The best labneh sandwich has homemade labneh slathered on fresh Lebanese pita bread topped with za'atar, olive oil, green olives, fresh mint, sliced Persian cucumbers, and tomatoes. It's all rolled up into a pita burrito, and it's deliciously divine.
What I Love About This Recipe
The best thing about a labneh pita sandwich is how quick and easy it is to make. It's one of my favorite recipes to pack for a lunch or take on the go. It has a lot of fresh ingredients, and it's fully customizable.
Sometimes I skip the vegetables and eat this sandwich with just plain labneh drizzled with some olive oil. I've probably eaten thousands of labneh sandwiches, and this is my all-time favorite combination of ingredients.
Ingredient Notes
- Fresh Lebanese Pita Bread: Lebanese pita bread is a thin type of pita bread that is easy to roll into a burrito shape. The pita bread needs to be fresh and large in diameter (at least 8" or 20 cm in width). If the bread is not the same day or the next day sort of fresh, the pita will tear easily when making. It's perfectly ok to use frozen Lebanese pita bread also. In fact, I recommend buying the bread in bulk and sticking it in the freezer. Defrost a single loaf for 15 seconds in the microwave. Also if you are wondering where to find Lebanese pita bread, it can be found at most Middle Eastern grocery stores.
- Labneh: The best labneh is homemade labneh, however, store-bought labneh will be fine too. If I buy labneh from the store, I really like the unique taste of Turkish labneh.
- Za'atar: Dried za'atar is a blend of thyme, sesame seeds, and sumac. It's made slightly differently depending on the region in the Middle East. Any type of za'atar blend you have on hand is suitable. I am starting to see zaatar spice at regular grocery stores now.
- Cucumbers: I recommend Persian or English cucumbers because they have thin skin that does not need to be peeled. If using a regular cucumber, peel the skin.
- Olives: If you are already going to the Middle Eastern grocery store to pick up Lebanese pita bread, get some Lebanese green olives too! Some of the Lebanese olive jars have fresh thyme that infuses with the olives. They are so good!
How To Make A Labneh Sandwich
Prepare all of the ingredients. Split the pita bread in half. Use the thicker half and set it with the rough side facing up.
Slather on a thin layer of the labneh cheese, only covering the middle portion of the bread. Sprinkle the dried za'atar spice. Add as much as you like. Drizzle some olive oil on top. Layer the fresh mint, sliced tomatoes, and sliced Persian cucumbers.
Pit the green olives. Place the green olives in a line down the fresh vegetables. On the bottom end of the pita bread, fold it up. On the left side of the pita, fold it over. Roll the pita bread like you would a burrito. Enjoy!
Tips and Variations
The best labneh sandwich starts with a good quality fresh Lebanese pita bread. If you can only find the small diameter/thick pita at the grocery store, this recipe works better as a pita pocket. Just split the pita in half, and stuff it with the same ingredients.
Another easy way to enjoy a labneh sandwich is with some dried mint, flaked sea salt, and a drizzle of olive oil. It's another delicious and quick variation.
FAQs
No. Greek yogurt and labneh taste different. Labneh is more sour in taste.
Labneh is a strained cow's milk yogurt. Zaatar is a dried spice blend of dried thyme, sumac, and toasted sesame seeds.
A labneh sandwich is a pita sandwich that has labneh in it.
For a labneh sandwich or dip, yes! Yogurt contains too much liquid and will make the pita bread soggy.
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Labneh Pita Sandwich
Ingredients
- 1 large Lebanese pita bread loaf split in half
- 3 to 5 tablespoon labneh dip amount depends on size of the pita bread
- 1 Persian cucumber
- 5 grape tomatoes
- 2 fresh mint sprigs about 10 mint leaves
- 5 to 6 Lebanese green olives
- 1 teaspoon za'atar spice
- a drizzle of olive oil
- a pinch of flaked sea salt
Instructions
- Wash and prepare the vegetables.
- Split the pita bread in half so that you have two circles. Use the thicker side of the split pita bread for the labneh sandwich. Place the rough side of the pita bread upward and the smooth side on the counter or plate.
- Thinly spread the labneh cheese in the middle portion of the pita bread.
- Sprinkle the flaked sea salt and za'atar spice blend. Drizzle some olive oil (about 2 tsp).
- Layer the tomatoes, cucumber, and fresh mint down the middle of the pita bread on top of the labneh.
- Remove the pit from the olives! Place the olives down the middle of the pita bread.
- Fold the bottom of the pita bread upward. Fold the left side over, and roll like a burrito. Enjoy!
Notes
- Be very careful to remove the olive pits prior to adding to the sandwich. It is very common to crack a tooth when eating this sandwich if you leave the pits in the olives.
- The labneh sandwich can stay at room temperature for up to 5 hours, making it an excellent picnic or poolside sandwich, especially with kids.
Sandra M.
I’ve made this labneh sandwich with 3 types of pita- Greek pita, Lebanese pita, and a homemade pita. I didn’t find the super big Lebanese pita, but it turned out well. The Greek pita was eaten more like a taco. It was my least favorite. The homemade pita was like a pita pocket and was my second favorite way to eat it. I didn’t put the olives, but put everything else. Great quick meal!
Lily
Oh wow, thanks for that comment! I've never tried Greek pita with labneh but would imagine it would taste great. I've tried it on a bagel though, and it was pretty delicious.