This cool and creamy Lebanese laban cucumber yogurt sauce is perfect with grilled meats, salmon or as a side salad with a variety of Lebanese specialties such as grape leaves, tabbouleh or m’juddarah.
Cucumber laban holds a special place in my heart. Growing up, I remember watching my Aunt Paula make it in her kitchen before family dinners or holiday gatherings. She would test taste often to find the perfect balance of garlic, mint and lemon juice. Cool, creamy and refreshing, I can’t get enough of it.
To this day I am confident mine doesn’t taste as good as Aunt Paula’s which is funny because she never thinks hers tastes right either. Why is that?
Cucumber laban is traditionally served alongside Lebanese dishes such as Meat Stuffed Grape Leaves, M’Juddarah (lentils and bulgur with caramelized onions), Stuffed Kousa Squash or Sfeehas (meat pies). It is also great in a pita sandwich or on top of grilled salmon, chicken or pork.
Of course, you could always eat it plain in a big bowl which is my 20-month-old son’s favorite way to eat it! He literally can’t get enough of it and has eaten it since he started with solids. To make it baby/toddler-friendly, you can grate the cucumber so that it doesn’t require teeth. :)
When I served mine to my mom and aunts recently I was relieved when they said it tasted just like their Grandma Sito’s which is the best compliment you can get in our family.
Your fork is waiting.
Greek yogurt would work but it would make the laban tangier. Low-fat yogurt works best.
Cucumber laban can be made 1-2 days ahead of time for a gathering.
Recipe pairings:
- Meat Stuffed Grape Leaves
- M’Juddarah (lentils and bulgur with caramelized onions)
- Stuffed Kousa Squash
- Beef Shawarma Pitas with Tahini Dipping Sauce
- Sfeehas (meat pies)
- Grilled Chicken
📖 Recipe
Lebanese Laban Cucumber Yogurt Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 cups plain low fat yogurt
- 2 cups cucumber finely chopped
- 1 juice of lemon
- 2 tablespoons dried mint
- 2 cloves garlic grated
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well.
- Check for seasoning and add more lemon, garlic, mint or salt depending on your personal preference.
Nutrition
Check out more Lebanese recipes on my Pinterest board!
eloiza
Hi, may I ask how long can I store the sauce in the fridge?
Liz DellaCroce
Up to three days! Enjoy!
Bob
My girlfriend said she’ll eat it again. That’s good, because like you, it was a childhood favorite. My mother taught me to slice the cucumber thin and layer it with salt, let it sit and then squeeze it to draw out the water. At any rate, I used labneh from ARZ in California which is made from cow milk. I never put lemon juice in mine, so it was interesting to see how it turned out. Great!
Liz DellaCroce
Ohhh that’s a really great idea Bob!!!
Wendy
Can you use Greek yogurt instead or is it best to use the low-fat yogurt?
Liz DellaCroce
Greek yogurt would work but it would be more tangy than I typically prefer. :)
Maria B.
This sounds amazing. Is thsomething i can make a day ahead for company?
Liz DellaCroce
Oh yes absolutely! 1-2 days ahead is fine!
Liz Pease
I made this for your Chicken Shawarma recipe and I pretty much want to eat it on EVERYTHING now. And I don’t even like cucumbers!
We are trying to go dairy-free at my house due to an allergy, so I made this with unsweetened coconut yogurt and it was perfect. My husband had no idea it wasn’t regular yogurt.
Liz DellaCroce
YES!! Isn’t it so good?!
Donna
This is the only recipe site where I have seen the autiomatic servings converter for ingredient quantities. Brilliant!
Liz DellaCroce
Aww thank you so much!! :)
Del
Brings me back to my childhood in a Lebanese, Greek, & French Canadian kitchen- did WE get a little taste of everything!
Our cucumbers were cut into bites and with the same dressing, served as a salad.
Liz DellaCroce
Oh that’s wonderful!!!! Thank you so much!
Lisa
As soon as I saw the words “Lebanese and yogurt”, I was sold! I grew up in Asia and the Middle East (State Dept. brat) and have such fond memories of Beirut. When you lived in third world nations in the 50’s and 60’s, Lebanon was a wonderful place to vacation, It was a lovely city with gorgeous beaches and the food was too delicious for words. I use this sauce in so many ways and my family loves it, from the oldest to the very young. (I also just eat it with a spoon.) Your recipe is perfect and it must have been kismet when it popped up on my Pinterest feed.
Liz DellaCroce
Oh that makes me so happy! I would love to visit Lebanon one day – it’s on my travel bucket list. I’m so glad you enjoyed it!!! Let me know if you try any of my other Lebanese recipes: http://thelemonbowl.com/middle-eastern/
6xblessd
Found this recipe about 6 months ago and have been making it regularly. Love, love, love! We make homemade yogurt, and I try to eat a healthy amount of it for health reasons, but I really struggle wit the sweet variations on it (added fruit, honey, etc) and much prefer savory. This recipe is perfect. Thank you for sharing!
Liz DellaCroce
I’m so happy to hear it!!! I’m the same way – I much prefer savory! Have you tried my Raita? http://thelemonbowl.com/cucumber-yogurt-raita/
Sally Warfield
This is the bomb!
Liz DellaCroce
I’m so glad you love it!! We make it all the time!
Michelle
LOVE this sauce!!!! Thank you for this recipe!!! This is so refreshing….creamy and good it’s hard to believe it’s healthy!
Liz DellaCroce
Im so glad you like it!
Sylvia
Is There Anything I Can Use Instead Of mint? I Can’t Find It At My Store
Sylvia
Thanks Liz, ignore my double post/question on the kafta recipe, sorry!
Very helpful, I have made your tzatziki before, super good!
Sharon
Yay!! Another’s cuke recipe, and this ones right up my hubby’s alley! Reminds him of his aunt’s who are fabulous lenabese cooks.. Let see if I can wow him with this and use up my cukes at the same time!
Liz DellaCroce
It’s always great to have an aunt who makes delicious foods!!!
Liz
Thank you, Liz for the nice recipes and good information.
Liz DellaCroce
You are so sweet Liz – my pleasure!
Andrei
I’m making vegetarian gyros today! I think I’ll add this in ^_^
Thanks for the recipe. :)
Nutmeg Nanny
Oh goodness, I have got to make this soon it looks fantastic!
Liz DellaCroce
You would love this friend!! So flavorful!
Kirsten
Liz,
Looks very yummy–I think my way-more-than-20 month olds would prefer grated cukes too, as they are not cucumber fans, though they like cooling sides.
Thanks!
Linda
My grandmother used to make homemade Luban, so I decided to checkout this post. When I saw the link to Steehas it reminded me of her so I had to check it out. Love that your family gets together to make Lebanese food.. my favorite!! Any chance your Aunt would consider letting you post her Steehas recipe? They look very much like my grandmother’s and I would love to give them a try.
Liz DellaCroce
Linda we tried several variations that day and none of them were up to my aunt’s standards!!! I wish I knew. :(
Sheila
I love your family food….I want to be a mouse in your pocket at your family gatherings!! deliciousness!
Liz DellaCroce
Girl you would fit right in with our group of loud, crazy women!!!
Liz
Thank you for the nice recipe. Have a great day!
Liz DellaCroce
Same to you Liz!
Erin @ Texanerin Baking
Fun! I didn’t even know something like this existed. I think my husband would love it! I’ll have to try it when we have a yogurt overload. :)
Liz DellaCroce
It’s so tasty!! Very similar to tzatziki or raita. We eat it on everything!
Julie @ Table for Two
What a refreshing treat for summer!!
Liz DellaCroce
Wonder if it would taste good on my leftover general tsao’s? :) jk.
Christy@SweetandSavoring
I love yogurt sauce! I make a similar version to eat with chickpea flatbread and grilled veggies. Fresh mint is a great addition!
Liz DellaCroce
Ummm….chickpea flat bread? I want that now!!
Christy@SweetandSavoring
Oh, it’s delicious! You can make it super thin or thicker, add in fresh herbs, spinach, etc. Here’s where I got the recipe:
http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-socca-a-naturally-gluten-free-chickpea-flatbread-169513
Liz DellaCroce
Thank you so much!! I can’t wait to check it out!!
Alyssa (Everyday Maven)
Yes, please. I love this and could literally eat a dollop on just about anything!
Liz DellaCroce
me too!! My son eats it almost daily!! I think the raw garlic is so good for you too.
Heather
Soooo…I feel like such a creeper, but I’ve totally been doing the plank challenge with you and just not saying anything…but OUCH. My abs are burning, and I love it! And, by the way, I love that I can eat this amazing dip and not worry that I just lost all of the hard work from the plank challenge ;)
Liz DellaCroce
haha That does not sound creeper at all! I’m thrilled!!! Yes I’m all about eating lots of food so that means it is usually healthy. :) Keep up the good work with the planks!!
Jeanne (NanaBread)
This? On warm pita bread? Fuhgedduhboudit! I’m in love.
Liz DellaCroce
Oh dear – I need warm pita bread right now!!!
Nikki @Seeded at the Table
I bet it’s great as a sauce, but is it similar to the new Greek yogurt dips found now on store shelves? If so, I’m glad to have a homemade versions. Woop woop!
Liz DellaCroce
I actually haven’t tried those yet Nikki!! It’s a little bit less thick than Greek yogurt since I use regular yogurt but you could either a) let the yogurt strain through a cheese cloth for 45 minutes or b) use Greek yogurt instead. :) Regardless it’s addictive and extremely toddler friendly!
Laurie {SimplyScratch}
Soooo yeah, Liz… I pretty much want to dunk my face in that bowl. LOVE IT!
Liz DellaCroce
LOL me too! We make it weekly!!
Carolyn
Cucumbers and yogurt are a match made in heaven. I’d be pouring this all over my roasted veggies!
Liz DellaCroce
Love the idea of drizzling over roasted veggies!!! Good call!
Lauren @ Climbing Grier Mountain
Um, I want to dive head first into this sauce!! It would be my ultimate happy place!
Liz DellaCroce
Ummm…me too. You should see how my toddler eats it. :)
Georgia @ The Comfort of Cooking
Wow, what a great looking sauce! I love cool, refreshing sauces like this on grilled meats in the summer…. nothing better! Thanks for sharing, Liz.
Liz DellaCroce
Same here – the yogurt is perfect for hot grilled meats for that very reason!! Enjoy!
Alisha @ Gluten Free Perspective
My neighbors growing up were from Lebanon and their kitchen was always full of the best food!! It was fun trying authentic Lebanese food. Yum!
Liz DellaCroce
That’s too funny! I bet their house smelled like garlic like mine does most days. :)
Katie
This sauce looks so good. I must give it a try on grilled chicken!
Liz DellaCroce
Yes you will love it on grilled chicken!! Enjoy!
Meagan @ A Zesty Bite
Love this tasty dish.
Liz DellaCroce
Let me know if you try it! I know you’ll love it. :)
steph@stephsbitebybite
Sounds fabulous! I wanna dip my veggies in this!
Liz DellaCroce
PERFECT for dipping veggies!!! Good idea. :) You can also grate/shred the cucumber to make it easier for dipping!
Kalyn
Similar to Tzatziki, which I love. You’re lucky to have such great family food memories.
Liz DellaCroce
Yes totally! It’s the Middle Eastern version of the Greek tzatziki or the Indian raita. Thank you Kalyn – I really am lucky. :-)
Jen @ Savory Simple
Yogurt sauce is a perfect side for so many wonderful dishes (many of which you named). And like your little guy I could also eat it with a spoon! Might just have to hit up the local Lebanese joint for lunch now.
Liz DellaCroce
It really is isn’t it??? I go through a large container of plain yogurt every week for this very reason!
Julia
I’ll be the first to comment and say that I love this sauce!! We put it on everything…I also grew up eating it and am so happy you shared this recipe!
Liz DellaCroce
I thought of you when I wrote this post!!! I love that at least one person loves this recipe as much as I do!!