Tzatziki Recipe
This homemade Greek Tzatziki recipe is creamy, tangy, and incredibly delicious! Made with simple ingredients, including Greek yogurt, cucumber, and dill it’s so quick and easy to make, it’ll become your favorite!
what is tzatziki sauce?
Find it hard to say the name? This creamy yogurt cucumber sauce is pronounced as tuh-zee-kee or tsaht-ZEE-kee.
Tzatziki is a traditional Greek sauce that’s often served with Mediterranean dishes like pita bread and veggies. It’s also called gyro sauce because it’s served with the popular Greek grilled meat; gyros. Tzatziki can be used as a dip, spread or a sauce.
It’s made with thick yogurt, cooling cucumber, fresh lemon juice, olive oil, fresh garlic and chopped herbs. Creamy, light and refreshing with a herby flavor it’s better than store bought stuff.
If you like Tzatziki sauce, you’ll like this Greek Yogurt Dill Dip too.
Why We Love This Recipe:
- Easy: This Tzatziki recipe is so easy to make and ready in 10 minutes.
- Healthy: Tzatziki is made with natural ingredients, including Greek yogurt which is a good source of protein and probiotics. The cucumber and fresh herbs add a boost of vitamins and minerals.
- Flavor: The combination of creamy Greek yogurt, fresh cucumber, lemon juice, garlic, and dill creates a tangy and flavorful sauce that is perfect for dipping or spreading.
- Versatile: Tzatziki can be used as a dip for vegetables, pita chips, or meats, or as a spread for sandwiches and wraps. And can customize to your liking than what you get at Greek restaurants.
Ingredients
Greek yogurt – the base of this recipe. Use plain full-fat Greek yogurt for best flavor. If you have regular plain yogurt, that has to be strained to remove excess moisture.
Cucumber – English cucumbers are the best. Don’t use field cucumbers.
Dill – Fresh dill chopped adds the herby refreshing flavor to the Tzatziki dip. Fresh mint would be a great addition if you have it.
Olive oil – Use extra virgin olive oil for an authentic taste.
Garlic – Fresh garlic cloves minced. If you’re not a fan of fresh garlic, garlic powder can be used too.
Lemon – Fresh lemon juice is a must to add flavor. Some authentic versions use white vinegar instead of lemon.
Sour cream (optional) – Adding a tablespoon or two of sour cream makes the sauce thick and it also holds up well in the fridge.
Seasonings – salt and black pepper
How to Make Tzatziki Sauce
*Scroll below for the printable recipe card and ingredient measurements.
Making traditional Tzatziki sauce is pretty straightforward and easy. But there are certain steps to involved to make it a success. Prepping the cucumbers by way of removing excess moisture is the most important part of making a good Tzatziki sauce.
We need to remove as much liquid from the cucumbers. Peel the cucumbers and cut it in half. Seeds contain the most liquid in cucumbers so scoop the seeds out with a spoon.
Grate cucumber using a box grater. You can use a food processor to mince the cucumbers but I prefer the texture of the grated cucumbers.
Next, using a fine mesh sieve, remove the excess liquid from the cucumber. Use a spoon to press down on the cucumber to make it easier. Alternatively, you can use a cheesecloth to squeeze the excess liquid. For me, it’s a hassle to wash the cloth completely free of grated cucumber so I prefer to use a strainer.
In a medium bowl, whisk together yogurt, grated cucumber, chopped dill, minced garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.
Cover with a plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use. Drizzle olive oil on top and garnish with chopped dill when serving.
RECIPE TIP: For best results, refrigerate the Tzatziki for at least 30 minutes so the flavors could develop.
How to Make Tzatziki Sauce With sour cream
If you’re watching your carbs on a low carb or keto diet, you can still make Tzatziki sauce, albeit with some modifications.
The best substitute for Greek yogurt is sour cream. Tzatziki sauce with sour cream though not authentic is pretty close to it. If you find the sauce thick, thin it down with some water or heavy cream.
What To Serve Tzatziki Sauce With?
Tzatziki Dip or sauce is so versatile it goes well with a variety of dishes, including:
- Grilled meats: Tzatziki is a great condiment to serve with grilled chicken, lamb, or pork.
- Pita bread, chips and crackers: Spread some tzatziki sauce on pita bread for a delicious and healthy snack or lunch or serve as a dip with pita chips and crackers.
- Vegetables: Serve tzatziki as a dip for vegetables such as carrots, cucumbers, bell peppers, and cherry tomatoes.
- Gyros: Tzatziki is a classic accompaniment to the Greek dish of gyros, a type of meat wrap.
- Falafel: Serve tzatziki sauce with falafel, a popular Middle Eastern street food made from chickpeas, for a flavorful and satisfying meal.
- Rice or quinoa bowls: Mix tzatziki sauce with cooked rice or quinoa and top with grilled chicken or vegetables for a flavorful and healthy bowl.
- Salad: Use tzatziki sauce as a salad dressing for a Greek salad made with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, red onion, and feta cheese.
How To Store
Store leftover Tzatziki in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days. If you see excess water on top simply stir it back in.
Tzatziki can be made in advance to serve at a party too. You can make it a day ahead and store in the fridge.
FAQs
I don’t recommend freezing tzatziki as it will tend to split when thawing.
Tzatziki sauce could be bitter due to the cucumbers used. When cucumbers are mature or sitting in the fridge for a long time, they tend to become bitter. They’ll also turn slightly yellow. Taste the grated cucumber to make sure that your cucumber is fresh. If it’s bitter discard.
More Recipes You’ll Love:
Love air frying? You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or join our Free Facebook Air Frying Group.
Recipe
Tzatziki Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup chopped fresh dill
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 medium English cucumber
- 1½ tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
Instructions
- Peel cucumber and cut it in half. Scoop the seeds out with a spoon.
- Grate the cucumbers with a box grater. Using a strainer, remove excess liquid from the cucumber pressing down with a spoon. Alternatively, use a muslin cloth or dish cloth to squeeze the excess water out.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, grated cucumber, chopped dill, minced garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Adjust seasoning if needed.
- Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Serve garnished with chopped dill and a drizzle of olive oil.
Notes
- Add a tablespoon of sour cream to make Tzatziki creamy.
- Store leftover Tzatziki sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
