Labneh Balls
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Prep Time3 Days
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Serving25
This Labneh Balls recipe is sponsored by Stonyfield Organic, although the content represents my own personal opinion/experience.
Labneh is a creamy yogurt spread originating in the Mediterranean region. It is typically enjoyed for breakfast with some olive oil drizzled on top and eaten with pita bread. It is also considered a mezze (appetizer) and can be served alongside hummus and baba ghanoush. The most well-known labneh is creamy and spreadable, however, there is another variety, which is these Labneh Balls that are preserved in olive oil.
Two-Ingredient Labneh Balls
Labneh Balls taste like the regular, quite popular labneh spread, but tangier and with a much thicker consistency. The process to make these labneh balls, is the same as making labneh spread, but the yogurt is drained for a longer time period. Plain yogurt is poured into a cheesecloth or thin kitchen towel and drained for 2-3 days instead of 8-24 hours for regular labneh spread.
What makes these Labneh Balls so unique, is that they do not have to be refrigerated and can be stored at room temperature, for up to three months. You’ll want to store them in a cool, dark place, like your pantry. The trick for them staying fresh, is to keep them submerged in olive oil at all times. Also, always use a clean and dry spoon or utensil to remove a ball from the jar.
They can be refrigerated if you prefer, but the olive oil will solidify so, make sure to let them go to room temperature for about 20-30 minutes before serving.
If you want to make these Labneh Balls the traditional way like my grandmother does, you want to start by making a homemade yogurt. Homemade yogurt is little bit tricky to master, as you have to have the perfect temperature before adding the starter and, keep the mixture warm for it to come together.
Stonyfield Organic
To make this recipe much easier, I have a hack that uses Stonyfield Organic yogurt instead of homemade yogurt. This cuts down the process by minimum a day and saves you many extra steps. I love using Stonyfield Organic yogurt because it is organic and so high in protein. I am very mindful of what I feed my family, and because Stonyfield yogurt is organic, I can trust that it is made from the highest quality of ingredients and contains no harmful persistent pesticides.
I used Stonyfield Organic Greek yogurt for the Labneh Balls because of the thicker consistency, but the traditional Stonyfield Organic yogurt should work just as well. It may take a little bit longer to drain in the cheesecloth since it is not as thick.
Aside from using Stonyfield Organic yogurt in my Labneh Balls, it is also a wonderful substitution for ingredients like mayo, sour cream, and buttermilk in baking and for sauces.
Spiced Labneh Balls
The Labneh Balls are delicious as is, served with some of the olive oil from the jar with some pita bread or toasted bread. However, coating the Labneh Balls with a variety of different aromatic flavors and spices takes them to the next level. My favorite flavors to roll them in is dried mint, za’atar spice, and Aleppo pepper. Some other wonderful options are sesame seeds, red pepper flakes, or sumac. The spices also make them so beautiful presentation-wise, along with other mezze or breakfast items.
STEP 1
Pour both 32oz containers of plain Stonyfield Organic Greek yogurt into the lined colander.
Mix in the salt and bring up the sides of the cheesecloth to completely cover the yogurt.
Tie the cheesecloth and hang over a large bowl to drain all the whey (liquids) for at least two days, until no more liquid drains.
*You can let the yogurt drain at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
STEP 2
Once the yogurt has strained and becomes firm to the touch, transfer from the cheesecloth to a bowl.
Scoop about two tablespoons of the strained yogurt and using your hands, form into small balls. Repeat until there is no labneh left (about 50 balls).
Let the Labneh Balls firm up a little bit more in a large platter in the refrigerator for one more day, loosely covered with light towel or paper towels.
STEP 3
Prepare all the spices and dried herbs you want to roll the Labneh Balls in.
Take a ball of labneh and roll around in the individual bowl of your preferred spice or herb. I rolled them in za’atar, dried mint, and Aleppo pepper.
STEP 4
Cover with enough olive oil to fully submerge all the Labneh Balls. Cover, and store at room temperature for up to three months.
*Use the remaining olive oil from the labneh jars in salads, or sauces!
Thank you to Stonyfield Organic for sponsoring this post.
Labneh Balls
Ingredients
- 2 32oz. Containers of Stonyfield Organic Greek yogurt
- 1 tsp. Salt
- 4 cups Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 tb. Dried Mint
- 2 tb. Aleppo pepper
- 2 tb. Za’atar spice
Instructions
- Line a large colander with a cheese cloth or a very light kitchen towel.Pour both 32oz containers of plain Stonyfield Organic Greek yogurt into the lined colander. Mix in the salt and bring up the sides of the cheesecloth to completely cover the yogurt. Tie the cheesecloth and hang over a large bowl to drain all the whey (liquids) for at least two days, until no more liquid drains. *You can let the yogurt drain at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
- Once the yogurt has strained and becomes firm to the touch, transfer from the cheesecloth to a bowl. Scoop about two tablespoons of the strained yogurt and using your hands, form into small balls. Repeat until there is no labneh left (about 50 balls).Let the Labneh Balls firm up a little bit more in a large platter in the refrigerator for one more day, loosely covered with light towel or paper towels.
- Prepare all the spices and dried herbs you want to roll the Labneh Balls in. Take a ball of labneh and roll around in the individual bowl of your preferred spice or herb. I rolled them in za’atar, dried mint, and Aleppo pepper.
- Transfer the spiced or plain Labneh Balls into clean, glass jars. Cover with enough olive oil to fully submerge all the Labneh Balls. Cover, and store at room temperature for up to three months.
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