Labneh
Labneh is yogurt strained until it is thick enough to spread, like a soft cheese. It is a staple of Lebanese and Middle Eastern breakfasts, often drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with za'atar. It is tangy, creamy, and one of the simplest, most elegant dairy preparations.
Labneh is thick, spreadable, and tangy, with a texture between Greek yogurt and cream cheese. The flavor is bright and lactic — like a concentrated yogurt — with a clean, refreshing acidity.\n\nWhen strained further and rolled into balls, it becomes labneh balls, which can be preserved in olive oil for months. The texture is smooth, dense, and spoonable or rollable.
Available at Middle Eastern markets and some specialty stores, but it is easy and rewarding to make at home: simply strain plain yogurt in cheesecloth for 12–24 hours until thick. The longer you strain, the thicker it gets.\n\nUse whole-milk yogurt for the richest labneh. A pinch of salt in the yogurt before straining improves the flavor and helps it drain.
Breakfast & Mezze
Spread on a plate, drizzled with olive oil, and sprinkled with za'atar, mint, or sumac — a classic mezze.
Dip
As a dip for vegetables, pita, or falafel — lighter and tangier than hummus.
Spread
On toast or bagels instead of cream cheese — tangier and lighter.
Preserved Balls
Rolled into balls and preserved in olive oil with herbs — keeps for months, a traditional preservation.
Keep labneh refrigerated; it keeps longer than yogurt (1–2 weeks) thanks to its concentrated acidity. Labneh balls in oil keep for months at cool room temperature. The straining extends the shelf life of the original yogurt.