What is the difference between Laban and Labneh?

The word Labneh (soft cheese) is derived from the word Laban (yoghurt). Laban is the Arabic word for yoghurt. There are two types of Laban, Laban A'rabi is made from sheep's milk and Laban Baqari is made from cow's milk. Labneh is known as yoghurt cheese and is prepared with Laban.

Laban was a figure in the Old Testament! But in the kitchen laban is the Arabic word for yogurt, and Israeli labneh is a tangy soft yogurt-cheese prepared from laban (yogurt). Labneh is made by straining and removing the whey from yogurt (laban) and mixing it with garlic and cilantro.

This delicious cheese, which, in Arabic is called laban and labneh in the English tongue closely resembles modern-day cream cheese. It is produced by straining out most of the moisture from goat's milk yoghurt using a muslin cloth. This process makes laban/labneh thick, spreadable and delightfully creamy cheese.