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GET IT NOWMy Tzatziki Sauce Recipe Tastes Just Like In Greece
I learned how to make tzatziki sauce during my time working at a bustling Greek restaurant. 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. When I came around to testing my own tzatziki sauce recipe, I kept it close to the traditional, with a little personal twist. Here’s why this is the perfect sauce to brighten up your meals:
- Fresh, vibrant, and oh-so-creamy – The rich and creamy Greek yogurt base, the floral extra virgin olive oil, the crisp and cool cucumbers, the fresh herbs… I love it all. If you like a 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 recipe is incredibly simple.
- 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 the beauty of homemade tzatziki is it’s easy to adjust 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.
Since I just got back from a trip to Greece where took a cooking class and a food tour that included this sauce, this was the perfect time to update my tzatziki recipe. I learned about how they make it in Athens compared to in Crete, plus a few extra tips I’ll share with you.
I was pretty proud that the tzatziki sauce we made in the class (here’s a picture of me with it) was almost identical to this one I came up with years ago. Make it with me!
What Is Tzatziki?
Tzatziki is a cucumber yogurt sauce and dip, common in Mediterranean recipes as well as Middle Eastern ones. It’s cool, creamy, and goes well with so many dishes! I never run out of ways to eat this.
Reader Review
“Delish! 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.” –Wendy
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Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best tzatziki sauce ingredients for my recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Greek Yogurt – I usually use full-fat plain Greek yogurt for the creamiest texture, but have made this with non-fat and 2% as well. You can also use regular plain yogurt, though your tzatziki will be thinner and less tangy. If you need a dairy-free option, coconut yogurt will work, with a different flavor and also thinner texture. On my recent trip, I learned that tzatziki sauce recipes in Greece sometimes use strained sheep or goat’s milk yogurt, because the country has a lot of mountains and these animals are more common there, but regular Greek yogurt is still popular today.
- Cucumbers – For that essential crisp, refreshing crunch! I recommend English or Persian cucumbers over American ones — see my creamy cucumber salad post for more on why.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Greek tzatziki sauce always uses this, although technically other types of oil would work for a milder touch.
- Lemon Juice – I make my tzatziki with lemon juice, but my cooking class in Greece used red wine vinegar instead. Both taste great!
- 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 – Tzatziki recipes I tried in Athens always included fresh dill, whereas in Crete they did not. Some regions also add fresh mint. I personally like a combination of dill and parsley in mine, and the parsley was my personal twist on this dip.
- Sea Salt – I don’t usually add black pepper, but feel free.
How To Make Tzatziki Sauce
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Grate and drain the cucumbers. After grating the cucumbers (I have and recommend this box grater), squeeze them in a kitchen dish towel or cheesecloth over the sink. Remove as much liquid as you can. They should look pretty dry afterward, like my picture on the right.
- Mix the yogurt sauce base. In a medium bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, fresh herbs, garlic, and salt.
- Add the grated cucumbers. Taste your tzatziki sauce and add more salt to your taste. I like to garnish mine with a drizzle of olive oil and extra fresh herbs!
My Tips For The Best Texture
- Want less crunch and milder flavor? Peel the cucumbers. I personally love these aspects and never peel them, but you can if you want a smoother texture and less intensity.
- The grate size will affect the sauce texture. I prefer finer shreds (especially for dipping), but you can opt for coarser if you like your sauce more chunky (which is good for topping).
- Drain your cucumbers very well. If they’re too wet, they’ll make your tzatziki sauce watery.
- Watch for extra liquid in the yogurt, too. I always drain it if I see any on top of the Greek yogurt. You can also strain it if it just seems thin overall.
- You may want to salt your cucumbers. I usually skip this step, but do find it helpful for larger cucumbers that have a lot of extra water. 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 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. Most of the tzatziki sauce I had in Greece had about half the amount of cucumbers I have here, but I prefer the taste with more cucumber. Feel free to use half the amount or double the yogurt!
- Sauce too thick? Add a splash of water or milk. I don’t usually have this issue with tzatziki dip because the cucumbers release some water, but you can if you need to. I used to recommend adding more oil, but later discovered it actually emulsifies and doesn’t help thin out the sauce at all.
- 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.
- Making this sauce ahead actually improves the flavor, but it can get more watery. This is because 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 strain it if you see a lot.
Tzatziki Sauce Recipe
Whip up my creamy homemade tzatziki sauce recipe in just 10 minutes, with simple ingredients like Greek yogurt, cucumbers, garlic, and dill.
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Ingredients
Tap underlined ingredients to see the ones I use.
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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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!
LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 2 tablespoons
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get the best texture in your tzatziki sauce.
- Storage: I store this sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It’s best within 2-3 days, but rarely lasts that long at our house.
- Recipe yield: My tzatziki recipe makes about 1 1/2 cups total, but can vary depending on how much you drain the cucumbers.
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Tzatziki Sauce Recipe
Ways I Use Homemade Tzatziki
Every time I make this tzatziki sauce recipe, 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 love it:
- Chicken – I serve this sauce with my Mediterranean-inspired chicken kabobs when I’m grilling, or just Mediterranean chicken or Greek chicken if I’m cooking inside. And although it’s less traditional, I’ve enjoyed it with peri peri chicken to tame the heat, and my chicken fritters for dipping.
- Lamb – I first made this tzatziki recipe for my lamb kofta kebabs, but it’s also amazing with lamb chops, lamb burgers, and kleftiko.
- Beef, Pork, & Fish – I don’t usually think of tzatziki sauce pairing with these proteins, but it works really well on my salmon burgers, shish kabobs, meatballs, and Greek souvlaki. In Greece, I saw it served with pork a lot.
- Sandwiches & Wraps – This sauce is a must for gyros, but I like it on regular sandwiches, too.
- Mezze Platter – I love platters because they keep everyone happy! Serve up my tzatziki sauce with a spread of hummus (or my cauliflower hummus), kalamata olives, vegetables for dipping (I like cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and mini bell peppers), and pita bread (I even have low carb pita bread).
66 Comments
Kristen Wood
0This is the perfect combo of ingredients!