Recipe: Easy Labneh Recipe.
The first time I came across Labneh was when I did a shoot with a forager and he had hung some from a tree while we headed off to forage in the woods. I was transfixed, I had heard of Labneh but hadn’t realised it was so simple to make. I forgot about it after that for it to come back into my mind when I was in the US for a work commission. I found myself at the epic Inness in Upstate New York and the first thing I had off their gorgeous menu was a dish with Labneh which just left the biggest impact on me.
So it was with delight that when we landed in New Orleans a few days later one of the breakfast offerings at the hotel we were staying at was Labneh with hazelnut granola. It was this that sealed my love of Labneh and I vowed when I got home I would make it for myself. I held up to the vow and have been straining yoghurt since and having it with all manner of things - my fridge is seldom without a parcel of cheesecloth hanging on a wooden spoon.
Labneh is essentially a cheese textured spread made from straining yoghurt. The great thing with Labneh is it makes a great base for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Top with toasted nuts and straws for breakfast, spread on toast and top with roasted grapes, arrange za’atar roasted carrots on top, smear under salads and dressed pulses... the options are limitless. But my favourite way to have it is in a bowl with some herby olive oil guzzled over and then dipped into with warm, pillowy pitta bread or focaccia. It has a wow factor without an effort factor and you can also make a vegan version from coconut yoghurt if that’s your jam.
I found the trick for Labneh is to get good quality yoghurt and strain for at least 36 hours. I usually make at least a large pot of greek yoghurt, but generally 1.5-2 large pots to keep me in Labneh for a week. It can be stored in an airtight pot for up to 2 weeks.
You’ll need a couple of cheesecloths for this, I double up on them.
Recipe
Ingredients:
At least 950g Greek Yoghurt
1/2 tsp fine salt (I use good quality sea salt) per 950g
Method
Lay your clean cheesecloth/muslins on top of each other to double up
Arrange in a tall bowl or large jug ready to pour your yoghurt into
in another bowl mix yoghurt and salt together
Pour into your doubled up cheesecloths
Lay a wooden spoon over your bowl and tie two opposite corners together and repeat with the remaining two corners
It’s crucial your labneh doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl so it can strain - I often have to get creative with balancing my spoon on two tubs of baking powder or wood I have left over from DIY
Put the bowl and straining yoghurt in the fridge (you might need to reshuffle your shelves) and allow to drain for at least 24 hours. You can discard some of the liquid after a few hours to create more drainage space.
Transfer your labneh to a pot with an airtight lid
