Why not try making labneh, the indispensable staple of our breakfast tables, appetizers, and even desserts, at home with your own hands? And the best part? It only takes three ingredients and just minutes! Ece, founder of Olizzi Olive Oils, and Chef Ezgi Bal are sharing this practical and delicious recipe with you. Healthy, creamy, and full of flavor, this recipe brings a fresh dimension to your meals.
Why Homemade Labneh?
Packaged products don’t always inspire confidence in their ingredients. Especially when preparing food for babies and children, we want to ensure that everything we use is natural. This recipe, developed by Chef Ezgi Bal for her baby Barlas, combines fresh curd with olive oil to achieve a soft and creamy texture. The result is a healthy and delicious alternative to store-bought labneh.
Ingredients
- 1 liter fresh milk
- 1 lemon (or vinegar)
- Plenty of Olizzi Olive Oil (Everyday or Premium)
- A pinch of sea salt (optional, especially if making for babies)
- Fresh mint and black pepper (for serving)
Step-by-Step Homemade Olive Oil Labneh
- Heat the Milk: Pour the fresh milk into a saucepan and bring it to a boil.
- Curdle the Milk: Once the milk begins to boil, squeeze in the juice of a whole lemon. The lemon or vinegar acts as an acid, causing the milk to curdle. After about a minute, the milk will separate into curds and whey.
- Strain the Curds: Carefully strain the curds using a fine cheesecloth or sieve. The solid part will be fresh curd. Don’t discard the whey! Chef Ezgi recommends using it in soups, tarhana, or bread dough.
- Blend into Labneh: Transfer the strained curds into a blender. Slowly add Olizzi Olive Oil while blending until you reach a creamy consistency. You can add a pinch of sea salt at this stage according to taste.
- Serve: Spread your homemade olive oil labneh on toasted bread, garnish with fresh mint and black pepper, and drizzle a little Olizzi Premium Olive Oil on top for an extra layer of flavor.
Which Olive Oil to Use?
Ece and Chef Ezgi recommend Olizzi Everyday Olive Oil for this recipe. Its fruity notes, balanced bitterness, and gentle pungency give the labneh a soft yet distinctive flavor. Drizzling Olizzi Premium Olive Oil on top as a finishing touch elevates the taste with its sharper profile. Olizzi Baby Organic Olive Oil, with its mild taste, is ideal for babies and children.
Tips and Notes
- For Babies: Skip the salt and consider using alternative milk, such as goat milk. Always consult your doctor regarding cow’s milk and cheese consumption for infants.
- Whey: The whey is highly nutritious — store it in the fridge and use it in soups, tarhana, or bread dough.
- Fresh Lemons: Lemons freshly picked from Çeşme, the jewel of the Aegean, add a special flavor.
- Texture and Flavor: Homemade labneh has a different texture than store-bought products, but its natural, olive-oil-rich flavor is irresistible.
Enjoy this healthy and practical recipe, and bring the taste of homemade labneh to your breakfast, appetizers, or snacks!
Watch our YouTube video now to follow this recipe step by step and see all its details!