Tzatziki
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Tzatziki is a refreshing and good-for-you yogurt and cucumber dip. Serve it with pita, grilled meats, gyros, or just eat it with a spoon!
Tzatziki (pronounced ‘tuh-ZEE-kee’), a beloved dip originating from Greece and the Middle East, is a versatile condiment enjoyed in countless ways. Traditionally served as part of a meze (pronounced ‘MEH-zay’), a collection of small dishes like dips, spreads, salads, grilled vegetables, cheeses, olives, and more, tzatziki also shines as a sauce. Its smooth and tangy texture creates a delicious contrast when paired with the smoky and savory flavors of grilled dishes such as kofta, kabobs, and gyros. Tzatziki’s magic lies in its simplicity, combining thick Greek yogurt with refreshing shredded cucumber. The yogurt provides a luscious and tangy base, while the cucumber adds a cool and crisp element. Whether you’re dipping pita bread or drizzling it over your favorite grilled dishes, tzatziki makes a delicious and versatile addition to any feast. It’s good for you, too!
What You’ll Need To Make Tzatziki
Tzatziki should be made with thick Greek yogurt. Many recipes call for straining it, but I don’t find it necessary.
I like to make tzatziki with English (or hothouse) cucumbers, the long, thin cucumbers that come wrapped in plastic. Because their skin is thin and unwaxed, English cucumbers do not need to be peeled — makes it easy.
Tzatziki is traditionally made with mint or dill. I prefer the flavor of mint (plus, as you can see, I have a wee bit of a wild mint situation in my garden) but feel free to substitute fresh dill if you like.
How To Make Tzatziki
Begin by seeding the cucumber. Simply cut the cucumber in half lengthwise, and then use a small spoon to scrape the seeds out. Next, shred the cucumber on a box grater or in a food processor.
Cucumbers are filled with water, which will dilute the tzatziki if you don’t wring it all out. I first use my hands to squeeze out as much liquid as possible, then I wrap the shredded cucumber in a dish towel and wring again.
Combine the yogurt, shredded cucumber, garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper and mint in a mixing bowl.
Mix to combine.
Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. That’s all there is to it!
You May Also Like
- Greek-style Lamb Burgers
- Hummus
- Israeli Salad with Feta
- Middle Eastern Chicken Kebabs
- Middle Eastern Lamb Kofta
- Labneh
Tzatziki (Yogurt & Cucumber Dip)
Tzatziki is a refreshing and good-for-you yogurt and cucumber dip. Serve it with pita, grilled meats, gyros, or just eat it with a spoon!
Ingredients
- 1½ cups plain 2% Greek yogurt (I use Fage)
- 1 medium English or hothouse cucumber, seeded, coarsely grated and squeezed as dry as possible (about 1 cup)
- 2 small garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Scant ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and mix until well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary (I often add a generous pinch of sugar to balance the flavors). Cover and chill until ready to serve. Before serving, drizzle with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle with fresh mint, if desired.
Nutrition Information
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- Serving size: 1/4 cup
- Calories: 77
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 4g
- Sugar: 3 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Sodium: 223 mg
- Cholesterol: 3 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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I’ve made this recipe so many times that I have to comment! I never tzatziki could be a.) so easy to make and b.) taste this good! Thank you for such a delicious recipe.
This recipe is so simple to make. It is so creamy and delicious. I made it to serve with your Jen’s falafel recipe. Perfect combo. Delicious.
You mention zucchini twice-I think you mean cucumber??
Thank you, Lynn! It has been corrected.
Just made it! Fantastic! We have pickling cucumbers galore. We love all the effort we put into building our new victory garden. So it is wonderful when we can find recipes that utilize the bounty that we harvest each day. I expected dill, but I utilized the garden mint we had, as mentioned in the recipe. I rung out the shredded cucumber using a clean dishcloth. It didn’t say if it needed to sit for any length of time. We had our first bites with naan just after 30 minutes. Thank you. I will be making this throughout our growing season.
Easy to make. Pairs great with Zucchini Fritters. I normally eat my Tzatziki with dill but I thought I’d try with mint for something different to my normal recipe & it was really nice with the mint especially with the fritters. Super quick to put together. I added an extra 1/4 tsp of salt & thought that it was perfect!!!
I only have dried mint. Do you think it would work?
Hi Christine, dried will work, but you won’t need as much- add to taste. Fresh (or dried) dill also works nicely.
I love both mint and dill – do you think it would work to use half of each or would the flavors be too muddled?
Thanks!
This tasted wonderful with your Moroccan chicken recipe and I’m sure would go with many other things. I lightly brushed some whole wheat pita bread with olive oil and salt and threw them on the grill. Was very tasty. We kept the water from the cucumbers and threw in a smoothie the next day!
Very good!
No more store bought tzatziki for me, ever!!!! Thank you so much for this fantastic recipe, I’m a fan now!
I made these to go with your Zucchini Fritters and, while the fritters were great, this was the real show stopper!
I will never buy tzatziki again! My husband and I spent the whole meal dreaming up recipes to use it with.
Hi Jen,
I am planning to try this recipe very soon, I am positive the result will be superb.
Can I use Asian cucumber instead of zucchini for this recipe?
Thanks.
Hi Emilia, This recipe doesn’t call for zucchini. Might you be confusing it with a different recipe?
So, I made this too to go with the zucchini fritters.
A match made in haven 🙂
I’ve always purchased tzatziki in a plastic tub. Did not know it was so easy to make! We like to mimic Cava Grill rice/salad bowls for dinner, and this is the perfect complement.
This is by far the most delicious tzatziki recipe I ever made. Thank you so much!
I just made this-quick and easy. Very tasty. Going to serve it on top of grilled chicken. Also great on top of a burger with feta cheese to make a yummy Greek burger.
Hi Jen,
I don’t have fresh mint on hand. Do you think fresh parsley or basil will work? I also have dried dill I could use. Let me know!
Hi Sam, I think dill would work — add to taste 🙂
Is there a non-dairy option for this dip?
Hi Rachel, So sorry, not that I know of.
We used a dairy free thick plain yogurt … I have made similar before with dill & really liked, but either our yogurt didn’t have much taste or blanded out the other ingredients in this recipe. We couldn’t taste it much. Will try again tomorrow when maybe flavors have melded a little more, I thought maybe I used it too soon after making it or something.
So many dips get better with age – but not sure if I should make this one the night before – or day of. The cucumber is what is making me doubt my usual best practice of making dip the day before.
Thoughts? Is this best right after made, after a couple of hours for flavors to intensity, or next day??
Hi Mariel, Your instincts are right — I think the cucumber has the best texture when the dip is made fresh. That said, it’s still delicious the next day so feel free to make it ahead if necessary.
make the dip the night before but without the cucumber…then add the cucumber just before serving….works great!!
The closest I have ever come to my friends late grandmother Tzatziki.
This looks great. I plan on making it this weekend! Do you grate the cucumber by hand or in a food processor ?
Hi Jamie, I use a food processor but either way is fine.
I never had Tzatziki sauce before and oh my was this ever delicious. I am sure going to make this next time my son and daughter in law come over for an appetizer with the zucchini fritters and pita chips. They are vegetarians and I know they would love this.
One of my favorite accompaniments to a spicy chicken curry, this works well as either a cooling agent or a dip. I also like to make chicken gyros using this as a condiment.
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I made this for my mother, who is constantly talking about a dip, made with Greek yogurt, that she has at her local diner. I didn’t think I would like it, too, since it is yogurt based. I was wrong. This dip is delicious and easy to make. Thanks.
Great recipe! I used regular cukes and scraped out the seeds. I also used homemade yogurt, but I have also used Dannon “Natural” and strained it in a coffee filter over a strainer with a can on top for about an hour or as much as overnight (if I had the time). Will have to try the mint, as I’m truly camp dill. 🙂
I’ve just eaten a whole tub (small) of low fat, shop bought Tzatziki dip and I just had to google the recipe, sounds so easy, I can’t wait to try it! ps. I added a can of tuna to the last half of the dip and it tasted amazing. Thanks for posting this, as I said, I can’t wait to try it, I’ll get back to ya. Deborah (from Australia). 😀
perfect with the zucchini fritters! just test your garlic beforehand…sometimes that can make things a little spicier 🙂 i prefer it with dill; making with mint is more reflective of indian raita. great dip with fresh veggies too!
wow. would be great on a gyro!! think this is going to be made very soon!!
is there a way to get calorie and daily fat percentage? thanks!!
Love this recipe, I like it on grilled chicken sandwiches or chicken burgers. Someone asked how long it lasts refrigerated, well, in my house, this recipe is gone long before it would have a chance to go bad. Just love your recipes, thanks !
My son loves this with chicken strips!! Thanks for the great recipe!
Love this stuff, Yogurt/honey/curry is another amazing dip or spread
Delicious with pita chips, grilled pita bread or veggies! Also fun pairing with the Moroccan chicken.
Made this and its amazing! We used cut veggies and stacy’s pita chips. Delicious!
Excellent with Stacy’s baked chips–this dip/sauce is always in my ‘fridge!
When traveling around the Greek countryside in search of an eatery, we would stop and first order tzatziki and some fried calamari. If they passed muster, we stayed for a full meal. To get the most water out of the cucumber after grating I mix in some salt and let it sit for about 10 minutes, then put the cucumber in the middle of a tea towel, gather the edges together, and squeeze and twist quite aggressively. Great with toasted pita triangles, fresh crusty bread, or as a dip for crudites.
I had an overly productive cucumber plant last year, and after discovering this recipe, could not get enough of this Tzatziki sauce! Love the addition of fresh mint. This goes wonderfully with your perfectly grilled chicken breasts. Very fresh and summery!
yummmmm. this is another keeper that i’ve found on this site. great healthier alternative to the average chip or veggie dip!
Can someone tell me how long these type of dips last for once made??
Hi Katy, I’d say a few days in the fridge.
I make a dressing like this and serve it over grilled Mediterranian Turkey patties. Very good. I have also had it on grilled Pepper steak. I think any way you serve it, it will be well liked!
Might pick up some fresh Nan from the Indian joint up the street and have this during the game Sunday. Thanks for the recipe!
Thanks I made this with the kids at school…it was great!
Made this last night with your Greek Lamb Burgers. Delicious!!
This is a very yummy, easy recipe to make and take as a snack for those girls night out gatherings….big hit, we all enjoyed this treat! Thanks for the recipe!
I eat tzatziki straight from the bowl after I make it too! yum! your blog is gorgeous by the way!
I agree with you 100%…Tzatziki is totally addicting!!!
Looks like the cucumber raita in Indian cuisine 🙂
Yes! But raita is a bit more soupy than tzatziki. also, raita is used to cool the palate after all the spicy indian food. Tzatziki is used mostly as a dip.
This made my mouth water (as most of your posts do)! I can’t believe I’ve made a version of this so many times without using Greek yogurt! Can’t wait to try your recipe.
Can you use non-fat Greek yogurt with the same (relative) success, do you think?
Absolutely! As this reply comes nearly three years after your initial question, I’m sure you’ve tried with non-fat by now. But I only use non-fat and the results are wonderful. You’ll only notice the difference if you conduct a side-by-side comparison.
I have never tried this before…. I think I will now. Thanks for sharing! yum!