Creamy Vegan Labneh is a thick, luscious, tangy vegan cream cheese that's sure to feel like the real thing. The best part is that you only need 4 ingredients, and it's so simple to make.
Labneh
Traditional labneh is a tangy, creamy, spreadable strained yogurt that's loved throughout the Middle East. Before refrigeration, families cooked yogurt from fresh milk as means for preservation. In order for it to last even longer, they strained it in a cheese cloth for 24-48 hours in order to make labneh. While we now have the luxury of refrigerators, Middle Easterners continue to make and eat it because it’s delicious. You can spread it on pita bread, use it in place of cream cheese on bagels, or drizzle with olive oil and scoop with pita chips. There are honestly endless ways to consume labneh.
The strain method, especially at room temperature, causes the natural bacteria to ferment, making it excellent for gut health, even with this vegan version.
Why Vegan
There's no question that our planet is struggling, and a switch to a plant-based lifestyle, whether exclusively or not, is the single biggest impact we can make as individuals. Cow's milk dairy also has some inflammatory properties, making an increasing number of people eliminate it from their diet. For my own mental health, I don't exclude any category of food completely, but I am implementing an increased amount of plant-based dishes for the health of my family and the planet.
This doesn't mean that we have to move away from the traditional flavors that we know and love. Vegan Labneh is delicious on a breakfast spread, drizzled with olive oil and scooped up with warm pita bread. I also love it in a grain bowl or as a side for Mujaddara.
Ingredients
Cashews - Cashews are the perfect base for just about any vegan cheese. They have a natural creamy quality when soaked in water and blended, and they're sweeter than other nut varieties, mimicking the flavor of milk.
Water - Water is important to soak the cashews to soften them and also make the cashew milk/yogurt.
Lemon Juice - You most likely won't find lemon juice in traditional labneh, but a little bit is needed here to amplify the brightness of Vegan Labneh. Splurge for the real stuff, not lemon juice concentrate.
Method
The process is honestly super simple. You start by making a cashew milk by soaking raw cashews in water overnight. Strain, cover with water again, and purée in a food processor or blender until smooth and there's no more grittiness from the cashews. Put the mixture in a cheese cloth or large nut milk bag. You can add this to a colander set over a large bowl or the sink, and let sit at room temperature up to 24 hours. If you want it even thicker, transfer it to the fridge for an additional day. The result is a tangy spread that is so incredibly close to the real one! Store in an airtight container in the fridge up to a week, and enjoy with cucumber slices or saj bread, or pita.
Special Equipment
Blender or Food Processor - I absolutely love my Vitamix for jobs like this. A Cuisinart food processor will also work wonderfully.
Cheese Cloth - I use cheese cloths for making nut milk, straining vegan yogurt, and for this vegan labneh. It’s so versatile and such a good thing to have on hand.
Vegan Labneh
Ingredients
- 2 c raw cashews
- 4 c water
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice (optional)
- Olive oil, za'atar and/or dried mint for garnish
Instructions
- Soak cashews in water in a medium-sized bowl in the refrigerator overnight.
- Drain the cashews and rinse until the water turns clear. Add cashews and 4 c water to a blender and pulverize until perfectly smooth when rubbed between your thumb and forefinger, about 2-5 minutes. Transfer contents of the blender to a large cheesecloth or an old, unbleached pillow case. Sit overnight.
- Unwrap the cheesecloth and place the contents in a medium-sized bowl. Add salt, taste, add lemon juice if desired and adjust seasoning.
- Serve on a plate and top with olive oil, za'atar and/or dried mint. Enjoy with pita bread, crackers or veggies.
- Keep in an air-tight container in the refrigerator up to one week.