Labneh Stuffed Figs With Honey and Pistachios

By
Anita Schecter
Anita Schecter_BW
Anita Schecter
Professional recipe developer, food photographer, and blogger with more than a decade of experience creating Middle Eastern recipes.
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Updated on 06/19/21
Labneh Stuffed Figs with Honey and Pistachios
Anita Schecter
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Strain: 60 mins
Total: 85 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
131 Calories
7g Fat
17g Carbs
3g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 131
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 7g 9%
Saturated Fat 2g 11%
Cholesterol 8mg 3%
Sodium 41mg 2%
Total Carbohydrate 17g 6%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Total Sugars 14g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 1mg 7%
Calcium 40mg 3%
Iron 1mg 3%
Potassium 221mg 5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

If it's currently fig season where you are, then you know just how lucky you are. Although figs are native to the Middle East, where they are hugely popular, they now grow in many parts of the globe. In the United States, the figs you find in the market are likely from crops in California and harvested during the late summer and early fall.

They're eaten raw, in salads, baked, in cakes and other pastries, dried or lightly roasted. They're as beautiful as they are delicious and are amazing on any appetizer platter. They're also super easy to stuff with cream cheese, goat cheese or labneh.

A quintessential Middle Eastern favorite, labneh is a soft cheese made from strained yogurt. You can buy it readymade but it's easy to make at home with just yogurt, salt and cheesecloth. The longer you strain the yogurt, the thicker the labneh will be so, by making it yourself, you can control the firmness. Leave it on the softer side for stuffing into the figs. Then drizzle on your favorite variety of honey and top with chopped pistachios or walnuts for a bit of added crunch.

Ingredients

For the Labneh:

  • 1 cup plain, full-fat Greek yogurt

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the Stuffed Figs:

  • 12 fresh figs

  • 1/4 cup labneh

  • 2 tablespoons honey

  • 1/4 cup chopped pistachios

Steps to Make It

For the Labneh

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. To make the labneh, stir together the Greek style yogurt and salt until thoroughly combined.

  3. Place the mixture in a fine mesh strainer that you've lined with cheesecloth. Tie the ends of the cheesecloth together to gently squeeze the mixture.

  4. Place over a bowl, making sure the bottom of the strainer does not touch the bottom of the bowl. Leave on the counter for one hour, draining off the liquid 2 or 3 times. You can also do this in the refrigerator if your house is too warm but it will take longer. At the end of the hour, you will have a soft labneh.

For the Stuffed Figs

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Pre-heat the oven to 400 F.

  3. Score each fig with an X about a third of the way through. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and roast in the oven for about 10 minutes. The figs will be a little softened and slightly beginning to brown. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool for a few minutes.

  4. Place about a tablespoon of the labneh mixture (or however much will fit) into each fig. You can do this with a spoon or a piping bag if you want it to look neater.

  5. Place all the stuffed figs on a serving platter and drizzle with the honey. Then top with the chopped pistachios. Serve with wine and cheese, if desired.