Soy Milk

Homemade soy milk is a great alternative to cow’s milk. It’s delicious, so inexpensive, easy to make and only requires 2 ingredients: water and soybeans.

Soy milk is a delicious and healthy alternative to cow’s milk. You can find it at pretty much any supermarket and is so inexpensive, but homemade soy milk is much better than store-bought

It has a strong flavor, though, so it’s not my favorite milk for drinking plain (I prefer oat milk), it is my favorite choice for cooking because it’s higher in fat than other plant-based milk products and has a similar texture to cow’s milk.

Making soy milk at home is really easy. You just need 2 ingredients: water and yellow soybeans, that’s all! However, you need to cook the milk before drinking it, as soy is a legume and can’t be eaten raw.

You can also add other ingredients, like vanilla extract, cocoa or carob powder, some sweetener (dates are amazing) or anything you want.

Soy is pretty controversial, it has supporters and detractors, but soy products have been consumed by centuries in Asia and they’re super healthy people, so don’t be afraid and enjoy your super tasty homemade soy milk.

In addition, soy milk is better for your health, the planet and the animals than cow’s milk, so give it a try!

How to make soy milk – Step by step

• Soak the soybeans in water overnight.
• Drain the soybeans and remove the outer skins. Then blend the soybeans with 3 cups or 750 ml of water until well blended and almost smooth (photo 1).
• Strain the blended mixture using a nut milk bag, a cheesecloth, a napkin or a fine mesh strainer (photo 2).
• Pour the mixture into a pot or a saucepan and add 1 cup or 250 ml of water (photo 3).
• Bring to a boil, stir and skim foam (photo 4).
• Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes (photo 5).
• Let cool the soy milk and enjoy it (photo 6). You can add other ingredients such as vanilla extract or dates. Blend the mixture if necessary.

Pro tips

• Use yellow soybeans, it’s the best kind of soybeans to make soy milk.
• Add more or less water depending on how thick you like your milk
• Feel free to add any sweeter you want or don’t add any sweetener at all. Add it gently until the milk tastes good.
• Some recipes call for a tiny amount of salt, but I prefer my milk salt-free.
• Feel free to add other ingredients like cocoa powder or ground cinnamon.

How long does homemade soy milk last?

It lasts about 3 to 5 days in a sealed container in the fridge. The time may vary depending on the container you’re using.

If the milk smells, tastes and looks good, it should be okay. I usually keep it for 5 days or even longer in the fridge.

Can you freeze soy milk?

When you freeze soy milk it often loses its texture and some of its flavor. However, freezing does not affect its safety or nutritional value, and you can keep it in your freezer for 3-6 months.

As it changes in texture when thawed, it’s better to use it for cooking rather than for drinking it just by itself.

Looking for more plant milk recipes?

• Oat Milk
• Coconut Milk
• Rice Milk
• Cashew Milk
• Almond Milk

Did you make this soy milk recipe?

Please leave a comment below, share it or rate it. You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, and PINTEREST. I’d love to see what you cook!

Soy Milk

• Author: Iosune
• Prep: 10 mins
• Cook: 25 mins
• Total: 35 mins
• About 2 cups (500 ml) 1x
• How To, Drink
• Vegan, Chinese

★★★★★ 4.7 from 22 reviews

Servings About 2 cups (500 ml) 1x

Scale 1x2x3x Tap or hover over number to scale servings

Print Pin Rate

Homemade soy milk is a great alternative to cow’s milk. It’s delicious, so inexpensive, easy to make and only requires 2 ingredients: water and soybeans.

Ingredients

• ½ cup dried soybeans (80 g)
• 4 cups water (1 l)
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract or a piece of vanilla bean (optional)
• 4 dates (optional)

Instructions

1. Soak the soybeans in water overnight (ideally 12 hours or longer).
2. Drain the soybeans and remove the outer skins. Removing the outer skins is optional, but your milk will have a better texture if you do.
3. Blend the soybeans with 3 cups of water (750 ml) until well blended and almost smooth.
4. Strain the blended mixture using a nut milk bag, a cheesecloth, a napkin or a fine mesh strainer.
5. Pour the mixture into a pot or a saucepan and add 1 cup of water (250 ml). Bring to a boil, stir and skim foam.
6. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes.
7. Let cool the soy milk. You can add other ingredients such as vanilla extract or dates. Blend the mixture if necessary.
8. Keep leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for about 3-5 days.

Notes

• Use yellow soybeans, it’s the best kind of soybeans to make soy milk.
• Add more or less water depending on how thick you like your milk
• Feel free to add any sweeter you want or don’t add any sweetener at all. Add it gently until the milk tastes good.
• Some recipes call for a tiny amount of salt, but I prefer my milk salt-free.
• Feel free to add other ingredients like cocoa powder or ground cinnamon.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 cup (250 ml)
• Calories: 95
• Sugar: 2.1 g
• Sodium: 16 mg
• Fat: 4.8 g
• Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
• Carbohydrates: 4.2 g
• Fiber: 2.1 g
• Protein: 9.5 g

Update Notes: This post was originally published in Mayo of 2014, but was republished with new photos, step by step instructions and tips in January of 2020.