Easy Tzatziki Recipe (Greek Cucumber Yogurt Sauce)
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This tzatziki recipe makes a thick, cool Greek cucumber yogurt sauce with fresh dill, mint, lemon and olive oil, and garlic only if you want it. The step that matters most is squeezing the grated cucumber dry, which keeps the sauce spoonable instead of watery.
This is one of my favorite dips to make in summer. I serve it with warm pita, crisp vegetables, falafel, roasted potatoes, and grain bowls.
Why This Tzatziki Recipe Works
- It needs only 5 minutes of hands-on work. After mixing, the sauce rests in the refrigerator for 6 to 7 hours so the flavors can come together.
- The cucumber stays fresh without watering down the yogurt. Grating gives you cucumber in every bite, while squeezing removes excess liquid.
- It uses easy-to-find ingredients. Greek yogurt, cucumber, fresh herbs, olive oil, and salt are available in most US and Canadian supermarkets.
- You can control the garlic. Leave it out for a mild, herb-forward sauce, or add the optional 1/2 teaspoon in the recipe card for a sharper, classic flavor.
- It fits many vegetarian meals. Use it with pita, falafel, vegetable platters, wraps, grain bowls, and roasted vegetables.
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Full quantities are in the recipe card. These are the ones worth a word.
- Greek yogurt. Plain and unsweetened, full-fat or low-fat, as long as it is thick. Fage, Chobani, Oikos and Kirkland all make a plain version, at Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Costco, Kroger, Target and Walmart. Vanilla tubs look almost identical, so check the label. Only have regular plain yogurt? Strain it in a cheesecloth-lined sieve until thick.
- Cucumber. English or Persian cucumbers have tender skins and small seeds, so you can leave the peel on for green flecks. A standard slicing cucumber works too; peel and seed it first.
- Fresh dill and mint. Dill gives the familiar savory flavor and mint makes it more refreshing. Chop both finely so they spread evenly.
- Olive oil and lemon. An extra-virgin olive oil that tastes good on its own, and fresh lemon juice rather than bottled.
- Garlic. Optional. Raw garlic gets stronger as the sauce sits, so grate it finely and start small.
- Equipment. A box grater, a clean lint-free kitchen towel or cheesecloth, and a bowl such as these Pyrex glass mixing bowls. The card is written in grams, so a digital kitchen scale makes it exact. For the fridge, Pyrex Simply Store glass containers with snap lids.
How to Make Tzatziki Sauce
1. Grate the cucumber. Weigh 14 ounces (400 g) of cucumber, then wash and dry it. Leave the peel on an English or Persian cucumber and grate it on the large holes of a box grater.
2. Squeeze out the water. Pile the grated cucumber in the center of a clean towel or cheesecloth, gather the edges and squeeze hard over the sink. Keep going until it no longer drips freely when you press. This is the step that decides whether your tzatziki is thick.
3. Mix. Stir the squeezed cucumber into the Greek yogurt with the dill, mint, lemon juice, salt and olive oil, plus the grated garlic if you are using it, until the green flecks are evenly spread.
4. Rest, then taste. Cover and refrigerate for 6 to 7 hours so the cucumber, herbs and lemon flavor the yogurt. Taste and adjust the salt only after resting, since the flavor rounds out as it sits. Stir gently and serve chilled.
- Watery tzatziki? The cucumber was not squeezed enough, or the yogurt was thin. Stir in more thick Greek yogurt now; next time grate (never puree) the cucumber and wring it until it stops dripping freely.
- Too thick? Very thick strained yogurt does this. Stir in a small spoonful of cold water or olive oil until it is spoonable.
- Garlic too strong? Raw garlic keeps getting stronger in the fridge. Stir in more yogurt and cucumber to dilute it, and add garlic gradually next time.
- Tastes flat? It needs salt, lemon or more time. Let it finish the 6-hour rest, taste again, and adjust the salt a little at a time.
- Bitter finish? Usually the olive oil or the cucumber peel. Taste both before mixing, and peel a bitter cucumber.
Tzatziki Variations
- No garlic: Leave it out for the mild version I usually make.
- Dill or mint only: Use one herb if that is what you have. Dill makes it more savory, mint more refreshing. No dill at all? Parsley works alongside mint, not on its own.
- Dairy-free tzatziki: Use a thick, plain, unsweetened plant-based yogurt. Coconut yogurt adds a noticeable coconut flavor, while cashew-based yogurt is more neutral.
- Spicy tzatziki: Add a pinch of cayenne or a little finely chopped jalapeño. For a warmer, spicier yogurt dip, try my chili crisp Greek yogurt dip.
- Lemon zest: A little zest brightens the aroma without thinning the sauce.
- The Indian cousin: Cucumber raita swaps the dill and olive oil for roasted cumin and mint or cilantro, and it is thinner, made for spooning beside biryani and spicy meals.
What to Serve With Tzatziki
- Spoon it into falafel pita pockets.
- Serve it beside warm pita, beetroot hummus, olives and cut vegetables.
- Add it to a grain bowl with homemade falafel, chickpeas, tomatoes, greens and roasted vegetables.
- Pair it with Greek chickpea salad.
- Spoon it over crispy oven-roasted potatoes or Greek peas and potatoes.
- Use it as a dip for cauliflower fritters.
- Spread it inside a veggie wrap or sandwich.
- Serve it with a crisp cucumber salad with whipped yogurt.
Meal Prep and Storage
Tzatziki is a good make-ahead dip, because the herbs keep flavoring the yogurt as it sits. Store it in a clean airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days and stir before serving; a little separation is normal. Discard it if it smells off or shows mold. Freezing is not recommended: the yogurt turns grainy and the cucumber releases water as it thaws.
Common Questions
How do you pronounce tzatziki?
It is commonly pronounced tsah-ZEE-kee in English, with the stress on the middle syllable.
Do you peel cucumber for tzatziki?
Not if you use an English or Persian cucumber with tender skin; the peel adds texture and green flecks. Peel a standard cucumber if the skin is thick, waxed or bitter.
Can I use regular yogurt instead of Greek yogurt?
Yes, but strain regular plain yogurt first. Place it in a cheesecloth-lined strainer over a bowl and refrigerate until it becomes thick.
Is tzatziki the same as gyro sauce?
Tzatziki is the cucumber-yogurt sauce commonly served with gyros, so many people call it gyro sauce. It is also used as a dip, spread, and sauce for vegetables, falafel, pita, and bowls.
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Rekha’s Note
The squeeze is where most tzatziki goes wrong. Twist the towel until the cucumber stops dripping, then twist once more; that is what keeps the sauce thick in the fridge for days. The yogurt carries the protein here, so pick a plain Greek yogurt with the most protein per serving on the label and skip anything sweetened.
Rekha
Tzatziki Recipe | Easy Greek Cucumber Yogurt Sauce
Ingredients
- 400 grams Cucumbers
- 400 grams Yogurt Greek Yogurt
- 2 Tablespoons Mint leaves chopped
- 2 Tablespoons Dill leaves chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- ½ teaspoon garlic optional
Instructions
- Drain excess whey From Greek Yogurt: This is not necessary but makes the tzatziki sauce more creamy
- Grate the cucumber: Wash the cucumber well. Leave the tender peel on and grate the cucumber on the large holes of a box grater.
- Remove the cucumber water: Wrap the grated cucumber in a clean lint-free kitchen towel or cheesecloth. Squeeze firmly until the cucumber no longer drips freely.
- Mix: Combine the squeezed cucumber, Greek yogurt, mint, dill, fresh lemon juice, salt, and extra-virgin olive oil in a medium bowl. Stir in the optional grated garlic only if using.
- Rest and serve: Mix until evenly combined. Cover and refrigerate for 6 to 7 hours. Stir, taste, adjust the salt if needed, and serve chilled.
Rekha’s Notes
- If using regular plain yogurt, strain it in a cheesecloth-lined sieve until thick before measuring.
- Squeezing the grated cucumber thoroughly is the key to a thick sauce.
- Garlic becomes stronger as the sauce sits, so use it carefully.
- The hands-on time is 5 minutes. Rest the mixed sauce in the refrigerator for 6 to 7 hours before serving.
- Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Stir before serving.
- Freezing is not recommended because the yogurt and cucumber can separate.
This worked exactly as written, thanks for sharing this ⭐️
Thank you for sharing this recipe ..I love it