This tzatziki sauce is a creamy blend of Greek yogurt, cucumber, lemon juice, garlic and fresh herbs, all mixed together to make a zesty condiment or dip. Homemade tzatziki takes just minutes to make, and tastes way better than what you’d buy at the grocery store.
I love to recreate my favorite Mediterranean dishes at home such as tabbouleh, baba ganoush and this refreshing cucumber yogurt sauce. I like to serve this sauce with pita bread as an appetizer, or pair it with grilled chicken or lamb as a main course.
Whenever I go to my local Greek restaurant, I order a side of tzatziki sauce. This cool and creamy condiment is a great dipping sauce for meats, vegetables, potatoes, bread and more. My version of this classic dish can be on the table in 10 minutes, and will make any Mediterranean style meal taste more authentic.
Tzatziki Sauce Ingredients
The ingredients for this recipe are simple and can be found at all major grocery stores.
- Greek Yogurt: This dip can be made with any type of plain Greek yogurt. That being said, full fat yogurt makes for the creamiest sauce. I’ve also made this recipe with low fat and non fat yogurt with great results.
- Cucumber: Choose a thin skinned cucumber such as English or Persian cucumber for the best results.
- Garlic: Freshly minced garlic is the way to go here, and a little goes a long way.
- Olive Oil: I prefer to use a high quality extra virgin olive oil since this dip has a minimal ingredient list and the flavor of every ingredient really counts.
- Dill: Fresh dill is important to the success of this recipe; I find that the dried dill isn’t quite as flavorful.
- Lemon Juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice is the perfect counterpart to the creamy yogurt.
- Seasonings: Add salt and pepper to really accentuate the flavors of the other ingredients.
How do you make tzatziki sauce?
Start with an English cucumber, then shred it by using a box grater. Squeeze the excess water from the grated cucumber. Place the cucumber in a bowl with Greek yogurt, olive oil, fresh lemon juice, garlic and dill. Stir everything together until it’s well combined. Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and more dill, then serve and enjoy.
Tips for the perfect yogurt sauce
- I like to use full fat yogurt for the creamiest dip, but fat free and low fat yogurt will also work.
- This sauce works best with Greek yogurt. If you don’t have Greek yogurt, you can strain regular plain yogurt and use that instead.
- While I like the flavor of dill in this tzatziki sauce, other great options include parsley, mint, chives or a combination of herbs.
- I use English cucumber in my tzatziki because it’s seedless and has a thin skin. You can use a traditional waxy cucumber, just be sure to peel it and remove the seeds. Small Persian cucumbers also work really well.
- You can add other flavors to your sauce including diced kalmata olives, or add more garnishes such as toasted pine nuts or sun dried tomatoes.
Recipe FAQs
Tzatziki sauce is a yogurt based dip that’s popular in both Greek and Turkish cuisines. The sauce contains a strained or Greek style yogurt, along with cucumbers, olive oil, a tangy component such as lemon juice or vinegar, and fresh herbs. This dip is served chilled and is typically offered as an appetizer.
the last minute. I don’t recommend freezing this recipe, as the yogurt can curdle or separate upon being thawed.
Tzatziki sauce contains ingredients that are all considered healthy including yogurt, olive oil and cucumbers. This is a protein packed dip that’s filled with nutrients and a great addition to any healthy eating plan. If you’re watching your calories, be sure to choose a low fat or non fat yogurt.
This sauce is often served as an appetizer with pita bread, or can be used to top grilled chicken or fish. It’s also great in sandwiches, or as a dipping sauce for potatoes.
Whether you’re serving this dip with grilled chicken or as a lighter appetizer option, it’s sure to be a big hit with family and friends!
More Mediterranean dishes
Tzatziki Sauce Video
Tzatziki Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 cups plain Greek yogurt
- 1 cup grated cucumber such as English cucumber
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons olive oil plus more for garnish
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill minced, plus more for garnish
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Squeeze excess water from the cucumber.
- Place the Greek yogurt, grated cucumber, garlic, olive oil, dill, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a bowl.
- Stir until the mixture is thoroughly combined.
- Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and chopped dill before serving.
Notes
- I prefer full fat Greek yogurt, but low fat and non fat also work just fine.
- Choose a thin skinned cucumber with minimal seeds such as an English or Persian cucumber.
- High quality olive oil is important here for optimal flavor since this recipe has such a minimal ingredient list.
- I really recommend using fresh dill as it’s so much more flavorful than dried. If you do need to use dried dill, use 1/3 of the amount as you would for fresh.
Claudia Lamascolo says
I never knew how easy this was to make and buy aldi brand never again! this is great!
veenaazmanov says
This sounds so healthy. Combination of Yogurt and cucumber sounds refreshing too. Perfect Summer dish too.
Katie says
Made this to go with gyros- it was a perfect fit! The flavors were bright and delicious!
Sue says
We made this last night and everybody flipped over it, thanks!
Smchen44 says
Just whipped up a bowl. Husband took one taste and rolled his eyes in ecstasy. He says better than any store bought
Becky says
Well, this was so delicious that I’m back in less than a week to do it again. I’m feeding five zoo animals and 1/2 a recipe did it for the grilled chicken kabobs (fantastic recipe also from this site). Thank you so much for creating this easy and delicious recipe! I’m doing kabobs tonight AGAIN, with extra for stuffed pita tomorrow. Delish!
Becky says
Adding a little note. Because the quality of greek yougrt I’ve had access to, I found that some have a sort of dry aftertaste, so I started adding a small bit of vinegar (I’ve tried white wine and champagne) to take that edge off.
Alisha says
Tastes like the tzatziki sauce I had in Athens. YUM.
Toni says
This was a huge hit at my house! It tastes so good!
katerina says
YUM!! This sauce sounds incredibly delicious!!
Jacque Hastert says
This sauce sounds fantastic! I will be whipping this together tomorrow~
Jen says
I’m obsessed with any and all Greek food! The flavors of this sauce are totally restaurant worthy. Thank you so much for helping me recreate one of my favorites.
katerina says
YUM!! This is SO GOOD!!
Allyson Zea says
I never realize this had so much protein! I love the sauce!
Erin says
This tzatziki sauce looks absolutely delicious! Yummy!
Cathy says
Such a great recipe with so many uses!
Dorothy Reinhold says
We are snacking a lot these days. I have been trying to think of more healthy options. This is perfect!
Amanda says
I desperately needed this recipe thank you so much!