Soft, creamy homemade labneh with oven-roasted eggplant. A perfect Mediterranean combination. Here’s how to make labneh with just three ingredients and a day in the fridge.
Making labneh is simple. Three ingredients, a cloth, and a day in the fridge. It comes out creamy with a gentle tang.
The tender, spiced eggplant cubes on top add rich flavor and a little bite.
Serve it as an appetizer, a side, or a light meal with fresh bread.
My tip: start the labneh a day ahead. The 24 hours in the fridge do all the work.
Here’s how to make labneh: mix Greek yogurt with lemon juice and salt, then strain it in a cloth in the fridge for 24 hours. For the topping, toss eggplant cubes with olive oil, paprika, thyme, oregano, garlic powder, and salt, and roast at 350°F (180°C) for 25–30 minutes. Spread the labneh, top with eggplant, olive oil, and parsley.
Homemade Labneh with Roasted Eggplant
Ingredients
Method
- In a large bowl, mix the yogurt, lemon juice, and salt until smooth.
- Line a strainer with a thin cloth (cheesecloth or a clean cloth diaper) and set it over a pot or bowl to catch the liquid.
- Pour the yogurt mixture into the cloth, tie the ends, and refrigerate for 24 hours.
- After 24 hours, take the labneh out of the fridge. You can move it to an airtight jar and keep it in the fridge for up to a week.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Cut the eggplants into thick cubes, skin on.
- In a bowl, toss the eggplant cubes with the olive oil, paprika, thyme, oregano, garlic powder, and salt until all the cubes are coated. Spread them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Roast about 25–30 minutes, until the cubes are soft and lightly browned.
- Spread the labneh on a serving plate and top with the eggplant cubes. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with parsley and cherry tomatoes or pomegranate seeds.
Notes
- Use full-fat Greek yogurt for the creamiest labneh.
- Set the strainer over a deep bowl so it never sits in the liquid that drains out.
- Leave the skin on the eggplant. It helps the cubes keep their shape in the oven.
- Homemade labneh keeps up to a week in an airtight jar in the fridge.
- Cheesecloth → a clean, thin kitchen towel or a few layers of paper coffee filters.
- Pomegranate seeds → cherry tomatoes (both are listed as options on the original).
- Dried thyme → za’atar, for a more Israeli flavor.
Frequently asked questions
Labneh is a thick, tangy strained yogurt cheese popular across the Middle East. At home, it’s just yogurt, lemon, and salt strained for a day.
This recipe strains it in the fridge for 24 hours, which gives a thick, spreadable texture.
Up to a week in an airtight jar in the fridge.
You can, but regular yogurt holds more liquid, so you’ll get less labneh and it may need longer to thicken.
Yes. Roast it, refrigerate it covered, and bring it to room temperature or warm it briefly before serving.
