How to make Labneh

Labneh is essentially a cheese made from straining yoghurt, resulting in a deliciously thick, creamy and tangy soft cheese. You can use it as you would any cream cheese, as the basis for tzatziki or spread it inside a pita or wrap.

The straining process is very easy and takes 12 – 48 hours. The longer you strain it, the thicker the cheese will become. Should you want a firm cheese to roll into balls you can strain it for the full 48 hours but I prefer to strain it for 24 hours. I use a full fat yoghurt and I am not too sure if a lower fat yoghurt will give you the same consistency in the same amount of straining time.

How to make Labneh

How to make Labneh

Click this link for all my delicious recipes that uses Labneh. Bit to keep it simple and easy, it makes the perfect addition to a meze platter as a dip for bread, pita or some sturdy crisps and I have listed a few suggestions below of how to turn the cheese into some very tasty dips or spreads.

How to make Labneh

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I hope you enjoy this recipe for Labneh. If you’ve made the recipe share it with me by tagging @heinstirred on Instagram or Facebook with the hashtag #heinstirred.

Ingredients
  

  • 1 kg double cream full fat plain yoghurt
  • a big pinch of salt

Instructions
 

  • Line a wire mesh strainer with cheese or muslin cloth and place it over a bowl. Add the salt to the yoghurt, mix and place into the lined strainer, cover and leave in the fridge or cold room for at least 24 hours to drain.
    You want the consistency to be that of a soft cheese - it is then ready to use. The longer you strain the thicker the labneh will be.

Dip Suggestions:

1. Roughly chop a mix of fresh herbs like parsley, thyme and oregano. Sprinkle the herbs on top of the cheese and give it a gentle mix. Drizzle with some olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice.

2. Sprinkle the labneh with a generous helping of Pistachio Dukkah. Give it a gentle stir (don’t mix the dukkah into the cheese too much) and drizzle with some olive oil.

3. Make the tomato & chipotle relish from my Chicken Wraps and spoon over the labneh.

4. Slow cook some sliced onion with a clove or two of garlic. Once a dark golden brown and caramelised, let it cool down to room temperature and spoon on top of the labneh.

5. Drizzle some honey over the cheese and sprinkle with fresh pomegranate seeds. (Serve with shortbread for a fantastic dessert.)

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Lunch at South Hill
Pistachio Dukkah

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