In the world of cultured dairy products, labneh straddles the line between cheese and yogurt, which is why you’ll sometimes find it referred to as “yogurt cheese.” You can buy it by the tub or strain your own, but either way, you’ll be rewarded with a tangy, intensely creamy spread that never met a carb it didn’t like. (You can also eat it like you would any yogurt—with a spoon.)
To make labneh, all you have to do is mix yogurt with salt and strain the heck out of it. Removing excess whey renders it luscious and spreadable—like a tangier cream cheese—but you can keep on straining until it’s moldable, and that’s where the fun really begins.
Once sufficiently strained, you can roll the labneh into little orbs, then roll the orbs in tasty stuff, like za’atar, fried garlic, Aleppo pepper, fried onions, or even everything bagel seasoning.
If you’re hosting a party, you can arrange the little balls in a pleasing configuration on a platter, or place them directly onto a carb of some kind, like a piece of toasted pita, a pita chip, or any sort of crusty bread. They’re basically mini cheeseballs, but a little more acidic and a little more luxurious.
They’re also easy to make.
Mini Labneh Balls
Photo: Claire Lower
Ingredients:
1 cup store-bought labneh or full-fat Greek yogurt (I’ve heard you can use low- and non-fat, but I wouldn’t do that to myself or you.)1/4 teaspoon salt Seasonings and crunchy bits of your choice, such as za’atar, fried garlic, Aleppo pepper, fried onions, or everything bagel seasoning.Line a sieve of some sort with a few layers of cheesecloth, stir the salt into your yogurt, and scoop it into the sieve.
Fold the excess cheesecloth over the yogurt, place it in the fridge, and let it strain for 24-48 hours, until the labneh can be scooped and shaped. (For pre-strained labneh, this should only take 24 hours.) It will be sticky, but should keep a soft ball shape. Roll the balls in the seasoning of your choice and serve with some sort of bread-y delivery system.
