This easy labneh recipe is really so simple to make and makes an impressive entertaining dish to serve your friends and family. Homemade labneh takes only a matter of minutes to prepare and in 12-24 hours, this deliciously creamy yogurt cheese is ready for eating. Read on to find out how to make labneh and enjoy the benefits of healthy yogurt in the form of cream cheese!
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What Is Labneh?
Labneh is a yogurt cheese made from Greek or natural yogurt. The yogurt is usually salted then strained overnight to form a creamy yogurt cheese.
The rich creamy texture of labneh looks and spreads just like cream cheese. The taste of labneh is also similar to cream cheese but with the slightly sour flavor you would expect from natural yogurt.
There are a few variations including making labneh into balls and covering them in olive oil. The addition of herbs to the rolled labneh balls is also popular.
How To Eat Labneh
As a Middle Eastern dish, labneh is often served with za’atar (spice mix) and drizzled with olive oil.
A popular way to eat labneh is as a dip with slices of flatbread or pita bread.
Labneh can be served as an accompaniment to main dishes including meat and vegetables.
Spread labneh on toast or the base of a pizza, dollop on soup, or throughout a salad. And labneh is delicious with breakfast eggs.
The sweet flavors of honey and nuts beautifully complement Labneh. Or for a savory hit, use herbs, spices, garlic and olive oil.
As a truly versatile dish, labneh can be eaten alone, part of a delicious feast, or simply spread on a sandwich.
One of my favorite ways to eat labneh is to spread it on Corn Fritters and top them with Tomato Chili and Ginger Jam – delicious!
Uses For Whey
Although the strained whey is a waste by-product from this recipe, you can actually use it in other recipes for delicious flavor.
In fact, whey is an amazing ingredient full of good bacteria, enzymes, vitamins and minerals. It’s also high in protein and really low in calories, so what’s not to love?
For a slightly sour flavor, whey is delicious in place of milk in a pancake or fritter recipe. You can use whey in place of milk or water in most baking.
Try whey instead of water, for example, add it to your soup, make your morning porridge with it or try whey in a smoothie with your favorite fruits.
And if you don’t have the time or inclination for cooking with the whey, you can use it on your outdoor vegetable garden, herbs or fruit trees as a nourishing tonic. Whey is really good for plants and they will benefit from all the goodness!
Labneh Ingredients
32 Ounces (1 kilo) Greek Full-Fat Yogurt
1 teaspoon salt
This will yield around 2 cups of Labneh.
Tip: I use a whole 32-ounce tub of greek yogurt, so there is very little measuring for this recipe. But if you prefer to make a smaller batch, you can adjust the recipe accordingly. Additionally, using a whole tub of yogurt also means you can mix your salt directly in the tub, so there are no extra bowls for washing up!
How To Make Labneh
- Spoon 1 teaspoon of salt directly into the 32-ounce tub of full-fat Greek yogurt and stir.
2. Once combined, prepare a bowl or saucepan with a sieve/strainer lined with cheesecloth or muslin.
3. Pour the yogurt mix into the cheesecloth.
4. Tie off the yogurt in the cheesecloth so the whey stains through the sieve into the saucepan. Make sure the sieve is not touching the bottom of the saucepan and has enough space so the whey can drain off. I used a clip purchased from Ikea. You can also use an elastic band, or if your cheesecloth is big enough, you can knot it.
5. Pop a lid on the saucepan to provide additional weight to strain off the whey and place it in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Less time will result in a softer texture but I would suggest at least 12 hours. Conversely, an additional 24 hours will produce a firmer cheese.
6. Remove the labneh from the cheesecloth. For serving, you can drizzle with olive oil and top with some decorative herbs. Otherwise, store labneh in the refrigerator in a sealed container. The labneh will store for as long as the yogurt expiry date.
Labneh Recipe
Ingredients
- 32 ounce Greek Yogurt (full-fat) (1 kg)
- 1 teaspoon Salt
Instructions
- Spoon 1 teaspoon of salt directly into the 32 ounce tub of full-fat Greek yogurt and stir.
- Once combined, prepare a bowl or saucepan with a sieve/strainer lined with cheesecloth or muslin.
- Tie off the yogurt in the cheesecloth so the whey stains through the sieve into the saucepan. Make sure the sieve is not touching the bottom of the saucepan and has enough space so the whey can drain off. I used a clip purchased from Ikea. You can also use an elastic band, or if the cheesecloth is big enough, you can knot it.
- Pop a lid on the saucepan to provide additional weight to strain off the whey and place in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Less time will result in a softer texture but I would suggest at least 12 hours. Conversely, an additional 24 hours will produce a firmer cheese.
- Remove the labneh from the cheesecloth. For serving, you can drizzle with olive oil and top with some decorative herbs. Otherwise, store labneh in the refrigerator in a sealed container. The labneh will store for as long as the yogurt expiry date.Allow 24 hours of yogurt straining time for this recipe.
Labneh Frequently Asked Questions:
What is labneh made of? Labneh is made from strained natural or Greek yogurt. Salt and sometimes lemon juice are used for additional flavoring. Straining the whey from the yogurt forms soft labneh cheese.
Is Greek yogurt and labneh the same thing? While labneh is made from Greek yogurt, it is the addition of salt, minus the whey that makes labneh. Generally, labneh is firmer than Greek yogurt but not always.
Is Labneh the same as cream cheese? No labneh is not exactly cream cheese, though it is similar. Labneh is a yogurt cheese with a similar texture to cream cheese with the tangy sour flavor of natural yogurt.
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