What Is The Difference Between Labneh And Greek Yogurt
If one thing is certain, not all yogurt tastes the same. From Icelandic Skyr to Greek yogurt to labneh to American yogurt, each culture has produced different versions of this creamy snack. According to a report by NPR, much of today's dairy aisle (yogurt included) can be traced back to the early dairy experimentation that occurred during the Neolithic period. Professor of evolutionary genetics at University College London, Mark Thomas, tells NPR that many of the early consumers of dairy were lactose intolerant. Why is this tidbit important? Well, because their bodies couldn't digest fresh milk, things like cheese and yogurt were created so that these early humans could get the same benefits.
So, things like Greek yogurt and its Middle Eastern cousin labneh, have been around for quite some time. At its core, all fermented dairy products like yogurt follow a similar creation process, according to Bon Appetit, until the straining process. Once you get there, things begin to diverge a bit, as both Greek yogurt and labneh are much thicker than your regular run of the mill yogurts, Food52 cites.
Although different, Greek yogurt and labneh have some similarities
While Greek yogurt (in Greece) is made with goat's milk, labneh is made using cow's milk, Spoon University cites. But, according to Fermenting For Foodies, you can also make labneh using a mix of cow and goats milk to achieve your desired flavor profile. Manoosh explains that you can also make a dry form of labneh, something that mirrors that of what the ancient traveling Bedouin tribes used to eat.
When it comes to making both Greek yogurt and labneh, the process is quite similar. According to Food52, both yogurts are strained in an attempt to remove the whey found in the milk. It also explains that depending on who you ask, labneh is referred to as a cheese or yogurt cheese because of its inherent thickness. Spoon University does note that while the straining process is a similarity between the two, the end result is different as labneh is much thicker than its Greek counterpart. The publication also reveals that labneh can be made using Greek yogurt as well.