Garlic and Herb Labneh Balls in Olive Oil

Labneh, the Arabic strained yoghurt cheese, is a staple in my house – always ready for effortless dips and spreads. These garlic and herb labneh balls are even more convenient to have on hand, perfectly flavoured and ready to go.

You can store the labneh balls in olive oil in the fridge for a month or more!

They are delicious in summer salads or popped into warm and spicy soups. Serve them on a mezze platter for impromptu guests. And, of course, I love to squash and spread a flavoured labneh ball on my morning slice of sourdough before topping it with a boiled egg.

Homemade labneh

You can use store-bought labneh, but homemade labneh cheese is so easy to make I definitely recommend trying it at least once! Simply strain full-fat plain yoghurt (or Greek yoghurt) through muslin cloth until it is thick enough to roll into balls – 24 to 48 hours.

I like to keep the muslin-secured ball of salted yoghurt in the fridge suspended in a fine mesh sieve with something heavy on top to speed up the process.

If you make the labneh at home, note that different yoghurts yield different quantities. For example, my favourite double cream yoghurt (thick Greek-style yoghurt) loses 30 % in weight, whereas the full-fat goat’s yoghurt loses more than 50 %!

The thinner your yoghurt, the more liquid (whey) will drain away. I prefer a mix of goat and cow’s milk yoghurts that I strain for two days until nice and dry. But you can use any full-fat, unflavoured yoghurt.

The labneh balls recipe card includes the instructions for making labneh balls from scratch. But if you want to learn more, check out my homemade labneh recipe for all the homemade yoghurt cheese tips and tricks. Spoiler alert: It’s super easy!

Garlic and herb labneh

You can use plain labneh for your homemade labneh balls, but I love to flavour the strained yoghurt with a dried herb and garlic mix.

Garlic and herb labne balls are like little Boursin garlic and herb cheese balls – Boursin is a French creamy soft cheese expertly flavoured with garlic and herbs and it’s worth tracking down if you haven’t tried it yet!

For garlic and herb labneh, thoroughly mix your labneh cheese with dried herbs, garlic powder and salt. Use roughly 1½ teaspoons of dried herbs and ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder per cup of labneh. Add salt to taste – I add ½ teaspoon of salt per cup of labneh yoghurt cheese.

Experiment with different dried herbs such as tarragon, oregano, dill, sage, thyme, parsley, basil, mint, chives or marjoram. I give my favourite combination in the recipe card below, but you can use what you have at home – tasting and adding more as you go.

How to make labneh balls (plain or flavoured)

Step 1: Take a tablespoon of garlic and herb labneh (or plain labneh) and roll it into a ball with lightly oiled hands, roughly 20 to 30 grams each. It is OK if your balls look a bit uneven, you will get an opportunity to roll them smoothly later.

Step 2: Place the rough labneh balls on a plate lined with a clean, damp tea towel or muslin. Fold the cloth over the balls (or use a second cloth) and place them in the fridge to set and dry overnight – or longer, depending on your schedule.

Tip: If you struggle to roll your labneh into balls, your labneh is most likely not strained enough. You can strain it for longer, or portion the labneh into mounds onto a dry muslin cloth or tea towel. Allow them to set overnight before attempting to roll them again.

Step 3: Once set, remove the balls from the fridge. With lightly oiled hands, roll the labneh balls between your palms to smooth out the rough texture.

You can now keep the balls stacked in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Or, if you would like to keep it for longer, preserve the labneh balls in olive oil.

How to store labneh balls in olive oil

You can store the labneh cheese balls in olive oil to extend their freshness.

1. Start with good quality olive oil (and don’t waste it)

Use good quality extra virgin olive oil because the olive oil characteristics will linger with the labneh yoghurt balls.

You need a lot of olive oil for this, so please don’t discard it once your labneh balls are finished. The garlic and herbs will gently flavour the olive oil. So, as you carefully fish out your labneh balls, you can use olive oil for salad dressings or cooking.

Just ensure that the labneh balls stay submerged in olive oil – add more oil if needed.

2. Use sealable glass jars for storage

Place half a cup of extra virgin olive oil in a sterilised, sealable glass jar. Add a few labneh balls with more olive oil – enough to completely cover the labneh balls.

Add another layer of labneh balls followed by more olive oil.

Repeat until all the labneh balls are completely submerged in olive oil. I like to store a single batch of labneh balls in two smaller glass jars instead of one large container. Use what you have available.

Resist the urge to shake the jar to make the labneh balls settle in place. It will leave smears all over the glass. And if you’re anything like me, those smears will drive you up the wall – even though it’s technically fine.

Instead, give the jar a gentle tap on the kitchen counter to release any air bubbles and help the cheese balls settle.

3. Refrigerate

Refrigerated garlic and herb labneh balls in oil keep for up to a month. And plain, salted labneh balls keep for up to two months.

However, the oil solidifies over time. Before serving, place the container at room temperature until the oil is liquid enough to easily remove a labneh ball – maybe an hour, depending on your patience. Return the jar to the fridge until needed again.

Spice-coated labneh balls

Roll plain unflavored labneh balls in assorted spices before serving. This jewel box of spiced labneh balls is a genius idea by Sami Tamimi from his book Falastin.

Play around with your spices for a clash of colours and flavours. Use chilli flakes (like Urfa chilli flakes, red pepper flakes, or Aleppo pepper flakes), za’atar, nigella seeds, fresh or dried lemon zest, black sesame seeds, sumac, dried rose petals, or chopped pistachios. Or try a homemade spice blend like dukkah, Italian seasoning, or harissa powder.

Simply roll the labneh cheese balls in your different coloured spices for a striking plate of multi-coloured labneh balls.

You can do this a day ahead of serving. Refrigerate the spiced labneh balls in an airtight container – don’t return them to the oil.

Frequently asked questions

How to eat labneh balls

Serve labneh balls on a mezze platter with warm pita bread like this falafel plate. They are delicious with authentic crispy falafel or baked falafel.

Use labneh balls as a substitute for goat’s cheese in salads. Try them in this artichoke and goat’s cheese salad.

Pop a soothing yoghurt cheese ball in a spicy soup instead of yoghurt or cream – like this spicy harissa red lentil soup.

Or simply smoosh a labneh ball on a slice of crusty bread. Add a boiled egg and drizzle with some olive oil from the jar for a delicious Middle Eastern breakfast. Finish with flaky salt and a squeeze of lemon juice.

No matter how you choose to flavour your labneh balls – garlic and herb, plain, or coated in za’atar – having labneh balls ready for your morning toast, impromptu cheese platters and salads are an absolute treat. And a healthy one at that!