Serve up this easy spinach roti as an appetizer with za'atar labneh for an appetizer plate to please everyone! This Mediterranean-inspired dish is easy to make and a great addition to meals!
I have met a lot of lovely people on social media. Many of them are really talented cooks and bakers, specializing in foods I am not very familiar with. Archana from @foodyfables is one of those.
Her feed is awesome and food inspiring. She inspired me to create and write this post for a super easy flatbread commonly found in Indian cooking. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
If you're looking for more appetizers to serve I highly recommend these asparagus puff pastry appetizers, Mediterranean hummus dip, and zucchini potato fritters.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Simple recipe and wholesome ingredients.
- A great appetizer to serve up for groups of all sizes.
- Great flavor!
- A healthy option for snacking!
What is Labneh?
Labneh is a type of strained yogurt that's commonly found in the eastern Mediterranean region and western Asia. In other parts of the world, it may be called strained yogurt or yogurt cheese, just to name a few.
Labneh is strained long enough to create the texture of soft cheese with a tart flavor similar to sour cream. It is often served as a dip, much like hummus, topped with olive oil and herbs or sometimes in a sweet form with honey.
The serving method depends very much on each individual country within the region. In this recipe, we are serving it in a savory preparation along with homemade roti for dipping.
What is Spinach Roti?
Roti, a type of unleavened bread from India, usually prepared over an open flame or on a griddle.
It is traditionally made with whole wheat flour. I've added some spinach which gives it a brilliant green color and adds some healthy nutrients to the roti.
Ingredients
Making spinach roti and homemade labneh requires simple, wholesome ingredients. Here's what you need:
- Whole wheat flour: This recipe uses whole wheat flour but I've also used kamut wheat flour to make roti. It was amazing.
- Spinach: Fresh spinach works great to make spinach roti.
- Seasoning: You will need fresh garlic and cumin. The original recipe is for carom seeds but I used cumin instead. If you have carom seed, you can swap it in for the cumin.
- Labneh: We will be using this garlic labneh recipe.
- Za'atar: Sprinkled over the top of the labneh when serving.
What is Za'atar?
Za'atar is both an herb and a spice blend. The term refers to a pungent herb native to the Middle East that's a mixture of the flavors of marjoram, oregano, and thyme.
As a spice blend, it combines sesame seeds, dried thyme, marjoram, and sumac. To serve, it's often mixed with olive oil and salt and used as a dip for bread.
We will be using sumac, the spice blend. Many Middle Eastern grocery stores or online stores carry za'atar.
For the full ingredient list and quantities, check the recipe card.
How to Make Spinach Roti
Making roti isn't complicated but it does take a bit of time. Here's a look at the steps involved but you can find the detailed instructions in the recipe card.
- Throw the spinach into a food processor or blender. This is the food processor I have loved and used for so long.
- Pulse until it is all chopped very fine.
You can mix roti by hand like Archana or take the lazy route (that's me!) and use a stand mixer. For the hand-kneading method, instructions are in the recipe card.
- Add all the ingredients and mix for several minutes until it is smooth. Cover and let it rest for about 30 minutes.
TOP TIP: Resting the dough is important because if the dough hasn't had the chance to "rest" it will try and constantly pull back in on you. After giving it time to rest the dough relaxes and rolls much more easily.
- After the dough has rested divide it up into 10 portions. Isn't it such a beautiful color?
KITCHEN TOOLS: I love to use my bench knife when working with dough. It is the best!
- Roll the dough into circles and then roll with the rolling pin until it's thin like a tortilla. To keep it from sticking, you can dip the dough in flour or simply sprinkle your work surface with a bit of flour. Both ways work!
- Cook each roti in a skillet for a minute or on each side. You can also char them a bit over a flame for a bit of char.
How to Serve
Once you've got the roti all cooked, let's put it all together!
- Scoop the labneh onto the platter or plate you are serving it on.
- Drizzle the labneh with olive oil and sprinkle with Za'atar. I also like mine salty, so I sprinkled it with some good-quality sea salt. There are plenty of recipes online for za'atar, but it is pretty easily accessible to buy as well, which is what I chose.
- Serve up the labneh platter with the spinach roti.
TOP TIP: You can make a mezze platter of sorts with it with cucumbers in ribbons made with a vegetable peeler or any other veggies you enjoy.
Expert Tips and FAQs
- Use a heavy-bottomed skillet such as a cast iron skillet for more even cooking.
- Don't rush the roti recipe. The dough needs time to rest.
- The water is a bit of a variable. Add it slowly and if necessary add more to achieve the proper consistency.
Roti is often eaten with curries, like this lentil curry, where it is used to scoop up little bites. I love to also serve up with my garlic labneh, hummus, or other dips as an appetizer.
They are both types of flatbreads but roti are often much flatter than naan. Roti is also an unleavened bread so it doesn't contain yeast or another agent to help it rise while naan is typically made with yeast or another type of leavener.
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For more inspiration
Spinach Roti with Za'atar Labneh
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole wheat flour plus more for rolling. I use a kamut wheat flour for mine. It was amazing.
- 6 cups fresh spinach
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- ½ cup water
- 1 recipe labneh
- 1 teaspoon za'atar
Instructions
- Pulse garlic with spinach in blender or food processor to get a puree.
Stand Mixer Instructions
- Add all ingredients to the mixer and mix on medium speed for about 3-4 minutes.
Knead by Hand Instructions
- Combine spinach puree, flour, cumin, and salt in a mixing bowl. Mix it up. Slowly add water and start mixing and kneading dough. You may need more or less depending on the water content of spinach puree. Knead until you have a soft dough, then add oil and knead again.
Rest Dough and Cook Roti
- Regardless of mixing method, allow the dough to rest for 30- 45 minutes.
- Divide dough into 10 pieces. Dip each piece in flour and roll in a round, thin piece, like a tortilla.
- Place on an oiled, heated hot skillet. Once you see bubbles form, flip to the other side. It should take about 30 seconds per side. Next, move to an open flame and make it puff.
- Brush with melted butter or ghee.
- Place the labneh on a platter and sprinkle with za'atar.
- Serve the roti alongside the labneh for dipping;
Notes
- Use a heavy-bottomed skillet such as a cast iron skillet for more even cooking.
- Don't rush the roti recipe. The dough needs time to rest.
- The water is a bit of a variable. Add it slowly and if necessary add more to achieve the proper consistency.