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Home » Appetizers » Tzatziki Sauce

Tzatziki Sauce

Created: July 9, 2022 Updated: July 11, 2022 by Lyuba Brooke 2 Comments

337 shares
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This classic Tzatziki Sauce recipe is easy to make and delicious when paired with many different meats, vegetables, sandwiches, and more. This homemade dip features fresh, natural ingredients like cucumber, olive oil, Greek yogurt, garlic, herbs, lemon juice, more. It will take you 15 minutes to make and takes a thousand times better than store-bought!

dipping into the tzatziki sauce with pita

Tzatziki Sauce

I think Tzatziki Sauce may just be my favorite condiments. Well, I have so many favorites that it’s hard to pick just one… But Tzatziki Sauce is definitely towards the top of that very competitive list! It’s a cool and refreshing sauce that has a signature Greek yogurt base and is made flavorful with cucumber, bold fresh herbs, lemon juice, and garlic.

Falling in love with Tzatziki Sauce is easy to do. If you’ve ever been to a Greek restaurant, you’ve probably had it served with whatever you ordered, and that’s because it pretty much compliments everything!

While it is a very flavorful sauce, it’s also neutral enough to be paired with so many different dishes. It’s delicious when served with roasted meats of all sorts, various fresh or grilled vegetables, and a huge list of sandwiches and wraps.

My biggest suggestion when whipping up homemade Tzatziki Sauce is to use the best quality of ingredients you can. You want to really highlight the bold ingredients like fresh mint, dill weed, and cucumber, but the more neutral ingredients like olive oil and Greek yogurt should also be good quality as well.

Since we’re not cooking this sauce, all of the ingredients will pretty much taste exactly how they are stirred into the sauce, so it’s important to be a little picky here!

Origin of Tzatziki Sauce

Tzatziki (pronounced Tsaht-ZEE-kee) is a yogurt and cucumber based sauce (or dip) that originated in Greece. This sauce has a Turkish name because it was created during the Ottoman Empire’s rule over Greece.

It’s made with cucumber and Greek yogurt and flavored with olive oil, lemon, and herbs. This sauce/dip is often served with grilled meats or as a dip on the meze (a Mediterranean style party platter).

How to Make Tzatziki Sauce

ingredients for tzatziki sauce on the board

Ingredients You’ll Need:

  • Greek Yogurt – For the best flavor and consistency, make sure you use a whole milk Greek yogurt that’s full fat and has no other flavors. Plain Greek yogurt allows all of the other ingredients to be bold without competition!
  • Cucumber – A medium sized, English cucumber is what you’ll need. Make sure the one you use doesn’t have any soft spots or discoloration.
  • Garlic – Use fresh garlic only, not the pre-minced stuff. Fresh garlic lends the most incredible flavor to this sauce.
  • Olive Oil – A good quality olive oil that’s green in color and has that signature olive taste is what you want to use here! Real, authentic Tzatziki sauce shouldn’t ever cut corners with olive oil.
  • Lemon Juice – Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best flavor. Avoid using the bottled lemon juice in this all fresh, naturally flavored recipe.
  • White Wine Vinegar – This, combined with the lemon juice, provides the sauce with the perfect level of acidic flavor.
  • Herbs – Fresh dill weed and mint leaves give the Tzatziki Sauce a boldly fresh flavor that can’t be replicated with dried herbs.
  • Salt and Pepper – Just add enough to taste, and don’t be too heavy handed with these seasonings. You don’t want them (especially the salt) to overpower the other ingredients in the sauce.
grated cucumber next to the cheese grater
draining the liquid off grated cucumber in mesh strainer
combining ingredients for tzatziki sauce in a bowl
mixing the cucumber yogurt sauce in a mixing bowl

Directions:

Prepare the cucumber.

First, you’ll want to rinse the cucumber with water before cutting it in half, length-wise. Scoop out the seeds and discard them.

Grate the cucumber into thin strips and place those strips into a mesh strainer. Sprinkle salt over the cucumber strips and let the excess moisture drain off for about 10 minutes. After it’s drained the excess liquid, gently squeeze the cucumber.

Combine and enjoy!

Place all of the ingredients for Tzatziki sauce in a mixing bowl. Mix everything together until fully combined.

You can serve it or store it – either way, enjoy!

closeup of dipping into the tzatziki sauce with pita

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I serve Tzatziki Sauce?

This classic Greek sauce goes well with so many different meats! Dip it or drizzle over kebabs, lamb, chicken, fish, and so many other meats.

You can also use it as a topping for sandwiches, wraps, and salads. It’s also pretty commonly used as a dip with sliced vegetables, pita or flatbread slices, toasted bread, and anything else you’d like to dip into it! Serve it among other appetizers like Baba Ganoush, Hummus, and Roasted Red Peppers.

How to Store Tzatziki Sauce

Since this isn’t a store bought bottle of sauce that’s loaded with preservatives, it doesn’t have a super long shelf life. However, when properly stored, this fresh condiment will stay good for about 3-4 days!

Simply keep it stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Every time you use a utensil to scoop some out, make sure it’s clean. If you use a spoon that is dirty, it has any bacteria on it, and it will cause the sauce to spoil much faster.

tzatziki sauce in a bowl with pita pieces around

Tzatziki Sauce Recipe

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closeup of dipping into the tzatziki sauce with pita

Tzatziki Sauce

This classic Tzatziki Sauce is easy to make and features fresh ingredients like cucumber, olive oil, Greek yogurt, garlic, herbs, lemon juice, more.
5 from 1 vote
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Course: Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine: Greek
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 135kcal
Author: Lyuba Brooke

Ingredients

  • 1 lb whole milk Greek yogurt
  • 10-12 oz cucumber 1 medium cucumber
  • 1-2 garlic cloves
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsp minced fresh dill weed
  • 1 tbsp fresh minced mint
  • salt to taste
  • pepper to taste
US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  • Wash the cucumber and cut it in half, length-wise. Scoop out the seeds from the cucumber and discard.
  • Grate the cucumber on a fine grater and place it into a mesh strainer. Salt the cucumber with some salt, mix it, and let it sit and drain off the excess moisture for about 10 minutes.
  • Combine all of the ingredients in the mixing bowl, gently squeeze the cucumber, and add it to the bowl. Mix well.
  • Serve right away of transfer into an air-tight container and refrigerate.
  • Store the Tzatziki sauce in the refrigerator, in an air-tight container, for 3-4 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 135kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 29mg | Potassium: 187mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 84IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 95mg | Iron: 0.3mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @willcookforsmiles and tag #willcookforsmiles
collage of two closeup images of tzatziki sauce and title

LYUBA

ABOUT LYUBA

I’m Lyuba Brooke, mother of 2, the cook, recipe developer, photographer, and author behind willcookforsmiles.com. I share many classic and original recipes, cooking tips, and tutorials. My passion is sharing delicious meals for everyone to try. Read more...

337 shares

Filed Under: Appetizers, Dips, Gluten Free, Mediterranean, Side Dishes, Toppings and Spreads

All images and text ©Lyubov Brooke for ©Will Cook For Smiles. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If using my posts in collections and features, please link back to this post for the recipe. Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate as most ingredients and brands have variations.

Comments

  1. Janet says

    March 22, 2023 at 12:27 pm

    5 stars
    I love this sauce with some cucumbers!

    Reply
  2. Gary says

    July 17, 2022 at 6:13 pm

    Thanks

    Reply

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Well, hey there!

I’m Lyuba Brooke, mother of 2, the cook, recipe developer, photographer, and author behind willcookforsmiles.com. I share many classic and original recipes, cooking tips, and tutorials. My passion is sharing delicious meals for everyone to try. Read More.

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