Labneh with Za'atar and Olive Oil

Name: Labneh with Za'atar and Olive Oil
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 3 cups (720 g) plain whole-milk yogurt, cold, straight from the fridge, stirred smooth; ¾ tsp (4 g) fine sea salt; 3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 1½ tbsp (10 g) za'atar; flaky sea salt, a pinch, to taste (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Thick, tangy strained yogurt cheese with a spreadable, cream-cheese-like texture, swirled with fruity olive oil and finished with fragrant za'atar. Only a few ingredients and a little patience are needed.

Prep: 10 min
Cook: —
Wait: 1 days
Total: 1 days
Makes: About 1½ cups (360 g) labneh, serving 8 as a spread or dip

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Steps

Before you start

Start 1 day ahead: the yogurt needs 18–24 hours to strain in the fridge.
Use plain, full-fat yogurt with no added thickeners (gelatin, starch, pectin); these prevent proper draining. Greek yogurt works too but drains faster and yields more.
Cut a piece of cheesecloth about 20 inches (50 cm) square and fold it to 4 layers, or use a clean thin kitchen towel or nut milk bag.
Make sure a bowl and strainer fit together in your fridge, with the strainer sitting well above the bottom of the bowl.

1
Set up the strainer
- Set the fine-mesh strainer over the deep bowl, making sure the bottom of the strainer sits at least 3 inches (7 cm) above the base of the bowl so the whey can collect without touching the yogurt.
- Line the strainer with the 4-layer cheesecloth, letting the excess hang over the edges.
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Ready when: The cloth is draped smoothly with plenty of overhang on all sides.
Tip: If the strainer sits in the whey, the labneh will stay wet. Prop it on the bowl rim or use a taller bowl.
2
Season the yogurt
- In a separate bowl, stir the yogurt and the ¾ tsp (4 g) fine sea salt together with a spatula for about 30 seconds, until the salt is fully dissolved and the yogurt is smooth and uniform.
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Ready when: Yogurt looks smooth with no visible salt grains.
Tip: Salt helps draw out whey and seasons the labneh all the way through.
3
Load the cloth
- Spoon the salted yogurt into the center of the cloth-lined strainer and smooth the top.
- Gather the cloth corners over the yogurt and fold them over to cover the surface completely.
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Ready when: The yogurt is fully enclosed by the cloth.
4
Strain in the fridge
- Cover the whole setup loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 18 to 24 hours.
- After about 12 hours, pour off the whey if it is close to touching the strainer.
- For a spreadable, cream-cheese texture, strain about 18 hours; for firm, rollable labneh, go the full 24 hours.
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Ready when: The yogurt has shrunk to about half its volume and holds a firm mound when you open the cloth. About 1½ cups (360 g) labneh remains, with 1½ cups of whey in the bowl.
Tip: Save the whey for smoothies, soups or bread dough.
5
Scrape out the labneh
- Open the cloth and use a rubber spatula to scrape the labneh into the 2-cup (500 ml) serving bowl, discarding the cloth or washing it.
- Smooth the surface flat.
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Ready when: Labneh is thick and glossy, and releases cleanly from the cloth.
Tip: If it seems too loose, re-wrap and strain another 2–4 hours.
6
Swirl and top
- Use the back of a spoon to press a wide, shallow swirl into the surface.
- Pour the 3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil into the swirl, then sprinkle the 1½ tbsp (10 g) za'atar evenly over the top.
- Add a pinch of flaky salt if you like.
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Ready when: A pool of green-gold oil fills the swirl, with za'atar scattered on top.
Tip: Taste before adding flaky salt; some za'atar blends are already salty.
7
Serve
- Serve right away at cool room temperature, or after resting 10 minutes out of the fridge, with warm pita, cucumbers, tomatoes and olives, for scooping.
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Tip: Serving it slightly cool, not ice cold, gives the best flavor and spreadability.

Good to know

Tips

Use full-fat yogurt; low-fat versions yield a drier, less creamy labneh.
To make labneh balls, strain 24–48 hours, roll into 1-inch (2.5 cm) balls, and store submerged in olive oil in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Do not squeeze the cloth hard; this pushes solids through and makes the labneh grainy. Let gravity do the work.
Use a nonreactive bowl and strainer (stainless steel, glass, plastic) since yogurt is acidic.

Make ahead

"Strain the labneh up to 4 days ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. Add the olive oil and za'atar just before serving so the topping stays vivid."

Storage & reheating

"Refrigerate plain labneh in an airtight container for up to 7 days; dressed labneh keeps 3 days. It does not need reheating; let it sit 10 minutes at room temperature before serving. Do not leave out longer than 2 hours. Freezing is not recommended because the texture turns grainy."

Substitutions

plain whole-milk yogurt → plain Greek yogurt. Strains faster (6–10 hours) and yields more; the flavor is slightly milder.
za'atar → 1 tbsp dried thyme, 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds and ½ tsp sumac. A quick homemade approximation of za'atar.
plain whole-milk yogurt → plain full-fat sheep's or goat's milk yogurt. Gives a tangier, more traditional flavor.
extra-virgin olive oil → good-quality avocado oil. Milder flavor; olive oil is recommended for authenticity.