This homemade Tzatziki Sauce is creamy, tangy, and exploding with freshness from fresh herbs like dill and mint. It's easy to make in 5 minutes and can be served with a multitude of dishes like calamari, falafel, grilled meat, and more.
Looking for more easy condiments? Try my Hummus next!
About This Recipe
Tzatziki has to be one of the most versatile condiments out there. It can be served with grilled meat, veggies, bread, and more. In Greece, where it's most popular, it's typically served as a meze, alongside bread, and fried eggplant or zucchini.
In the U.S., I typically see tzatziki in one of two places: either served with fried calamari or inside a chicken or gyro wrap. I think at one point Subway also had it as one of their sandwich sauces but I haven't seen it since.
Restaurant-quality tzatziki is actually really easy to make at home. It takes less than 10 minutes. The trick I have found to making delicious tzatziki at home is to be thorough when squeezing the grated cucumber. You want almost all the moisture to the gone. That way, you can add more lemon juice and olive oil without the tzatziki becoming too watery.
Key Ingredients
Cucumber: I used 1 medium-sized cucumber with the skin on. I grated it on the largest hole on my box grater.
Greek yogurt: I highly recommend using full-fat (5% fat) Greek yogurt for its thicker texture.
Olive oil: I used extra virgin olive oil. I specify 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the recipe card, but typically, I will add more olive oil if the tzatziki is very thick in texture.
Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed is a must here.
Garlic: I recommend grating it on a microplane so that the flavor disperses more evenly in the sauce.
Dill & mint: These provide so much freshness. Dried dill and dried mint can work in a pinch, but I would recommend using fresh if possible.
Salt & pepper: Season to your own taste, but around ยฝ teaspoon each is a good bet.
Instructions
STEP 1: Place all the ingredients in a bowl (notice how small the cucumber becomes when you squeeze out the water).
STEP 2: Mix! The sauce can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
๐ Recipe
Tzatziki
Ingredients
- 1 medium cucumber (grated)
- 1 cup thick plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic (grated)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
- salt and black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Place the cucumber in a kitchen towel and squeeze out as much water as you can.
- In a large bowl, add the squeezed cucumber, yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, dill, and mint. Mix to combine then season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- The sauce will keep for up to 3 days in the fridge. Enjoy!
Verena
This was fantastic!!! I served this sauce with a homemade flatbread with Greek chicken on top which was made from boneless skinless chicken thighs. We also had baked sliced onions and red and orange peppers seasoned with salt, pepper, and garlic and herb seasoning along with some Greek potatoes cooked in the oven. The sauce was devine!!