The Difference Between Active Dry Yeast and Instant Yeast, Explained (2024)

Yeast is a living, breathing organism that has the power to turn a bowl of flour, water, and salt into a flavorful, gorgeous loaf of homemade bread, It can be used to make pretty much any baked good that requires rising. But baking with yeast is a bit more complicated than whipping up a quick bread or a batch of muffins. Before you roll up your sleeves and break out your measuring cups, it's important to understand how yeast works, how to tell if it has gone bad (the expiration date, for instance, isn't always spot on), and most importantly, active dry yeast vs. instant yeast.

What Is Yeast?

Yeast is the ingredient that makes dough rise and strengthens the glutens. A leavening agent, and a single-cell fungus, yeast eats the sugars in flour, then releases carbon dioxide. If you've kneaded your dough the right way (using a push-pull technique rendering it smooth and elastic, but not tough), you'll combine the protein from the flours, forming the dough's gluten structure.

There are two main types of yeast that you'll find in the grocery store—active dry yeast and instant rise yeast (sometimes labeled as quick-rise yeast, fast-acting yeast, rapid-rise yeast, or even bread machine yeast). Active dry yeast is used in the majority of recipes.

Active Dry Yeast vs. Instant Dry Yeast

Active dry yeast needs to be dissolved in warm water to be activated—a process called proofing—before it can be added to your dry baking ingredients. Instant dry yeast particles are smaller, and therefore do not need to be proofed before being added to dry ingredients. Instant yeast also releases more carbon dioxide than its counterpart, prompting a bigger rise in baked goods.

How to Activate Yeast

To use active dry yeast:

• Dissolve one packet of yeast and 1 teaspoon of sugar in 1/4 cup of warm water (approximately 110 degrees Fahrenheit).
• Using a fork, spoon, or whisk, combine the ingredients.
• Once the yeast blooms (when it has fully dissolved and starts to bubble), the mixture can be added to the other ingredients. If the mixture doesn't bloom, this is a sign that the yeast is dead.

Substituting One Yeast for Another

You can use active dry yeast in place of instant yeast and vice versa, substituting them 1:1. Active dry yeast is slower to rise than instant yeast, but if your recipe calls for a long rise time (two to three hours), the outcome will be the same. If your recipe has a shorter rise time (such as an hour), add an extra 15 to 20 minutes for the active dry yeast to do its work.

How to Know If Your Yeast Is Alive

Expiration dates for yeast are not always reliable, and yeast often dies long before the date on the package. While instant yeast has a longer shelf life than active dry yeast, there's no way to know if the yeast is still alive when added to a mixture of flour and salt. The benefit of baking with active dry yeast is that by blooming it in water, you can guarantee that it's still alive.

How to Revive Slow-Moving Yeast

When yeast springs into action, bread dough doubles in height in a couple of hours. If yours hasn't risen noticeably in 30 to 45 minutes, try this fix from food stylist and recipe developer Riley Wofford: Fill a pan with boiling water, place it on the lowest rack of your oven, and put your loaf on the rack above it. "Shut the door, but don't turn the oven on," she says. "The yeast will do its thing in a warmer environment."

How to Store Yeast

Yes, you can still use yeast once it's been opened, but it won't last forever. According to Fleischmann's, yeast should be stored unopened in its original packaging in a cool, dark place, such as a pantry or refrigerator. Once a packet is opened, store any remaining yeast in an airtight container in the back of the refrigerator.

Active dry or instant yeast should generally be used within three to four months from when it's opened, but you may also consult the expiration date printed on the package to see if it's still usable. Again, take that date, well, with a grain of salt.