Labna
Recipe: #33923
December 15, 2019
Categories: Condiments, Snacks, Dairy, Appetizers, Greek, Budget-Friendly, Easy/Beginner Cooking, Baby Shower, Birthday, Christmas, Easter, Entertaining, Father's Day, Ladies Luncheon, Mother's Day, New Years, Picnic, Romantic Dinner, Summer, Winter, Refrigerator, Gluten-Free, Low Carbohydrate, No Eggs, Vegetarian, Yogurt, Spring, Kosher Dairy more
"Labna made from yogurt that has been drained of whey to form a fresh yogurt cheese with the consistency of a cream cheese. You can make as per recipe or add flavors to the yogurt, such as garlic, lemon zest, spice mix (zaatar) or herbs. It lasts for around 2 weeks in oil the fridge (refer below), and you use it as you would a cream cheese ~ on bagels, wraps, burgers, sandwiches or water crackers. Even served as a condiment on a platter! Creativity is endless ~ see notes below:"
Ingredients
Nutritional
- Serving Size: 1 (197 g)
- Calories 339
- Total Fat - 27.7 g
- Saturated Fat - 3.9 g
- Cholesterol - 8.5 mg
- Sodium - 61.7 mg
- Total Carbohydrate - 6.1 g
- Dietary Fiber - 0 g
- Sugars - 5.5 g
- Protein - 17.3 g
- Calcium - 187.3 mg
- Iron - 0.3 mg
- Vitamin C - 0 mg
- Thiamin - 0 mg
Step by Step Method
Step 1
Note: Set your colander inside a larger bowl and line it with 3-4 layers of cheesecloth, leaving the ends flapping over the side.
Step 2
Add a good pinch of salt to naturally set the yogurt before placing the yogurt in the muslin cloth and suspending over the bowl to catch the whey ; or as an alternative ~ placing yogurt in a lined strainer over a bowl to catch the excess whey. You can also fold the cheese cloth around the labna and then place a weight over the labna (heavy bottle water, cans or something 3-5 kg in weight). The weight will help draw out the whey.
Step 3
Place colander in the fridge and drain the yogurt for a minimum of 36 hours; Flavors such as minced garlic and lemon zest can be added to the yogurt before rolling into balls.
Step 4
When set remove Labna and using wet or lightly oiled hands to roll the Labna into balls.
Step 5
Use the fresh labna in a few days as preferred or drizzled with olive oil and serve as a condiment.
Step 6
To keep Labna for a few weeks ~ place Labna in a large jar, then cover with a light olive oil. Herb sprigs can be added to flavor the oil.
Step 7
Note:
Step 8
Add crushed garlic and chopped fresh herbs before rolling into balls.
Step 9
Roll labna in dukkah/chopped chives or zaatar and drizzle with olive oil.
Step 10
Store walnut sized balls in a jar with fresh herbs or garlic, covered with olive oil; The oil which from Labna can be used later in dressings and other recipes.
Tips & Variations
- The equipment needed ~ a colander or sieve, a bow, muslin cheese cloth or clean/new Chux style wipes.