A guide to labneh — the thick, tangy strained yogurt cheese of the Middle East. How it's made, how to use it, and how to make it at home.
Labneh is the creamy, tangy strained yogurt cheese at the heart of Middle Eastern cooking — thick enough to spread, soft enough to dip, and endlessly versatile. Somewhere between yogurt and cream cheese, it's one of the simplest and most rewarding fresh cheeses you can make or buy.
What Labneh Is
Labneh (also spelled labne or labaneh) is a soft fresh cheese made by straining yogurt to remove much of its liquid whey, leaving a thick, creamy, spreadable result. It's a staple across the Middle East, the Levant, and the Eastern Mediterranean, traditionally made from cow's, goat's, or sheep's milk yogurt. Because it's made from yogurt rather than fresh milk and rennet, it's technically a strained-yogurt cheese — one of the easiest cheeses to make.
How It's Made
Making labneh is wonderfully simple. Yogurt is salted and then strained — traditionally in a cloth bag hung to drip — for several hours or up to a day or more. As the whey drains away, the yogurt thickens into a dense, creamy cheese. The longer it strains, the thicker it becomes, ranging from a soft, spoonable dip to a firm cheese that can be rolled into balls. This ease of preparation makes it a popular homemade cheese.
Flavor and Texture
Labneh is thick, creamy, and smooth, with a bright, tangy, lactic flavor and a gentle saltiness. It's richer and denser than yogurt but lighter and tangier than cream cheese, with a refreshing acidity. The exact texture depends on how long it's strained, from a soft spread to a firm, sliceable cheese. Its clean, tangy taste makes it a versatile base for both savory and sweet dishes.
How to Use Labneh
Labneh is most often served as a dip or spread: scooped onto a plate, drizzled with olive oil, and sprinkled with za'atar, sumac, or fresh herbs, then scooped up with warm flatbread. It's a fixture of the meze table and a popular breakfast food. It also works as a tangy base for savory toppings, a topping for roasted vegetables, a sauce for grilled meats, and even sweetened with honey and fruit for dessert. Firm labneh can be rolled into balls and preserved in olive oil with herbs.
Pairings
Labneh pairs naturally with the flavors of the Middle East: olive oil, za'atar, sumac, mint, garlic, cucumber, tomatoes, and warm flatbread. It balances spicy, rich, and grilled dishes beautifully, and its tang refreshes the palate as part of a meze spread.
Buying and Storing
Labneh is sold in tubs at Middle Eastern markets and many supermarkets, or you can easily make it at home from good yogurt. Keep it refrigerated and use within a week or so. Labneh balls preserved in olive oil keep much longer, stored in a sealed jar in the fridge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is labneh a cheese or yogurt?
It's a fresh cheese made by straining yogurt to remove whey, so it sits between yogurt and a soft cheese like cream cheese.
How do you make labneh at home?
Salt some yogurt and strain it in a cloth for several hours to a day; the longer it strains, the thicker the labneh becomes.
How do you serve labneh?
Often as a dip or spread, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with za'atar or herbs, scooped up with warm flatbread.