Labneh balls, yogurt balls or labneh korat, and maybe more names to be added to the list, are a Middle Eastern dairy classic steeped in olive for a longer shelf life than the labneh spread. They are eaten for breakfast and served as an appetizer.  There is a world of difference between the ones in the market and the ones you make yourself. Homemade is way better in taste and without any chemical additives, they are similar to spreadable goat cheese, but with a tangy undertone. Trust me, once you make your own batch, you will never go back to the store-bought variety, and the process of making is absolutely fascinating. Serve them with a cup of tea, bread, olives, cucumber slices and tomato wedges. Turn those simple ingredients into a feast. Watch the detailed video tutorila below.

Yogurt Balls /Labneh Balls (Video)

Tips to consider :

• The process of making labneh balls is longer than the labneh spread, the labneh needs to be dried out for days to reach the desired consistency. A straightforward technique where the hardest part of it is waiting.
• The extended shelf life could be a year if the labneh balls are submerged with olive oil. An important issue to consider is to dry out the labneh balls, as mentioned below before steeping in oil. Follow the instructions and success is yours.
• Labneh balls made with whole milk plain yogurt yield a creamier texture and a tangier result than the ones made with Greek yogurt. I prefer plain yogurt, you can make your own batch from scratch, check the recipe from scratch here.
• If you don’t have cheesecloth or a mousseline like pillow, coffee filters or a few layers of thick kitchen paper towels can do the job just fine.
• The labneh balls have a long shelf life. But keep the labneh ball jar away from sunlight. Sunlight will speed up the spoiling of olive oil which will change the properties, encouraging compounds in the oil to grow. Watch the detailed video tutorial below.

Common ways to serve labneh balls:

• Serve it with tea, cucumber sticks, tomato wedges, olives for a perfect breakfast.
• Add the balls to salads for a creamy addition.
• Serve them as part of the mezze.
• Drain from oil and coat them with paprika, zaatar, nigella seeds, herbs and serve them as a colorful appetizer alongside crackers.
• Smash and sprinkle over fried or boiled eggs.
• Serve them with olive makdous/ makdous alzaitoun, they pair beautifully together.

Can I store the labneh ball jar in the refrigerator?

Yes you can, but there is no need for that, olive oil is an excellent preservative, it has been practiced by our ancestors for thousands of years. If you store it in the refrigerator, the olive oil will solidify a bit, remove it from the fridge 15 minutes before serving, allowing the oil to come back to its nature.

Watch the detailed video tutorial to learn visually how to make labneh balls.

Yogurt Balls (Labne Balls)

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Servings 8 person

Course

Breakfast

Cuisine

Lebanese

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Description

Labneh balls, yogurt balls or labneh korat, and maybe more names to be added to the list, are a Middle Eastern dairy classic steeped in olive for a longer shelf life than the labneh spread.

Ingredients

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2 kgs plain whole milk yogurt or store-bought
• ▢ 1 tablespoon salt
• ▢ 2 cups extra virgin olive oil or just to cover the labneh
• ▢ A sheet of cloth or a mousseline bag similar to a pillow

Instructions

 

• Mix the yogurt with salt. Transfer the yogurt to a cheesecloth or a mousseline bag similar to a pillow, bring up the sides completely overlapping and covering the yogurt. tie to a knot.
• Place it in a large strainer over a deep bowl and transfer it to the refrigerator. The excess liquid will start dripping into the bowl beneath the strainer. Our grandmas used to hang it tied to the tap over the kitchen sink, letting the whey slowly drip, but in the fridge is safer. Keep it in the refrigerator for 24 to 48 hours. Make sure the yogurt is sitting above the drained liquid. The longer it sits the thicker the labneh will become. You will notice that the yogurt has shrunk to about a half. Transfer the labneh to a bowl and discard the whey.
• Take a spoonful of the labneh and place them on kitchen paper towel lined tray leaving some space between one and another, then top them with another paper towel.
• Leave them to dry out for 1 day, changing the paper towels whenever they get saturated with whey.
• Shape the balls using the palms of your hands to make them even round. Transfer the balls to a tray covered with kitchen paper towels, this time uncovered and refrigerate to help them totally dry out for 12 hours or until the paper towels underneath the labneh balls are dry and no more saturated. It is a sign your labneh balls are ready to be steeped in oil.
• Transfer the labneh to a clean glass jar, pour the olive oil to fully cover the balls. Serve it with tea, olives, cucumber sticks, tomato wedges, pita bread, toasts, baguette, crackers or whatever your heart desires. Turn those simple ingredients into a feast. Watch the detailed video tutorial above.
  

Video

Notes

You might also like to enjoy our Labneh Stuffed Grape Leaves Preserved in Oil

If you make this recipe, share your pictures on Facebook! I would love to see your creations!Hashtag them #Hadia’s Lebanese Cuisine

Keyword Labneh, Olive Oil

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