How to make Labneh with 2 easy ingredients? (Creamy and Tangy)

• Food: Homemade Labneh 
• Writer: Lizzie Green
• Content-Type: Food Blog

Now is the perfect time to start making labneh, if you haven’t already. There are only 2 basic ingredients needed to make this creamy, sour yogurt cheese.

Waiting is the most difficult aspect of producing labneh cheese. Nothing else is complicated. Greek yogurt and salt should be combined, then the mixture should be wrapped in cheesecloth and hung over a bowl to strain.

The going gets tough after that since you have to wait 24 hours to savor the thick, creamy yogurt cheese within the cheesecloth.

However, I think you’ll agree that the wait was well worth it after trying this labneh dish.

If you’re not familiar with labneh, it’s a soft cheese that is created by whey being strained out of yogurt. Its texture is thick and spreadable, like soft goat cheese or cream cheese, and its flavor is rich and sour due to the yogurt foundation.

It frequently appears on mezze plates throughout the Middle East and is used as a dip with spices and olive oil, but it has other use as well. You can drizzle it over salads, slather it on sandwiches, dot it on pizza, and more!

Creating Labneh Cheese

Considering how wonderful labneh is, making it is surprisingly simple. What you must do is as follows:

First things first: make a prudent yogurt selection. Look for Greek, full-milk yogurt at all costs. In this recipe, fat-free or low-fat yogurt cannot be used.

Additionally, you might want to use two layers of cheesecloth rather than one, depending on how thick your yogurt is. One layer will do just fine if your yogurt is pretty thick. For optimal results, use two layers if it is thinner.

Combine the yogurt and salt when you’re ready to make the labneh cheese. In a small dish, combine them, and then scrape the mixture onto a cheesecloth layer.

Next, wrap a wooden spoon with cheesecloth. The cheesecloth’s edges should be brought together and knotted around the spoon’s handle.

For the labneh to hang in the middle and not touch the bowl’s bottom, place the spoon across the top of a deep bowl. Refrigerate for at least one night or 24 hours. Your labneh will be thicker the longer you strain the yogurt.

Your labneh will be prepared the following day! Take it out of the cheesecloth and consume it right immediately, or put it in the refrigerator in an airtight container until you’re ready to eat.

Ideas for Serving Labneh

My preferred way to eat labneh is straightforward. I top it with a drizzle of olive oil, garnish it with za’atar, everything bagel spice, fresh herbs, or lemon zest, and serve it with warm pita bread and fresh vegetables. Jack and I would happily eat it for a light dinner or lunch in addition to how it is served on a crudité platter.

This homemade labneh cheese can be utilized similarly to soft goat cheese. Here are some suggestions to get you going:

• Sprinkle it on a salad, such as Mediterranean Chickpea Salad or Bright Spring Salad.
• In addition, it would be excellent in place of cream cheese over a handmade bagel with vegan carrot lox on top.

Labneh

A soft Middle Eastern cheese called labneh is created from strained yogurt. It’s really simple to produce and has a lot of uses. Add it to salads, pizzas, sandwiches, and other dishes as a topping, or serve it as a dip with high-quality olive oil and za’atar!

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole milk Greek yogurt
• heaping 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt

toppings & serving options

• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• Za’atar, crushed pistachios, lemon zest, and/or red pepper flakes
• Fresh mint leaves
• Crisp veggies, pita, or crackers

Instructions

1. Combine the salt and yogurt in a small bowl.
2. Scoop the mixture onto a cheesecloth covering (or 2 layers, depending on the thickness of your yogurt). Place the wooden spoon across the top of a medium bowl, gather the sides of the cheesecloth together, and knot it around it so that the labneh hangs in the middle but is not touching the bowl’s bottom. Overnight chill.
3. Take the cheesecloth off the labneh. Transfer to a bowl and use as a spread for vegetables, pita, or crackers with your preferred toppings. On salads, pizza, or flatbread, it can also be dolloped on top, much like soft goat cheese.