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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I added mild horseradish sauce and store bought Tzatziki sauce both to add some zing.
Great recipe
In Cyprus, the tzatziki is little heavier in fresh garlic, we use fresh lemon juice instead of vinegar, And we also add fresh chopped mint
Yum!!
Can you freeze this in small freezer containers?
Hmmm, good question as I’ve never done it, but my gut is no. The yogurt would probably be okay, but highly doubt the cucumber would be. Think it’d get gooey and gross.
I’ve done it and it’s fine, just a little thinner/watery. It just needs a good stir or you can drain off some of the liquid that separates, like the yogurt-water that separates out when yogurt sits and condenses.
Thanks, Kate!
I’m going to second what Fyllenia said since I’m also Greek (sort-of: 30-year resident of Greece) and according to my possibly-biased family, I make ‘the absolute best’ tzatziki.
However, I’d suggest that a great tzatziki needs far more than a teaspoon/tablespoon of both olive oil and vinegar. In fact, every time I make it (with my son patiently tasting) I’m surprised how much it needs of both.
In order for the mixture to take a higher amount of added liquids, however, the yogurt really does need to start as dry as you can make it. If you have time, draining it overnight in a cheesecloth-lined strainer is great, but otherwise, squeezing the bejesus out of it in a cloth works too. The end result should be more like cream cheese than anything liquid.
And, past that, I always add a ton of fresh dill, although that’s certainly optional.
Let me know if you give our version a try and like it!
As a Greek I can tell it is an original recipe but here is a little secret for extra flavor, try adding a table spoon of vinegar and serve with a couple of table spoons of olive oil on top.
Oh goodness, thank you for that, Fyllenia!! I am a vinegar fiend, so you told this to the right person! Will try it tomorrow! :)