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Labneh (Lebanese Cream Cheese)

Read Reviews (23)

"This is the Lebanese version of cream cheese, a lot tastier and lower in calories. Serve on a plate, sprinkled with olive oil, olives, tomatoes, cucumbers and mint. Or simply spread it like cream cheese on pita bread." — LEBANESE

Ingredients Edit and Save

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Types of Salt

Types of Cooking Oil

Original recipe makes 2 pounds Change Servings

16 cups plain yogurt
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1/4 cup olive oil

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Directions

Line a large colander with a cheesecloth. Stir salt into the yogurt, and pour the yogurt into the cheesecloth. Set the colander in the sink or bowl to catch the liquid that drains off. Leave to drain for 24 hours.
After draining for the 24 hours, transfer the resulting cheese to a bowl. Stir in the olive oil. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator.

Kitchen-Friendly View

PREP 5 mins
COOK 1 day
READY IN 1 day 5 mins

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Reviews More Reviews

Most Helpful Positive Review

Dec 20, 2007

Being of Lebanese decent, I have had this all of my life. I often add some or all of the following flavorings: fresh, mashed or roasted mashed garlic, an envelope of Ranch dip powder, fresh herbs, scallions and minced sun-dried tomatoes. I also use non-fat yogurt for a healthy snack.

—Nancy

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Most Helpful Critical Review

Aug 03, 2010

This is NOT the Lebanese version of cream cheese. Labneh is yogurt....plain and simple. Cream cheese is much firmer and this is not firm so please, if you make this do NOT expect something like cream cheese but, instead, a tart yogurt.

—tdspringer

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24 Ratings

May 30, 2005

Labneh is awesome, and this recipe is no exception, and simple enough to make. I prefer making my own yogurt and then straining it through the cheesecloth. I then shape the labneh into 2-inch balls and store in a jar with olive oil. Alternately, I store the labneh in a separate container and add the olive oil at serving time.

—ryanandkylesmom

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May 25, 2006

I didn't have any cheesecloth on hand, so I used a plain white, clean, handkerchief. The recipe came out wonderful, I added some minced garlic and olives and used it as a spread for pitas with hummus.

—Ali

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Apr 25, 2007

This is a great recipe, and a lot of fun to play with. I didn't have a cheesecloth the first time I tried it, so I just used some paper towels, and it was still good. I also didn't want 4 lbs, so I cut in down: 4 cups (one 32 oz/2 lb container yogurt), 1/4 tsp salt, and 1 T olive oil. One night, I made fajitas and didn't have sour cream- my family and i tried this and it was perfect! This is versatile and so easy.

—MCKA

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Jan 03, 2007

This recipe is great. It has a delicious flavor and is healthy! I let the yogurt strain for another day because it didn't quite have the taste I was looking for after only 24 hours.

—LittleCookGirl

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Jul 09, 2008

We loved this! Be sure to use plain yogurt with no added thickeners (ie: geletin, corn starch). We served this spread on a plate, drizzled with EVOO and sprinkled with greek herb mix. Scoop up with pita triangles or crunchy vegies! Also spread in pita pockets with falafel fillings.

—mamabear

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Jan 14, 2009

I made this with homemade yogurt. It is delicious! Next time I might let it sit longer, some in the middle didn't seem to drain quite as well as the rest. I only made 1/4 recipe, that worked out to be a good amount for our family. I'm really happy I tried this recipe, thank you for sharing it.

—ScottFamily

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Nutrition

Calories
92 kcal
5%

Carbohydrates
8.6 g
3%

Cholesterol
7 mg
2%

Fat
3.6 g
6%

Fiber
0 g
0%

Protein
6.4 g
13%

Sodium
158 mg
6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutritional Information

Labneh (Lebanese Cream Cheese)

Serving Size: 1/32 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 32
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 92
Calories from Fat: 32

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 3.6g 6 %
Saturated Fat 1.5g 7 %
Cholesterol 7mg 2 %
Sodium 158mg 6 %
Potassium 287mg 8 %
Total Carbohydrates 8.6g 3 %
Dietary Fiber 0g 0 %
Protein 6.4g 13 %
Sugars 8.6g
Vitamin A 1 %
Vitamin C 2 %
Calcium 28 %
Iron 1 %
Thiamin 5 %
Niacin 5 %
Vitamin B6 4 %
Magnesium 7 %
Folate 7 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.