Lebanese · Nationwide · mezze

Labneh (Strained Yogurt Spread)

لبنة

Labneh is simply yogurt that has been strained overnight until thick, creamy, and tangy — somewhere between cream cheese and sour cream in texture. It's the anchor of the Lebanese breakfast table and a staple mezze plate, served pooled with good olive oil and a generous dusting of za'atar. Making it at home takes about five minutes of hands-on work; the rest is just time.

• full-fat plain Greek yogurt

  4 cups

  960g

  Substitution · preferred-original

  Original: full-fat plain Lebanese or whole-milk yogurt (thinner than Greek). Greek yogurt works perfectly and strains faster; if using regular whole-milk yogurt, plan for 18–24 hours of straining instead of 8–12

• kosher salt

  3/4 tsp

  4g

• extra-virgin olive oil

  3 tbsp

  45ml

• za'atar blend

  1 tbsp

  8g

  Substitution · specialty-store

  Original: za'atar blend (thyme-sumac-sesame). Mix your own: 1 tsp dried thyme + 1/2 tsp sumac + 1/2 tsp toasted sesame seeds + pinch of salt

• sumac

  1/2 tsp

  1g

• fresh mint leaves

  2 tbsp

  5g

1. 01

   2 min

   Line a fine-mesh strainer or colander with two layers of cheesecloth (or a clean, thin cotton kitchen towel). Set it over a bowl deep enough that the strainer sits at least 2 inches above the bottom — the whey needs room to collect without touching the yogurt.

2. 02

   3 min

   Stir the salt into the yogurt until evenly combined, then spoon the yogurt into the lined strainer. Gather the edges of the cheesecloth loosely over the top — don't squeeze, just fold them over. Refrigerate for 8–12 hours (overnight is ideal). The yogurt will shed roughly 1/2 to 3/4 cup of whey and thicken to a spreadable, scoopable consistency. For a firmer labneh you can roll into balls, go 18–24 hours.

3. 03

   2 min

   When ready to serve, unwrap the labneh and turn it out onto a wide, shallow plate or bowl. Use the back of a spoon to spread it in a swooping motion, creating a shallow well in the center. This gives the olive oil somewhere to pool — that's the point.

4. 04

   2 min

   Drizzle the olive oil generously over the top, letting it settle into the well. Scatter the za'atar, then the sumac, then tear the fresh mint leaves over everything. Serve immediately with warm pita or flatbread alongside. Any leftover labneh keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

• · LLM tiebreak failed for "fresh mint leaves" — picked first result as fallback

Reheating · Tzatziki, labneh dips. Drain off any whey that separates before serving.

Source: foodkeeper