Cherry Tomato Labneh Dip

Published Aug. 2, 2024

Cherry Tomato Labneh Dip
Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne.
Total Time
40 minutes
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
35 minutes
Rating
5(272)
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.

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: Give recipes to anyone

    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.

  • Share this recipe

  • Print this recipe

Advertisement


Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 12ounces cherry tomatoes 
  • 8garlic cloves, peeled 
  • 2sprigs fresh thyme 
  • 2sprigs fresh oregano 
  • teaspoons kosher salt 
  • 1cup extra-virgin olive oil 
  • 8ounces labneh 
  • 1teaspoon crushed red pepper 
  • Flaky salt 
  • Pita, crusty bread or crudités, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

598 calories; 58 grams fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 40 grams monounsaturated fat; 6 grams polyunsaturated fat; 17 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 7 grams protein; 513 milligrams sodium

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.

Powered by

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.)

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Ratings

5 out of 5
272 user ratings
Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Comments

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.

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

Labneh is hard to find in my part of the world. Could I sub whole milk Greek yogurt?

When this recipe popped up on NYT Cooking FB feed, I couldn't believe roughly a year has passed since I made it the first time and I was glad to have my memory refreshed about it since I had a pint of cherry tomatoes from yesterday's market shopping that aren't quite good enough to use fresh. This recipe makes them perfect. The leftover oil will be used to dress salads and roasted veg later in the week.

Simple and so good. I could have this everyday.

Labneh is just greek yogurt that has been hung and drained al of the whey out. I learned to make it from my Palestinian friend's mom. made a sack out of 100% cotton put plain greek yogurt in it, hang it over a bowl or the sink for overnight or until it stops dripping. Hammy's mom used to make her own yogurt. She told me you could use store bought, although yogurt is easy enough to make. ganging it overnight the labneh will develop a tartness that is really tasty.

Private comments are only visible to you.

or to save this recipe.