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Home > Recipes > Dips & Sauces

Published: Aug 14, 2020 ยท Last Updated On: Sep 27, 2024 by Natasha Minocha

Tzatziki

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It started with dill. Since god willing, my puny herb garden thrives despite my brown thumb; I wanted to plant dill. And, of course, use it in a recipe - Tzatziki.

Tzatziki in a bowl with a piece of pita bread scooping it up.

The recipe was unquestionably decided. What I couldnโ€™t find was dill, and trust me, I looked up and down, left, right, and center. This is not the season for dill here!

But the recipe was already decided! So, I did what I usually do โ€“ tweaked it and made it without dill.

Fair warning to all the purists: my version of tzatziki may not be authentic, but it tastes just as good.ย 

Tzatziki | Easy homemade Greek cucumber yogurt sauce

The thick, creamy yogurt hinting a tiny tang of sunny lemon mixed with crisp cucumbers and cooling mint, made the tzatziki refreshing and heavenly. The olive oil gave the luscious dip an even more voluptuous flair. 

Whatโ€™s tzatziki?

The perfect condiment for just about everything you can imagine. At least for me. Officially, it is a meze โ€“ a simple, creamy and refreshing Greek appetizer. 

It is served chilled and is often used as a spread, dip, sauce or side-dish. 

How to Make Tzatziki?

Making tzatziki is intuitive and ridiculously easy. You mix cucumbers, garlic, olive oil, yogurt, dill, and lemon juice, season them, and youโ€™re done. 

Thatโ€™s the authentic version. I just replaced dill with mint from my kitchen garden. 

Ingredients for Tzatziki | Easy homemade Greek cucumber yogurt sauce

Because the preparation is a no-brainer, the recipe doesnโ€™t matter as such. What does make a great Tzatziki is solid ingredients and a few tricks.

Begin by grating the cucumber and removing their water. You can squeeze them between your palms or a kitchen towel.

This step is crucial because cucumbers are full of water, and any excess water is tzatzikiโ€™s enemy. The dip has to be thick. Not watery or runny. 

Traditionally, tzatzikiโ€™s base is Greek yogurt. Thatโ€™s what makes the dip so creamy and dense. Regular yogurt is an excellent backup as long as you drain it. If you have full-fat yogurt, even better. 

I made it with the regular, homemade yogurt and to achieve that beautiful creamy consistency of tzatziki, I hung it. 

Take a fine-mesh strainer and spread a cloth on it, preferably muslin. Place the sieve with the kitchen towel over a large bowl. Spoon the yogurt on it. Close the edges of the cloth and leave the entire shebang for the water to drain down on the bowl.

Labneh | Easy Homemade Labneh Recipe

You donโ€™t want the yogurt to be as dense as in labneh, so itโ€™ll be ready in an hour or two. 

To this thick yogurt, add olive oil. Throw in fresh, finely chopped mint, grated cucumbers, a dash of lemon juice, and salt to taste. 

Stir it thoroughly, dip a tasting finger (the temptation is incredibly hard to resist), check for taste, and then slide it in the fridge for an hour. 

Tzatziki | Easy homemade Greek cucumber yogurt sauce

Variations of tzatziki recipe

Dill is the common herb for tzatziki, but you can certainly substitute it with any fresh herb.

I used mint because my plants were turning into a jungle. But parsley is another great option.  

If you want to make vegan tzatziki, use a plant-based yogurt. 

Tzatziki | Easy homemade Greek cucumber yogurt sauce

Serving Tzatziki

Always serve tzatziki completely chilled, because thatโ€™s when the flavors blend in nicely. Garnish it with a few leaves of the fresh herb of your choice, drizzle some olive and serve it as:

  • a dip with crackers, cruditรฉ platter, or grilled veggies. 
  • a spread for lamb skewers, tofu, paneer, or even chicken. 
  • a sauce for kebabs, sandwiches, or even burgers for that matter. 

It is delicious as a side with watermelon feta salad or Greek salad, served with a hunk bread. Slather it on toast, and you have a healthy topping! You can even make a medley meal out of tzatziki, pita ( recipe coming up!), cherry tomatoes, and anything else you love. 

In short, tzatziki enlivens anything it graces!

It really is a lovely way to make a feast that flies off the table without breaking into a sweat. You donโ€™t have to toil over a hot stove with this Greek dish. 

Better yet, keep a bowl of it in your fridge. The mild, fresh, tangy kick of tzatziki pairs with such a potpourri of foods, that youโ€™ll never regret having it handy!

Tzatziki | Easy homemade Greek cucumber yogurt sauce

Half the joy of cooking is sharing it with others.ย Thatโ€™sย whyย Iโ€™mย always eager to hear from you.ย So go right ahead & drop a comment or reach out onย Instagram,ย Pinterest,ย YouTube, orย Facebook. I hope you love this tzatziki dip as much as we do!

๐Ÿ“– Recipe

Tzatziki in a bowl with a piece of pita bread scooping it up.

Tzatziki

Natasha Minocha
The thick, creamy yogurt hinting a tiny tang of sunny lemon mixed with crisp cucumbers and cooling mint, made the tzatziki refreshing and heavenly. The olive oil gave the luscious dip an even more voluptuous flair.ย 
No ratings yet
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Total Time 15 minutes mins
Course Appetizer, Condiment, Side Dish
Cuisine Middle Eastern
Servings 6 servings
Calories 55 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 3/4 cup Cucumber, shredded
  • 1.5 cup Greek yogurt You can use homemade yogurt too. Just make sure you drain the excess water.
  • 2 tsp Lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp Extra virgin Olive oil
  • 2 cloves Garlic, finely minced
  • 1 tbsp Mint, finely chopped Dill is the herb used traditionally. Please use that if its available.
  • Salt to taste

Instructions
 

  • Place the grated cucumber in a kitchen towel and squeeze out all the excess water.
  • In a bowl, combine the yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt. Whisk well.
  • Stir in the cucumber and mint. Taste and adjust for seasoning.
  • Chill for at least an hour before serving.
  • Drizzle with some olive oil and serve. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving: 1 ServingCalories: 55kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 5gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 0.4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.003gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 19mgPotassium: 100mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 14IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 61mgIron: 0.1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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Comments

  1. shreya says

    August 14, 2020 at 6:55 pm

    self life of this dip

    Reply
    • Natasha Minocha says

      August 17, 2020 at 10:25 am

      Hi Shreya, this should be good for 2-3 days in the refrigerator. A bit longer if you're in a colder climate region.

      Reply

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