Homemade Labneh: Yotam Ottolenghi’s Labneh Recipe
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: Mar 15, 2025 • 2 min read
Labneh is a creamy, concentrated yogurt beloved throughout the Middle East. It’s made by draining the whey out of yogurt, leaving you with a thick, rich condiment that can be used in myriad ways.
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What Is Labneh?
Labneh, also spelled labne, is a Middle Eastern (and particularly Lebanese) strained yogurt. Labneh is spreadable like cream cheese and tangy like sour cream. Since labneh is made with yogurt but is spreadable like a soft cheese, many people call it “yogurt cheese.” If you have yogurt—whether it's homemade yogurt or good-quality supermarket yogurt—you can make homemade labneh.
How to Serve Labneh
Labneh can be served as part of a mezze spread, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkled with fresh herbs, lemon zest, or za'atar for a quick and beautiful labneh dip to scoop with a pita. You can serve it alongside other Mediterranean and Middle Eastern savory snacks such as baba ganoush, lavash, homemade hummus, marinated feta cheese, salt-pickled veggies, chickpea salad, and olives. You can also use labneh in place of cream cheese on bagels or toast.
How to Make Labneh
You can use any type of full-fat yogurt to make labneh—sheep’s milk will be tangier and cow’s milk creamier. The only type to avoid is set Greek yogurt, which won’t drain properly. You will need muslin or cheesecloth to stain the cheese.
Yotam Ottolenghi’s Homemade Labneh Recipe
makes
450 gramsprep time
5 mintotal time
12 hr 5 minIngredients
- 1
Add the yogurt and salt to a medium bowl and mix well to combine.
- 2
Line a colander with a piece of muslin or cheesecloth large enough to hang over the sides, and place the colander over a bowl.
- 3
Transfer the yogurt to the center of the cheesecloth and fold in the overhang so that the yogurt is completely covered.
- 4
Place a heavy weight over the cheesecloth (a few cans or jars will do), and transfer the bowl to the refrigerator. Let the yogurt drain for at least 12 hours and up to 48 hours.
- 5
After draining, discard the collected water. The remaining yogurt should lose at least half of its volume and be very smooth and creamy, like cream cheese. Labneh keeps in the refrigerator in an airtight jar or container for up to 5 days, sealed with a thin layer of olive oil on top.
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