Homemade Labneh Recipe
Thicken full-fat yogurt by draining it in cheesecloth to make labneh (strained yogurt). Salt is optional and the yogurt drains in the refrigerator until it reaches the desired thickness.
Servings: 1 servings
Ingredients
Ingredients
- ?2 poundspounds 900 gFull fat whole milk yogurtGreek or natural
- ?1/2 teaspoonsaltoptional if needed
Instructions
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine 2 pounds (900 g) full-fat whole-milk yogurt and ½ teaspoon salt (optional). Stir until smooth and evenly blended.
- Place a colander over a larger bowl to catch the whey. Line the colander with a double layer of cheesecloth.
- Transfer the yogurt mixture into the cheesecloth-lined colander. Gather the cheesecloth edges up around the yogurt and secure them to form a closed pouch (tie with kitchen twine or secure with a rubber band).
- Place a gentle weight on top of the wrapped yogurt (for example, 2 cans). Ensure the weight sits on the cloth and does not puncture it.
- Refrigerate the setup and allow the yogurt to drain: at least overnight (about 8–12 hours) and up to 2 days, depending on how thick you want the labneh.
- When the yogurt has reached your desired thickness and whey has separated, remove the pouch from the colander, unwrap, and transfer the labneh to a clean jar or container. Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
Equipment
- cheesecloth
- Colander
Notes
Strain for 8-48 hours depending on the texture that you like.I usually do overnight and get a rich creamy texture (this is what my Mom does!), but you can leave it to strain for longer to get an even thicker consistency.
Season the labneh! I like to add fine sea salt to make labneh a savory dip even if I’m serving it with berries or honey. You can also add about ¼-½ of a teaspoon of lemon juice to make it tangy.
Store with a layer of olive oil to seal it in– the best way to store labneh is in a sealed glass jar in the fridge with a thin layer of extra virgin olive oil.
Season the labneh! I like to add fine sea salt to make labneh a savory dip even if I’m serving it with berries or honey. You can also add about ¼-½ of a teaspoon of lemon juice to make it tangy.
Store with a layer of olive oil to seal it in– the best way to store labneh is in a sealed glass jar in the fridge with a thin layer of extra virgin olive oil.