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how-to-make-labnehFor many of you labneh will need no introduction. Anyone keen on Middle Eastern food will have no doubt at least come across a mention of this delicious and creamy cheese in the food press, or even some cookery programmes. You may even have had a smear of it as part of a mezze in a Lebanese restaurant. But did you know that it is ridiculously easy to make? And make really well? how-to-make-labnehTrust me, this is the easiest thing you will ever attempt in the kitchen. You think a box cake mix is easy, with just adding an egg and oil? It is even easier than that. And it is made with real ingredients. In fact, correction: just one ingredient.

All you need to make this rich-tasting, silky, traditional cheese is best quality yogurt – I like goats milk yogurt – a  straining cloth, a sieve and a jug. That is it, my friend. That and 24 hours dreaming about how you will eat it.

Ideas for using labneh: In countries across the Middle East, labneh is often eaten at breakfast with warm flatbread, olive oil and wild mint. But it is also nearly always part of a wider mezze of pickled vegetables, olives, cheeses and yet more breads and dips like hummus. I love it on Swedish crispbreads (Peters Yard brand is my favourite,) or warmed pitta breads, with pomegranate seeds and mint  – love the sweet, tart and lactic dance on my tongue. But another favourite is mixed with za’atar and preserved lemon and used as a dip; or as a pitta filling, accompanied by as many vegetables as I can cram in. Basically, it is a probiotic and much more flavour-packed soft or creamed cheese, and you can use it as such. Home-pickled beetroot is another thing I really like with labneh – unusual perhaps, but together it tastes as lovely as it looks.how-to-make-labneh

More quick ‘recipes’:

*spread on thinly-sliced toast and topped with roasted vine tomatoes and fresh, chopped oregano – add a poached egg and you have a power breakfast

*on top of crispbread with peaches, drizzle of honey and lemon thyme

*stuffed into fresh figs and served topped with chopped pistachios and dark honey

*mixed with yolks from hard-boiled eggs and stuffed back in with added za’atar and little capers, minced preserved lemon, or lemon juice. Top with parsley.

*stirred into sauteed chard or beet tops, with smashed anchovy, lemon zest and garlic – super in pasta or on bread

*sweetened with mashed dates and banana for an instant pudding (not if you added salt!)

* rolled into balls, covered in chopped herbs and doused in best evoo – pop these in a jar (will keep a week if covered in oil) or onto a pretty plate

Considering the ingredient-heavy recipes I sometimes post, I hope this ultra-simple one doesn’t disappoint. Perhaps it is a relief! This recipe really is a keeper. I make it probably once every two weeks, sometimes doing special things with it, but more often than not just spreading some on a humble crispbread, happy to enjoy the marriage of crisp and soft, tang and grain. A simple and utterly delectable pleasure.

What is your latest food pleasure?

how-to-make-labnehLabneh – Middle Eastern Strained Yogurt Cheese

If you like Middle Eastern food you will probably already know about labneh – or strained yogurt. Despite it being namechecked in lots of media articles about Middle Eastern food, labneh is hard to find outside of Middle Eastern delis and very good grocery stores. But making your own is so much easier than you may think. 

I’ve used goat’s milk yogurt, as I like the punchier taste (although still very mild compared to most goats cheese), but use a good quality cow’s milk or even sheep’s milk. Salt after straining if using for savoury dishes or as a dip. Otherwise keep it plain or stir in some good honey for a beautifully different dessert or breakfast. So, so easy and utterly delicious.

1 large carton best quality yogurt

Salt or honey, to taste

Special equipment: muslin square/cheesecloth/jelly straining bag; large fine-meshed strainer; jug to set the strainer on top of. A coffee filter would probably work too.

Method: Lay the muslin square in the strainer and set atop the jug. Pour in the yogurt. Draw up the edges of the cloth and twist very gently and place on top, basically to get it out of the way and stopping it turning into a moisture wick. Leave to strain in the fridge for 24 hours – up to 48 if you want it almost cuttable.

After the whey has strained into the bowl and the cheese is firm, scrape out into a bowl; taste a little bit to see how salty it is already, then add in a little more if you like. Some people add the salt before straining but I find that can lead to it being too salty. Or you can leave it as is so that you can have it sweet or savoury. One thing to note is that once the whey drains off you will be left with about half of the original volume of yogurt, possibly less. So, if you were using labneh in a specific recipe, buy at least double the weight as unstrained yogurt – maybe even one and a half times to be safe.

How to use: For a traditional Palestinian dip, smear the labneh on a pretty plate and pour over best extra virgin olive oil. In a couple of photos you will see I’ve topped it with za’atar (a brilliant herb and spice mix). Scoop it up with flatbreads, crispbreads, crunchy vegetable. It also makes a great sandwich spread, with cucumber, tomato slices and roasted peppers (mmm). I also have it with pomegranate seeds and mint – a quick and healthy afternoon snack. Overall I tend to consider it like a tastier soft, or cream, cheese and use it in the same way. See my preamble for more ideas.

Hint: Save the whey to use in baking – lots of calcium in the whey. And lots of protein and less carbohydrates in the labneh.

Note to my vegan friends: I’ve not tried it with non-dairy yogurt but I imagine it would work just fine. Anyone ever do this? Any words of wisdom for me?how-to-make-labnehhow-to-make-labneh

33 thoughts on “How To Make Labneh

  1. This is just fantastic! Thank you for sharing

  2. I love love love labneh. It’s so easy to make! I’ve never made it with goat milk yogurt, but Ill pick up some of that this week! Have you ever tried it with pomegranate molasses over it”? Awesome!

    1. You know, I haven’t! I’ve got another batch of labneh on the go so I will definitely be trying this top tip. Awesome share – thanks so much!

  3. Yummmmmm! Love the pomegranate seeds – beautiful! This post confirms my long-held belief that you and I are twins separated at birth. My go-to snack “du jour” is labneh (alas, i buy it…) with za’atar! I’ve also been putting za’atar in socca dough, which gives the flatbreads a fabulous mid-eastern aroma.

    1. You may be right about the twin thing: I made a white loaf with za’atar added just last weekend! Didn’t measure the water so it wasn’t the best bread I’ve made, but it tasted mighty fine 😉

  4. bakeaffairs says:

    Looks so beautiful and sounds so delicious, thank you for sharing it!

  5. narf77 says:

    You can make Labneh out of milk kefir as well. Lovely stuff 🙂

  6. that looks amazing! I’m gonna have to email myself this, bookmarking (which really means ‘drool over and forget’) simply won’t do

  7. Definitely got to try this – I had no idea it was so simple!!! I wonder if you can make a delicious cheesecake using labneh?

    1. Funnily enough I recently had a small slice of a savoury cheesecake at a nice restaurant and it was very impressive. I had thought I might have a go with a roasted tomato topped one, with a crispy flatbread cracker crust. Were you thinking sweet cheesecake?

      1. Ah hello, sorry to butt into this thread but I just wanted to say that I’ve made (sweet) cheesecake with labneh several times and it always works brilliantly! So much lower in fat than cream cheese too!

      2. Great stuff! I imagine it tastes extremely rich but like you say, with a lot less fat. Yum! What other flavours in your cheesecake? I’m experimenting with a savoury one today.

      3. The sweet cheesecake was quite a simple one – it was labneh (/cream cheese), sour cream and white chocolate with an oreo base. Hope your savoury one turned out well!

      4. Well, it was way too rich for me and Miss R. I need to work on it a bit. I think I have the flavours right but I consider it a work in progress. Perhaps we are just being wimpy but it was ‘too much’. The sweet one sounds delish. Was this baked or did the white choc set it without baking?

      5. Ooh that sounds lovely! I was initially wondering sweet cheesecake. But savoury sounds just as delicious, and more up my street to be honest!

  8. Bernice says:

    Looks wonderful!

  9. This is a wonderful post. Especially loved that you used goat’s milk yogurt. Thank you for the recipe. I’ll look forward to making it for my family.

  10. Kellie, I’ve not made labneh before, but your instructions have simplified it for me. Love this on a cracker with some smoked trout and dill!

  11. Although I have heard of labneh before, I don’t believe I’ve ever tried it, but as I am sitting here this morning with just my coffee thus far, I am getting very hungry!! I’ve recently been making my own almond and cashew milks, so now I think I need to add labneh to my list of homemade projects-like I dont have a big enough list already 🙂 So many great serving ideas too!

  12. Urvashi Roe says:

    I love labneh. I make it into little balls, roll them in chives or roasted cumin even and preserve in olive oil. Perfect on toast. I do love your tip of using the whey in baking. Had not thought of that. Must visit my local Turkish shop for yoghurt tomorrow as you’ve got me salivating with thos stunning pics and I neeeeed to make this now. The Turkish yoghurt brand I use is luscious!

  13. Sally says:

    As labneh is available in every supermarket here there is little incentive to try – although a goat’s milk yoghurt version sounds lovely. Maybe I should try with camel milk!

    1. I would definitely want to know about that, Sally! Do you do much with labneh, treating it much as we treat cream/soft cheese? I am probably a bit precious with it because I have to make it myself 😀

      1. Sally says:

        As labneh has a lovely sharp taste and is relatively inexpensive I use instead of sour cream and cream cheese quite often. The only cream cheese available is the stuff in tubs (you know which brand name!) which is highly processed so I prefer the labneh.

      2. I know the one ;). I am just now experimenting with a oatcake crust tart filled with blended labneh and Scottish Dunsyre blue. Cross your fingers for me x

      3. Sally says:

        Blue cheese and labneh is really good together. I make a favourite dip this way.

  14. Being Lebanese, and living in Lebanon – i forget to appreciate some of the yummiest foods we have! Labneh is definitely one of those easy, healthy, and good-for-any-meal-time foods. Thanks for sharing this!

    1. Thanks so much for commenting. I feel I’ve got a proper seal of approval 😉

  15. You had me at “stuffed into fresh figs”. Yum! Speaking of vegan versions, I’ve seen vegan labneh made from cashews. I believe it’s a soak, blend, strain, ferment kind of situation. And the idea of using this stuff to make cheesecake? Total genius! Thanks Kellie!

  16. You had me at “stuffed into fresh figs”. Yum! I’ve seen a vegan version of labneh made from cashews. I believe it’s a soak, blend, strain, ferment kind of situation. And using this stuff to make a cheesecake? Yum! Thanks Kellie!

  17. helenportas says:

    I had delicious labneh at the fabulous veggie restaurant Demuths in Bath, rolled in fresh herbs with warm pitta bread. Hungry just thinking of it. No excuse now to try to recreate it at home. On school hols finally and my challenge is to ‘make, do or learn something new every day’ so this is perfect. Thank you!

    1. Well, this will be the easiest thing you might make. It is just waiting for it to drain through is all. I hope you like it. And, I am jealous of your lunch at Demuths. I wish I was close enough to go there. I love the sound of Rachel’s food. Cheers!

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