Levantine Labneh Cheese Spread (Printable)

Creamy, tangy labneh from strained yogurt, ideal as a spread or dip with olive oil and herbs.

# Ingredient List:

→ Dairy

01 - 4 cups full-fat plain yogurt (preferably Greek or strained)
02 - ½ teaspoon fine sea salt

→ Garnish

03 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
04 - 1 teaspoon dried mint or zaatar (optional)
05 - Pinch of Aleppo pepper or sumac (optional)

# Steps:

01 - In a medium bowl, stir the salt into the yogurt until evenly incorporated.
02 - Line a large sieve or colander with a double layer of cheesecloth or a clean thin kitchen towel, then position it over a deep bowl to collect the whey.
03 - Transfer the salted yogurt into the lined sieve, then gather and cover the yogurt with the cloth edges.
04 - Place in the refrigerator and allow the yogurt to drain for 12 to 24 hours depending on the desired consistency; 12 hours for soft spreadable labneh, up to 24 hours for firmer cheese.
05 - After straining, transfer to a serving dish, drizzle generously with olive oil, and sprinkle with dried mint, zaatar, or sumac if desired.
06 - Serve chilled with warm pita, fresh vegetables, or as part of a mezze platter.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It transforms a single ingredient into something luxurious with almost no effort on your part.
  • Once you taste homemade labneh, store-bought versions feel like sad imposters.
  • It's naturally vegetarian, gluten-free, and works as a spread, dip, or even a savory breakfast.
02 -
  • Cheesecloth or a thin towel is non-negotiable—trying to strain yogurt through regular cloth will result in a dense, unpleasant mess because the weave is too tight.
  • The whey that drains out isn't waste; save it for baking or cooking grains, because it's liquid gold in the kitchen.
  • If your labneh seems too soft after twelve hours but you're not ready to commit to twenty-four, you can still gather the cloth and hang it from a refrigerator shelf for another few hours—draining doesn't have to happen all at once on the counter.
03 -
  • If you're in a hurry and can't wait twenty-four hours, pull out the labneh after twelve hours and taste it—you might find it's exactly the texture and flavor you wanted, which is the beauty of this recipe: there's no single right answer.
  • The best olive oil to drizzle on top isn't your most expensive one, but something you genuinely love eating straight from the spoon, because you'll taste every bit of it here.
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