Homemade tzatziki is a delicious Greek yogurt dip. This tzatziki sauce recipe is easy to make and it’s the perfect addition to your next Greek meal, or serve it as a snack with fresh veggies and pita chips!
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My husband and I spent 8 weeks in Europe during the summer of 2010, 4 weeks of which we spent in Greece. We had the time of our lives, immersing ourselves in the culture, the food and enjoying the landscapes and the sea. We visited many areas of mainland Greece (Athens, Meteora, Corinth, Patros, etc.) and several islands, including Skopelos, Allonisos, Skiathos, and Santorini.
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It was such a relaxing holiday and I don’t think we went one day without eating Tzatziki the whole time we were in Greece. Tzatziki sauce is available in every restaurant and cafe and served with a wide variety of foods, yet it complimented every dish we ate!
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What is Tzatziki?
Tzatziki is a Greek yogurt dip that’s traditionally served with bread or pitas as an appetizer and often accompanies grilled meat dishes like souvlaki and grilled lamb or seafood. It’s unbelievably easy to make and is perfect for serving with meals or as a snack with pita bread and veggies. This homemade tzatziki recipe calls for 0% Greek yogurt, so it’s a low-fat snack that’s full of flavour!
Easy Homemade Tzatziki Sauce Ingredients
To make this recipe, you’ll need: 1 1/2 cups Greek yogurt (I use 0%, but feel free to use a higher milk fat percentage if that’s not something you’re concerned about) 1/3 to 1/2 cucumber, grated 2 tsp olive oil a pinch (or two) sea salt the juice of 1/2 lemon 2 garlic cloves, grated, minced or pressed a few sheets of kitchen paper towels
Important Recipe Note
It’s critical that you use Greek yogurt to make this dip. Conventional plain yogurt contains a large amount of water that makes this dip far too runny. It’s possible to make Greek-style yogurt yourself by straining conventional yogurt through a sheet of cheesecloth (I’ve also used kitchen paper towels in a pinch) and using only the thick, creamy yogurt left behind, but since Greek yogurt is so readily available in supermarkets these days, it’s not necessary (or cost effective) to do this work yourself.
How to Make Homemade Tzatziki
Start by adding the Greek yogurt into a mixing bowl with the olive oil. Add the lemon juice, minced garlic and grated cucumber. Make sure you squeeze as much liquid as possible out of the grated cucumber before adding it to the bowl (wrapping it in kitchen paper towels helps!).
Do you peel cucumbers for Tzatziki?
Some recipes I’ve seen call for peeling the cucumber first, but I love seeing the flecks of green peek through the white yogurt. And I’m all about keeping it simple whenever possible. Stir everything together well and add a couple pinches of salt. Store in a covered container in the fridge for a few hours before serving. This helps the garlic and lemon flavours work their way through the mixture evenly. Before you serve, taste the dip and add another pinch of salt if you wish (to your taste). This homemade tzatziki is a staple in our family’s meal plan with grilled chicken, pork or turkey burgers and the kids love it spread on some whole grain pita slices or as a dip for sliced peppers at lunch time.
How long will homemade tzatziki last?
Tzatziki will stay fresh for about 2 weeks if it is stored in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator.
Like this snack recipe? You’ll love my Garlic Parmesan White Bean Hummus or these Creamy Bruschetta Bites!
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Doesn’t the dip look so creamy and wonderful?? I hope you enjoy this homemade tzatziki recipe! Let me know in the comments below, what’s your family’s favourite homemade dip or spread?
Recipe Video
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Watch the video below to see exactly how I make this recipe. You can find more delicious recipe videos on my YouTube channel
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Homemade Tzatziki Sauce Recipe
Recipe: Instructions
- Start by adding the Greek yogurt into a mixing bowl with the olive oil.
- Add the lemon juice, minced garlic, dill and grated cucumber. Make sure you squeeze as much liquid as possible out of the grated cucumber before adding it to the bowl (wrapping it in kitchen paper towels helps).
- Stir everything together well and add a couple pinches of salt.
- Store in a covered container in the fridge for a few hours before serving. This helps the garlic and lemon flavours work their way through the mixture evenly. Before you serve, taste the dip and add another pinch of salt if you wish (to your taste).
Recipe: Notes
Recipe: Nutrition
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
Have you ever tried tatziki on "pita pizza's"? It's delish! I'm loving perusing through your site!
Delicious. I made it to go with Chicken Souvlaki and it was a winner. I'm going to use the leftover for a healthy dip with cucumber and peppers. Thank you for the recipe.
Samantha
So glad you liked the recipe!
It was delicious and easy. I have never made Tzatziki before. I was wondering, how long does it keep in the fridge, since it is fresh and has no preservatives. Thanks 🙂
Ours keeps for about 3 days in the fridge, but it never lasts that long because we eat it all first!! 🙂
Do you know of a dairy free substitute for the Greek yogurt that would work well?
I make this with coconut yogurt for my dairy-intolerant family members 🙂
There’s no dill listed in the recipe but you use it in the video. What’s the measurement?
Thank you for catching that mistake. We have updated the recipe! You need about a tbsp of fresh dill.