Tzatziki is the creamy, garlicky, and refreshing Greek dip that goes with everything! Once you make it at home, you won’t want to buy it from the grocery store anymore. It’s quick and easy to make too.
Tzatziki is a Greek cucumber and yogurt sauce. It’s a Mediterranean dish that’s immensely popular in North America, and you can buy it at any grocery store. There’s probably a million similar recipes out there, but that’s ok. I think mine is worth sharing. π
I’ve tweaked it over the years to arrive at a version I love. It’s wonderfully garlicky and the mint adds a freshness to it. The mint is definitely optional if that’s not your thing, though!
This post was originally published on August 3, 2015. I periodically update my blog posts with better photos, more information, and more clearly written recipes.
Ahh I love Greek food. It’s one of my favorite cuisines, and I love going to Greek restaurants. I’d love to visit Greece one day… it’s on my list. In the meantime, I eat plenty of tzatziki. I’ve loved it since I was a kid, actually.
I get pretty giddy about tzatziki. Give me some with warm pita and I’m one happy clam. It’s one of my absolute fave things to eat. I’ve had this recipe on my blog since 2015, and I decided that the post deserved a refresh. I am liking these new photos too.
How to make homemade tzatziki sauce
- Grate the cucumber and squeeze out the excess water;
- Add Greek yogurt to a bowl along with the cucumber, garlic, oregano, dill, mint, lemon juice, and salt & pepper;
- Stir well and adjust seasonings to your liking (if needed);
- Serve with olive oil on top.
(Full ingredients and instructions are in the recipe card below)
Pro tip: Use up the rest of the mint by adding it to your water! Mojitos would be more fun, though.
Greek tzatziki sauce recipe tips:
- I prefer using full-fat (10%) Greek yogurt whenever possible. Yes, it adds some calories, but they’re well worth it. The taste is richer, creamier, and incomparable in my opinion. If you’re in Alberta like I am, I love the Bles-Wold brand. It’s the BEST, and I go out of my way to buy it since not everywhere stocks it!
- I’ve made homemade tzatziki so many times that I’ve experimented with a bunch of different things like adding chopped onion, trying different herbs (some fresh, some dried), just making it with garlic when I’m feeling lazy, and chopping cucumber instead of grating it. It’s all good… this is a super easy thing to make, and you can definitely change it to your preferences once you’ve figured out exactly how you like it.
- Some tzatziki recipes mix plain yogurt and sour cream – that’s another thing you could try if you’re in an experimenting kinda mood and love the tangy taste of sour cream.
- Add a pinch of cayenne pepper for a little heat – one of my favorite restaurant varieties of tzatziki does this.
- Add more/less garlic depending on your tastes. I looove garlic, so I sometimes add even more than the recipe suggests.
What to serve with tzatziki?
- Pita bread or pita chips
- Kalamata olives
- Crackers
- Veggies (raw or even grilled) or try my mom’s fabulous fried eggplant.
- Grilled meats (try lamb)
- Saganaki (Greek fried cheese)
- Chicken souvlaki
- Falafel
- Gyros
- As a spread on sandwiches or burgers
- I love making a whole meal out of Greek dips including tzatziki, hummus, melitzanosalata, baba ganoush, and taramasalata (served with plenty of pita bread of course)
How do you like to make your tzatziki? Talk to me in the comments.
Questions? Feel free to ask!
Tzatziki Recipe
Tzatziki is the creamy, garlicky, and refreshing Greek dip that goes with everything! Once you make it at home, you won't want to buy it from the grocery store anymore.Β
Ingredients
- 2 cups plain Greek yogurt see note
- 1/2 English cucumber grated
- 2 cloves garlic minced (or more to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill chopped finely
- 1 tablespoon fresh mint chopped finely
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- Olive oil for drizzling on top
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Grate the cucumber using the large holes in a box grater. You can either grate it into a sheet of paper towel and then ring it out to remove the excess liquid, or simply grate it into a bowl and then squeeze out the excess liquid with your hands.
Add the Greek yogurt to a bowl and stir in the cucumber, garlic, oregano, dill, mint, lemon, and salt and pepper. I am quite generous with the salt. Be sure to taste & adjust ingredients to your liking.
Let it sit for at least 10 minutes, up to a few hours so the flavors mix and intensify. Serve with olive oil drizzled over top.
Recipe Notes
- 2 cups Greek yogurt = 16 ounces (this is half of a 32 oz. container). Here in Canada, I just buy the 500g containers and use the whole thing.
- You can use full-fat Greek yogurt to make this tzatziki extra rich and delicious (I highly recommend it). I often make this with 2% Greek yogurt, but I've also made this with plain yogurt instead of Greek yogurt. It's not as thick a consistency but it still tastes delicious.
- I wouldn't keep this in the fridge for more than a few days.
- You don't have to use both the fresh mint and dill, but I'd suggest using either one or the other. If using dried dill, use 1 teaspoon.
- If you prefer a less tangy tzatziki, skip the lemon juice.
- Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Fotine HalikasKopriva says
In my restaurants I would make a 5 gallon bucket each week using Kefier cheese ( very thick) instead of Greek Yogurt since itβs thickness worked and it held up for a week at a time. I never had to add oregano or lemon juice to mine but everything else you did in your recipe is how I made mine!
Natasha says
I’ll have to try it with kefir cheese! Yup, I’d say the oregano is definitely optional, as is the lemon juice.
Beth says
Delicious! I’ve never had tzatziki with mint in it before, but I love it. Nice and fresh (and easy to make!).
Natasha says
It’s really good – I first had mint in tzatziki at a Greek restaurant then had to replicate it myself!