Homemade labneh — thick, protein-rich strained yogurt
4
Units:
Prep: 5 min
Ingredients
- 1 qt plain whole-milk yogurt
- ½ tsp fine salt
Strain regular yogurt for 12-24 hr and you have labneh: a thick, cream-cheese-textured yogurt with roughly double the protein of the original. Serve as a dip, spread on toast, or roll into balls and store in olive oil.
Instructions
- Season: Stir salt into the yogurt until evenly distributed.
- Line strainer: Line a fine-mesh strainer with 2-3 layers of cheesecloth. Set over a bowl deep enough to catch the dripping whey without touching the strainer.
- Strain: Spoon the salted yogurt into the cheesecloth. Cover loosely and refrigerate.
- Wait 12-24 hr: The longer it strains, the thicker it gets. 12 hr gives a thick yogurt; 24 hr gives a cream-cheese consistency.
- Finish: Transfer labneh to a container. The strained whey is nutritious — save it for smoothies or bread baking.
Tips
- For Icelandic skyr (an even thicker yogurt), use skim milk, skyr starter cultures, and incubate 12-24 hr before straining lightly.
- Roll strained labneh into small balls, drop into a jar, cover with olive oil and herbs — Middle-Eastern appetizer.
- Use homemade yogurt for the freshest labneh, or any plain full-fat yogurt from the store.
- Serve drizzled with olive oil and dusted with za'atar, sumac, or cracked black pepper.
Created: 3/23/2026, 2:41:11 AM diytraditional
Fine-mesh strainer, cheesecloth (2-3 layers), deep bowl