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Get It NowI first learned how to make tzatziki sauce during my time working at a bustling Greek restaurant, where my passion for Mediterranean cuisine began. It was creamy and fresh, and made me feel like I was taking a trip to the little island of Santorini where the owner was from. So when I came around to making my own homemade tzatziki sauce recipe, I kept it close to the traditional — creamy full-fat Greek yogurt, crisp cucumber, fresh dill, and a splash of lemon juice. But, I’ve added my personal twist with a bit of fresh parsley. It’s the perfect sauce to brighten up your meals!
Why You’ll Love My Tzatziki Sauce Recipe
- Fresh, vibrant, and oh-so-creamy – The rich and creamy Greek yogurt base, the pungent extra virgin olive oil, the crisp and cool cucumbers, the fresh herbs… I love it all. If you like a luxuriously smooth texture paired with a tangy taste and a little crunch, you’ll love it, too.
- Fast and simple – With just 7 common ingredients and about 10 minutes of prep time, my easy tzatziki sauce recipe is incredibly simple to whip up. Such a quick way to upgrade your meal!
- Customize the consistency – Whether you like it chunky, smooth, thick, or thin, you can make it every which way. I settled on how I like it, but I’ve got easy tips to adjust it to how you like it.
- Versatile favorite – Whether you’re drizzling it over grilled meats (I love it with lamb kofta or grilled lamb), or using it as a refreshing dip for veggies, my tzatziki is as versatile as it is flavorful.
What Is Tzatziki Sauce?
Tzatziki sauce is a salted yogurt and cucumber sauce, common in the Mediterranean and the Middle East. It originated from the Greeks and Turks. It’s cool, creamy, and goes well with so many dishes! You won’t run out of ways to eat this.
Ingredients & Substitutions
This section explains how to choose the best tzatziki sauce ingredients for my recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
- Greek Yogurt – This is the base of the sauce, making it both creamy and thick. I try to find full-fat plain Greek yogurt for the creamiest texture, but have made this with non-fat yogurt and it still works fine. You can also use regular plain yogurt, though your tzatziki sauce will be thinner and less tangy. If you need a dairy-free option, coconut yogurt will work, albeit with a different flavor and also thinner texture.
- Cucumber – My key ingredient for that essential crisp, refreshing crunch! You’ll need 8 ounces, so that’s usually your average medium-sized cucumber. I always grate my cucumbers for tzatziki sauce recipes, but if you don’t have a grater, you can simply chop them very finely.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – I use this one because I like the fruity, peppery flavor, but you can totally use light olive oil or even avocado oil for a milder touch.
- Lemon Juice – Fresh lemon juice definitely tastes the best, but I often just use bottled lemon juice for convenience. Lime juice or vinegar would also work here, but lemon is the classic.
- Garlic – I highly recommend fresh garlic cloves, but if you’re in a hurry, 1 teaspoon of jarred minced garlic will do the trick.
- Fresh Herbs – I’ve chosen fresh dill and parsley for my Greek tzatziki sauce to match the fresh and bright vibes going on here. You can also add fresh mint if you like. I don’t recommend using dried herbs.
- Sea Salt
How To Make Tzatziki Sauce
This section shows step-by-step photos together with the instructions, to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
- Grate & drain the cucumbers. After grating with a box grater, squeeze the cucumbers in a kitchen dish towel or cheesecloth over the sink to remove as much liquid as you can. They should look pretty dry afterward, like my picture below.
- Mix the base of the sauce. In a medium bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, fresh herbs, garlic, and salt.
- Add the cucumbers. Stir the cucumbers into the yogurt sauce. Taste your tzatziki sauce and add more salt to your taste, if you need to.
I like to garnish mine with a drizzle of olive oil and extra fresh herbs.
My Recipe Tips
- Want less crunch and milder flavor? Peel the cucumbers. I personally love these aspects, but you can do this if you want a smoother texture and less intensity from the cucumber.
- Cucumbers seem extra watery? Salt them. I usually skip this step because I’m all about easy, but go for it if a thick texture is high priority for you. Just place your grated cucumbers in a strainer, sprinkle with salt, and let them sit for 15-20 minutes. Rinse, dry well, and squeeze out excess moisture before proceeding with my tzatziki sauce recipe.
- Sauce too chunky? Add more yogurt. This can vary depending on how tightly packed your cucumbers were when measuring, and just how you like it.
- Sauce too thick? Add more olive oil. I don’t usually have this issue with tzatziki sauce because the cucumbers release some water, but more oil will thin out the sauce if needed.
- Sauce too watery? Strain it. Line a fine-mesh sieve with cheesecloth and place it over a bowl. Scoop the tzatziki sauce into it and pop in the fridge for a few hours, to let the extra liquid drain into the bowl. Sometimes I just use coffee filters instead of cheesecloth so that I don’t have to clean the cloth afterward.
Storage Instructions
I store my homemade tzatziki sauce recipe in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It’s best enjoyed within 2-3 days. It rarely lasts that long for me, because my daughter puts this on all her meats when we have it. 😉
Making this sauce ahead actually makes the flavors meld beautifully. Just be aware that it might get a bit watery, as the cucumbers release more moisture over time. I usually drain off any extra liquid or stir it in if it’s only a little bit. But, you can also strain it like I explained in my tips above.
Serving Suggestions
Every time I make this, I always ask myself why I didn’t make a triple batch. It goes so fast at our house! Here are some of the ways we use my homemade tzatziki sauce:
- Chicken – I serve this sauce with my Mediterranean-inspired chicken kabobs when I’m grilling, or just Mediterranean chicken if I’m cooking inside. My kids love it on their lamb burgers. It also pairs well with my spicy peri peri chicken to tame the heat.
- Lamb – I first made this tzatziki recipe for my lamb kofta kebabs, and they’re still one of my fave ways to use it. It’s also a must for gyros, and irresistible with lamb chops.
- Pork – Although pork isn’t my favorite to serve with tzatziki sauce, I do always make it for my Greek souvlaki.
- Salad – Add a dollop of this sauce to my vibrant chopped Mediterranean salad or Greek salad for some extra protein and a cool contrast.
- Mediterranean Platter – I love platters because they’re such an easy way to keep everyone happy! Serve up my tzatziki sauce recipe with some hummus (or my cauliflower hummus), kalamata olives, sliced cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, and pita bread (I even have low carb pita bread if you need it).
More Homemade Sauce Recipes
If you’re loving the fresh, healthy vibes of my tzatziki sauce recipe, why stop there? Try some of my other homemade sauces:
My Favorite Box Grater For This Recipe
All you need to grate the cucumbers is a good ol’ box grater. This one I use is super sturdy, and has different sides for grating, shredding, and even slicing.
Tzatziki Sauce Recipe
Make this creamy, easy homemade tzatziki sauce recipe in 10 minutes, with simple ingredients like Greek yogurt, cucumbers, garlic, and dill.
Ingredients
Tap underlined ingredients to see where to get them.
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
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In a medium bowl, whisk together the yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, fresh herbs, garlic, and salt.
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Wrap the minced or grated cucumber in a kitchen towel and squeeze over the sink to release as much water as possible.
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Stir the cucumber into the bowl with the other ingredients. Your tzatziki sauce is ready to enjoy!
Did You Like It?
Leave a rating to help other readers, or get the recipe sent to your inbox.
Recipe Notes
Serving size: 2 tablespoons
Recipe makes 1 1/2 cups.
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead. 🙂
50 Comments
Wendy
1Delish! I cut the recipe in half because it is just the two of us. Mistake!! Served it with spinach feta meatballs. My husband and I are fighting over the leftovers. lol
David
0Easy and delicious.
Taeler D
0This was my first time delving into Mediterranean food so I had to start off with a classic chicken gyro and this tzatziki recipe was 1. SO easy 2. Delish. I will definitely be making this again!!
Tammy
0Can you not use garlic??? Im not supposed to eat it- I love TZATZIKI.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Tammy, You can omit the garlic.
Lisa Ricci
0I used dried dill instead of fresh, only 1tsp. and 4 cloves of garlic instead of 2. It was delicious. I used it with my gyro kit. I always need extra sauce!
Tommie Brown
0I really liked it. Needed a little more olive oil lemon juice and a pinch more of salt. I added black pepper. My parsley was too strong. Maybe less next time. I used it as a dressing, a sandwich spread, and a dip. Very versatile.
Lindsey Guerrero
0So good!
Sandy
0Went out on the limb and added finely chopped Cilantro 🌿 It was Delicious 😋
Susan
0LOVE this recipe! Easy!
Angie
0Don’t have cucumbers so what can they be replaced with?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Angie, Cucumber is vital in making tzatziki.
Elaine
0Great! I didn’t add cucumber and ran out of dill so I just added dried parsley. It still tasted great. Thanks!
Lynn
0Assuming you leave the skin on the cucumber when using it?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Lynn, Yes, I left it on.
Paulette
0I am very satified with this recipe, thank you!
Kristine
0Thanks so much for this recipe. I didn’t have parsley and dill but still turned out amazing!! I’m saving your page and will check out your recipes. 🙂
Sherree
0I made this tzatziki sauce and it was delightfully delicious. Thank you!
Maria Ferguson
0Awesome!
Latty
0This recipe was simple and really tasty! Happy to have stumbled upon it and will use it again.
Terry Olberding
0I have made this several times! It is light and refreshing. I enjoy it for a Greek chicken sauce and for a veggie dip. Thanks!
Jennifer
0Made this without the cucumber (because I didn’t have any). Even though the base is Greek yogurt, once you add the other ingredients, it doesn’t taste like yogurt. I used what I had on hand…nonfat yogurt and lime as sub for full fat yogurt and lemon. Really good addition to my salmon burger! Going to try it next with my gyro meat. Trying to eat low carb, high protein, so it’s nice to find some condiments that can make things tastier!
Jennifer Theriot
0Simple and SO delish! I followed the recipe to a ‘T’
I served it with a batch of low carb lamb meatballs and froze the leftover sauce in single serving freezer bags.
To be honest, I could actually just sit down with a bowl of this and a spoon 😉
Love all of your recipes!
Natasha Cox
0Is the 1.5 cup cucumber before or after squeezing out all the liquid?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Natasha, Measure out the cucumber first, then squeeze before adding to your sauce. Enjoy!
Brenda
0Thanks for sharing this recipe, I’m looking forward to trying it. Wondering if I can use regular full fat plain yogurt instead of greek?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Brenda, Yes, you can, but the tzatziki sauce won’t be as thick.
Sally L. Brown
0I have a glass container of Tzatziki (Meif’ma Fia Tzatziki) from Greece and I don’t know how to use this collection of herbs etc. Can you help me?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Sally, I’m not familiar with thi smix, but if it’s just herbs, you can use the mix instead of the parsley and dill in my tzatziki sauce recipe.
Terry
0Awesome! Made several times and just love it – so cool and refreshing. Perfect for summer
Barbara B
0Best EVER!!!
Sandra
0If I don’t have fresh dill can I use dried dill?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Sandra, You can, but for this recipe I think fresh tastes much better. If all you have is dried, use 1/3 the amount.
Sam
0Great recipe I do recommend allow shredded cucumbers to drain in a fine knit strainer
Thank you for a great recipe
Eden
0Absolutely LOVE this sauce! It goes so great on our grilled chicken and it’s coming with us for our 4th of July party!
Alina
0I love tzaziki sauce! It is the best sauce for potatoes – light, fresh, all you need this summer.
Justine
0I love this sauce! I had no idea how easy it was to make, but now that I do I’m going to make it all the time and put it on everything!
Jillian
0I never knew how easy Tzatziki was to make until I made this one, love it!!
Beth Pierce
0Love this recipe so much! You have me craving a gyro for lunch today; this will be perfect!
Andrea Metlika
0I love how easy this is to make. I have so many things I want to put this on. I even just use it as a dip. YUMMY
alyssa
0this really was SO easy and delish!
Lucy Parissi
0This is a great rendition of such a classic sauce – it’s a reipe I’ll come back to again and again. I love your informative breakdown of the ingredients
Nellie Tracy
0Tzatziki sauce is my favorite! Love how easy this recipe is!
Kate
0Made this today and I’m obsessed – thanks so much for sharing!
Krissy Allori
0I love this sauce! Thank you so much for the recipe!
Sharon
0Tzatziki sauce is the perfect topping for everything from meatballs to dipping vegetables. So easy and a perfect sauce for fresh fish too.
Sylvie
0I have always loved tzatziki and for an unknown reason, never thought to make it at home! It is such a deliciously fresh sauce bursting with flavour, and I love how versatile it is. Cant wait to try making it!
Elaine
0I love tzatziki. It is perfect for so many of my favorite dishes. I always try to have some at home! 🙂
Jess
0My husband loves this I make it every time I make Greek!
Kristen Wood
0This is the perfect combo of ingredients!