The BEST Tzatziki Sauce Sauce Recipe - Self Proclaimed Foodie (2024)

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Homemade Tzatziki sauce is flavorful and delicious. This recipe is so easy to make and tastes incredible!

This is the best tzatziki recipe I’ve ever enjoyed. I’ve never found anything at the grocery store that even compares. This tasty dip can be used in so many ways. I love to serve it with falafel or on a gyro, but it is often our favorite dip to make for dipping veggies and crackers.

The BEST Tzatziki Sauce Sauce Recipe - Self Proclaimed Foodie (1)

Table of Contents

  • Why this recipe is so great
  • Ingredients needed
  • How to make Tzatziki sauce
  • What to serve with Tzatziki sauce
  • Best Way to Store Tzatziki
  • Tzatziki Recipe

Why this recipe is so great

This is one of those super simple recipes that not only tastes great, but it’s packed with protein and fresh ingredients.

  • Simple: Only five wholesome ingredients (well, six if you count salt) come together to create this creamy, satisfying, flavor packed sauce.
  • Versatile: Every time I make it, I find different recipes that are only complimented by the addition of tzatziki. Although this is an recipe which people typically think should only go with Greek food, it’s a fantastic dip for vegetables or crackers, or spread on sandwiches.
  • Healthy: Fresh vegetables and herbs with protein packed Greek yogurt is not only delicious but it’s quite satisfying.

Ingredients needed

Exact quantities are listed in the recipe card below, but here is a summary.

  • Cucumber – I prefer to use a large English cucumber
  • Greek yogurt – I used to buy plain full fat yogurt but have switched to nonfat and it is unbelievably creamy and delicious
  • Lemon juice – one good sized lemon will due
  • Garlic – minced super fine
  • Fresh dill – there’s simply nothing better
  • Salt – needed to balance out the tart from the lemon and yogurt
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How to make Tzatziki sauce

Full ingredient list and detailed step by step instructions are listed in the recipe card below, but here is a summary.

  1. Prepare the cucumber. Cut the ends off, slice it in half lengthwise, and scoop the seeds out. Grate the entire cucumber (I find the food processor is easy) and then toss it with the salt.
  2. Remove excess moisture. You’ll set this mixture in a strainer for about 15 minutes to allow some of the moisture to escape. Before adding the cucumber to the remaining ingredients, you’ll squeeze out as much moisture as possible.
  3. Mix! The final step is simply to mix all of the ingredients together and you’re done! Of course, give it a taste and add more of anything that it needs.
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What to serve with Tzatziki sauce

The recipe people generally think of when they see tzatziki is falafel or a gyro. I mean, when you dine at a Greek or Mediterranean restaurant, you’re pretty much guaranteed to enjoy this sauce.

But Tzatziki sauce is incredibly versatile. The consistency is more similar to a dip, in my opinion. I’ve used tzatziki sauce with:

  • All kinds of meat including beef, lamb, pork, chicken and seafood. It is seriously fantastic when served with any of these.
  • Chips, vegetable sticks, and warm pita bread. It makes a great dip that is much healthier than so many other options out there.
  • Baked potato topping. Skip the sour cream and replace it with tzatiki for extra protein.
  • On top of burgers and sandwiches. This is where that garlic punch really stands out.
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Best Way to Store Tzatziki

Because there is so much cucumber in this recipe, it shortens the shelf life when compared to plain Greek yogurt. Any kind of vegetable will naturally release moisture over time, so I think this dip is best when consumed immediately or within the first few days.

Tzatziki will last longer than that, but you’ll have to give it a good stir before enjoying and the consistency will likely change.

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Tzatziki

Prep10 minutes mins

Time to drain cucumber15 minutes mins

Total25 minutes mins

Servings 6 servings

Author Krissy Allori

The BEST Tzatziki Sauce Sauce Recipe - Self Proclaimed Foodie (11)

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Tzatziki sauce can either be boring and bland or it can be flavorful and delicious. This recipe is so easy to make and tastes incredible! Just a few simple ingredients as well as tips and tricks to get the best consistency. You will love this delicious dip recipe.

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Ingredients

  • 1 large cucumber
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons kosher salt start with one and add more to taste
  • 2 cups Plain Greek yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh dill minced

Instructions

  • Prepare cucumber: Cut the ends off the cucumber. Slice the cucumber in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Grate remaining cucumber and toss with salt in bowl. Set salted grated cucumber in strainer over bowl or in sink and let stand for at least 15 minutes. Squeeze to remove as much liquid as possible and discard liquid. Ideally you want about 1 cup of grated cucumber for the Tzatziki.

  • Mix sauce: Combine drained grated cucumber with remaining ingredients in large bowl. Mix to combine, taste, and add additional salt, lemon juice, or dill, if desired.

Notes

Too sour? Add more salt.

Too salty? Add more lemon juice.

Too bland? Add more garlic and/or dill.

Nutrition

Calories: 47kcal, Carbohydrates: 4g, Protein: 7g, Cholesterol: 3mg, Sodium: 800mg, Potassium: 157mg, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 35IU, Vitamin C: 3.7mg, Calcium: 82mg, Iron: 0.1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this? Leave me acomment below

This recipe was originally published in July 2014 and has been updated with helpful information, ingredient and process photos, as well as recipe tips. Don’t worry – the recipe hasn’t changed!

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Hi! I’m Krissy.

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The BEST Tzatziki Sauce Sauce Recipe - Self Proclaimed Foodie (2024)

FAQs

How to make tzatziki more thick? ›

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.

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 long is homemade tzatziki sauce 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 tzatziki sauce made of? ›

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 is the secret to making thick yogurt? ›

STRAIN THE YOGURT

Straining the yogurt removes some of the water content (whey), leaving the fats and proteins behind. The longer you drain away whey, the thicker your yogurt will become. Removing all the whey will result in a thick probiotic yogurt cream cheese.

How does Greek yogurt get its thick creamy and tangy texture? ›

Fermentation: The bacteria ferment the milk by converting lactose (the natural sugar in milk) into lactic acid. This process thickens the milk and gives yoghurt its unique tangy flavor.

Why is my tzatziki sauce 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.

Is tzatziki sauce healthy? ›

Easy Tzatziki Sauce

Its refreshing and tangy flavor comes from the combination of yogurt and lemon juice. It is also a healthy, high protein and low-fat alternative to many other dips and sauces.

Is Trader Joe's tzatziki good? ›

VERDICT: Trader Joe's tzatziki had a lovely, refreshing taste and a mellow garlic flavor that I found simply irresistible.

What is the difference between Greek and Turkish tzatziki? ›

And maybe the most important difference. is in the consistency. As a Turkish version, it's more diluted and more like a soup than a dip. Lastly, Chechuk uses more herbs like mint, dill, and dried mint. And while you'll find tzatziki with dill, it's often served with no herbs.

Is tzatziki inflammatory? ›

Tzatziki sauce is perfect healthy snack, especially thanks to protein-packed greek yogurt, shredded cucumber and anti-inflammatory garlic. It's as simple as it sounds: yogurt cucumber sauce!

Is tzatziki healthier than hummus? ›

Yes, tzatziki is considered a healthier dip than hummus and sour cream. It contains several vitamins, a good amount of protein, and fewer carbohydrates and calories. The fat content of tzatziki is low too, which is not the case with other dips.

How do you thicken Greek yogurt sauce? ›

Here are three techniques to stabilize yogurt in sauce.
  1. You can thicken the recipe by adding cornstarch (or flour) before adding yogurt.
  2. You can mix cornstarch with yogurt before adding it to the recipe. ...
  3. You can also add yogurt directly to a recipe such as the sauce for Beef Stroganoff, for example.

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.

What makes Greek yogurt thicker? ›

Yogurt is milk that goes through a culturing process with a starter culture to convert its lactose to lactic acid. Greek yogurt is regular yogurt that has a thicker, more dense consistency due to a filtering process that removes whey and liquids or through the addition of whey protein and milk protein concentrates.

How do you thicken non fat Greek yogurt? ›

Here are some agents recommended by google as a good way to thicken yogurt:
  1. Milk Solids. ...
  2. Adding gelatin to milk before heating and culturing. ...
  3. Pectin.
  4. Agar.
  5. Guar Gum.
  6. Tapioca Starch.
  7. Arrowroot Starch.
  8. Ultra-Gel (modified corn starch)

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