Tzatziki (Cucumber Sauce) – Two Peas & Their Pod

Quick Summary

Make your own Tzatziki with this simple recipe! Tzatziki is made with creamy yogurt, cucumber, dill, garlic, and lemon for a really bright and refreshing taste. It’s a great dip for vegetables and the perfect sauce to serve with any Greek meal.

Today, we are talking about Tzatziki! If you aren’t sure how to pronounce tzatziki, let me help you out, all of those Zs are a little tricky. Tzatziki is pronounced tuh-zee-kee. It comes from a Persian word that means “herb mixture.”

Tzatziki is a dip (sauce) that originated in the Middle East. It has a light, fresh flavor that brightens up savory dishes! Tzatziki is made with creamy yogurt, cucumber, dill, garlic, olive oil, and lemon for a really refreshing taste.

It is one of my all time favorite sauces. I always order extra tzatziki at my favorite Greek restaurant because you can never have too much.

Did you know it’s easy to make at home? Yep! It only requires a couple ingredients and a couple minutes of prep. I love having it in the fridge for an easy veggie dip or to serve with our favorite Greek and Middle Eastern dishes.

Grating the Cucumber

The most important thing to remember about preparing cucumber for mixing into tzatziki is getting all the moisture out! This will keep your dip thick and creamy rather than loose and watery.

I recommend using an English cucumber because you don’t notice the seeds. The skin is also pretty thin so you don’t have to peel it. If the skin still bothers you, you can peel it first.

Grate fresh cucumber (I use the larger holes on a box grater), then place it on paper towels and squeeze out the excess water. You might want to repeat this a second time with fresh paper towels to get out as much as possible!

Alternatively, you can place the grated cucumber in a small strainer over a bowl. Sprinkle each layer with a little kosher salt cover and refrigerate overnight to remove the water. This obviously takes longer, so I always use the quick squeezing method. I think it works well and it’s super quick!

How to Make Tzatziki Sauce

Once your cucumber is prepared, making tzatziki is as simple as measuring out ingredients and mixing!

In a bowl, combine plain Greek yogurt, the grated cucumber, garlic, fresh lemon juice, olive oil, fresh dill, salt and pepper. It’s really that simple.
It’s traditionally made with sheep or goat yogurt, but I use plain Greek yogurt because it is easy to find and we always have it in the fridge.
I recommend using a good quality plain Greek yogurt. You can use whole milk, low fat, or fat-free yogurt. Obviously, the higher the fat content, the creamier your tzatziki will be. Use your favorite!
If you want to add more herbs, fresh mint and/or parsley can be stirred in as well.
I recommend giving your tzatziki around 20 minutes to chill in the refrigerator before serving to let the flavors meld and come to life.
You can store the tzatziki sauce in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

What to Serve with Tzatziki

There are so many ways to use a fresh batch of tzatziki, you just might find yourself wanting a batch on hand all the time! We drizzle it over our favorite Greek meals or use it as a dip. Here are a few ideas for serving:

More Dip Recipes

tzatziki sauce with veggies and pita bread

Side Dishes

Tzatziki Sauce

This easy tzatziki sauce recipe only takes 10 minutes to make and is good with pita bread, pita chips, salads, Gyros, chicken, and so much more!

1 medium English cucumber (I don’t peel it, but you can)
2 cups plain Greek yogurt
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced or pressed
1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pita bread, pita chips, or cut up vegetables, for serving

Grate the cucumber, using the large holes of a box grater.
Place the grated cucumber on a paper towel or clean towel and squeeze out the excess water. Squeeze as much liquid out as you can. Alternatively, you can place the grated cucumber in a small strainer over a bowl. Sprinkle each layer with a little kosher salt cover and refrigerate overnight to remove the water. This obviously takes longer, so I always use the quick squeezing method. I think it works well.
In a medium bowl, combine the grated cucumber, Greek yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, fresh dill, salt, and pepper. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 20 to 30 minutes so the flavors can meld.
When ready to serve, stir and taste. Season with additional salt, pepper, lemon, or dill, if necessary. You can also drizzle a little olive oil on top and garnish with fresh dill. Serve with pita bread, pita chips, or cut up vegetables.
Store the tzatziki in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Calories: 42kcal, Carbohydrates: 3g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 2g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 2mg, Sodium: 131mg, Potassium: 107mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 40IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 51mg, Iron: 1mg