AUTHENTIC GREEK TZATZIKI SAUCE

This is my favorite Greek tzatziki recipe. In the summer I love to have a bowl of it readily available in the fridge as it goes with a wide variety of foods. It’s fresh, creamy, herby, and just a little tangy. It makes a delicious dip for raw vegetables, pita chips, and of course the classic souvlaki chicken, pork, or lamb.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• It’s easy and quick to make
• It’s inexpensive to make and uses just a few simple ingredients
• It can be used in a variety of ways. Serve it with pork, lamb, or chicken souvlaki, falafel, or Greek meatballs. Use it as a dip for raw veggies, chips, or pita. It also makes a delicious sandwich spread.

What Ingredients Do I Need

To make an authentic tzatziki sauce you only need 5 simple ingredients. Most of which you probably already have in your fridge and pantry.

• Cucumber – Ideally you want to use an English cucumber so you don’t have to peel it or remove the seeds.
• Plain Greek yogurt – I prefer a whole milk yogurt or one with at least a 2% fat content.
• Garlic cloves – Finely chopped.
• Lemon juice – Freshly squeezed.
• Extra virgin olive oil – Make sure to use a good quality fresh EVOO as a bad rancid oil will affect the taste of the sauce.

How To Make Classic Greek Tzatziki Sauce.

While this is an extremely easy and quick sauce to make you will want to let it sit for a few hours to let the flavors meld so be sure to make it ahead.

• Grate the cucumber and drain the excess liquid by squeezing it tightly in a tea cloth. I like to use the largest holes on my box grater to add a little texture and color to the sauce.

• Finely chop the garlic and add it to the yogurt along with the drained cucumber, lemon juice, and salt.

• Add the extra virgin olive oil and combine well.
• Cover and store in the fridge for a few hours to allow the flavors to marry.

Yield

This recipe will make about 1 cup of tzatziki sauce but can easily be cut in half if you need a smaller amount or doubled or tripled if desired. To cut in half, use half of each ingredient, and to double use twice the ingredients.

Recipe Tips and Tricks For Success

• Make sure to remove as much moisture from the cucumber as possible. If you don’t the sauce will be too watery.
• Allow the sauce to sit for at least a few hours or overnight so the flavors can meld.

Variations

You can also add freshly chopped dill or mint if you’d like.

Storage Tips

You can store the tzatziki sauce in a covered container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Just make sure to give it a good stir before you use it as some of the moisture may have separated.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS;

Is tzatziki sauce good for you? Yes. Tzatziki sauce is made from fresh ingredients such as Greek yogurt and cucumber. It's low in calories and fat. It also contains protein, calcium and minerals.

Can I use regular yogurt instead of Greek yogurt? Yes in a pinch you could use regular yogurt however it will be a little less creamy and tangy. Regular yogurt is also thinner than Greek so you will want to drain any excess liquid first. You can do this by placing the yogurt on a piece of double layered cheesecloth. Tie the ends up over the yogurt and place it in a small collander. Place the collander over a bowl to catch the liquid and allow it to sit in the fridger overnight. 

Does tzatziki sauce contain diary? Yes. It's made with a dairy yogurt. 

Tzatzkik Sauce

A fresh & creamy Greek cucumber sauce that's delicious with raw vegetables, pita chips or souvlaki.

www.comfortandpeasant.com

5 from 5 votes

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Resting Time 2 hours hrs

Total Time 2 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Dip, Sauce, Side Dish

Cuisine Greek

Servings 6

Equipment

• 1 Box grater

Ingredients

  

• 50 g (1/3 cup) grated English cucumber (packed)
• 280 g (1 cup) Greek Yogurt (at least 2% fat)
• 2 large garlic cloves (or 3 small), finely chopped
• 15 ml (3 tsp) fresh lemon juice
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) extra virgin olive oil
• 7 g (1 tsp) salt

Instructions

 

• Using the large holes on a box grater, grate cucumber.
  
• Using a tea towel, squeeze as much moisture out of the cucumber as possible.
  
• Finely chop garlic.
  
• Juice lemon.
  
• In a small bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well.
  
• Cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge for a couple of hours to allow flavors to meld.
• To serve, drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil & fresh dill if using.

Notes

See the “How To Make This” & “Tips For Success” sections above the recipe for more detailed information on the process. 

Keyword cucumbers, Easy, garlic, Greek yogurt, healthy, Lemon, olive oil, simple

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And if you’re looking for more easy and quick recipes check out my Salmon, Avocado & Spinach Salad and my 30-Minute Maple Cranberry Chicken.