Homemade Tzatziki Sauce (Easy Cucumber & Greek Yogurt Dip)
Tzatziki sauce is a simple cucumber and greek yogurt sauce even a child can make. So tasty and great to use as a dip, too.
When I first started this website, I wrote a recipe post for gyros and tzatziki sauce and was just winging it as I truly had no idea what I was doing (meaning the blogging part, not the cooking part)!
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Sharing two different recipes in one post makes it very confusing when it comes to searching for recipes, so today I am re-sharing my tzatziki sauce recipe separately from my top ranking homemade gyro recipe, along with some updated photos.
I hope that you’ll love this tzatziki sauce as much as I do. It’s so simple to prepare, and as it is made with Greek yogurt or labne, is quite nutritious, too.
Don’t limit its use on gyros or falafel as it’s great as a dip with veggies, or instead of mayonnaise in wraps and sandwiches. Serve it with semi-homemade pita chips, too!
Tzatziki Sauce
I’ve been making this so long, I don’t remember the original source! Makes 2 cups
FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW
Ingredients
- cucumber
- sea salt
- Greek yogurt or labne
- garlic
- extra virgin olive oil
- (optional: garlic powder or garlic salt)
- vinegar
Place the grated cucumber in a colander and sprinkle with sea salt. Place a plate and weight on top to press out the liquid, for 20-30 minutes.
Drain, then squeeze the cucumber in a kitchen towel (or a strong paper towel) to remove the rest of the liquid.
Next, place all the ingredients, except for the vinegar, in a mixing bowl. Mix well, and refrigerate until ready to use.
This sauce is best chilled for at least three hours before serving.
It’s definitely a must with homemade gyros!
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Easy Healthy Homemade Tzatziki Sauce (Cucumber & Greek Yogurt Sauce)
Ingredients
- 1 English cucumber grated (or about 3 Persian cucumbers, grated)
- 1 tsp salt Kosher (or more as needed)
- 16 oz Greek yogurt or labne
- 2 tsp garlic finely minced
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Place the shredded cucumber in a colander and sprinkle with Kosher salt. Place a plate and weight on top to press out the liquid, for about half an hour.
- Drain, then squeeze the cucumber in a kitchen towel or strong paper towel to remove the rest of the liquid.
- Next, place all the ingredients in a mixing bowl, except for vinegar. Mix well, and refrigerate until ready to use. Add a splash of vinegar before serving, if desired. This sauce is best chilled for at least three hours before serving.
Notes
- You can peel the cucumbers if you prefer, but I don't think it's necessary.
- Optional - add a dash or two of garlic powder or garlic salt.
Nutrition
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Thanks for posting this recipe, Christina. I haven’t made this for the girls yet, since they LOVE cucumber and this is just perfect. And good idea to repost it separately and with your lovely photos as ever!
Oh dear, I missed this last year, Jill! I hope you’ve made it and your girls love it as much as we do!
I love tzatziki! I’ve done the same thing…I think I posted tzatziki with my lamb burgers, tabbouleh AND hummus back in 2011. Live and learn!
Yep, we just didn’t know! :(
thank you for the recipe.I like it and posted it on my social media accounts… In Damascus we make almost the same but we add dry mint and garlic.
Lovely, thank you, Zouhair! :)
I never got to taste tzatziki prior to discovering my garlic allergy, so I just have to live with my garlic-free version (which is quite tasty!) I love your proportions here!
That is sad, but I’m sure it’s better than not having it at all. Do you use shallots instead?
Add me to the “I adore tzatziki” bandwagon, but I so often forget to make it. An obvious choice for gyros but it can go with so many other things. We’re having roast beef sandwiches for dinner tonight. Hmmmm . . . is there a cucumber around?
Absolutely agree, Rosemary! I don’t make it often enough, either and I always have the ingredients in my fridge!
This is my kind of summer cooking. Quick, easy and flavorful. Not to mention quite healthy, too. The hardest part: waiting those three hours for the tzatziki to rest in the fridge…