Overnight Labneh with Za'atar and Olive Oil

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Whole-milk yogurt salted and hung in cheesecloth overnight turns into labneh — thick, tangy, and impossibly creamy. Swoosh it across a shallow bowl with the back of a spoon, flood the grooves with good olive oil, and shower it with za'atar, toasted sesame and a little lemon zest. There is no cooking involved, just patience, and it eats like a $12 mezze plate.

Ingredients

• 32 oz whole-milk plain yogurt (not Greek, not low-fat)
• 3/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
• 1 clove garlic, grated on a microplane (optional)

• 3 tbsp good extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the table
• 2 tsp za'atar
• 1 tsp sesame seeds
• 1 pinch flaky sea salt
• 1 pinch sumac (optional)
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh mint or parsley

• 4 pita breads, warmed and torn
• 2 cups raw vegetables such as cucumber spears, radishes and endive
• 1/3 cup oil-cured olives

Instructions

1. Line a fine-mesh sieve with a double layer of cheesecloth (or a clean thin kitchen towel), leaving 4–5 inches of overhang on all sides. Set the sieve over a bowl deep enough that the bottom of the sieve sits at least 2 inches above the base — the yogurt needs room to drip.
2. In a separate bowl, stir the yogurt with the fine sea salt, lemon zest and grated garlic (if using) until completely smooth, about 30 seconds. The salt is what draws out the whey, so don't skip it.
3. Scrape the yogurt into the lined sieve. Gather the cheesecloth overhang and twist it loosely over the top, then tuck the ends down the side. Do not squeeze.
4. Refrigerate 12 to 24 hours. At 12 hours you'll have a thick, spreadable labneh; at 24 hours it's dense enough to roll into balls. Check at the 8-hour mark and pour off any whey that has risen close to the sieve. Expect to drain 1 to 1 1/2 cups of whey; the yogurt will reduce to roughly 2 cups.
5. Unwrap the labneh and scrape it into a bowl with a flexible spatula. Taste and add another pinch of fine salt if it's flat. If it feels stiffer than you want, whisk in 1 tablespoon of the reserved whey at a time until it's the texture of soft cream cheese. Let it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving — cold labneh tastes muted.
6. Spoon the labneh into a wide shallow bowl or onto a plate. Press the back of a spoon into the center and drag outward in a slow spiral, building a raised rim and a shallow well — you want ridges and valleys for the oil to pool in.
7. Flood the well with the olive oil, letting it run into every groove. Scatter the za'atar, sesame seeds, flaky salt, sumac and herbs over the top, concentrating the za'atar where the oil has pooled so it darkens and blooms.
8. Serve immediately with warm torn pita, cold raw vegetables and olives, with extra olive oil on the table for pouring.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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