP vanilla optional
Instructions
- Rinse soy beans and discard the water. In a large bowl, add the soy bean and fill it up with water that is 2 inches above the beans. Soak over night.
- Rinse the beans a few times until the water is clear and not with a yellow tint in the water. If some of the skin of the shell sheds, discard them.
- Add the soaked beans with the 11 cups of water. Blend on high for 30 seconds. You will need to alternate a couple times to blend everything together.
Instant Pot Guidelines
- Press the "sauce" function and wait for the liquid to warm up. Once it starts to simmer, start to stir and skim off the foam at the top. Keep stirring until it starts to boil. Turn off the "saute" function and give it a good stir and making sure there's nothing stuck at the bottom of the pot.
- Close the lid and switch the steam release valve to sealing. Press "pressure cooker" and switch the mode to high pressure. Set time to 10 minutes and when it is done, allow it to be natural release. Once the valve unlock itself carefully unlock the lid. Close the lid and turn the steam release valve to sealing. Press "pressure cooker" and make sure it's on high pressure. Set the timer to 10 minutes and then natural release, which may take 15 minutes or a bit longer. The valve will collapse on its own. Carefully unlock the lid
- ***If you get a burn alert it is because the soy bean residue is stuck at the bottom of the pot. Release the lid and give the mixture a good stir. Make sure you're releasing the residue at the bottom of the pot. Close the lid and continue with the pressure cooker***
Using a pot guidelines
- Add the mixture to a pot big enough where there's still room at the top and not filled all the way to the top. Find a non stick large pot as well for the soy bean residue (okra) will stick to the bottom once the fire is on.
- Heat the pot with the soy milk on medium high. When you see the milk is close to a boil, DO NOT WALK AWAY. It will boil over very quickly and cleaning up soy milk residue from the stove top is not a fun task.
- When you you notice the milk is simmering, foam is still to form at the top. Skim the foam out.
- When the milk is starting to rise and foam more, turn the heat to low and give it a good stir to slow down the foam from rising too quick. Stir to release some residue from the bottom of the pot. Simmer on low for 10 minutes. You can simmer longer if you want a thicker consistency.
- Prepare a large jug and place the strainer or cheesecloth, or a milk bag. Be careful the steam does not burn you. Let the strainer hang and let the okra cool as it slowly drains the last drop of liquid. When it is warm enough for the hands to touch the okara, squeeze the rest of the soymilk out from the soybean pulps inside the cheesecloth or strainer.
Dried Date as Sweetener
- Soak 4-5 dried dates in hot water for 30 minutes. Once it is soft enough for hands to handle, tear the seed inside and discard it.
- In a high speed blender, add the dates and 3 cups of soy milk to the blender. Blend on high for 30 seconds.
- In the jug of where the rest of the soy milk is, put a strainer at the top and strain the date mixture in. Give the jug a good stir. Optional: add vanilla extract for more flavour.
Sugar as Sweetner
- Once the liquid is strained from the pulp and it is still hot/warm, add the sugar to the mixture. Give it a good stir until the crystals are dissolved. Optional: add vanilla extract for more flavour.
