Because of how long the fasting hours are this year, everyone is short on time after Iftar. And come Sohour, everyone wants something fast, easy and definitely filling. Labneh is the perfect addition to any Sohour, and just in case you’re bored of the good ol’ style, here are a few twists that you definitely should try!
Labneh can be store-bought, but it’s so much better homemade. So here’s a basic homemade Labneh recipe to keep handy:
Ingredients:
1kg natural plain full-fat yogurt
A pinch of salt
Method:
- Place a large sieve over a large bowl. Line with 2-3 layers of cheesecloth or several layers of gauze.
- In a bowl, add the salt to the yogurt. Stir well until becomes smooth and the salt is combined. Pour it on the gauze. Hold the edges of the gauze and tie it well. Let it rest on the sieve, cover with a towel, and place in the fridge.
- Leave it in the fridge for 8 to 10 hours. The longer you leave it the thicker it will get. And now you have your homemade labneh.
Labneh with aromatic Greens Dip:
Ingredients:
Labneh, 150 g
Cucumber, 30g diced
Tomato, 30g diced
Fresh mint, 5g chopped
Dry mint 1 tsp
Method:
- In a small bowl, add the labneh, tomato, cucumber and fresh mint.
- Give it a stir and dust some dry mint as garnish on top.
- Serve with some toasted shami bread and it is ready to get in your tummy!
Labneh with Olives and Pastrami Dip
Ingredients:
Labneh, 150g
Green olives, 40 g sliced
Pastrami, 20 g sliced
Method:
- In a small bowl, add the labneh, sliced green olives and the sliced pastrami.
- Stir well and spread it on toasted bread!
- Alternately, you can eat as a dip and add a splash of sesame seeds as garnish.
- Substitute the toast for lettuce for a healthier version.
Labneh Parma Dip:
Ingredients:
Labneh, 150 g
Parmesan cheese, 45 g grated
Sumac, dust
Method:
- In a small bowl, add the labneh and the grated Parmesan cheese.
- Stir well and dip in with a bouquet made from several sliced vegetables of different colors (bell peppers, carrots and cucumber.)
Labneh Mish Dip:
Ingredients:
Labneh, 150 g
Mish (old cheese) 25g or adjust to taste
Zaatar
Method
- In a small bowl, add the labneh and the mish.
- Stir well and make sure there are no lumps.
- Place in serving bowl and dust some zaatar on top.
Sweet, Sweet Labneh!
Labneh is so versatile, it can even be turned into dessert; here are a few sweet recipes to satisfy your sweet tooth.
Chocolate labneh cheesecake
Ingredients:
Labneh, 50g
Melted dark chocolate, 25g
Digestive biscuits / Marie biscuits, 40g
Pistachio, 2g crushed
Method:
- In a small bowl, crush biscuits until it gets to a crumbly texture.
- In another small bowl, add the labneh and whisk in the melted chocolate bit by bit until it combines all together.
- In a serving cup, first add a layer of the crumbled biscuit then a dollop of the labneh mixture, and remember to be generous! Add another layer of the crumbled biscuit and finish off with some crushed pistachio
Honey, Nutty Labneh Dip:
Ingredients:
Labneh, 150g
Honey, 2 tbsp
Rosewater, 1tsp
Pistachio, 5g crushed
Fresh mint for garnish.
Method
- In a small bowl, whisk labneh, honey and rosewater until smooth.
- In a serving bowl, pour the labneh and sprinkle some of the crushed pistachio.
- Add a mint leaf on top for garnish. Can be eaten alone or as a dip served next to biscuits.
Labneh Khoshaf
Ingredients:
Labneh, 300g
Dried apricot, 3 pc cubed
Dried Arasya, 2 pc cubed
Dried fig, 2 pc cubed
Dried dates, 2 pc cubed
Honey, 2 tbsp
Fresh thyme, 1 tsp (optional)
Walnut, 5g crushed for garnish
Method:
- In a mixing bowl, add labneh, honey and fresh thyme. Whisk thoroughly.
- Stir in all the dried fruits.
- In a serving bowl, pour the labneh koshaf. Garnish with crushed walnut and a drizzle of honey.
By Food Blogger Marigo Gharbawy
Website: www.marigosblazingkitchen.com
Instagram: @marigogharbawy
