A refreshing dip or sauce with just a handful of ingredients. The combination of creamy Greek yogurt, cool cucumbers, and fresh herbs makes this the perfect condiment!
Tzatziki is a new favorite dip in our house. Forget about ranch and hummus. I have been working on a Greek pita pizza recipe (recipe is coming soon!) and the Hubs suggested that we top it with tzatziki. This was a genius idea! I love the taste of tzatziki, so he didn’t have to convince me on this. After a little bit of research, I went to work to make the perfect sauce. In the past, I have always just bought a container of tzatziki, but who knew how simple it is to make and it taste so much better! No more store bought tzatziki here!
Tzatziki is so refreshing and is great on its own to dip your veggies, pita bread, or chips in. It is also the perfect addition to your favorite Greek or Mediterranean dish. Plus, it is SO easy to make! Are you looking for the traditional thick and creamy dip? I have the recipe below! Or maybe you are looking for a thinner sauce to use in place of dressing in salads. Guess what?! You’re in luck! The how-to for both are listed below.
Tidbits
- Cucumber– You can use a regular cucumber or an English cucumber. Using an English cucumber will provide less liquid, resulting in a thicker dip. If you are looking for a thinner sauce consistency, I recommend using a regular cucumber. To peel or not to peel? I always leave the skin on our cucumbers, so it was no question for me whether to peel it or not. I like the added color in the tzatziki. Plus, it’s one less step! If you are not a fan of the skin, peel it! I don’t think it will affect the sauce one bit.
- Dip versus Sauce– Traditional tzatziki is thick. To get the thick, dip like consistency you will need to remove the excess liquid from the cucumber. The easiest way to do this is to place the grated cucumber over a thin kitchen towel and squeeze all the liquid out. Alternatively, you can place the grated cucumber in a fine mesh sieve, sprinkle with salt and let the liquid drain out on its own. If you want it to be more sauce like, there is no need to drain the cucumber. The cucumber juice will thin it out perfectly, but the taste of cucumber will be more prominent. Another option is follow the steps of the thicker version (squeezing out the liquid) and then adding milk one tablespoon at a time until you have reached your preferred consistency.
- Dill– Dill is essential for the traditional flavors of tzatziki. I like to use 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons of fresh dill. Feel free to use less If you prefer not to have a strong dill flavor. You can also add in fresh mint or parsley, although I only use dill.
- Greek Yogurt– It is important to use Greek yogurt instead of regular yogurt to achieve the traditional tzatziki consistency and flavors. Greek yogurt is strained, so it is much thicker and has a more prominent tang.
- Resting time– For best results, make the dip at least 30 minutes before you plan on using it. It gives it time for the flavors to fully come together and the raw garlic will have less of “bite” as it rests in the yogurt.
It’s amazing how easy it is to whip up a bowl of tzatziki. The hardest part is letting it rest for the flavors to meld, but trust me, it’s worth the wait! I find the sauce to be even better on the second day!
Easy Tzatziki
Ingredients
- ½ large cucumber unpeeled
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 garlic cloves finely minced
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice
- 1-2 tablespoons fresh dill minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- pepper to taste
Instructions
- Grate the cucumber over a thin kitchen towel and squeeze all the liquid out. You will have approximately 1 cup of grated cucumber. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine the yogurt, garlic, oil, lemon juice, dill, salt, and pepper.
- Add in the cucumber and stir until fully combined.
- Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving.
- Serve chilled. Store leftover tzatziki in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Stir before serving.