Labna
Make a soft cream cheese out of yogurt!
Labna (or labneh) is a tasty Middle Eastern staple. It's a soft cheese that's made by straining liquid whey out of salted yogurt until it has a consistency like cream cheese.
Thank you!
Ingredients
- 500 mL (2 cups) plain yogurt
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions
- Line a colander with a few layers of clean cheesecloth, muslin, or strong paper towels.
- Stir salt into yogurt, and pour into colander.
- Place colander in a large bowl, elevated so that the bottom of the colander is not touching the bottom of the bowl (or the yogurt will not drain properly).
- Place in the fridge to drain for 24-48 hours (longer draining will make a firmer cheese)
Alternatively, you can pour the salted yogurt into a cheesecloth bag, tie it at the top, and hang it from your kitchen faucet for 24-48 hours to drain.
Tips
- Any plain yogurt (including <homemade>) can be used to make labna, but it's easiest to make it with thick Greek or Lebanese style yogurt. These yogurts already have some of the whey strained out of them, so they're halfway to labna already!
Variations
- Labna makes a great cream cheese substitute; try mixing in your favourite cream cheese seasonings, or just enjoy a smear of it on a bagel for breakfast
- To eat more traditionally, serve it topped with olive oil and herbs like mint and parsley. Use warm pita or veggies for dipping.
Storage
- Store in sealed container in the fridge for about two weeks.
- Labna can be preserved for longer periods in oil. To do this, strain labna for the full 48 hours, so that it makes a firmer cheese. Roll into small balls, and place on baking sheet. Refrigerate overnight to set, and then place balls in large clean jars. Pour good quality olive oil in until labna is completely submerged. Will keep in the fridge for months.
Recipe adapted from Arab Cooking on a Prairie Homestead, by Habeeb Salloum