Two Labneh Recipes You'll Love
This cream cheese (basically, a strained yogurt) is an essential ingredient in Middle Eastern cuisine, and it couldn’t be more true. Labneh spread over toast with a drizzle of olive oil was our go-to protein in a pinch. Nana (my mum’s mum) always kept a big jar of rolled labneh in olive oil on her kitchen counter; she would oversalt it to ensure that it would keep for longer. Up the creaminess, if you like, by using a higher-fat yogurt. Go ahead and experiment with different herbs and hot peppers to create unique flavour combinations; we got you started with two variations we love.
Makes 2 cups
Ingredients
Classic Labneh
2 tubs (750 g each) 2% or 3% yogurt
2 tsp salt
Cayenne-Mint Labneh
1 cup classic labneh
¼ cup mint leaves, finely chopped (or ¼ cup oregano leaves, roughly chopped)
half cayenne pepper, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tbsp olive oil
1 sprig mint or oregano
Za’atar Labneh
1 cup classic labneh
2 tbsp za’atar, divided
1 clove garlic, crushed (optional)
2 tbsp olive oil
Directions
Classic Labneh
1. Stir the salt into the yogurt. Line a large sieve with cheesecloth and place over a deep bowl. Pour the yogurt mixture into the sieve. Gather the edges of the cheesecloth, then tie a knot or use a rubber band to secure. Refrigerate or hang in a cool dry place to drain for 24 hours, gently squeezing out any excess liquid every few hours. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. (For a firmer, saltier cheese, double the amount of salt and strain the mixture for an additional 24 hours. Roll the cheese into 1-inch balls, then submerge in olive oil in an airtight container. Store in the pantry for up to 1 year.)
Cayenne-Mint Labneh
1. Mix together the labneh, chopped mint, cayenne pepper and garlic. Drizzle with the oil and garnish with the mint spring. Serve with your favourite toasted bread.
Za’atar Labneh
1. Mix together the labneh, 1 tbsp of the za’atar and the garlic (if using). Sprinkle with the remaining za’atar and drizzle with the oil. Serve with your favourite toasted bread