Tzatziki is one of those wildly popular fresh sauces everyone loves to have at Greek or Mediterranean restaurants. It’s creamy, tangy and garlicky and pairs perfectly with so many dishes!
For the best tzatziki, it’s important to strain the grated cucumber for a few hours. This is the only step that’s not optional and will make a difference in the final texture of the tzatziki.
Ingredients
To make this tangy, cooling sauce you’ll need strained yogurt (preferably full fat) cucumbers, garlic and fresh dill. This is best made ahead of time and kept refrigerated until you’re ready to use it.
To get the best texture and flavor out of this tzatziki recipe, use a grated cucumber (ideally English cucumber so you don’t need to peel it). It’s important to drain the cucumber well using a fine mesh sieve or piece of cheesecloth. This helps remove some of the excess moisture and concentrates the flavor of the cucumber.
You’ll also need a little bit of kosher salt and some white black pepper to season the tzatziki. And of course, you’ll need some olive oil for drizzling. Serve this tzatziki with grilled meats like lamb or chicken, or drizzle it over vegetable flatbread. It’s also a great way to elevate simple roasted veggies or this Mediterranean zoodle salad. And don’t forget to dip some chips or pita bread into this delicious spread!
Prep Time
This refreshing sauce is super easy to make. All you need is a cucumber, strained yogurt (full fat is the most authentic but non-fat and low-fat works as well), fresh herbs and garlic. Tzatziki is a great dip to serve with pita bread stuffed with gyro meat, falafel or kofta or as a sauce for Mediterranean meatballs.
I suggest using seedless cucumbers as they have less water in them. If you do use a cucumber with seeds, make sure to remove the seeds because they are extra moisture and can cause your Tzatziki to be runny. I also suggest grating the cucumbers with the large side of your box grater as opposed to cutting them by hand. This will drain the excess moisture much faster.
The next step is to sift the grated cucumber to get rid of any excess liquid. This will help keep your Tzatziki nice and creamy. Finally, combine all the ingredients in a bowl and chill for an hour before serving.
Cook Time
If you have time, letting the yogurt sauce or dip sit in the refrigerator for an hour or overnight allows it to thicken up, making it even more delicious and creamy. However, this step is optional and you can enjoy the tzatziki right away.
The key ingredients in this healthy tzatziki recipe are: whole milk, plain Greek yogurt; a cucumber (preferably a seedless English cucumber); fresh dill; and lemon juice. You will want to use a full-fat variety of the Greek yogurt for best flavor but low fat works too.
It is also a good idea to strain the cucumber after dicing. This helps remove some of the water from the cucumbers that would otherwise make the tzatziki too watery. You can do this by placing the cucumber in a sieve or using a nut milk bag over a bowl.
Then simply mix the yogurt, cucumber, dill, olive oil, and lemon juice together in a mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve
Tzatziki is a creamy dip that’s so easy to make at home. It’s made with fresh ingredients, and it’s full of the flavors of the Mediterranean. It’s tangy, cool, and garlicky with fresh dill, and it’s perfect for dipping pitas or slathering on grilled meats like Greek souvlaki or calamari.
To make Tzatziki, simply combine grated cucumber (salt the grated cucumber before draining to help draw out any excess liquid), yogurt, garlic, olive oil, dill, and lemon juice. For best flavor, cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.
Tzatziki can be served as a stand-alone appetizer with a platter of salted tomatoes and cucumbers, or it can be used to anoint freshly grilled meats like Greek souvlaki, gyros, or chicken skewers. It’s also a wonderful addition to a mezze spread, or a simple salad. tzatziki rezept
