This post may contain affiliate links for which I earn a commission. Read my disclosure page here.
Perfectly creamy and fresh this easy tzatziki sauce is so simple to make at home. This Greek cucumber yogurt sauce is ready to serve in minutes and is perfect to serve as a dip or spread.
Email Me This Recipe
Enter your email and we'll send the recipe directly to you!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Delicious Meets Healthy.
This Greek tzatziki sauce recipe is a constant in our house! It’s so quick and easy to make, and it’s such a simple way to add flavor to so many dishes, or, serve it as a dip with some crackers or pita for a crowd-pleasing appetizer.
Made with cucumber, lemon juice, dill, and Greek yogurt, it’s zingy, herby, and deliciously creamy. The fresh flavors make this perfect to enjoy during the warmer months and it’s a million times better than a store-bought tub!
Be sure to check out my Cold Cucumber Soup and Cucumber Salad too!
Why you will love this tzatziki sauce recipe!
- Quick and easy: It takes less than 10 minutes to make this tzatziki dip with just a few basic ingredients. Plu there’s no cooking involved!
- Make ahead: This is a great option if you are planning to serve this as part of a bigger feast as it can be made several days ahead of time.
- Healthy: Low in saturated fat and carbohydrates, this is a pretty healthy yogurt cucumber dip. Because we use Greek yogurt, there’s also a good amount of protein as well as vitamins and minerals from the cucumber.
What is Tzatziki sauce
Greek Tzatziki sauce is that flavorful white sauce you see at Greek restaurants’ menus and it’s pronounced Tsah-tsee-kee. It is made with yogurt, strained shredded cucumber, olive oil, garlic, dill, lemon juice, and salt. The refreshing Greek cucumber yogurt sauce is usually served as a dip, topping, spread, or as a sauce with grilled meats and gyros.
Tzatziki Ingredients
- Thick Greek yogurt: I prefer to use a full-fat Greek yogurt, but you can use a low fat one if you prefer. In a pinch you can use plain yogurt, but Greek has a more tangy flavor that works great with the other ingredients.
- Cucumber: Seed the cucumber and then roughly grate it. Squeeze as much excess water out of it as you can so that your sauce isn’t too runny.
- Garlic: Use freshly miced for the best flavor. In a pinch, you can use a little garlic powder instead.
- Oil: Extra virgin olive oil helps to add a nice rounded flavor.
- Lemon juice: Use fresh lemon juice rather than bottled for the best flavor.
- Dill: Fresh dill adds a nice herby and grassy taste that works perfectly with the cucumber.
- Salt and pepper: Seasoning added to taste.
How to make tzatziki sauce
- Prep the cucumber and strain it. Deseed the cucumber, grate it, squeeze the shredded cucumber in a thin linen towel or cheesecloth to remove excess water.
- Combine the strained cucumber and the remaining ingredients in a medium bowl and mix until well combined.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
- Cover and chill until ready to serve.
How do you prep the cucumbers?
It’s important to deseed the cucumbers before grating them for a smoother texture and they also contain quite a lot of water. Cut your cucumber in half lengthways then use a spoon to scoop out of the seeds before coarsely grating it with a box grater. After grating, be sure to squeeze the cucumber in a thin linen towel or cheesecloth as much as you can to remove excess water. You can also let it drain over a fine-mesh sieve. There’s no need to peel the cucumber, but you can if you prefer.
How long does it keep?
This homemade tzatziki sauce will keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days. Keep it covered to keep it as fresh as long as possible. Some water from the cucumbers may separate as it sits, so just give everything a good stir before serving. It’s best not to freeze this as the texture of the yogurt will change considerably when it is thawed.
What do you serve it with?
This authentic tzatziki sauce recipe is great to serve as a dip with crackers or pita chips for a great sharing appetizer. It works great as a spread or topping for burgers, koftas, Greek meatballs, and kebabs and is delicious when served with some falafel in pita. I also like to serve it with roasted vegetables (like eggplant, zucchini) or zucchini fritters.
TIPS FROM NELI’S KITCHEN
Recipe Notes and Tips for the Best Tzatziki recipe
- Make sure to strain the shredded cucumber very well and to remove as much water from it as you can for the thickest and creamiest sauce.
- It’s best to shred the cucumber instead of chopping them in a food processor because otherwise they turn to mush or paste. The consistency of the tzatziki dip is better if you use shredded cucumber.
- Use thick full fat yogurt. If it’s too watery, you can also strain it.
- Once the ingredients are mixed, taste and adjust the seasoning to suit your tastes.
- I like to chill the tzatziki for at least 30 minutes before serving to let the flavors develop, but it is ready to enjoy straight away.
- You can convert this to vegan tzatziki if you use coconut milk yogurt.
More Sauces and Dips
If you loved this tzatziki recipe, I am sure you will also love these other dips and sauces:
Tzatziki recipe
Email Me This Recipe
Enter your email and we’ll send the recipe directly to you!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Delicious Meets Healthy.
INGREDIENTS
- 1-1/2 cups plain Greek yogurt, I use full-fat
- 1 medium English or hothouse cucumber, seeded, coarsely grated and squeezed as dry as possible (about 1 cup)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Lemon juice from 1 lemon
- ¾ teaspoon salt & 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3-4 Tbsp dill leaves
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
INSTRUCTIONS
- Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and mix until well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
TIPS & NOTES
- Make sure to remove as much water from the cucumber as you can for the thickest and creamiest sauce.
- I like to chill the tzatziki for at least 30 minutes before serving to let the flavors develop, but it is ready to enjoy straight away.
NUTRITION
Use the tag #DeliciousMeetsHealthy when posting a picture of your recipe, and make sure to follow @deliciousmeetshealthy on Instagram!
