5 from 12 votes
Labneh Dip With Harissa-Spiced Cherry Tomato Sauce
This Labneh Dip features a creamy labneh base topped with a vibrant harissa-spiced cherry tomato sauce. The tomatoes are cooked until slightly charred and softened, blended with garlic, harissa paste, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, and salt, then balanced with toasted nigella seeds and pine nuts for added texture and aroma. This combination offers a rich contrast between the cool, tangy labneh and the warm, spicy tomato topping.
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
20 mins
Servings:
4
Calories:
169 kcal
Course:
Side Dish, Appetizer, Snacks
Cuisine:
Mediterranean, Middle Eastern
Ingredients
- 1½ cups labneh
- 1 teaspoon nigella seeds , or cumin seeds
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts
Harissa-spiced tomato sauce
- 2 heaped cups cherry tomato or other small tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil , divided
- 2 garlic crushed with the flat side of a knife and then sliced, cloves
- 1½ tablespoon harissa rose flavor
- ½ tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon salt
To serve
- salt or regular sea salt (to taste, flaked maldon variety
- flatbread toasted (for sourdough bread
- pita bread
- sourdough bread
Instructions
- Spread the labneh across a shallow serving bowl or plate. Use the back of a large spoon to swirl waves into the labneh. Set it aside while you make the tomato sauce.
- Heat a skillet over medium-low heat. Once hot, toast the nigella seeds and pine nuts until golden, stirring or shaking the pan often – about 1 minute. Transfer the toasted nuts and spices to a small bowl to cool down.
- Return the skillet to the stove and increase the heat to high. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook until slightly charred – about 5 minutes – shaking the pan now and then.
- Turn the heat down to medium, and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil with the sliced garlic. Cook for another minute until the garlic is fragrant. Then add the rose harissa paste, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup and salt. Mix well.
- Squash roughly half the tomatoes with the back of your spatula. And cook until you have a sweet and sticky tomato sauce with a few whole cherry tomatoes – approximately 3 minutes. Then stir through another tablespoon of olive oil to loosen the sauce.
- Spoon the warm and spicy burst cherry tomato sauce over the thick and creamy labneh. Scatter with the pine nuts, toasted nigella seeds (or cumin) and a pinch of flaked salt. And serve immediately with flatbread, pita bread or toasted sourdough.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- The tomato sauce can be made a day ahead and served at room temperature if preferred.
- Use thick Greek yogurt instead of labneh if labneh is not available.
- Serve with toasted sourdough, pita, or other flatbreads for textural contrast and ease of scooping.
Nutrition Information
Calories
169kcal
(8%)
Carbohydrates
10g
(3%)
Protein
9g
(18%)
Fat
11g
(17%)
Saturated Fat
1g
(5%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
2g
(12%)
Monounsaturated Fat
6g
(30%)
Trans Fat
0.01g
(1%)
Cholesterol
4mg
(1%)
Sodium
402mg
(17%)
Potassium
331mg
(7%)
Fiber
1g
(4%)
Sugar
7g
(14%)
Vitamin A
407IU
(8%)
Vitamin C
18mg
(20%)
Calcium
99mg
(10%)
Iron
1mg
(6%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4 Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 169
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 169kcal | 8% |
| Carbohydrates | 10g | 3% |
| Protein | 9g | 18% |
| Fat | 11g | 17% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Trans Fat | 0.01g | 1% |
| Cholesterol | 4mg | 1% |
| Sodium | 402mg | 17% |
| Potassium | 331mg | 7% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 7g | 14% |
| Vitamin A | 407IU | 8% |
| Vitamin C | 18mg | 20% |
| Calcium | 99mg | 10% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.