This easy labneh dip recipe has got to be hands down one of my favorite mezze’s that is so underrated but unbelievably delicious. The labneh, which is a strained thick yogurt resembling soft cheese, is flavored with fresh garlic, dill, walnuts, and more. The combination is spectacular and quite addicting. There is brightness from the dill, crunch from the walnuts, acidity from the lemon, zing from the garlic, and a subtle heat from the Aleppo pepper. It tastes even better as it sits in the fridge. This is a must-try.
What is Labneh?
Labneh is a commonly used ingredient in a Middle Eastern households. You will always find a jar of homemade or store-bought labneh in my fridge. If you want a labneh recipe, check out my cookbook, Dine in Palestine. It is basically a strained yogurt that resembles a soft, spreadable cheese. It has a mild yet tangy flavor. It’s commonly enjoyed for breakfast and/or used to add creaminess to dishes like my egg salad. I personally love labneh dip with za’atar!
How to make this Labneh dip?
Prep all the components going into the dip, like chopping the dill, walnuts, crushing the garlic, and so on.
You can either purchase labneh from your local Arab convenience store, or you can make your own by straining yogurt with a cheesecloth to remove excess liquid. I have a technique and recipe for this in my cookbook.
Whip the yogurt with a spoon for a few seconds to achieve a creamy consistency, then add all the components.
Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving so the flavors are more prominent.
Serve in your favorite dish alongside some pita chips, fresh pita, veggies, or crackers. Enjoy!
Be sure to check out my Easy Labeh Dip video below! For the best viewing experience, watch the video in full-screen mode!
How to serve this Easy Labneh Dip recipe:
This is one of those dips that will impress your guests, and little do they know it just took 10-15 min of your time. Not only does it look enticing, but the flavor also backs it up. There are a few ways that this dip can be enjoyed other than by the spoon, which I won’t judge you for; it is that good. Check out the different ways below that would best accompany this labneh recipe:
This is the perfect herby, garlicky labneh dip for chips. You can’t go wrong serving this with store-bought pita chips, which are super easy to make at home. You can find how to make crisp pita in the oven in my eggplant fatteh recipe.
Of course, a fresh pita to dip is perfect as well. This is the go-to vehicle for dipping in the Middle East-there is always a pita in hand. A crust bread would also go great.
This labneh dip is also fabulous with an assortment of cut veggies like cucumber slices or mini preppers.
You can also smear it on a sandwich; I imagine it going great with smoked salmon!
Can I use this Dip on a Mezze platter?
Absolutely. In fact, I served this on a tray with hummus, baba ghanoush, pita, sliced cucumbers, and veggies. It was a healthy and filling treat; you couldn’t get enough of it. The only thing missing was my other favorite dip, muhammara, which I have a great recipe for!
I cannot wait for you to try this easy labneh dip recipe! If you try my recipes, please consider leaving a star rating and/ or review in the comment section below. I love hearing from you. Feel free to leave any questions or comments below as well. You can share your remakes with me on myInstagram!
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5 from 2 votes
Easy Labneh Dip Recipe
This easy labneh dip recipe has got to be hands down one of my favorite mezze's that is so underrated but unbelievably delicious. The labneh, which is a strained thick yogurt resembling soft cheese, is flavored with fresh garlic, dill, walnuts, and more.
Cuisine: Arab, Arabic, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern
Keyword: best labneh dip, easy labneh dip recipe, garlic labneh dip, labneh, labneh dip, labneh dip with dill, labneh with walnuts
Servings: 4people
Author: Heifa
Ingredients
8ozLabneh
1/3cupFinely chopped walnuts
1/4cupFinely chopped dill
3Garlic cloves, crushed
1tspAleppo pepperyou can omit or sub for 1/2 tsp red chili flakes.
2tbspFresh Lemon juice
Pinch of salt
Garnish
1tbspFinely chopped dill
1tbspFinely chopped walnuts
Drizzle of Olive oil
Sprinkle of Aleppo Pepper
Instructions
In a bowl, add the labneh and whip it for a few seconds until it becomes more smooth and creamy.
To this, add the chopped walnuts, chopped dill, crushed garlic, aleppo pepper, lemon juice, and salt.
Mix all the components together well. Add to the desired serving dish which I recommend to not be flat and have curvature to its sides so it is easier to dip.
Garnish with more dill, chopped walnuts, sprinkle of aleppo pepper, and a good helping of olive oil over the top.
Enjoy with fresh pita, pita chips, or crackers. The longer this dip sits in the firdge-the more flavor it develops so I recommend refirgerating it for an hour before tasting to see if more acid, salt, or heat is needed. Enjoy!
Notes
This dip stays well for up to 5 days covered in the fridge or an airtight container.
Labneh is what you get when you strain an already-strained yogurt to remove more of the liquid whey. Greek yogurt is strained yogurt, but labneh is doubly strained. What is Labneh made of? Labneh is a soft, flavorful Middle Eastern cheese made from strained yogurt and is so easy to make yourself.
Substitutes. You can use yogurt, cream cheese, sour cream, or mascarpone in place of labneh for many uses, but the flavor and texture won't be quite the same. Once you familiarize yourself with the flavor and versatility of labneh, you're more likely going to want to swap it for the others whenever you get the chance.
In addition to its delicious taste, labneh is considered a healthy food. It is a good source of protein, calcium, and probiotics, which benefit gut health. Labneh is also lower in fat and sodium compared to cheese or packaged dips, and it adds a lot of calcium to the diet.
Because they are so similar, it's sometimes possible to swap Greek yogurt for labneh and vice versa in applications. Greek yogurt and labneh have tangy flavor profiles, so if you're looking to add a dollop to something like this creamy carrot soup with lemon and dill or this easy lobster bisque, both will work nicely.
Labneh is what you get when you strain an already strained yogurt, removing much more liquid whey than you would to make Greek yogurt. So while Greek yogurt is strained yogurt, labneh is doubly strained yogurt!
Many grocery stores now carry labneh in the dairy section, but it's simple to make at home. You only need whole-milk yogurt (cow's milk is more traditional, but goat's milk is another option) and a little salt. No need to use Greek yogurt here; plain, unsweetened whole-milk yogurt will do the trick.
Labneh (also known as labneh, labni, lebni or zabedi) is the name of a popular thick yoghurt in the Middle East. It has been consumed in the levant region of Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Palestine for thousands of years. You can find labneh both in a dried form or steeped and marinated in olive oil.
Is labneh similar to sour cream? Labneh is thicker and less tangy than sour cream. Because of the acidity in labneh, it can possibly be used in place of sour cream in baking recipes.
Our labneh is safe to consume everyday. Although, I wouldn't recommend it. To ensure you are getting a variety of nutrients and minerals from your food, it is beneficial to practice food rotation. Food rotation advocates eating different foods daily.
Incorporating a few servings of high-protein foods like labneh is a simple and effective way to maintain normal blood sugar levels and prevent adverse side effects. In particular, protein has been shown to help lower blood sugar levels in people with diabetes while also supporting better overall glycemic control.
For starters, labneh can be high in sodium, with a 1-ounce (28-gram) serving squeezing in nearly 23% of the RDI ( 1 ). Studies show that cutting back on sodium is one of the most effective ways to reduce blood pressure levels, especially if you have elevated levels ( 21 , 22 ).
A Middle Eastern staple, labaneh is a savory dairy product that's typically served at breakfast and enjoyed with pita bread; it's sometimes rolled into balls, marinated in oil and herbs, and served as a snack.
Answer to earlier posts: labneh is similar to Greek yogurt, but is thicker and includes the salt. The consistency should be somewhere between Greek yogurt and cream cheese.
HOW LONG DOES LABNEH LAST? Once you open your Yaza labneh, we recommend eating it within 5-7 days. Keep it refrigerated as often as possible to maintain freshness. If you see the whey liquid separating from the solid labneh, don't worry; it's totally normal for a natural product.
Regular cream cheese (per 2 tablespoons) has 80 calories, 7 grams of fat, 2 grams of carbohydrates. Compare it with regular labneh, which has 60 calories, 6 grams of fat and 1 gram of carbohydrates. Doesn't sound like much of a nutritional difference? It adds up if you use it in cooking!
Labneh (or lebneh) is an ultra-thick, high-protein yogurt cheese popular in the Middle East. Traditionally, the cheese is made with camel or goat milk, but stateside, you'll find it made almost exclusively from cows' milk.
It has a thick, spreadable texture similar to soft goat cheese or cream cheese, and thanks to its yogurt base, its flavor is rich and tangy. Throughout the Middle East, it's a common addition to mezze platters, where it's served as a dip with olive oil and spices, but the uses for it don't end there.
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