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Tzatziki sauce with vanilla yogurt


Homemade Tzatziki Sauce Easy Recipe

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Homemade Tzatziki Sauce is a delightful blend of yogurt, cucumbers and fresh herbs. Traditionally it is a Greek sauce served with grilled meats or as a dip.

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Have you tried tzatziki sauce before? It is a delightful blend of yogurt, cucumbers and fresh herbs. Traditionally it is a Greek sauce served with grilled meats or as a dip.

My easy homemade tzatziki sauce recipe will be a delicious addition to your homemade condiments collection. The tzatziki sauce is made by combining Greek yogurt, grated cucumber, fresh lemon juice, mint leaves, dried dill and a dash of salt.

I think it is delicious with fresh-cut veggies, serve on a gyro, gyro pizza, or on a black bean burger.

This is a smaller recipe than you may find on other websites. This recipe makes just over ¾ cups of sauce but I think it is the perfect amount to have on hand without it going to waste. There is nothing I like less than wasting food! Especially good food!

Sauce Ingredients:

  • Plain Greek Yogurt
  • Cucumber -
  • Lemon Juice
  • Salt (for the cucumber)
  • Dried Dill. (Fresh is better if you have it but not the end of the world if you don't)
  • Fresh Mint (More if you love the mint flavor, less if you don't)

Optional:

  • 1 clove roasted garlic (You can mince a clove of fresh garlic but I like the roasted in the recipe better. In my opinion, the fresh is too strong. But do what YOU like.)

Tzatziki Sauce Directions:

  1. Scoop out the seeds of the cucumber. This will take out a LOT of the moisture of the cucumber.
  2. Grated cucumber with a hand grater and sprinkle with salt and wrap in a paper towel or cheese cloth.
  3. Allow the salt and cucumber to work for about 30 minutes.
  4. While the cucumber and salt work together, finely mince the mint.
  5. Once the 30 minutes is up, squeeze the cucumber to release the rest of the moisture.
  6. Combine all the ingredients and allow to rest for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator so the flavors can combine fully.

📝 Frequently asked questions, answers and tips:

How long can you keep tzatziki in the fridge?

Enjoy and store the tzatziki sauce in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Do you have to peel cucumber to make tzatziki?

You do not have to peel the cucumber to make tzatziki sauce. I love having the dark green of the cucumber skin on the cucumber. If you are not a fan of the cucumber peel, you are welcome to peel it. I do recommend removing the seeds from the cucumber to cut down on the moisture content of the sauce.

Why is the cucumber salted before adding it to the sauce?

  • The salt will draw out the excess moisture from the cucumber. Excess moisture in your tzatziki will make it runny.  I am not a huge fan of runny tzatziki.

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    Homemade Tzatziki Sauce

    Sarah Mock

    Homemade Tzatziki Sauce is a delightful blend of yogurt, cucumbers and fresh herbs. Traditionally it is a Greek sauce served with grilled meats or as a dip.

    4.58 from 7 votes

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    There is more to a recipe than just the recipe card. Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!

    Prep Time 30 mins

    Cook Time 30 mins

    Total Time 1 hr

    Course Uncategorized

    Cuisine Mediterranean

    Servings 6 ounces

    Calories 70 kcal

    • ▢ 1 5-6 ounce cup Plain Greek Yogurt. (But I use vanilla because the plain is to 'plain' for me)
    • ▢ ½ Cucumber
    • ▢ 1 teaspoon Lemon Juice
    • ▢ ½ teaspoon Salt (for the cucumber)
    • ▢ ½ teaspoon Dried Dill. (Fresh is better if you have it but not the end of the world if you don't)
    • ▢ 12 leaves Fresh Mint (More if you love the mint flavor, less if you don't)

    • Scoop out the seeds of the cucumber. This will take out a LOT of the moisture of the cucumber.

    • Sprinkle the grated cucumber with salt and wrap in a paper towel or cheese cloth.

    • The salt will draw out the excess moisture from the cucumber.

    • Excess moisture in your tzatziki will make it runny. I am not a huge fan of runny tzatzki.

    • Allow the salt and cucumber to work for about 30 minutes.

    • While the cucumber and salt work together, finely mince the mint.

    • Once the 30 minutes is up, squeeze the cucumber to release the rest of the moisture.

    • Combine all the ingredients and allow to rest for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator so the flavors can combine fully.

    Optional:

    • 1 clove roasted garlic (You can mince a clove of fresh garlic but I like the roasted in the recipe better. In my opinion, the fresh is too strong. But do what YOU like.)

    Serving: 1/2 ounceCalories: 70kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 12gCholesterol: 6mgSodium: 129mgSugar: 4g

    Nutritional facts are estimates and are provided as a courtesy to the reader. Please utilize your own brand nutritional values to double check against our estimates. Nutritional values are calculated via a third party. Changing ingredients, amounts or cooking technique will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.

    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    Sharing of this recipe to social media is both encouraged and appreciated. Please share the direct link back to the recipe. Copy/Pasting and/or screenshots of the recipe to any social media is strictly prohibited. Content and photographs are copyright protected. SavoringTheGood®

    Originally published June 2015.

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    About Sarah Mock

    Sarah Mock is a classically trained Chef and graduate of Johnson & Wales University. A culinary blogger for 13 years Sarah helps the home cook prepare her recipes with professional results.

    Reader Interactions

    Tzatziki Recipe (Greek Cucumber Yogurt Sauce)

    630 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    Tzatziki! Tsaht-ZEE-kee! Otherwise known as that yogurt and cucumber sauce you love at Greek restaurants but worry about mispronouncing (hear the correct pronunciation here).

    Tzatziki is made simply with yogurt, drained cucumber, olive oil, fresh herbs (usually mint or dill), garlic, lemon juice and salt. It’s a refreshing chilled sauce, dip or spread.

    I traveled to Greece last fall and ordered tzatziki at every restaurant. I’m serious. I enjoyed tzatziki with every single meal, even breakfast. This recipe tastes just like authentic tzatziki.

    I tend to associate tzatziki with Greek food, but you’ll find it served across the Mediterranean and Middle East, sometimes under different names or in slightly different forms.

    Tzatziki is often served with grilled meats and gyros, but I can’t think of a grilled or roasted vegetable it wouldn’t play nicely with. You can also serve up some tzatziki with your next appetizer spread. Let’s make some already!

    Uses for Tzatziki

    Grilled Vegetables

    • Bell peppers
    • Mushrooms
    • Carrots
    • Asparagus
    • Green beans
    • Corn on the cob

    Appetizer Spreads

    • Toasted pita wedges
    • Crisp raw vegetables
    • Olives
    • Cheese and crackers
    • Hummus
    • Zhoug or Shatta (Middle-Eastern hot sauces)

    Falafel, Sandwiches and Salads

    • Falafel
    • Pita sandwiches (you could use it instead of the avocado in that recipe)
    • Tabbouleh
    • Lentil salad
    • Chickpea salad

    My Tzatziki Technique

    Fortunately, tzatziki is super easy to whip together. The only trick is to properly drain the cucumber before mixing it into the yogurt. Otherwise, cucumber waters down the sauce too much. Salting the grated cucumber and letting the excess moisture drip out takes a while.

    The easiest and most efficient way to get rid of the excess moisture is to lightly squeeze the grated cucumber over the sink. The only wait required in my recipe is to let the tzatziki rest for five minutes after you mix it all together, to let the flavors meld. At that point, you can serve it right away or chill it for later.

    Tzatziki Nutrition & Yogurt Notes

    Nutritionally speaking, tzatziki is a creamy but light sauce. You can dollop it generously on your food without adding a lot of calories (unlike, say, mayonnaise or ranch dressing). It’s made mostly with Greek yogurt and cucumber, after all.

    I haven’t found a noticeable difference in texture whether I use whole-milk yogurt, low-fat or non-fat, so any of those will work. Traditional Greek tzatziki is made with strained goat or sheep’s yogurt, but it’s hard to find those here. The Greek yogurt sold here in the U.S. is strained yogurt (that’s why it’s thicker and higher in protein than regular yogurt), so I use that.

    As always, please let me know how you like this recipe in the comments! I’m excited to hear how it turns out for you and how you serve it.

    Watch How to Make Tzatziki Sauce

    Print

    Best Tzatziki

    • Author: Cookie and Kate
    • Prep Time: 15 minutes
    • Cook Time: 0 minutes
    • Total Time: 15 minutes
    • Yield: 2 ½ cups 1x
    • Category: Sauce
    • Method: By hand
    • Cuisine: Greek

    ★★★★★

    4.9 from 333 reviews

    Learn how to make tzatziki, a traditional Greek yogurt and cucumber sauce with fresh herbs. Tzatziki is a refreshing sauce or dip, and it’s so easy to make! This basic recipe yields about 2 ½ cups; multiply if necessary.

    Scale

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups grated cucumber (from about 1 medium 10-ounce cucumber, no need to peel or seed the cucumber first, grate on the large holes of your box grater)
    • 1 ½ cups plain Greek yogurt
    • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
    • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint and/or dill
    • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
    • 1 medium clove garlic, pressed or minced
    • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt

    Instructions

    1. Working with one big handful at a time, lightly squeeze the grated cucumber between your palms over the sink to remove excess moisture. Transfer the squeezed cucumber to a serving bowl, and repeat with the remaining cucumber.
    2. Add the yogurt, olive oil, herbs, lemon juice, garlic, and salt to the bowl, and stir to blend. Let the mixture rest for 5 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Taste and add additional chopped fresh herbs, lemon juice, and/or salt, if necessary (I thought this batch was just right as-is).
    3. Serve tzatziki immediately or chill for later. Leftover tzatziki keeps well, chilled, for about 4 days.

    Notes

    Recipe adapted from my cookbook, Love Real Food. 

    Make it dairy free/vegan: Substitute an equal amount of cashew sour cream for the yogurt, and thin the tzatziki with a small splash of water if necessary.

    ▸ Nutrition Information

    The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

    ▸ Categories appetizers, condiments, dips & sauces, egg free, gluten free, Independence Day, Mediterranean, nut free, recipes, snacks, soy free, spring, summer, tomato free ▸ Ingredients cucumber, dill, lemon, mint, yogurt

    By Kathryne Taylor

    Vegetable enthusiast. Dog lover. I'm probably making a big mess in my Kansas City kitchen right now.
    More about Cookie and Kate »

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    Tzatziki - yoghurt and fresh cucumber sauce, step-by-step recipe for 482 kcal, photo, ingredients

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    Kubyshkina Inna

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    In hot summer weather, IT'S THE ONE! Chilled, the sauce is served with meat, vegetables and bread. Excellent as an independent snack for lunch. Brings back sweet memories of the beautiful island of Kos.

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    3

    Ingredients

    370 ml natural thick yoghurt (or sour cream)

    2 cucumbers

    5 cloves of garlic (to taste, less garlic, will be more tender)

    1 tablespoon of wine vinegar (or a spoonful of olive oil)

    2

    2 tablespoons of olive oil

    1 teaspoon salt

    1 tbsp. chopped fresh mint

    1 tbsp. chopped parsley or dill

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    Step-by-step recipe

    Peel cucumbers, grate, salt, squeeze out water. Finely chopped garlic with wine vinegar and yogurt add to the cucumbers. Add greens (optional) To stir thoroughly. Add olive oil and mix again. * Serve chilled. You can garnish with an olive or three slices of cucumber and a sprig of mint.


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    Greek Tzatziki Sauce - Recipe with Photo Step by Step

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