This Homemade Tzatziki Sauce is a fantastic pairing for veggies, pita bread, or any type of Mediterranean food! It comes together in minutes - and the fresh, savory taste simply can't be beat.
Tzatziki is a refreshing, herbaceous yogurt-based sauce that is popular in many Mediterranean dishes. It contains grated cucumber, tons of fresh herbs, and lemon juice to brighten everything up. I love to serve it with grilled meats, gyro wraps, or sliced veggies!
The Coined Breakdown
- Total Cost per serving: $0.33
- Total Cost (about 8 servings): $2.61
- Those Other Guys: $2.99 per serving
Ingredients
- Plain Greek Yogurt - Grab some plain greek yogurt for the base of this cool, creamy sauce. You get tons of protein from this ingredient. Feel free to use the full-fat or the slimmer version.
- Cucumber - Take a fresh cucumber, wash it, then scoop out the seeds in the middle. Using a microplane and/or small grater holes, grate the veggie and then drain the liquid with a cheesecloth or strainer.
- Lemon Juice - A hint of lemon juice adds the perfect amount of acidity to tzatziki! Don't skip this ingredient.
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil - A couple teaspoons of olive oil help really tie in the flavors of this dip. Use a high-quality oil for this.
- Spices & Herbs - Salt and garlic are classic flavors for tzatziki. A bit of fresh dill adds a little tang, and white pepper is my secret to a milder, almost earthy pepper taste.
How to Make Tzatziki at Home
Step 1: The most prep that goes into this sauce is the cucumber.
You want to scoop the seeds out of a halved cucumber slice, then grate it over a fine mesh sieve so all the liquid can be squeezed out.
Step 2: After that, it's simply mixing all of your ingredients together.
I like to let the sauce sit in the fridge for 10 minutes or so before serving, just so all the flavors can mesh well. So easy!
Recipe Pro Tip
- Make ahead. For best results, make this a few minutes or hours ahead of serving. This allows the flavors to really develop.
Recipe FAQs
One of my favorite meals to serve with creamy tzatziki is gyros. Try my Chicken Gyros or Lamb Gyros for an authentic bite right at home.
You can also add some homemade tzatziki to grilled steak, chicken, or shrimp skewers.
Dip fresh vegetables, naan bread slices, or baked chicken meatballs into tzatziki sauce.
Stir it into Mediterranean Pasta Salad to use as the dressing.
It's actually pronounced "tsah-SEE-key". The "tsah" has a z-sound, similar to pizza.
It will keep well in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Be sure to stir before serving, since the yogurt tends to release extra moisture while sitting.
Other Quick & Easy Sauce Recipes You'll Love!
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Homemade Tzatziki Sauce
Equipment
- Chef's Knife
- Vegetable Grater
- Microplane (optional)
- Spoon
- Mixing Bowl
- Fine Mesh Sieve (or cheesecloth)
Ingredients
- ½ count English cucumber
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill (chopped)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic paste (or 1 clove, grated)
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
Instructions
- Wash the halved cucumber, slice it in half lengthwise, and then scoop out the seeds with a spoon. This removes most of the water, to avoid a soggy sauce.½ count English cucumber
- Grate the cucumber into a fine mesh strainer that is placed over a bowl.I like to microplane some of the veggie for really fine pieces, and use a grater for the rest for those classic thin ribbons.
- Squeeze out as much water as you can from the cucumber pieces. Drain the liquid, and set the cucumber into a mixing bowl.If you don't have a sieve, use a cheesecloth to remove excess liquid.
- To that same bowl, add the rest of the ingredients. Stir well, tasting to adjust for any additional seasonings or herbs as needed.1 cup plain Greek yogurt, 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, 1 tablespoon fresh dill, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon garlic paste, ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- Cover the bowl and let the tzatziki sauce sit in the fridge for at least 15 minutes to develop the flavors. Serve as a dip, or alongside Greek/Mediterranean food and enjoy!
Did you make this recipe? Let me know what you think!