It’s a creamy, delicious dip made by straining Greek yoghurt. The process is lengthy and time-consuming which is why a lot of people choose to make their labneh in bulk. But what do you do with this bulk of labneh…
Can You Freeze Labneh?
Yes, you can freeze labneh for up to 1 month. To freeze labneh, portion it into small containers or pots, seal it with a tight-fitting lid, optional wrap the pot in clingfilm and then freeze.
Do Does Labneh freeze well? No
Can you refreeze Labneh? No
How to Freeze Labneh
Before you get to freezing your labneh, you will want to get some small plastic tubs. The tubs should be roughly the size of a small bowl of labneh. This is so you can defrost a portion at a time.
- Portion Into Pots: Grab your small tub and spoon the labneh into the pot. Don’t fill it too high.
- Seal with Olive Oil: Add a small drizzle of olive oil to the tub. You want to make sure the top of the labneh is completely covered with oil.
- Seal: Secure the lid to the tub making sure it is as tight as possible.
- Wrap: To be extra safe, wrap the tub in a layer of cling film. This will prevent any air from getting into the tub and affecting your labneh.
- Freeze: Place the tubs into the freezer.
3 Tips for Freezing Labneh
Now you know how to freeze it, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing labneh to have the best results:
Seal with Oil
By sealing with a drizzle of olive oil, you prevent your labneh from spoiling when in the freezer and ensure the texture doesn’t change too drastically.
Wrap Your Pots
Labneh can absorb odours from within your freezer so wrap the pots to prevent this from happening. Wrapping the pots will also help you to avoid any leakages.
Whip It Up
Once defrosted, the labneh will become a little grainy. To fix this, give it a quick whisk and a stir. You can even add a dollop of Greek yoghurt to make it a little creamier.
How Long Can You Freeze Labneh?
The longer you leave your labneh frozen, the more the texture will degrade.
The smooth, thick, creamy texture of labneh is what makes it so desirable and unique. The problem is if you leave it in the freezer for an extended period of time then the texture will change.
It will become grainy and almost gritty. That is why we would advise only keeping it in the freezer for a month at most.
Homemade labneh will last in the fridge for 10 to 14 days when kept in an airtight container. It’s a good idea to seal the top with a thin layer of olive oil too.
How Do You Defrost Labneh?
In order to defrost labneh, you will want to take the slow and steady approach. If you try to speed through the thawing process then you’ll only alter the texture further (and not in a good way).
That’s why the best (and only) way to defrost your labneh is in the fridge overnight.
Can You Refreeze Labneh?
No, don’t do it!
Freezing labneh is already challenging enough and you’ll find the texture changes instantly from just freezing it once. If you attempt to refreeze it, you’ll only ruin the texture further.
We’d highly recommend not refreezing labneh if you want to enjoy eating it.
Does Labneh Freeze Well?
No. There are no two ways about it. Labneh does not freeze well. It will freeze, yes, but when you come to defrosting it there will be a noticeable change in texture.
This is why we would recommend trying to use your labneh when it is fresh.
Most dairy products don’t freeze well. The advantage of products like mozzarella is that you might end up cooking with it so the texture is less prominent. With labneh, you’ll want to enjoy it as a dip so won’t end up cooking it.
This is why texture is such an important element.
Related FAQs
If you’ve still got questions about freezing labneh or labneh in general, then these may help:
Yes, labneh bought from the supermarket can be frozen. It will need to be removed from the container it was bought in, portioned out and then frozen.
No! This is not a good idea. You will completely ruin the texture of the labneh when defrosting it in the microwave. Instead, thaw it slowly.
