Picture this: perfectly golden and crunchy artichoke hearts served on top of a tangy, creamy dip. Doesn’t it sound good? Let’s make Crispy Artichokes with Labneh aka a Mediterranean dream, aka a perfect little appetizer to serve at your next dinner party.

We’ve all seen steamed artichokes, grilled artichokes, boiled artichokes and each version has its own merits, but what about deliciously golden and crispy artichokes?! Better yet, what about a version that doesn’t even involve any breading or oil or deep frying or any real effort other than patting them dry and dumping them onto a baking sheet? I think it sounds superb! I think it sounds like the show-stopping appetizer at your next dinner party.

I was having a couple friends over for an informal dinner and couldn’t get artichoke hearts out of my head. I knew I wanted to serve it as a little appetizer. I thought of making a version of Alison Roman’s marinated artichoke hearts. I’ve made them before and it’s a very effortless and bright dish to serve to guests. But for some reason, it wasn’t enough for me, I wanted to elevate it. I wanted the artichoke hearts crispy and served on a bed of creamy, tangy labneh.

I wondered if it would be possible to get those cute hearts sitting in a jar of water to get crispy and crunchy without having to coat them in breadcrumbs. It turns out the answer was an astounding yes and better yet, it was easier than I thought.

Easy Crispy Artichokes Recipe with Labneh

Artichokes are incredibly versatile: they can be sauteed, braised, fried, grilled, boiled, steamed. They can even be eaten raw! Thinly sliced and with lemon juice and olive oil. And they can be added to a plethora of dishes: lasagnas, risottos, soups, salads, etc.

Artichokes are not complicated, they just require a tremendous amount of patience. Prepping them is a whole process and that’s precisely why we’re skipping all of that and going straight into store-bought artichoke hearts.

You can get marinated artichoke hearts for this, but I prefer using the non-marinated kind. That means I get to decide what flavors I want to add to my dish and it’s also my personal preference. But you do you, of course.

We’ll get into that part soon, but before that, let’s talk about Labneh. Homemade Labneh, to be exact, which is so incredibly easy and satisfying to make!

How to Make Labneh at Home

Maybe you’re able to find labneh at your local grocery store, but it’s not always easily available. In that case – and even if that’s not the case – there’s something quite liberating about making your own ingredient from scratch. Especially when it involves such little effort and minimal ingredients. It gives you a wonderful sense of accomplishment and self-sufficiency. That’s something that’s becoming more and more important in the world we live in today.

Now, I’m not trying to convince you to make labneh from scratch, I’m just here to tell you that if this is something that interests you, it’s very easily achievable. All you need is yogurt and salt – and preferably, a cheesecloth, but you can also use paper towels.

Labneh is basically yogurt that’s been strained to remove most of its whey. The result is a cream that’s thicker than yogurt, but still preserving its distinct sour taste. It’s commonly used in Middle Eastern cuisine, from mezze platters to sandwiches. I love adding it salads.

The most important factor when making labneh is, unsurprisingly, the yogurt. Make sure to get full-fat yogurt. Any type will do, just make sure it’s full fat.

To make labneh, simply add the yogurt and salt (for this recipe I did about 1 ½ cups yogurt and ¼ tsp salt) to a bowl and mix to combine.

Then, line a sieve with a piece of cheesecloth (I’ve also used paper towels for this and it works, just make sure to use enough to use a few layers for best results) large enough to hang over the sides, and place the sieve over another bowl.

Transfer the yogurt to the center of the cheesecloth and fold in the overhang so that the yogurt is completely covered.

Place a heavy weight over the cheesecloth (a few cans or jars will do), and transfer the bowl to the refrigerator.

Let the yogurt drain for at least 12 hours and up to 48 hours.

After draining, discard the collected liquid. The remaining yogurt should lose about half of its volume and be very smooth and creamy, like cream cheese.

Labneh keeps in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Step-by-Step Instructions

The first step when making crispy artichoke hearts is to get rid of all that excess water. So, drain and pat them dry with paper towels and make sure they’re as dry as possible.

You’ll probably end up smashing a few along the way, and that’s a good thing. When they’re smashed they get flat, making its entire surface get in contact with the hot baking sheet, making them crispier.

Toss the dried artichoke hearts with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, then arrange them in an even layer on a baking sheet.

Then roast until they’re golden and crisp, about 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the topping, which is this wonderful infused olive oil that I like to add on everything. It’s fantastic and it’s really just heating olive oil, oregano leaves, lemon peel, and garlic until sizzling and golden brown.

The best part about this olive oil is that you can eyeball everything and like I said, add it to anything: salads, dips, marinades. It’s so good!

Then all that’s left to do is assemble!

If you make this crispy artichokes with labneh, please let me know in the comments! I’d love to hear from you and about your favorite appetizer.