How to Make Soy Milk

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: December 10, 2022 References Tested

Soy milk is a delicious alternative to dairy milk that you can use for a substitute in recipes or just enjoy on its own. Many don’t realize that making soy milk from scratch is quite easy as long as you have a bag of soybeans and a blender. After trying your own homemade version, you may say goodbye to store-bought soy milk for good!

Ingredients

Serving size: 1 liter (0.26 gallons) pitcher of soy milk

1 bag (150 grams) dried yellow soybeans
Salt, to taste
Sugar, to taste (optional)
Vanilla, cinnamon or chocolate, strawberry to taste (optional)

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Preparing and Blending the Soybeans

1
Rinse the soybeans. Pour the bag of soybeans into a colander and run the beans under cool water. Use your hands to mix the soybeans around so that all the beans get rinsed.^{[1]
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2
Soak the soybeans overnight. After rinsing the beans, place them in a large bowl. Pour enough cool water to completely cover the beans, about 4 cups. Then leave them to soak undisturbed overnight, or for at least 12 hours.^{[2]
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- Soaking the beans makes them easier to de-hull and also makes it easier to blend them to make the milk.
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3
Check the beans. After 12 hours, the soybeans should be softer and should be twice their original size. Use a knife to cut through a soybean. If it is soft and easy to cut through, the beans are done. If the bean is still tough, allow the beans to soak longer and check every hour or so until the beans have soaked enough.^{[3]
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4
Drain the soybeans. After you soak the soybeans, place a colander in the sink and pour the soybeans into the colander, letting the water drain. Then transfer the beans into a large bowl and cover the soybeans in water.^{[4]
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5
Roll the soybeans between your fingers. Before blending the soybeans, many prefer to remove the thin skins of the soybeans since it improves the texture of the milk. To remove the skins, rub the beans between your two hands to loosen the husks.^{[5]
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- You can individually pick the skins off the beans as you rub them, or you can drop the beans back into the water. The loosened skins will come off and float to the surface of the water.
6
Use a spoon to skim out the skins. After you have finished rolling the beans, you should see a layer of soybean skins floating on the water. Use your hand or a spoon to scoop the skins out of the water.^{[6]
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- It’s ok if you have missed a few skins, or if a few of the beans still have their husks. This won’t dramatically affect the milk.
7
Place the beans and four cups of water into the blender. After you have de-hulled the soybeans, pour the beans into the blender, and fill the blender with four cups of water. Place the top on the blender.
- If your blender isn’t big enough to hold four cups of water, put in half the soybeans and two cups of water. After you have finished blending the first batch, do a second batch.
8
Run the blender on high for one minute. Blend the soybeans on high for at least a minute. After a minute, take the top off the blender and check the soy milk. The milk should look frothy, and there should be no chunks of bean.
- If the mixture doesn’t look completely blended, blend for another fifteen seconds and check again.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Straining and Boiling the Soy Milk

1
Set up the strainer. Even though the beans are completely blended, you will need to strain the soy milk to achieve a smooth texture. Place a sheet of cheesecloth or muslin over a fine strainer, then place the strainer over a pot.^{[7]
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2
Strain the soy milk. Carefully pour the blended soy milk over the cheesecloth and into the pot. After you have finished pouring, bring all the corners of the cheesecloth together and twist over the pot. This should release more soy milk into the pot.
3
Set aside the soy paste. After you have finished wringing out the cheesecloth, open it up to see the soy paste that is left inside, also called okara. Okara can be used to make a number of different foods, from veggie burgers to crackers.^{[8]
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- If you have no use for the okara, you can dispose of it.
4
Put the pot of soy milk over medium-low heat. Place the soy milk on the stove over medium-low heat. Stir from time to time, and keep an eye on the pot because soy milk can bubble over quickly.^{[9]
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5
Bring to a boil and add salt and flavorings. After the soy milk has begun to boil, turn the heat down to simmer. Add a pinch of salt along with additional flavorings if you choose. Many add some sugar, since store-bought soy milk usually contains extra sugar.^{[10]
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- You can also add a teaspoon of vanilla extract, a stick of cinnamon, or even a few tablespoons of melted chocolate to give the soy milk additional flavor.
6
Simmer for 20 minutes. After you have turned down the heat and added the flavors, let the soy milk simmer for another 20 minutes. This will mellow out the flavor of the soy milk so it tastes less “beany.”^{[11]
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Serving the Soy Milk

1
Let the soy milk cool. Turn off the heat after 20 minutes and take the pot of soy milk off the burner. Set it aside and let it cool. After it has come to room temperature you can pour it in a pitcher and put it in the fridge.^{[12]
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2
Scoop off any film on the top. Once the soy milk has cooled, examine the top of the liquid. If you see any skin or film on top of the milk, skim it off with a spoon and discard it.
3
Serve the soy milk cold. After the film is removed, the soy milk is ready to be served! Serve it up cold in a glass or enjoy it in smoothies or as a substitute for milk. Store any unused soy milk in the fridge for up to a week.^{[13]
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Community Q&A
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Question

What color should a soy bean be?

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This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

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Soy beans don't have a specific color that they "should" be. Soy beans are usually yellow but you can also find brown, green and even black soy beans, depending on where they're sourced from. All are good options for eating and making soy milk from.
Question

Why is soy good for you?

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Soy beans are good for you because they contain essential nutrients and, in fact, have far more nutrients than any other beans and pulses. They are high in protein and contain plentiful iron and calcium. This is why they're great for vegetarian and vegan diets––and most other diets too!
Question

Can I add sugar and flavoring?

Community Answer

Yes, you can. Some people don't like the taste of soybean milk, and add flavors, like chocolate and vanilla, to make it more appealing.