Labneh Balls in Olive Oil
Kurāt labneh bil-zaytA classic Lebanese mouneh preparation in which salted yogurt is drained until dense, shaped into small balls, dried briefly under refrigeration, and covered with olive oil. The essential skills are judging the labneh by texture rather than time alone, keeping moisture and contamination low, and maintaining safe refrigerated storage. This academy version is deliberately conservative: it is a refrigerated preserve, not a shelf-stable product.
Know what you are cooking
Labneh preserved under olive oil is a Pan-Lebanese household and professional mouneh practice. Families vary the yogurt—cow, goat, sheep, or a blend—and may leave the balls plain or season them with dried mint or mild pepper. Fresh herbs and fresh garlic are excluded here because introducing moist plant material into oil increases food-safety risk.
Serve as part of a Lebanese breakfast, mezze, or mouneh table with tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, and bread. Allow the portion being served to lose its refrigerator chill briefly so the olive oil becomes fluid and aromatic, but return the jar promptly to refrigeration.
- Salt and drain yogurt safely under refrigeration.
- Recognize labneh that is firm enough to hold a clean spherical shape.
- Dry shaped labneh sufficiently to reduce surface moisture without holding it at room temperature.
- Pack labneh under olive oil while minimizing trapped air and contamination.
- Apply conservative refrigerated-preserve controls and recognize signs requiring disposal.
Ingredients
Digital kitchen scale · Large nonreactive bowl · Fine-mesh sieve or colander · Food-safe muslin, butter muslin, or a clean lint-free draining cloth · Plate or lid that fits over the sieve · Refrigerator maintained at 4°C or colder · Small tray or shallow food-safe container · Baking parchment · Clean disposable gloves or thoroughly washed hands · Clean, heat-safe 1-litre glass jar with nonreactive lid · Clean spoon or narrow silicone spatula
Method
- 1
Prepare the yogurt for draining
Mix the yogurt and salt thoroughly in a clean bowl. Line the sieve with muslin, set it over a deep bowl, and transfer the yogurt to the cloth. Gather the cloth loosely without compressing the yogurt, then cover the assembly.
Look, smell, feelThe salt is evenly dispersed and the yogurt remains smooth, with no visible concentrated pockets of salt.SafetyUse pasteurized yogurt and clean equipment. Place the assembly in the refrigerator immediately; do not drain dairy at room temperature. - 2
Drain under refrigeration
Refrigerate at 4°C or colder for 36 hours. Ensure the sieve remains above the collected whey; empty the bowl with a clean utensil if the whey approaches the sieve. Do not let the cloth sit in the liquid.
Look, smell, feelThe labneh is dense, holds a firm ridge when pressed with a spoon, and releases no puddle of whey when placed on a plate. The yield should be approximately 450–500 g, depending on the yogurt.SafetyKeep covered and continuously refrigerated. If the yogurt has remained above 4°C for more than 2 hours in total, discard it rather than preserving it. - 3
Shape the balls
Line a clean tray with parchment. Divide the labneh into 16 equal portions, approximately 25–30 g each. With clean, dry hands or gloves, roll each portion gently into a compact ball. If using dried mint or pepper, mix only the specified commercially dried seasoning into the labneh or apply a very light coating to the exterior.
Look, smell, feelEach ball holds its shape without slumping and has a smooth surface with few cracks. If the mixture smears heavily or flattens, return it to the lined sieve and drain longer under refrigeration.SafetyKeep the work period brief and avoid introducing water. Do not add fresh garlic, fresh herbs, citrus peel, or other moist ingredients to the storage oil. - 4
Dry the shaped labneh
Arrange the balls with space between them. Refrigerate for 11 hours 30 minutes, loosely protected with a clean food-safe cover so air can circulate without exposing them to drips or raw-food contamination. Turn once with a clean utensil halfway through.
Look, smell, feelThe exterior is matte and slightly firmer than the center; the balls lift cleanly from the parchment without leaving wet smears.SafetyDry only in the refrigerator, ideally on an upper shelf away from raw meat, poultry, seafood, and unwashed produce. - 5
Pack under olive oil
Use a clean, fully dry jar and lid; if heat-sanitized, let both cool and air-dry completely. Place the balls gently into the jar without crushing them. Pour in olive oil slowly, easing out visible air pockets with a clean, dry spoon or narrow spatula. Cover the uppermost ball with at least 2 cm of oil, close the jar, label it with the preparation date, and refrigerate immediately.
Look, smell, feelThe balls remain intact, no large air pockets are trapped between them, and every surface is below the oil.SafetySanitizing a jar does not make this dairy preparation shelf-stable. Keep it at 4°C or colder and follow local health-authority guidance for refrigerated dairy preserves.
Chef notes
- Yogurt composition controls the yield: naturally thick yogurt produces more labneh, while yogurt with higher whey content may require longer draining.
- A small amount of salt seasons the labneh and assists whey removal, but it must not be treated as proof of preservation or shelf stability.
- Traditional households may use pasteurized goat, sheep, cow, or mixed-milk yogurt. Their acidity, richness, and final firmness differ, so use the sensory test before shaping.
- Refrigerated olive oil may become cloudy or partially solid; this alone is normal. Remove only the portion required and let that portion stand briefly until the oil loosens.
- Retain the jar oil only while the labneh remains wholesome and within its storage period. Do not top up an old jar with a new batch.
Common mistakes
- Shaping while the labneh is still wet, causing flattened balls and excess moisture in the oil.
- Draining or drying at room temperature rather than under refrigeration.
- Using a damp jar, wet utensils, fresh herbs, or fresh garlic in the oil.
- Packing the balls tightly enough to crack them or trap large air pockets.
- Allowing upper balls to rise above the oil after servings are removed.
- Assuming oil coverage makes a dairy product safe for pantry storage.
Practical substitutions
- Pasteurized goat- or sheep-milk yogurt may replace cow-milk yogurt; expect a stronger flavor and a different yield or draining time.
- A pasteurized mixed-milk yogurt may be used when available from a reliable refrigerated source.
- Reduced-fat plain yogurt can be used, but the balls are generally less rich and may be more fragile. Nonfat yogurt is not recommended for this technique.
- A mild Lebanese extra-virgin olive oil may replace a more robust oil according to preference; do not substitute an unverified infused oil containing fresh garlic or herbs.
- Leave the balls plain if dried mint or pepper is unavailable.
Plan and store
Make ahead: The full process takes approximately 48 hours. Once packed, rest the refrigerated jar for 12–24 hours before serving for a more integrated flavor; this resting time is optional and is not included in the production total.
Storage: Store continuously at 4°C or colder, with every ball covered by at least 2 cm of oil. Use only clean, dry utensils and return the jar promptly to the refrigerator. For this home-scale method, use within 14 days unless stricter local guidance applies. This is not a room-temperature preserve. Commercial shelf-stable versions require validated processing and controls that cannot be reproduced by simply adding oil.
Reheating: Do not heat the jar. Remove only the required portion with a clean, dry utensil and let it stand at room temperature for no more than 20–30 minutes so the olive oil can become fluid. Refrigerate the jar immediately.
Plate and serve
Serve two balls per person in a shallow dish with approximately 15 mL of their olive oil. Gently flatten or split the balls to expose the creamy center. Accompany with sliced tomato, cucumber, olives, and Lebanese bread if desired; bread is not included in the nutrition estimate.
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