This Balsamic Pomegranate Labneh Dip is a simple sugar free appetiser that’s so easy to make! Labneh is made by straining natural yoghurt, giving you a healthy dip that tastes deceptively creamy and indulgent. It’s perfect for entertaining and parties, it looks so gorgeous plated up (and with very minimal effort on your part).
I’ve been regularly making labneh at home ever since I received a copy of the cookbook Ferment, Pickle, Dry – it’s full of so much lovely recipe inspiration, and my favourite section is by far all the fermented stuff. Labneh is strained yoghurt and is sometimes called “yoghurt cheese”. You make it very simply; by straining plain yoghurt through a cheesecloth, which removes lots of the whey and leaves you with a super thick spread, with the consistency of cream cheese but the lovely tang of yoghurt. Full of probiotic goodness, and high in protein too.
This Balsamic Pomegranate Labneh Dip is a bit of a fancy, pretty spin on good old labneh. The sweet balsamic dressing and the crunchy pomegranate seeds give an extra dimension to the dip. It’s so tasty you could just eat it with a spoon, but it’s also perfect served next to some vegetable crudites, crackers or alongside your favourite crusty bread.
You can make the labneh in advance and then simply spread it out on a plate and add the toppings just before serving. I’ve found that labneh keeps really well in the fridge for up to a week. One little tip: make sure to choose a THICK plain yoghurt to make your labneh with, so it sits in the strainer easily and to ensure a good result. I usually buy an unsweetened, full-fat, Greek or “Greek style” yoghurt as this is typically a thick-set yoghurt product which will hang really easily. The result is incredibly indulgently creamy – the perfect base for this Balsamic Pomegranate Labneh Dip!
Balsamic Pomegranate Labneh Dip
Ingredients
- 1 kilo Greek yoghurt, unsweetened, full-fat
- 150-200 grams pomegranate seeds (about 2 pomegranates)
- 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp dried parsley*
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp dried chili flakes (optional)
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- You will need (1) a strainer, (2) a piece of cheesecloth (in a size which can be doubled over and then sit inside the strainer with enough cloth hanging over the edges so you can pick it up easily), and (3) a large bowl that you can hang the strainer over (with a gap of at least 2 inches between the base of the strainer and the bowl).
- Arrange your labneh making equipment. Fold your piece of cheesecloth in half and place it inside the strainer, with cloth hanging over the edges.
- Scoop all of the yoghurt into the lined strainer. Gently smooth it down if necessary, so the whole strainer is filled evenly with no gaps.
- Hang the strainer over the bowl. If you like, you can place a piece of clingfilm loosely over the top of everything, if you're worried about things falling onto the yoghurt while it's hanging.
- Carefully place the hanging yoghurt into the fridge for a minimum of four hours (I usually leave mine overnight).
- Once the hanging time is up, simply pick up the edges of the cheesecloth to lift the labneh out of the strainer. It should be firm, the consistency of a thick cream cheese spread.**
- Tip the labneh out onto a serving dish. Using a knife or spatula, smooth the labneh, leaving a few little ridges in the top (so the dressing can settle in there).
- Whisk together the balsamic vinegar and the honey. Pour over the labneh, followed by the olive oil. Scatter over the pomegranate seeds, sesame seeds and dried parsley (and the dried chilli flakes, if using), and then finish with a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper. Serve.
Notes
This looks great! Going to make it the next time I’m entertaining. Quick question….could you jar this & give as a gift? How long would it keep?
Hi Samantha, thanks so much for your kind words 🙂 I think you could definitely jar this and give it as a gift. It should last as long as the expiry date of the yoghurt that you use to make it, at least. (I often find yoghurt keeps a bit longer, but just to be safe). To keep it in tip-top shape, use a sterilised jar and I’d also recommend topping it with a thin layer of olive oil – and maybe some herbs too! That would look super pretty. Hope this helps!
Just took your dip to a morning tea and it was a huge success! Everyone wanted the recipe so I had to come home and share the URL on my Facebook page! It is going to be very popular down under in lake Macquarie. Congratulations on a super recipe Monique. Keep them coming! DiDi
Thank you so much Di! This means so much to me 🙂 I really appreciate you sharing my recipe! Mon xo
I just love this recipe! I use a new, fresh from the pack, CHUX (that’s the brand name here in Australia) dishcloth. I always put boiling water over the cloth the make sure it is sterilised, then wring it out, fold it and line the strainer. It is big enough to bring the corners together and tie with a rubber band. I hang it over the sink for a while, then I give it a gentle squeeze and hang it in the fridge with a bowl under it.
Dear Dianne – thank you so much for stopping by to leave this lovely comment 🙂 It means a lot to me that you would check out my blog! And that is a GREAT idea to use a Chux to strain the yoghurt – I didn’t think of that! It can be hard to track down the specific cheesecloth and really it’s not necessary, any kind of fine cloth will do! Mon xx
Such a stunning dish, and I adore all those flavours from the labne to the balsamic to the pomegranates! Perfect for this time of year 🙂
Thank you so much Ceri 🙂 Pomegranates on anything makes me feel bright & festive, and on top of this labne they are just so pretty (and labne and pomegranate actually taste really good together too thank goodness, haha) x