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Making cheese at home doesn’t have to be complicated! You can quickly learn how to make yogurt cheese using just a cheesecloth and a strainer. Making cheese takes some time to strain in the fridge, but only a few minutes of hands-on time.
save this recipe!But did you know you can enjoy homemade yogurt cheese at home? This recipe is very similar to labneh, a fresh Middle Eastern cheese. The only difference is that Labneh uses regular yogurt, while we’re using Greek yogurt here.
Greek yogurt has a different straining process that leaves it higher in protein and calcium and with a slightly tart taste. So grab yourself a jar of Greek yogurt and let’s make some cheese!
Reader rating
“I make “Labneh” like this all the time, totally a staple in my fridge, it’s absolutely delicious and feels more virtuous, hooray for probiotics, than cream cheese.” —Mia
Here’s what you’ll need
- Greek Yogurt: Use store-bought plain yogurt or make your own Greek yogurt. If needed, you can also use regular yogurt here.
- Olive Oil: A dash of extra virgin olive oil gives this cheese a creamier mouthfeel. If you’re avoiding oils, you can omit it.
- Salt: Finally, a sprinkle of salt brings out the rich flavors!
Let’s make homemade cheese
- Prepare the yogurt: Scoop Greek yogurt into the center of a large cheesecloth or clean cloth and place it in the strainer.
- Strain the yogurt: Set the strainer over a large bowl and place a heavy can on top to help squeeze out the whey liquid.
- Flavor the cheese: Unwrap the cloth and scoop the cheese into a bowl. With a spoon or spatula, mix in olive oil and salt, adding more of either to suit your taste.
- Shape the cheese: You can store this in log or ball form. For logs, shape the cheese into a log, wrap it in parchment paper, and store it in the fridge. For cheese balls, roll the yogurt cheese into small balls with clean hands.
Variations on this yogurt cheese
This Greek yogurt cheese is delicious on its own, but it can also be flavored up! Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Herbs: Mix in fresh or dried herbs, like rosemary, thyme, or sage.
- Premade Seasonings: Ready-to-go seasonings, like the Everything Bagel seasoning from Trader Joe’s, are great for flavoring this cheese.
- Chive and Onions: Add a dash of onion powder and fresh or dried chives. This makes a killer dip to enjoy with crackers.
- Mediterranean: Add finely diced olives and roasted red bell peppers for a Mediterranean flavor.
- 5 Ways To Flavor: You can flavor this yogurt cheese with any of these ideas from our flavored cream cheese recipes!
How To Make Greek Yogurt Cheese
Ingredients
- 2 cups plain Greek yogurt, 450 g
- 1 tsp olive oil, 5 mL
- ¼ tsp salt
- Optional: more oil for storage
Instructions
- Prep: Scoop Greek yogurt onto the center of a large cheesecloth or clean cloth. Wrap so Greek yogurt is completely encompassed in the cloth, and set into a mesh strainer.
- Strain: Set strainer over a large bowl and place a heavy can on top to help squeeze out the whey liquid. Allow yogurt to strain for 1 to 3 days in the fridge, or until liquid is no longer dripping out of the yogurt and it is thick.
- Flavor: Unwrap cloth and scoop cheese into a bowl. With a spoon or spatula, mix in olive oil and salt, adding more of either to suit your taste. Add optional flavor variations (see notes).
- Shape: You can store this in log or ball form. For logs, shape cheese into a log, wrap in parchment paper, and store in the fridge. For cheese balls, roll yogurt cheese into small balls with clean hands. Store in a jar of olive or canola oil in the fridge.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist.
did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!
I make “Labneh” like this all the time, totally a staple in my fridge, it’s absolutely delicious and feels more virtuous, hooray for probiotics, than cream cheese.
Ah so awesome! I looove how rich it is like cream cheese! 😀
I just heard about this and I am on my second batch. It is outstanding. I love it! Thanks for the add-in suggestions.
Yay! Enjoy! 😀
Can this Greek yogurt cream cheese be used to make a cheesecake? Baked or no-bake cheese cake?
Yep! You should be able to use it as you would any other Greek yogurt. I haven’t tried using it in cheesecake though, so you’d have to find a recipe for that. Probably no bake!
How long will it keep in the fridge with/without oil, please?
About 3 to 5 days!
Can you make this with fat-free Greek yogurt? Especially since I will be adding olive oil. I always strain the whey out of my Greek yogurt due to allergies for parfaits, but I always use fat free and have only strained it for a day.
I think that would work! 😀
I just made this for the first time and it’s great. Two questions. What is the serving size? 1 Tbsp? 2 Tbsp? More? I need to count calories. Also, do you use regular Greek yogurt or lowfat? Thanks for the great recipe!
You can use low fat or regular Greek yogurt! And a serving is about 1 Tbsp. Enjoy!
Can I drink the milk I’ve stored my kefir grains in in the fridge?
Yep it should be fine, as long as there is no evidence of mold!
Can this cheese be used to replace firm tofu in a vegan cheddar cheese recipe? I’m not vegan but looking for lowest fat things I can find. Thank you.
I haven’t tried so it’s pretty hard to say, but I think they would act pretty differently so leaning towards not using this as a sub.
This looks so fun. I have Mike’s Famous Yogurt Cheese Maker ‘The Funnel’. I was checking to see if it would work with Greek yogurt because Chobani is already strained 3 times. Anyway I tried to go to the recipe you mention for using the cheese in: smashed broccoli and potatoes. The link is for the first 2 words only, and although the smashed broccoli chips look sensational I wanted to know a recipe that uses the cheese. Thanks, Dorothy
Hi Dorothy! You can use this cheese to make stuffed dates or even cheese wrapped grapes 🙂