Labneh in the UK: what it is, how to order it, where to find it
Labneh is strained yoghurt thickened to a soft, spreadable cheese, tangy and creamy, served with olive oil, za'atar and bread. A staple of the Lebanese breakfast and mezze table, it is yoghurt at its most concentrated, and rolled into balls and preserved in oil (labneh makdous) it keeps for months. Simple, fresh and endlessly useful.
What labneh is
Yoghurt is salted and hung in a cloth to drain its whey for a day or more until it thickens to the consistency of a soft cream cheese. It is spread in a bowl, dressed with olive oil and za'atar or dried mint, and eaten with flatbread, cucumber and olives, mostly at breakfast but also as a mezze. Rolled into small balls and stored under olive oil, sometimes coated in herbs or chilli, it becomes labneh balls that keep for months. It is tangier and lighter than cream cheese, and one of the simplest and most versatile things on the Lebanese table.
How to judge it
It should be thick and creamy but still spreadable, tangy and fresh, under a generous pool of good olive oil with za'atar. A thin, watery version was under-strained; a stiff one over-strained. Homemade or from a good Lebanese maker beats the mass-produced tubs. The quality of the olive oil and za'atar on top matters as much as the labneh itself.
Labneh on the table
It anchors the Lebanese breakfast with bread, olives, tomato, cucumber and za'atar. As a mezze it sits with the dips. It is used in cooking too, dolloped on grills or thinned into a sauce. Naturally vegetarian and, made from a good yoghurt, one of the freshest things you can eat.
Where it is done well in the UK
Lebanese and Levantine restaurants and grocers. The list below shows areas with the most Lebanese restaurants.
How to order it
Order labneh with olive oil and za'atar as part of a breakfast or mezze spread; it should be thick, creamy and tangy under a pool of good oil. Eat with warm flatbread, cucumber and olives. The oil and za'atar on top matter as much as the labneh.
Where it's done well
UK councils with the most labneh specialists, by restaurant name, in our directory.
Restaurants near you
Search by postcode or use your location to find restaurants likely to serve labneh near you.
Make it at home
Serves 6 · 15 min
Ingredients
- 500 g full-fat natural yoghurt
- half tsp salt
- olive oil, za'atar to serve
Method
- 01Stir the salt into the yoghurt.
- 02Spoon into a muslin-lined sieve or tie in a cloth, and hang over a bowl in the fridge for 12 to 24 hours until thick.
- 03Spread in a bowl, pour over olive oil and scatter za'atar; serve with flatbread. Roll the firmer version into balls and store under oil.
Straining time sets the texture; longer gives a firmer labneh for rolling into balls. Use a good full-fat yoghurt.