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!

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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!

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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!

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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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4.16 from 20 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!

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Homemade Tzatziki Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is tzatziki sauce made of? ›

What is tzatziki? Tzatziki is a salted yogurt and cucumber dip that's made of strained yogurt, shredded cucumber, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and herbs. Authentic Greek tzatziki is most often made with sheep or goat yogurt, but my tzatziki recipe calls for regular full-fat Greek yogurt.

Is tzatziki made from yogurt or sour cream? ›

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.

How healthy is tzatziki dip? ›

Conclusion. Tzatziki is not only a tasty, multi-use sauce, it's also a smart food pick. Its blend of yogurt, cucumber, olive oil, garlic, lemon, and herbs delivers key nutrients, which are proposed to support heart health, gut health, and may even lower diabetes risk.

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.

How long does homemade tzatziki last? ›

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.

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.

Why does my tzatziki taste bitter? ›

Your main ingredient – the cucumber – is often the culprit. To avoid this, make sure that you choose the right variety: English and Persian cucumbers have very little, or no, bitterness. Also sample a slice before grating and avoid using the ends as this is where the bitter compounds will be most concentrated.

What is a good substitute for tzatziki sauce? ›

A great alternative would be this Greek Yogurt Salad Dressing. You can also try to up the flavor profile by making a Yogurt Tahini Sauce or Yogurt Dill Sauce to enhance those Mediterranean flavors.

Does tzatziki contain mayonnaise? ›

Mix together cucumber, yogurt, sour cream, mayonnaise, and garlic in a serving bowl; season with salt and pepper.

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 good for your gut? ›

Improved Gut Health

Depending on the recipe, tzatziki is typically made with Greek yogurt, which contains probiotics. Probiotics are good bacteria that can help your gut achieve a healthy bacterial balance.

Is tzatziki good for blood pressure? ›

We make our tzatziki sauce with garlic grown in our raised garden beds, which brings its own health benefits into the mix. Garlic helps with conditions such as high or low blood pressure, high cholesterol, inherited high cholesterol, and coronary heart disease.

What is a nickname for tzatziki? ›

Tzatziki (Greek: τζατζίκι, tzatzíki, Greek: [d͡zaˈd͡zici]), also known as cacık ( Turkish: [dʒaˈdʒɯk]) or tarator, is a class of dip, soup, or sauce found in the cuisines of Southeastern Europe and West Asia.

What do you eat tzatziki with? ›

Tzatziki is good friends with grilled and roasted meats, especially juicy lamb chops. Serve it up with a crunchy fattoush salad – a combination of torn pitta, cooling cucumber, ripe tomatoes, sweet lettuce and refreshing mint – for a bonus hit of fresh, summer flavour.

What is the tzatziki recipe? ›

Gather all ingredients. Combine yogurt, grated cucumber, lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic together in a large bowl. Add dill, salt, pepper, and lemon zest; mix until smooth.

Is it OK to eat tzatziki? ›

It's incredible popular in Greece where it's slathered on top of just about everything. You can serve it up with crudités or pita as an appetizer / snack or serve it alongside some skewered chicken, veggies, fish or meat as a dip for a main course. It's bright and tangy and perfect for summer.

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