Easy Homemade Labneh Recipe

Tangy, strained Labneh with the consistency of cream cheese is a regular element of mezze spreads. It is particularly enjoyed at breakfast time. In the Middle East people have a special affinity to cool yogurt dishes as it gets blisteringly hot during the summer months. If you are not familiar with Labneh, this is similar in texture to cream cheese and made from strained yogurt. It has a thick spreadable texture and has a distinct rich and tangy taste.

This easy homemade Labneh recipe is very straightforward. You just need a bit of pre planning. You should start the process at least 15-18 hours before serving, to allow it to drain. This is made with only 2 ingredients – full fat Greek style yogurt and salt. You simply stir the salt with the yogurt, place it in a muslin cloth and let time do the rest. The whey strains out, leaving thick, creamy labneh.

What’s Labneh?

Labneh is a rich, creamy, tangy Middle Eastern style yoghurt cheese. This savoury spreadable yoghurt has the consistency of cream cheese, but with more flavour , complexity and tang. It adds rich authentic flavour to your sandwiches and bagel.

Serving Options for Labneh:

There are numerous different toppings that you can add to the labneh depending on your preference.

Olive Oil and za’atar – My favourite way of to enjoy Labneh is by drizzling it with olive oil, sprinkling za’atar and fresh herbs, and then top up with fresh veggies. Another favourite options is to have it the classic way by placing the regular Labneh in a small serving bowl, using the back of the spoon make a small well in the middle, then sprinkle with za’atar and drizzle with olive oil. It tastes delicious with fruit, honey, and a spoonful of compote or dukkah and olive oil. This gives it a more robust flavour. Serve it in a mezze platter with Falafel, Muhammara, Classic Hummus and pickles.

Labneh balls: A common way to store labneh is to roll it into small balls and preserve them in olive oil. To do so, once the cheese is ready, roll it into one inch balls. Place the balls on a large plate lined with a paper towel and refrigerate for 24 hours. Then place the balls in a glass jar and pour enough olive oil into the jar to cover the balls completely. You can add herbs such as fresh oregano or thyme if you like. Keep this jar in the fridge for up to two weeks and use the labneh balls as you please. You can use the leftover olive oil to make homemade salad dressing.

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Ingredients:

• Full fat greek style or whole milk yoghurt
• Salt

Other optional additions: lemon zest, finely minced garlic, pepper, herbs.

How to make Labneh? 

• Line a strainer with muslin cloth. Season full-fat yogurt with salt, then spoon in the yoghurt in the prepared muslin cloth, strain for 24-48 hours. That’s it! Simple, easy and delicious!
• 4 cups yogurt will yield 2 cups labneh.
• Add 1/4 teaspoon salt per cup of yogurt
• Labneh will last 3-4 weeks in the fridge.

Step by Step Pictures:

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Helpful Tips and Tricks to make Easy Homemade Labneh:

• Make sure you use whole milk yogurt for this recipe and not low-fat or non-fat yogurt. 
• Patience is the key, it takes at least 15-18 hours for the yogurt to release all its whey, so don’t rush.
• If not placing balls in a jar with olive oil as described above, keep leftovers in an airtight container drizzled with olive oil and refrigerate for up to a week. 
• This is a healthier alternative to cream cheese and can be served for breakfast with some toasted bread, cucumber, tomatoes and onions.

More Middle-Eastern recipes to try!

• Classic Hummus
• Falafel
• Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini & Green Zhoug

If you want more recipes straight to your inbox, be sure to subscribe to our Recipe Newsletter. As always, if you make this recipe, be sure to tag me on instagram and leave a comment below!!

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Easy Homemade Labneh

Serves: 600 grams Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 4 voted )

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Ingredients

• 1 kg full fat greek yoghurt
• 3/4 tsp sea salt

Optional Additions

• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp lemon juice 
• Lemon zest

To Serve

• Extra virgin olive oil
• Fresh herbs - dill, parsley
• Caper berries
• Veggies - Cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, microgreens 
• Za'atar (homemade or store bought)
• Dukkah

method

1. Mix the yoghurt and salt in a bowl. 
2. Spoon into a muslin cloth (2-3 layers), then fold the cloth in, tying the sides together to make a pouch. Tie it to the tap over the kitchen sink and leave to drain overnight. 
3. Alternatively, set over a bowl, with ample room to collect 2 cups of liquid underneath. Gather the towel corners together, twist to close and set a canned good, overtop for weight. Leave overnight in a cold place.
4. The next morning, pour out the whey, place in a sieve over a bowl and transfer in the fridge for another 6-8 hours. Check consistency if wanting a thicker cheese-like consistency, feel free to strain for longer.
5. To make the dip, spread out the labneh into a shallow bowl.  Make a well in the centre with the back of a spoon drizzle with olive oil, za'atar, veggies if using and herbs.  

Did You Make This Recipe?

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