Equipment
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 250 g dried linguine or spaghetti
- 150 g labneh, room temperature
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 2 garlic, finely grated or minced
- 40 g parmesan cheese, finely grated
Pantry Staples
- kosher salt
- black pepper, freshly cracked
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil at 100 degrees Celsius / 212 degrees Fahrenheit. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente.
While the pasta cooks, place the labneh, lemon juice, lemon zest, grated garlic, grated parmesan, and a generous pinch of black pepper into a large mixing bowl.
Whisk the labneh mixture thoroughly until smooth and well combined. Let it sit to allow the garlic to mellow slightly in the lemon acid.
Just before the pasta finishes cooking, carefully scoop out and reserve about 120ml of the starchy pasta cooking water using a measuring cup.
Using tongs, transfer the hot, drained pasta directly into the large mixing bowl containing the labneh mixture.
Pour 60ml of the hot reserved pasta water into the bowl. Toss vigorously with the tongs, emulsifying the cheese and labneh into a glossy sauce. Add more pasta water a splash at a time if the sauce is too thick.
Plate the pasta immediately, garnishing with extra grated parmesan and freshly cracked black pepper.
Chef's Notes
- Labneh is naturally thick and tangy. Allowing it to reach room temperature prevents it from cooling down the pasta too much and ensures a smoother emulsion.
- Do not build the sauce in a hot pan over the stove. Heat will cause the yogurt-based labneh to curdle immediately. Always mix in a room-temperature bowl.
- Starchy pasta water is the secret ingredient here. It acts as the bridge between the fat in the cheese and labneh, and the water base, creating a perfectly cohesive sauce.
- If you want to elevate this simple dish, a drizzle of high-quality extra virgin olive oil or a pinch of red pepper flakes right before serving goes a long way.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container. The sauce will thicken significantly when chilled.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of water or milk to reconstitute the sauce.
