Labneh, a soft cheese made from strained yogurt, is rich, lightly tart and entirely delicious. Because labneh is not always easy to find at the grocery store, we make our own. While many recipes call for just whole-milk yogurt, we like the creamier texture and tangier flavor of a combination of yogurt and sour cream. Once the labneh is made, there is almost no end to its uses. Drizzle a bowl of it with olive oil, sprinkle it with za’atar and serve it with pita wedges or crudités. In the Food & Wine Test Kitchen, we like to use our homemade labneh in F&W’s Kay Chun’sCool Ranch Kale Dip.Slideshow:More Cheese Recipes

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Credit: © Abby Hocking

Recipe Summary

total:
10 mins
Yield:
2 cups
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Ingredients

Ingredient Checklist

Directions

Instructions Checklist
  • In a medium bowl, using a rubber spatula, stir the yogurt with the sour cream until well combined. Line a fine-mesh strainer or colander with 3 layers of cheesecloth, leaving a 4-inch overhang on 2 sides, and set the strainer over another medium bowl. Scrape the yogurt mixture into the cheesecloth. Twist the overhanging ends of cheesecloth together and tuck them under the ball of yogurt. Place a small bowl on top of the cheesecloth bundle and refrigerate overnight.

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  • Unwrap the cheesecloth bundle and scrape the labneh into a bowl. Sprinkle with salt, stir with a rubber spatula and serve.

Make Ahead

The labneh can be refrigerated for 2 weeks.

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