Levantine Labneh Cheese Spread (Print)

Tangy, creamy Levantine labneh made by straining yogurt, ideal for spreading and garnishing with olive oil.

# Ingredients:

→ Dairy

01 - 4 cups full-fat plain yogurt (preferably Greek or strained)
02 - ½ teaspoon fine sea salt

→ Garnish

03 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
04 - 1 teaspoon dried mint or zaatar (optional)
05 - Pinch of Aleppo pepper or sumac (optional)

# Instructions:

01 - In a medium mixing bowl, stir the sea salt into the yogurt until fully incorporated.
02 - Line a large sieve or colander with two layers of cheesecloth or a clean thin kitchen towel and place it over a deep bowl to collect the draining whey.
03 - Spoon the salted yogurt into the lined sieve, then gather the cloth edges to cover the yogurt completely.
04 - Place the setup in the refrigerator and let the yogurt strain for 12 to 24 hours, depending on desired thickness: 12 hours for soft spreadable texture, 24 hours for firmer consistency.
05 - Once thickened, transfer the labneh to a serving dish, drizzle generously with olive oil, and sprinkle with dried mint, zaatar, or sumac if desired.
06 - Serve chilled alongside warm pita, fresh vegetables, or as part of a mezze platter.

# Pro Tips:

01 -
  • It feels like magic watching plain yogurt transform into silky, spoonable cheese with zero effort once you set it up.
  • This is the kind of thing that tastes expensive and restaurant-quality but costs almost nothing and requires almost no skill.
  • You can make a huge batch and use it for days—spread it on toast, dollop it into bowls, roll it into balls, or serve it as the center of a mezze spread that makes you look like you know what you're doing.
02 -
  • If your cheesecloth is too tightly woven or if you use actual cloth towels instead of thin kitchen linens, your yogurt will drain so slowly that you'll wonder if you did something wrong when really the equipment just wasn't right—thin is better than thick here.
  • The whey that drains out is liquid gold for baking or smoothies, so don't waste it; keep it in the fridge and use it within a week in place of regular milk for tangier baked goods.
  • The longer you drain, the tangier and firmer it becomes, and there's no way to reverse it, so if you're new to this, start checking at 12 hours so you catch it at the texture you actually want.
03 -
  • If you don't have cheesecloth, use a thin kitchen towel, a piece of muslin, or even a clean thin t-shirt—the key is that it needs to let liquid through without letting solids, and any woven fabric thin enough to see light through will work.
  • Save the whey for baking or smoothies, and if you want to get fancy, flavor it with a little salt and use it as a base for savory drinks or to cook grains for extra tang and nutrition.
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