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Labneh Balls were one of my most requested recipes for so long! If you haven’t tried these Labneh balls, coated in za’atar and sumac, and then spread on pita bread, just you wait! Labneh is a very popular staple in the Middle East. It’s strained yogurt that has the liquid taken out, leaving you with a soft cheese-like texture. Growing up with a Syrian dad, this was basically breakfast for us!
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Why You’ll Love this Labneh Recipe
Labneh was a staple at my parent’s house growing up, and now it’s a staple in mine! A lot of the time I actually just leave this as a spread, but forming these balls gets rid of even more moisture giving it even better texture. Plus, they’re really cute to serve as an appetizer with pita bread. These are soft, spreadable and insanely delicious.
How to Prepare
Pick the Right Yogurt – For the creamiest, richest labneh cheese, use a full fat yogurt. Low fat will work but it won’t be as creamy. You can use greek yogurt for a tangy labneh ball.
Double up your Cheesecloth – This is an important step because if you don’t the yogurt can start seeping through. You can even use a clean dishtowel in a pinch.
Don’t Skip the Salt – The salt isn’t just for flavor, it helps the yogurt release water and it is important for the structure of the labneh balls.
Pick your Bowl and Strainer Carefully – The strainer needs to have a gap at the bottom. The yogurt will be releasing water and it needs to have a gap so that it isn’t just sitting in the liquid.
Weight Matters – Use a clean can or jar. This speeds up the draining process so don’t skip the weight.
Timing – I like to strain it for 48 hours. But if you want a thinner labneh cheese consistency, you can do it for 24.
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Substitutions
- For a tangier bite, use greek yogurt instead of plain yogurt.
- You can leave the za’atar and sumac out if you want to eat the labneh balls plain. Or swap it for whatever seasonings sound good to you.
🔥Chef Nadia’s Tip🔥
If you want a thinner consistency, strain 24 hours instead of 48.
The Perfect Pairings
We are going to stick with the Middle Eastern vibe for this menu. Start with your Labneh Balls served with pita and enjoy a Pomegranate Mimosa. For your dinner, I have the best Kabob Plate that is simple and easy to make. Serve Fattoush on the side of that. End your night with a Baklava Pie.
Labneh Recipe: Questions Answered
I use either Nancy’s or Straus for the plain yogurt. For this labneh ball recipe specifically, I used Za’atar by Z&Z or whatever I get at my local Mediterranean market. For the sumac, it is Sumac by Z&Z.
I use cheesecloths by Sceng that I got from Amazon.
They need to be stored in the fridge and they last up to 1 week.
Labneh is a thick and creamy Middle Eastern cheese or spread that is made from strained yogurt. It’s very popular there, and with good reason – it delicious!
Labneh Recipe
Equipment
- Bowl
- mine mesh strainer
- a bowl large enough to fit strainer
- spoon
- container
Ingredients
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix yogurt and salt.
- Set a strainer in a bowl and place a doubled up a cheesecloth inside the strainer. Make sure the strainer is large enough that there is a gap at the bottom of the bowl You will be straining out the water and you don't want the yogurt just sitting in it.
- Add the yogurt in the center of the cloth, cover it up real well with the sides of the cheesecloth. Place something heavy, like a can of beans, atop the cheesecloth inside the strainer for weight.
- Store in the fridge for 48 hours.
- Once done, while still inside the cheesecloth, squeeze the extra moisture out.
- Using a spoon, some of the labneh and roll into a bowl in your hands. Set aside and repeat with the rest of the labneh.
- On a plate, add a some za’atar with a little flakey sea salt in one pile and sumac in another. Roll each labneh ball in the za’atar first and then the sumac.
- Add them to a container, cover in olive oil and store in the fridge for up to 1 week. Enjoy!
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Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
