Labneh is yogurt strained of its whey until it thickens into a soft, spreadable fresh cheese — the cornerstone dairy of the Levant and the wider Middle East. Bright, creamy and intensely tangy, it sits between Greek yogurt and cream cheese, served swirled in a shallow bowl under a pool of olive oil and a dusting of za atar, rolled into oil-preserved balls, or spread as a dip and breakfast staple.