Homemade labneh Recipe--AKA tangy, thick, creamy yogurt cheese. Serve it Middle Eastern-style as a dip with lots of olive oil and a sprinkle of good Za'atar. Or simply use it in place of cream cheese.
If Greek Yiayias (grandmothers) perfected the making of yogurt, Middle Eastern Tatas can absolutely claim labneh expertise.
In Middle Eastern homes, and particularly those in the Levant, good labneh is as non-negotiable as good hummus.
What exactly is Labneh?
Tangy, thick, and creamy, labneh (also known as labnah or labne) is basically yogurt cheese. Just like Greek yogurt, it is made by straining yogurt until it loses most of its liquid. If you think of Greek yogurt as strained yogurt, labneh is extra strained yogurt.
Labneh making is simple. You need natural goat’s milk yogurt, or quality full-fat cow’s milk yogurt, and a little salt. Stir the salt into the yogurt, place it into a muslin or linen cloth and hang from the kitchen faucet. Let time do the hard work.
After several hours, the whey strains out, leaving you with a delightfully thick spreadable cheese.
How to serve homemade labneh?
This homemade labneh recipe is an alternative to cream cheese (a little lighter, perhaps). You can certainly spread it on sandwiches or use it as you would cream cheese. Do it the Middle Eastern way—spread in a bowl with a pool of excellent olive oil and topped with a generous sprinkle of Za'atar spice. I highly recommend this Early Harvest EVOO here.
If you feel like jazzing things up more, use labneh as the centerpiece to a pretty veggie board like we have today. Or turn it into a luscious dip with cranberries and herbs like this recipe. Or serve it as part of a mezze platter.
Once you make labneh at home, I'm confident you'll find many ways to enjoy it!
Storage
Store homemade labneh in the fridge in a tightly-closed container for up to 2 weeks. To better preserve your labneh, you can form it into balls that are about 1 tablespoon each in size. Place the balls in a large sterilized, airtight jar and pour extra virgin olive oil to cover. Cover the jar tightly and leave at room temperature or in the fridge, if you live in a warm area.
Watch How to Make this Homemade Labneh Recipe
Homemade Labneh Recipe (How to Make Labneh)
- Total Time: 24 hours
- Yield: Serves 8
Description
Easy Homemade Labneh Recipe. Labneh is Middle Eastern yogurt cheese. A little tangy and super creamy. Takes only a couple steps to make with this easy recipe.
Ingredients
- 32 oz whole milk yogurt
- ¾ tsp salt
To Serve
- Early Harvest Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Za'atar spice or chopped fresh herbs
- Warm pita bread
- Sliced vegetables of choice
Instructions
- Pour the yogurt into a large bowl. Stir in salt.
- Line another large bowl with a linen or muslin towel (or several layers of cheesecloth.) Pour the yogurt mixture into the towel. Pick up the edges of the towel and tie at the top. Hang from a kitchen sink faucet to drain for 24 to 48 hours. (Alternatively, set a large sieve, lined with linen towel over a deep bowl. Add the yogurt mixture. Cover gently with the overhang of the linen towel, or another linen towel. Set aside on the counter, or in the fridge, to drain for 24-48 hours)
- To serve, spread labneh in a bowl and top with extra virgin olive oil, za'atar spice (or chopped fresh herbs like mint or parsley). Add warm pita and fresh veggies for dipping. Enjoy!
Notes
- Store labneh in a tight-lid container in the fridge and use as a spread, like any cream cheese. Labneh will keep this way up to 2 weeks. Or, preserve in olive oil for longer. This more labor intensive option works only if the yogurt has been strained for 48 hours forming thicker labneh. At this point, roll the labneh into small ¾-inch balls. Place on a large tray lined with paper towel, cover with another paper towel and refrigerate overnight. When ready, place the labneh balls in a clean jar and pour excellent quality olive oil, making sure the labneh balls are completely submerged. Cover and refrigerate until needed; it'll be good for months this way. Or leave the jar at room temperature for some weeks (2-4 weeks is safe).
- Recommended for this Recipe: Early Harvest Extra Virgin Olive Oil; All-Natural Za'atar Spice.
- SAVE! Try our Ultimate Mediterranean Spice Bundle! Or create your own 3-pack or 6-pack of premium all-natural and organic spices!
- Prep Time: 24 hours
- Method: Straining
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Keywords: Labneh, homemade labneh, homemade labneh recipe, labneh recipe, how to make labneh, Middle Eastern yogurt cheese
More Recipes to Try
Cranberry and Herb Labneh with Homemade Pita Chips
Does the salt help with the straining time or is it only for flavor?
thanks.
Hi, Sue! The salt is mostly for flavor.
How much does this make? 8 servings doesn't give me a quantity. Thanks!
Hi, Laura. This makes approximately 1.25 cups of labneh.
I am lactose intolerant but this recipe looks so awesome and delicious … do you suppose it can be made with goats milk or goat yogurt?
Hello! I think this would totally work with goat milk yogurt! If you give it a try, we'd love to hear how it turned out for you.
Fellow lactose allergy sufferer here. While it sounds like you (C.A.) are one of the lucky few who can tolerate goat's milk despite it having 84% as much lactose as cow's milk, I wanted to offer successful substitutions for those who are not able to tolerate either goat or cow milk. The two options are Greek yogurt and lactose-free yogurt. Greek yogurt has under half the lactose as standard yogurt due to the fermentation process and extra straining. As for lactose-free (whole, 2%, or 0%), Green Valley makes excellent products which are readily available at major grocers. Also, FAGE recently introduced a lactose-free Greek yogurt called "BestSelf." I have used both options (lactose-free standard yogurt and Greek yogurt) as subs in many recipes without any noticeable differences. Specifically for labneh, I find Greek yogurt to give the best bang for the buck because excess water has already been strained, it gives you more labneh! Of course, reduce the salt if you're going to do this, as it's not as necessary for dehydration. Hope this helps!
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Thanks so much for sharing this!! Very helpful!
I placed the yogurt in a hand strainer, tucked the strainer into a bowl, and left it all in the frig for 24 to 36 hours. The results are fantastic. I have eliminated butter, replacing the labneh as a spread on bread, a topping for eggs, and dipping carrots, cucumbers and celery into it. Using the spices suggested by Suzy makes the labneh ever more versatile.
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Hi Suzy,
Can it be a cotton tea towel instead of linen?
Sure!
I've been making my own labneh for over a year now. I make it from my own homemade goat yogurt. Goat yogurt tends to be less firm than cow yogurt and there is a lot of whey to drain out, so I drain mine for a good 3 to 4 days.
I sometimes add spices to the yogurt when I add the salt. This allows the enzymes in the yogurt to release the flavor of the spices as it drains. I particularly like doing this with cumin or a bit of my own shawarma spice blend.
Since olive oil can act as a preservative, once my labneh is done draining, I mix in a nice drizzle of olive oil, a couple of medium cloves of micro-planed fresh garlic, and sprinkle in some za'atar. The addition of garlic and olive oil makes it possible for the labneh to last at least a week (or more* in the fridge. Also, since labneh has become an everyday staple in our home, it's ready to go for anyone who just wants a quick blast of labneh with bread, a veggie snack, or a grab-and-go lunch.
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Thank you so much for taking the time to share your tips, Rowen!!
Thank you for your flavoring suggestions! At the ripe, young age of 70 I am finally forcing myself to eat yogurt instead of other milk-based products.
Do you let the yogurt strain for 24-48 hours outside the fridge?? I"m confused. Wouldn't the dairy go bad?
Hi, Sarah. That hasn't been my experience as long as it's straining in a cooler spot in the kitchen. You can certainly go ahead and strain the labneh if the refrigerator, though, if you prefer.
I've found it depends on the ambient temperature of the room. Since I drain mine for longer I put mine in the fridge. I have a special straining set-up for doing so.
Hi Suzy, I love lebnah. You mention it can be used in place of cream cheese. Would this work in a sweet cream cheese recipe, like frosting for instance?
Hi, Kim. It may, but it's not something I've tried before.
I would try grated lemon zest.Hope this helps.
Any tips how how to make the lebnah more tart?
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Try greek yogurt instead.
Can you do this with non dairy yogurt? Just curious as this sounds amazing. I am allergic to cows milk. 🥺
Hi, Debra. I have seen vegan labneh recipes out there, so I know it is possible. I've just never tried myself.
Okay... I've become a bit obsessed with Labneh :). I first tried it will non fat plain Greek yogurt because that is all I had on hand when I found this recipe and have also made it with the full fat regular yogurt called for here. Both tasted good, but the full fat version was thicker. Either way, I've enjoyed this with veggies and crackers, and have topped with all sorts of seasonings. A real treat is everything bagel seasoning + labneh :). You can really have fun with this recipe! Thanks, Suzy!
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Any tips on how to make the lebnah more tart?
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Longer yogurt thickening/ripening pre-strained should help tartness.