Labneh
This creamy, tangy homemade yogurt cheese is a Middle Eastern staple. Salt the yogurt, strain it overnight, and serve with olive oil, za’atar, and warm pita.
- Total Time24 hours 5 minutes
- Yield8 servings 1x
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 4 cups whole milk yogurt (32 ounces)
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- extra virgin olive oil (to serve)
- za'atar or chopped fresh herbs (such as mint or parsley)
- warm pita bread
- sliced vegetables
Instructions
- Season the yogurt. Pour the yogurt into a large bowl and stir in the salt until evenly combined.
- Drain the yogurt. Line another large bowl with a linen or muslin towel (or several layers of cheesecloth). Pour in the salted yogurt. Either gather the corners of the towel, tie them, and hang the bundle from a kitchen faucet to drip into the sink, or set a sieve lined with the towel over a deep bowl, fold the overhang loosely over the top, and set it on the counter or in the fridge. Drain 24 to 48 hours — 24 hours for soft, spreadable labneh, 48 for a thick labneh firm enough to roll.
- Serve. Spread the labneh in a bowl and top with a generous pour of extra virgin olive oil and za’atar (or chopped fresh herbs like mint or parsley). Serve with warm pita and sliced vegetables for dipping.
Notes
Store labneh in a tight-lid container in the fridge and use like cream cheese; it keeps up to 2 weeks. For longer storage, use 48-hour (thicker) labneh: roll into 3/4-inch balls, set on a paper-towel-lined tray, cover and refrigerate overnight, then pack into a clean jar and cover completely with good olive oil. Sealed and refrigerated, the oil-preserved balls keep for months.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
Find it online: https://blesseddish.com/labneh/
