Yogurt strained through cloth until the whey runs off and what is left is thick enough to spread. Tangy, creamy, somewhere between Greek yogurt and cream cheese — and the centre of breakfast, under olive oil and za'atar, with bread to scoop it.
Also known as labaneh · lebneh · labni · strained yogurt
- Arabicلبنةlabneh
- What it isYogurt strained until thick, usually salted
- Looks likeSmooth, matte white, holds a spoon-swirl
- EatenSpread on a plate under olive oil, with bread
- KeepsAbout a week refrigerated; months as balls in oil
The Ingredient Atlas, in your pocket
Every Sofra recipe is free to read here on the web. The app carries an Ingredient Atlas covering Labneh and dozens more Levantine ingredients — in English, Arabic and Portuguese, with the name in French and Spanish too — alongside a free collection of 112 recipes to cook from.
Get Sofra — free download →What it tastes and smells like
Sour and dairy-rich, more tangy than Greek yogurt because more whey has gone. Salt is usually added during straining and sharpens it further.
Texture is what separates good labneh from thick yogurt: it should hold its shape on a plate and take a spoon-swirl that stays, so that olive oil pools in it rather than running off.
Which kind
- Fresh labnehSoft and spreadable, like a tangy cream cheese. What most recipes mean.
- Labneh makbousRolled into balls, dried further and kept under olive oil with herbs and chilli. Keeps for months.
- Dried labnehAged for weeks until firm and very pungent. Grated over dishes like a cheese.
What it is used in
- Khiyar bil Laban — Cucumber Yogurt400 g thick Lebanese yogurt or labneh
- Lebneh Balls in Olive Oil500 grams, well-drained full-fat labneh
- Ayran LubnaniyehMount Lebanon · Levantine
- Cheese FatayerMount Lebanon · Levantine
- Kaak Baladiyeh — Mountain Village BreadMount Lebanon · Levantine
- Kaak bi SimsimLebanese coast · Levantine
- Ka'ak el EidMount Lebanon · Levantine
- Khubz al SajBekaa Valley · Levantine
21 Sofra recipes use it in all — browse the collection.
How to buy and store it
You rarely need to buy it. Take a large tub of good whole-milk yogurt, stir in a teaspoon or two of salt, set it in cheesecloth over a bowl in the fridge, and it is labneh by morning. The whey that drains off is worth keeping — it is excellent in bread dough.
If you are buying, Lebanese and Arabic grocers all stock it fresh; large supermarkets are inconsistent. Fresh labneh keeps about a week refrigerated. Balls kept under olive oil keep for months.
If you cannot find it
- Full-fat Greek yogurt, strained four hours in cheesecloth goodGets close. Salt it as it strains.
- Cream cheese, yogurt and lemon juice at 2:1:1 acceptableApproximates the texture. Noticeably less tangy.
Frequently asked questions
What is labneh?
Labneh is yogurt strained through cloth until the whey has run off and the result is thick and spreadable. It is usually salted, and it is eaten across the Levant at breakfast with olive oil and bread.
How do I make labneh at home?
Stir a teaspoon or two of salt into a large tub of whole-milk yogurt, set it in cheesecloth over a bowl, and refrigerate overnight. That is the whole method.
Is labneh the same as Greek yogurt?
No, though they are related. Labneh is strained further, so it is thicker and more tart, and it is normally salted. Straining full-fat Greek yogurt for a few hours gets you close.
How long does labneh keep?
About a week in the fridge. Rolled into balls and covered with olive oil, it keeps for months — that is what labneh makbous is for.
What do you eat labneh with?
Spread on a plate, flooded with olive oil and dusted with za'atar or dried mint, with bread to scoop it. It is also used as a cooking ingredient and as a base under grilled meat.
What can I use instead of labneh?
Full-fat Greek yogurt strained for four hours in cheesecloth is the closest. A mix of cream cheese, yogurt and lemon juice gets the texture but not the tang.