Homemade Labneh Recipe
Homemade labneh is delicious, tangy, and rich. It’s a thick, creamy dip you’ll love with quick homemade pita bread, salads, veggies, and sandwiches. And it takes all of 10 minutes to prep and 4 steps to make.
This easy soft yogurt cheese is a breeze to make and tastes divine! It's so versatile! You can use it as a dip or spread for your everyday meals and snacks. Dress it up for a beautiful mezze platter when you're entertaining. This creamy labneh recipe is a keeper!
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What Is Labneh?
Labneh is just extra, extra-strained, tangy yogurt! It is a luscious Middle Eastern traditional specialty that transforms yogurt into a delicious, no-fuss dip that almost feels like fresh cheese. It has a mild flavor but a thick, creamy texture. The taste is very similar to slightly sour yogurt. Trust me, it’s addictive.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
✨ It takes just 10 minutes to prep!Â
✨ Creamy, cool, and so flavorful. Its a dip everyone loves!
✨ So versatile! Tweak the flavors according to your taste.
✨ It pairs so well with literally everything! From grilled veggies, chicken, wraps, sandwiches, and of course, all kinds of crackers and chips!
Recipe Ingredients
Yogurt: Always use whole milk yogurt to make labneh, and you’ll get phenomenal results. Greek yogurt is also an excellent choice for this recipe.
Salt: We only need a small quantity of salt in this recipe. It helps draw out the whey and makes the labneh very flavorful.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Labneh At Home?
Labneh is ridiculously easy to make. There are no strict guidelines you need to follow, but a few tricks help get that creamy, dense consistency.
Step 1: Combine the yogurt and salt in a bowl.
Step 2: Take a fine-mesh strainer and spread cheesecloth on it. Place the sieve over a large bowl.
Step 3: Spoon the yogurt mixture on the cheesecloth-lined sieve, cover with a kitchen towel, and place in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours. Over the day, the whey will drip and collect in the bowl below, making the yogurt firmer.
Step 4: Scoop the thick yogurt out and transfer it to a bowl. Give a little whisk.
Final step: Season, serve, and savor!
Pro Tips
- A muslin works just as well as cheesecloth. A kitchen napkin or a large coffee filter are great substitute, too.
- How thick your labneh is depends on how long you drain the yogurt. Sometimes I let it strain for more than a day, and it becomes so thick that I can roll it into balls. I’d suggest picking the texture you’ll love.
How To Use
Labneh can be served with practically anything. You can use it as a creamy spread over homemade pita, sweet potato crackers, or air fryer tortilla chips.
Simple dip: You can serve it plain as the dip of a mezze platter, too. It tastes just as delectable and tangy. I sprinkled my homemade labneh with sumac and then dressed it up with mint, olives, and, ever my favorite, pomegranate arils for a pop of color. A drizzle of olive oil and it's ready for dipping! I love it as a dip for my soft pretzel bites.
Use it in wraps: Spread some creamy labneh on a wrap, top it with air fryer falafels or crispy baked chicken nuggets, add some crunchy pickles and you've got yourself a fabulous, quick meal!
Stunning crudité centerpiece: Roll the thick cheesy labneh into balls and coat it with crushed nuts or spices, and serve during a dinner party. No one will ever know that it’s laughably easy to make.
Recipe FAQs
How to use the whey?
Whey is the liquid that collects in the bowl. Don’t throw it away. It is full of proteins. You can drink it (it's delicious), you can bake bread with it, you can make it a base for soups, and you can even add it to your roti or paratha dough!
How long does labneh last?
Homemade labneh stays good for 10 or so days, refrigerated. Want it to last longer? Roll it into balls and put it in a sterilized jar filled with olive oil. This will stay for 1 month in the refrigerator.
More Fun & Easy Dips
Recipe
Homemade Labneh Recipe
Equipment
- Sieve, Bowl, Kitchen napkin
Ingredients
- 2 cups Whole milk yogurt
- 1/2 tsp Salt
Toppings
- Olive oil, Sumac, Mint, Pomegranate arils, Olives
Instructions
- Keep a sieve, lined with a kitchen towel or muslin cloth, ready. Place this atop a bowl, to catch the whey.
- Mix the salt with yogurt.
- Pour into the prepared sieve. Cover with the napkin. Place in the fridge for 24-48 hours.
- Take the strained yogurt out. It should be very very thick.
- Whisk it a bit, spread out on a plate or a shallow bowl. Top with sumac, olives, mint, pomegranate arils and drizzle over some olive oil.
- Serve with pita, bread, crackers, veggies sticks etc. Enjoy!
