I learned this recipe from my friend, who is originally from Syria. They serve it every morning like Southerners serve grits! She says, “Labneh is always on our breakfast table.” They serve it with bread or crackers.
It was on her lunch table during one of our visits and I fell in love with the taste. She served it that day as an appetizer with cheese slices, grapes and crackers. Since that day, I have eaten it just about every day myself.
The recipe I am sharing below is the one she made for me that first time. The main ingredients are simple and you may already have them in your kitchen. I like whole milk Cabot Plain Greek Yogurt because it is thick and delicious. She also uses the same because it is closer to what they have in Syria. You may choose spice brands that you like; I use McCormick Chili Powder, Sadaf Dried Mint and Chosen Foods Avocado Oil. My favorite salt is Pink Himalayan. All the ingredients can be purchased at Wal-Mart. No special health food store trip!
Over time, I have made some tweaks to the recipe and added items for their nutritional value. Some optional ingredients you may want to try include:
1 teaspoon Matcha Powder
1 tablespoon Chia Seeds
1/2 teaspoon Cream of Tartar
Mix in the optional ingredients with the salt and yogurt. Sprinkle with chili powder and mint. Then a splash of oil.
For a delightful mid-morning snack, I like to cut the yogurt to 1/2 cup. I still use a full tablespoon of Chia seeds for the fiber and a full teaspoon of Matcha Powder for the pick-me-up affect. From what I read, 1/2 teaspoon of Cream of Tartar is all we should really consume safely per day. Then a good sprinkle of chili powder and mint covering the top of the dip.
Crackers are naturally easy to go to for this wonderful dip, but you may want to try some veggie slices. I have eaten it with cucumber, carrot and bell pepper slices. Also, it is interesting with whole raw green beans! Give it a try and experiment with all the ways it can be used. I bet it becomes a favorite healthy recipe.
Labneh - Middle Eastern Style Yogurt Dip
Ingredients
- 1 cup Whole Fat Greek Yogurt Cabot Greek Plain
- 3 large pinch salt Pink Himalayan Sea Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder McCormick
- 1/2 teaspoon dried mint Spice Islands
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or light tasting olive oil Chosen Foods Avocado Oil
Instructions
- Mix yogurt with salt in a small bowl. Spread yogurt mixture in shallow serving dish. Sprinkle spread with chili powder. Sprinkle with dried mint. Pour splash of oil over spread and tilt dish to allow oil to cover spread spices.
