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A simple how-to to make a delicious homemade soy milk recipe. A great lactose-free, vegan, high-protein dairy-free milk that is low cost and has a variety of health benefits.
This blog post will be discussing some of the soy milk benefits, what is soy milk, and how to make soy milk quickly and easily at home with a simple homemade soy milk recipe. I’ve also included some ways to flavor and vary your soy milk, for different flavor palettes.
Soy foods and soy products have gotten a lot of flack over the years, and there’s always been this question around it of is it good for you, isn’t it. Especially as a mostly GMO product ( eat organic soy to avoid GMOs). However, I’ve never had an issue with soy products and know many who’d agree, so I won’t go too much into that here.
In fact, if you do want to read more about soybeans and the debate over their pros and cons etc. then here are a few links you might like to articles that can explain things a lot better than I do. Such as this article in GoodHouseKeeping, or on Health Line.
In fact, my takeaway sentence from Health Line is the only thing I’ll share here: Which states that while animal studies have shown that soy can negatively impact thyroid function, male hormones, and even breast cancer. The same cannot be said for the human studies that have been conducted.
So, as far as I’m concerned – Soy (particularly the most un-processed versions using soybeans), is perfectly healthy to eat in moderation.
Over the last decade or so, soy milk has become one of the most popular lactose-free, dairy-free milk options available. This is primarily due to the high protein levels of soybeans, meaning this milk can compare nutritionally to cows milk in ways that certain other dairy-free milk options cannot. In fact, soy-based milk is healthier in many ways, which I’ll go into in more detail below.
So, What Is Soy Milk, and why make it at home?
Soy milk is made when you blend the soybeans with water to create a creamy, milk-like liquid. During the process, the insoluble fiber from soybeans separates for the resulting liquid, so you’re left with smooth milk.
When buying store-bought soy milk (like many plant-based milks), you will often find unnecessary additives, preservatives, and thickeners. Unfortunately, many of these ingredients can wreak havoc on your gut – especially if you’re consuming them in large quantities. Luckily, by making homemade soy milk, you’re able to be in control of what goes into your milk.
Homemade soy milk can also work out a lot more cost-effective than store-bought varieties – Especially if buying the beans in bulk. From a quick online check, I found a 5kg (0.79 stone) bag for just £12 (around $15). Doing the maths, this means that a single cup of homemade soy milk can cost you as little as around 10 cents when following this recipe.
It’s also possible to fortify your dairy-free milk further with the use of a vegan collagen powder mixed into the water. And, if you consume animal products, then bone broth can be very beneficial to the gut.
If you are want to check out more dairy-free milk recipes, then I have lots to check out on this blog. This includes Zero Waste Homemade Almond Milk, Homemade Oat Milk ( that isn’t slimy), and How-to: DIY Homemade Coconut Milk. Plus lots more (including flaxseed and a variety of nuts) in the DIY section of my blog.
Soy Milk Benefits
As I’ve already stated above, much of the controversy surrounding soy products seem to be linked with animal studies. Whereas human studies have largely disproved these in many ways and have given us several soy health benefits.
Currently, science doesn’t fully understand soy, so these facts and studies could still change. However, for now, I’m happy to eat low processed soy foods/ products in moderation and have personally never seen any adverse health risks from my soy consumption. The same can be said for all of my soy eating friends.
One of the best pros associated with soy milk is how it compares to dairy milk whereas an 8oz portion of whole cows milk contains 12g respectively of carbs and sugars and 8g of protein and fat. Unsweetened Soy milk contains 4g carbs, 1g sugars, 4g fat, and 7g protein. It also contains fewer calories ( almost halved, in some cases) of whole milk and equal calories to 1% milk.
In fact, soy contains all nine essential amino acids (fatty acids), while being a fantastic source of protein and balanced with carbohydrates and fats.
As plant-based milk, soy milk is also naturally low in saturated fat and cholesterol-free, which means that it is a great milk option for weight management, weight loss, and heart health.
Soy milk is also naturally lactose-free, so a great option for those with lactose intolerance.
Homemade soy milk is also a good source of a variety of vitamins and minerals including Vitamin A and potassium.
Soy milk also contains ‘isoflavones’, with research suggesting that these are antioxidants. Thus, they reduce inflammation and even have anti-cancerous properties to reduce the risk of certain diseases and cancers.
Some studies even show that consuming soy protein daily may help reduce harmful LDL cholesterol levels in the body.
How To Make Soy Milk
Making soy milk is a fairly simple process, using just two ingredients – soybeans and water.
The first thing you need to do is soak your soybeans. Soak the beans in water for at least 6 hours, or overnight.
Note* I’ve read that if you have issues digesting beans then adding a splash of apple cider vinegar to your beans while they are soaking will help leech out phytic acid content, without affecting the flavor.
You’ll notice that soaked soybeans will expand between 2-3 times in size.
Once they are soaked, you can then optionally peel the beans. This isn’t 100% necessary, although it will help to blend smoother homemade soy milk and only adds a couple of extra minutes of prep time to the recipe. After soaking the beans, the skins will come off very easily.
Close up of the three beans – dry, soaked unpeeled, soaked peeled.
Next, add the soaked beans into a high-speed processor/blender for just 10-15 seconds to break down the seeds slightly.
Add the cups of water and blend again until smooth and creamy.
You then do an initial strain into a large pot. This will reduce the risk of any of the beans burning to the bottom of the pot. However, I transfer the entire mixture into the saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat as I stand over the pot during this process and stir often.
When the mixture starts boiling, continue to cook for 3-4 minutes.
While boiling, remove the foam that starts floating on top. You want to try and skim as much of this foam as you can.
Reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, occasionally stirring to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Turn the heat off and leave to cool down for a few minutes. Then pour the milky liquid in a bowl through a nut milk bag.
Squeeze or press down the nut milk bag, so all the liquid drains into the bowl.
This can then be transferred to a bottle.
Store your homemade soy milk in the fridge for 3-5 days. If it begins to smell/taste sour, then it is past its best.
You can also freeze soy milk for 3-6 months. However, this can slightly affect the texture of the milk (although not the nutrition).
Homemade Soy Milk Recipe Variations
I always keep my homemade dairy-free milk recipes down to the bare minimum. However, plain soy milk isn’t really to everyone’s taste buds as it’s quite a strong flavor. To combat this, and in general just jazz up this soy milk recipe, you have a few flavor options.
The first thing to address is sweetness. I like to keep these recipes refined sugar-free and suggest using Medjool dates or maple syrup to sweeten your homemade soy milk naturally.
You can also add a variety of spices/ add-ins including homemade vanilla extract, cinnamon, cacao powder, etc.
For the full plethora of dairy-free homemade milk, feel free to browse through the DIY section of my blog or search ‘milk‘ in the search bar for options including rice, flaxseed, almonds, oats, pistachio, etc.
If you have any questions about this soy milk recipe, then feel free to leave them in the comments below. Also, I love to see any recreations so you can tag me on Instagram @AlphaFoodie.
Soy milk
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup soybeans
- 8 cups filtered water
Instructions
- Start by soaking the soybeans for six hours or overnight. * During this time the soybeans will expand to 2-3x their size.
- Once they are soaked you can then optionally peel the beans. This isn't 100% necessary, although it will help to blend smoother homemade soy milk and only adds a couple of extra minutes of prep time to the recipe. After soaking the beans, the skins will come off very easily.
- Add the soaked beans into a high-speed processor/blender for just 10-15 seconds to break down the seeds slightly.
- Add the water and blend again until smooth and creamy.
- You then do an initial strain into a large pot. This will reduce the risk of any of the beans burning to the bottom of the pot while you heat it. However, I simply transfer the entire mixture into the pot and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often.
- When the mixture starts boiling, continue to cook for 3-4 minutes. While boiling, remove the foam that starts floating on top. You want to try and skim as much of this foam as you can.
- Reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- Turn the heat off and leave to cool down for a few minutes. Then pour the milky liquid in a bowl through a nut milk bag.
- Squeeze or press down the nut milk bag so all the liquid drains into the bowl. This can then be transferred to a bottle. Store your homemade soy milk in the fridge for 3-5 days. If it begins to smell/taste sour then it is past its best.
- You can also freeze soy milk for 3-6 months. However, this can slightly affect the texture of the milk (although not the nutrition).
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
A little runny!
Hi Jen,
Was it runny or watery?
Sorry for all the comments, but do you blend the soybeans with the same water they were soaked in or use fresh water? Thank you.
Hi Margaret.
You need to use fresh water for blending the soybeans.
Thank you so much for this recipe, I’m excited to use it. Why do you skim off the foam from the milk?
Hi Paige,
In this case, it was just a wooden spoon. You can also use a slotted spoon or a more specialized skimmer one.
Hi and thanks for the recipe.
I’m in the process of making it now.
I don’t as yet have a nut milk bag or any muslin. However, the following alternative worked for me:
After I soaked o’night, I rinsed and removed the skins but as you say, it’s not necessary.
Then, I used a fine mesh strainer strainer BEFORE I cooked the beans, pressing the last of the milk from the mush.
Perfect!
I will skim and cool and bottle as advised!
Next project will be tofu! 🙂 x
Thank you for your comment, Jani. Great tips!
Hey thanks for posting this useful information about simple homemade soy milk recipe here, I really hope it will be helpful to many.
Thank you very much Jack, glad you liked this 🙂
I just bought a mixer to do soy milk for my babies (15 months). I usually buy to the grocery fortified soy milk for them to have more vitamins in it. I am wondering if you know how to fortify the soy milk with all those vitamins like b12? Does it have it naturally? What can I add to fortify it like the one in the grocery? Thank you for your help!
Hi Stephanie,
I would not recommend fortifying the soymilk yourself if you want to give it to your babies. It would be safer to buy fortified milk.
Thank you for this! What can i do with the left over beans?
Hi Mel,
The soy pulp can be added into soups and stews while cooking the other ingredients. Keep in mind that soybean pulp needs to be cooked before ingesting (just as we boil the soy milk). I hope this helps.
How beany smell of can removed from soya millk
Hi,
As long as the soybeans are soaked before making the milk, there shouldn’t be any disagreeable soy-odors.
I hope this helps.
When would they dates be added as they need to be blended up?
Hi Debby, I would add them towards the end after filtering so you don’t loose any of the date fibre.
One correction, which I’m aware of because I too prefer homemade soymilk: Soy does NOT provide vitamin B12, except to the extent commercial soymilks are often fortified with it. B12 is not available to humans except in animal products, or in fortified products or supplements. It is very important for vegans to take a vitamin B12 supplement, as long-term vitamin B12 deficiency is dangerous. (Elderly non-vegans are also susceptible to B12 deficiency because absorption is poor as we age.)
Thank you so much for your comment and all the information, Susan.
You are right.
Thank you for these instructions.
I have two questions: 1) I use a Soyajoy appliance to make soymilk. Their recipe is 1/2 cup beans, 1.7 liters water (about 7 cups). You’re using a full cup of beans, 8 cups water. Have you tried different quantities and this is the best?
2) I’d like to fortify my soymilk with calcium. Do you know — what kind of calcium supplement should I add, how much, and when (in the process)?
Thank you!
Thank you so much for your comment, Karen.
Regarding the beans to water ratio – I haven’t tried different ratios but I think the difference is in how “intense” the soy flavour is vs the milk being more “watered down”. And it’s up to personal taste at the end 🙂
I am sorry but I can’t recommend a calcium supplement at the moment since I haven’t tried any.
Hope you’re having a great day!
Tofu is made by adding calcium chloride or traditionally magnesium chloride (Nigari) in hot soy milk. Latter one is significantly less harsh for kidneys. If you wish to achieve creaminess of soy milk by adding calcium or magnesium do it, but only in small quantities (1/4 of a teaspoon per 1 Liter of a soy milk) and only in cold milk.
First dissolve magnesium or calcium chloride in 1/4 cup of a cold water and pour in a cold milk. Stir it or gently shake a soy milk container (bottle or jug or whatever milk is kept in). Leave it 1-2 hours in the fridge to settle. It is stable for 2-3 days, after that tofu will separate on a top of a container.
Thank you for the tip, Milorad.
Muchas gracias por tu increible receta e información.
Tú crees que con esta leche se puede hacer helado vegano?
Muchas gracias!
Saludos desde México <3
Hi Ramón,
You’re very welcome. For the vegan nice cream, I have a recipe on my blog. I have used bananas and almond milk but soy milk will also work. I have a non vegan traditional ice cream recipe coming soon to the blog 🙂 x.
Thanks for sharing, my question is if it’s healthy to add dates to homemade soy milk and at what point can I add it? Can the dates be grounded too?
Hi Maria,
You can add dates. You can add it right before blending the soy and water so you can strain everything together.
Hi Samira,
I’ve been making these soya milk. But I keep finding that my milk sort of curdles after two three days in the fridge. What could possibly be causing this? 🙁 I did boil quite long usually like 30-45mins in medium to low heat. I also usually remove the soybean skins(after soak). Could this be the cause?
Hi Crystal,
Homemade soy milk usually keeps for 3-5 days in the fridge. Make sure to keep it in an air-tight bottle. I’ve heard that you can re-boils it after 2 days to prolong its shelflife but I’ve never tried it myself.
I hope this helps.
Hi
At what point in the recipe can i add the flavour to the Soy Milk?
I wanted to add vanilla and chocolate powder.
And how long does it stay in the fridge after that?
I would add the flavorings once I’ve turned off the heat to the milk and am leaving it to cool down 🙂 This milk can then be stored in the fridge for 3-5 days or can be frozen for at least 3 months 🙂
I just found your post on soy milk. I’m going to try your recipe. Thank you.
I have used soy milk instead of animal milk for over 35 years. I was given many warnings about how it would mess me up physically, hormonally. I didn’t buy it then, or now. In fact, my experience was the best I think. After 25 years of drinking soy milk and eating tofu, I went through menopause. The only symptom I had was…my periods stopped. No mood swings, no hot flashes. Nothing. My mother and friends kept say “wait until it kicks in, then you’ll see”…”you haven’t actually started yet”…10 years later I’m still waiting. My husband laughs that when I went through “the change” I went to the room, changed, came out. He feels very lucky.
So my personal experience on the effects of soy…awesome!
I’m glad to hear! there is a lot of conflicting information out there – some good, some bad. I always think, as long as we consume things in moderation then that is my aim 🙂
That is great to hear, and I totally agree.
Thank you so much for your comment, Margaret.