Homemade Tzatziki Recipe (2024)

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Homemade Tzatziki is one of my favorite dips! Greek yogurt is mixed with freshly grated cucumber, dill, oregano, garlic, and lemon zest. Top it with a quick glug of olive oil for an easy tzatziki sauce like no other!

When I was in Greece, pita bread and tzatziki were my breakfast lunch and dinner (also, Greek salad). I couldn’t stop myself. I worked for that summer bod’ leading up to my vacation, so it was time to treat myself!

Homemade Tzatziki Recipe (1)

I swear, I could sit down with tzatziki dip and a spoon and go to town. It is one of my favorite things ever! I use it as a gyro sauce, pita dip, on grilled meat… basically in any way I can.

Let’s be real for a second. If you’re like me, you’re looking for a tzatziki recipe for one of two reasons. One, you are making an appetizer or Greek food for a party or dinner. Two (the category I usually fall into), you bought Greek yogurt during your last “I’m going to eat healthier” grocery store run and you just realized it was about to expire, so you’re looking for a way to use it. Well my friend, you found the answer.

This is the ultimate party appetizer. Serve it alongside your favorite dippers like pita bread, veggies, and crackers for a delicious appetizer. I love serving this homemade tzatziki recipe along with bacon wrapped brussel sproutsand meatballs when I am entertaining!

Homemade Tzatziki Recipe (2)

Fun fact: tzatziki is usually associated with Greek cuisine, but it is actually used in a lot of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cooking too!

Like with Greek salad, using fresh ingredients makes all the difference in this homemade tzatziki recipe. Using fresh dill, lemon, and cucumber really make this dip better than anything you can buy at the store!

If you’re looking for a healthy tzatziki recipe, this one can be easily adapted by using low fat Greek yogurt. Serve it with your favorite veggies like carrots, cucumbers or celery!

Homemade Tzatziki Recipe (3)

What Is Tzatziki?

Other than delicious? Tzatziki is a classic Greek staple, made from Greek yogurt, cucumber, dill, garlic, and olive oil.

Other herbs are sometimes added to Tzatziki sauce, such as mint, thyme, or parsley. I find that the classic combo of lemon and dill goes absolutely perfect with the freshness of the cucumber in this tzatziki recipe!

Tzatziki is traditionally used as a dip, and a sauce for things like gyros and grilled meat. If you’re ever making grilled chicken, try marinating it in tzatziki sauce. You can thank me later!

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How To Make Tzatziki Sauce

Begin by grating the cucumber. I like to slice my cucumber in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a spoon first, because most of the water is found there.

Use the large side of a standard block grater to grate the seeded cucumber. Place the grated cucumber into a bowl lined with paper towels. Using additional paper towels, press the cucumber as much a you can to remove all of the juices.

You don’t want any liquid left in the cucumber or the tzatziki will come out runny. Keep pressing until you have gotten all of it!

Once you have drained the cucumber well, place it into a bowl. Add the Greek yogurt, lemon juice, fresh chopped dill, oregano, and minced garlic.

Serve it topped with a sprinkle of dill and a quick glug of olive oil. I almost always enjoy homemade tzatziki with pita bread, but tortilla chips, bread, veggies, or crackers all make great tzatziki dippers!

I find that tzatziki sauce tastes the best the next day once all of the flavors have a chance to sit overnight.

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Homemade Tzatziki Recipe (6)

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4.11 from 19 votes

Homemade Tzatziki

Prep Time: 10 mins

Total Time: 10 mins

Servings: 6 servings

Author: Bailey

Greek yogurt mixed with freshly grated cucumber, dill, garlic, and lemon zest. Add a quick glug of olive oil for an easy tzatziki sauce like no other!

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Tried this recipe?I'd love to hear what you think. Leave a comment and rating below!

Ingredients

  • 2 cups plain Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 English cucumber
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

  • Slice cucumber in half lengthwise. Scoop seeds out with a spoon and grate into a bowl lined with paper towels. Press cucumber to release as much liquid as possible, set aside.

  • In a medium bowl, combine Greek yogurt, lemon juice, chopped dill, oregano, minced garlic, and shredded cucumber.

  • Drizzle with olive oil and garnish with additional dill.

Calories: 91kcal

Tried this recipe? Let me know how you liked it below!

I would love it if you pinned this for later!

Homemade Tzatziki Recipe (7)

Homemade Tzatziki Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What are the ingredients in tzatziki sauce? ›

Tzatziki is a creamy cucumber yogurt dip (or sauce) made from simple ingredients including strained yogurt (or Greek yogurt), cucumbers, garlic, and sometimes fresh herbs such as dill or mint. Traditionally, it is made from strained sheep or goat's milk yogurt, but a full-fat Greek yogurt works just fine in this dip.

What are 5 dishes that you could put tzatziki on? ›

Ways to use tzatziki from Jamie's 5 Ingredients Mediterranean
  • Lemon-tzatziki chicken.
  • Gorgeous greek chicken with herby vegetable couscous & tzatziki.
  • Grilled lamb chops with fattoush.
  • Crispy barbecued side of salmon with cucumber yoghurt.
  • Souvlaki (Wicked kebabs)
  • My special vegan kofte.
  • Sizzling lamb lollipops.
Sep 8, 2023

How do you thicken homemade tzatziki? ›

You can thicken it by placing a piece of cheesecloth over the top of a wide mouthed jar and holding it in place with some rubber bands. Fill the cheesecloth with your sauce, cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. The excess water will drain out and the sauce will be thicker.

How many days is homemade tzatziki good for? ›

Tzatziki sauce should be kept in a sealed container and stored in the refrigerator when you're not using it. As long as it's stored properly, you can expect homemade tzatziki to last about three to four days. This will depend on how fresh the yogurt was when you made the sauce.

What is a good substitute for tzatziki sauce? ›

Add coconut yogurt to a large mixing bowl and add strained cucumber, garlic, dill, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and olive oil (optional). Stir to combine. Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more salt for overall flavor, garlic for zing, lemon for acidity, or dill for herbiness.

Does tzatziki have garlic in it? ›

Tzatziki is made of strained yogurt (usually from sheep or goat milk) mixed with cucumbers, garlic, salt, olive oil, red wine vinegar, and dill or mint or parsley.

What do Greeks eat with tzatziki? ›

Greeks usually eat tzatziki with bread, it is also used for the famous souvlaki wrapped in a pita and ofcourse in gyros. Almost all Greeks love dipping bread and Greek fries in tzatziki that is served at every traditional restaurant.

Can you eat tzatziki everyday? ›

Although you can find variations online, the classic tzatziki contains yoghurt, garlic, fresh dill, lemon juice, olive oil, and cucumber. Eating tzatziki can help add a variety of healthy nutrients to your daily diet, maintain a robust microbial system, and maintain blood glucose levels.

What meat goes with tzatziki? ›

Tzatziki together with any kind of simple grilled, marinated, roasted or air fried meat or fish are a match made in heaven. Lamb chops or simply cooked salmon would be my top picks! Either spoon the sauce over the meat or fish or serve it on the side.

How do you get the water out of cucumbers for tzatziki? ›

Shred unpeeled cucumber with large holes of grater (I use this Microplane box grater) or food processor. Using a clean towel or paper towels, scoop a handful of shredded cucumber into towel and squeeze over sink. Allow the cucumber juice to drain out.

Why does tzatziki get watery? ›

The watery sauce is due to the cucumbers, which hold lots of water. The best way to avoid a watery tzatziki sauce is to get the excess moisture out of the grated cucumber before it's added to the sauce mixture.

Why is my tzatziki sour? ›

Some Greek yogurt brands are very tangy so you may wish to use less lemon juice. Also, some lemons can be very tart. Start with 1/2 a lemon and add more if needed. If your sauce is too tart, you can fix this by adding a little sweetener.

Can you freeze homemade tzatziki? ›

Tzatziki will last about four days in the fridge before it starts to go bad. While you can freeze it, it will change a bit in regards to texture and consistency when it comes time to thawing it out.

What vegetables go well with tzatziki? ›

Serve with a variety of vegetables like: fresh green beans (lightly steamed), green, red, or yellow bell peppers, carrots, celery, zucchini, yellow squash, tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, broccoli, and cauliflower.

How to tell if tzatziki has gone bad? ›

Consumers can identify the expiration of tzatziki sauce through:
  1. Odor: An off-smell is indicative of spoilage.
  2. Texture: Separation or a slimy consistency suggests deterioration.
  3. Taste: A sour or unusual flavor is a sign that tzatziki should not be consumed.
May 1, 2024

What's the difference between tzatziki and dill dip? ›

The only difference is that a Tzatziki Sauce has a tablespoon of lemon juice and a couple of cloves of minced garlic added to these same ingredients I used below. The ingredients need for this Cucumber Dill Sauce for so simple. It's just cucumber, Greek yogurt, milk and chopped fresh dill.

What is the primary Flavouring agent of a Greek Tzatziki Sauce? ›

The main flavor component of Greek Tzatziki sauce is typically tangy yogurt, combined with garlic, cucumber, and often a hint of dill or mint.

Does tzatziki have dairy in it? ›

Tzatziki sauce is typically yogurt-based with flavors such as mint and cucumber. But in this recipe, you will not find any dairy. Instead, I use my four-ingredient homemade mayonnaise recipe as the base and add refreshing lemon, cool mint, and crisp cucumber.

Is tzatziki better for you than hummus? ›

Health-wise, tzatziki contains only 54 calories per a 45 gram serving; it also comes with only 8 grams of carbohydrates and a negligible amount of sodium. Which to Pick? If you make your determination based on health concerns, then hummus is clearly the less healthy dip, with high sodium being a particular concern.

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