Lab recipebeginnerdraft
Labneh from yoghurt
Also searched as: labneh, yoghurt cheese, strained yoghurt, homemade Greek yoghurt
In short: Yoghurt drained in a cloth turns overnight into a creamy fresh cheese: labneh.
Picture it
Like coffee in a filter: the liquid runs through, the thick part stays behind.
Before · Afteryoghurt
You need · 12–24 hours
- 500 g full-fat natural yoghurt
- ½ tsp salt
- sieve, clean cloth, bowl
Step by step: what happens
- 1Stir salt into the yoghurt
Salt seasons and draws out more whey.
Osmosis: salt and sugar draw out water - 2Let it drain in the cloth over a bowl in the fridge
The yoghurt's protein network holds on to fat and protein; the whey drips through.
- 3After 6–8 hours: Greek yoghurt. After 24 hours: spreadable labneh
The more whey is gone, the firmer it is and the longer it keeps, because less free water remains.
Shelf life: salt and sugar bind water
Result
About 250 g of labneh and 250 ml of whey (as a guide).
Keeps for
About a week in the fridge; longer shaped into balls and kept in olive oil.
What to use it for
- With olive oil, za’atar and bread.
- Instead of cream cheese on bread, in dips and sauces.
- The whey for baking bread.
Sources
- Harold McGee: On Food and Cooking (2004)