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Loading...Labneh with za'atar and olive oil is the Lebanese answer to butter on bread—a cool, tangy strained yogurt drizzled with grassy olive oil and fragrant za'atar. It's the anchor of every morning mezze spread and a weeknight lifesaver that comes together in minutes. Spoon it onto warm pita, dip fresh vegetables, or smear it thickly on manakish dough.
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time5 mins
Total Time25 mins
Servings4
Yield4 servings (about 2 cups labneh)
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (estimated)
- 285 kcalCalories
- 21 gFat
- 7 gSaturated Fat
- 11 gCarbs
- 1 gFiber
- 9 gSugar
- 11 gProtein
- 420 mgSodium
- 280 mgPotassium
- 220 mgCalcium
- 2 mgIron
- 2 mgVitamin C
- 110 mcgVitamin A
Ingredients
For the Labneh
- 4 cups plain whole-milk yogurt
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 piece cheesecloth, large enough to line a sieve
For the Topping and Serving
- 3 tablespoons za'atar
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 8 Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
- 1 tablespoon toasted pine nuts
- 4 fresh mint leaves, torn
- Warm pita bread or cucumber spears, for serving
Directions
- Line a fine-mesh sieve with a double layer of cheesecloth and set it over a deep bowl. Stir the salt into the yogurt until fully dissolved.
- Spoon the salted yogurt into the cheesecloth-lined sieve, then gather the edges together and tie with kitchen twine to form a bundle.
- Refrigerate the bundle for 12 to 24 hours, allowing the whey to drain into the bowl below, until the yogurt is thick, spreadable, and holds its shape.
- Untie the cheesecloth and transfer the thick labneh to a shallow serving bowl, using the back of a spoon to smooth the surface and create a slight well in the center.
- While the labneh rests, toast the pine nuts in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat for 3 to 5 minutes, shaking often, until golden and fragrant; set aside to cool.
- Drizzle the extra-virgin olive oil generously over the labneh, letting it pool in the well.
- Sprinkle the za'atar evenly across the surface so it floats on the olive oil and blooms in the warmth.
- Scatter the toasted pine nuts, halved olives, and torn mint leaves over the top.
- Serve immediately with warm pita bread or crisp vegetable spears for dipping.
Cook’s Notes
- Reserve the drained whey—it's excellent blended into smoothies, used in bread dough, or substituted for buttermilk in pancakes.
- For a quicker version, substitute 2 cups of store-bought thick labneh for the homemade and skip the straining step entirely.
- Quality matters here: choose a grassy, peppery extra-virgin olive oil and a fresh, aromatic za'atar blend, as both define the final flavor.
- Labneh keeps in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks; cover the surface with a thin layer of olive oil to prevent drying.
- Add a pinch of sumac on top for a tart, ruby-red accent that cuts through the richness of the yogurt.
