Cherry Tomato Labneh Dip

By Ham El-Waylly

Published August 1, 2024

  • Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
40 minutes
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
35 minutes
Rating
5(461)
Comments
Read comments

Labneh makes the ultimate dip for any season or occasion. Labneh topped with chunks of roasted squash and fried pumpkin seeds can keep the winter blues away. Labneh topped with finely minced shallots, chives and caviar is posh enough to anoint any New Year’s table. But only one garnish deserves the labneh throne all summer long: bright cherry tomatoes simmered in olive oil — with whole garlic cloves — until plumped, slumped and soft enough to burst. It is the perfect combination of creamy, savory and sweet. Serve alongside warm, fluffy pita, crusty bread, or ice cold crudités when battling a scorcher of a summer. The leftover olive oil is a bonus ingredient that can be used to dress salads, cook vegetables or finish a pot of beans or pasta.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • 12 ounces cherry tomatoes 

  • 8 garlic cloves, peeled 

  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme 

  • 2 sprigs fresh oregano 

  • 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt 

  • 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil 

  • 8 ounces labneh 

  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper 

  • Flaky salt 

  • Pita, crusty bread or crudités, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

17 grams carbs; 8 milligrams cholesterol; 598 calories; 40 grams monosaturated fat; 6 grams polyunsaturated fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 58 grams fat; 3 grams fiber; 513 milligrams sodium; 7 grams protein; 5 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat your oven to 325 degrees. Combine the cherry tomatoes, garlic cloves, thyme sprigs, oregano sprigs, salt and olive oil in a small, oven-safe lidded pot. Place the pot over medium heat and cook until the oil bubbles, about 1 minute. When it does, turn off the heat, cover tightly with a lid and transfer to the oven.

  2. Step 2

    Let the mixture cook for 30 minutes. The tomatoes should be mostly whole and on the brink of bursting, and the garlic should smush when pressed. Remove and discard the thyme and oregano sprigs.

  3. Step 3

    Put the labneh in the middle of a serving bowl. Using the back of a spoon, spread the labneh to fill the bowl evenly, then create a divot in the middle. Using a slotted spoon, place the tomatoes and garlic in the center of the divot and season with red pepper and flaky salt. Drizzle some of the fragrant oil on top, then reserve (and refrigerate) any remaining oil to dress salads, pasta, beans, vegetables or save for another use. (Strained and refrigerated in a covered container, the seasoned olive oil will keep for one week.)

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Ratings

5 out of 5
461 user ratings
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Comments

Brie

Labneh is just strained Greek yogurt. Simply line a strainer with cheesecloth and set over a bowl. Add your yogurt to the strainer, cover lightly (to keep the fridge smells out of your cheese) and refrigerate for at least 24 hours. The result is a soft silky cheese that is reminiscent of a fresh cream cheese. It is delicious on it's own with a fresh pita but is also a beautiful canvass for any flavors you like. It is almost zero effort to make so it's definitely worth a try.

Kathleen K

I’ve used greek yogurt and feta cheese blended with a bit of water instead of labneh. Yummy!

dimmerswitch

Mina - you ask how to use the leftover oil, outside of salads. For sure this can be used as part of a vinaigrette for green salads. But it can also be used with pasta. And it is great with roasted veg, like fingerling potatoes or green beans to dress them. And also a really good partner to use with white bean salads. I used it with a bean salad that started with Rancho Gordo flageolet beans. It also could be used for a dipping oil for bread.

Amy

Not clear if I should remove the garlic and only remove the thyme and oregano. Can't quite tell from the wording or the photo.

MA

Could you do this w/ olives?

Magan

I made this exactly as directed and it came out perfect. I took it to a dinner party and it was a big hit. YES to all 8 cloves of garlic!

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