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Labneh
Serves 4 Prep 24 hr 5 min Cook 0 min Total 24 hr 5 min Type Side Origin Lebanese

Labneh

Lebanon's strained-yogurt cheese: natural yogurt salted and drained overnight into a soft, tangy spread. Drizzled with olive oil and dusted with za'atar.

Serves 4 Prep 5 minutes (plus 12-24 hours straining) Cook 0 minutes Units Rate

Overview

Full-fat natural yogurt salts; strains through a fine sieve lined with cheesecloth (or a thin tea towel) over a bowl for 12-24 hours. The result is a thick, soft cheese (looser than cream cheese, firmer than thick yogurt). Spread on a plate; swirl; drizzle olive oil; scatter za'atar, dried mint, sumac, and chopped fresh mint. Eaten with warm pita.

Ingredients

Labneh

  • 1 kg full-fat natural yogurt (Greek or Lebanese strained yogurt won't work - needs to be regular yogurt that hasn't already been strained)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt

To finish

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil (extra-virgin)
  • 1 tablespoon za'atar
  • 1 teaspoon dried mint
  • 1 teaspoon sumac
  • 1 tablespoon fresh mint (chopped, optional)

To serve

  • Warm pita
  • A dish of black olives (small)
  • Sliced cucumber, tomato, radish (optional)

Method

Stage 1 - Salt

  1. Whisk the yogurt and salt in a wide bowl until smooth.

Stage 2 - Strain

  1. Set a fine-mesh sieve over a deep bowl.
  2. Line the sieve with a piece of cheesecloth (folded double) or a clean thin tea towel.
  3. Tip the salted yogurt into the cloth.
  4. Gather the corners of the cloth; tie with a piece of string to make a bundle.
  5. Sit the bundle on the sieve. (Or hang it from a hook over the sink with a bowl underneath.)

Stage 3 - Drain

  1. Refrigerate 12 hours for a soft labneh, 24 hours for a firmer one, 48 hours for the firm balls version.
  2. Discard the whey that collects in the bowl below.

Stage 4 - Plate

  1. Unwrap the labneh; tip onto a wide shallow plate.
  2. Spread with the back of a spoon, creating ridges and swirls.
  3. Drizzle olive oil into the ridges.
  4. Scatter za'atar, dried mint, sumac and fresh mint.

Stage 5 - Serve

  1. Eat with warm pita as part of mezze, breakfast or any savoury Lebanese meal.

Notes

  • Yogurt quality: Full-fat is essential. Low-fat yogurt strains to a dry, grainy labneh.
  • Strain time = thickness: 12 hours gives a soft spreadable labneh (closest to the everyday Lebanese version). 24 hours gives a thick scoopable cheese. 48 hours gives a firm cheese you can roll into balls.
  • Labneh balls: Strain 48 hours; roll into walnut-sized balls; pack into a jar; cover with olive oil. Keeps a month refrigerated.

Storage

  • Refrigerate the labneh 1 week in a sealed container.
  • Labneh balls in oil keep 3-4 weeks refrigerated.

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