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About This Recipe
Ever since our honeymoon in Greece all I want is ALL the Greek food! And I want to drown everything in Tzatziki.
It’s SO good and such a flavor maker. And so light and refreshing. The grated cucumber packs volume while keeping the tzatziki low in calories. And the lemon juice, fresh dill and garlic give it all the flavor!
This tzatziki is a must for Greek night and perfect with greek turkey burgers and chicken gyros! Or for a high protein snack or appetizer, enjoy with some warm pita bread.
Truly sauces are FLAVOR MAKERS! Check out all my other lightened up sauces and dressings for more ways to sauce it up!
Why You’ll Love This Tzatziki Sauce
- Creamy, tangy, fresh, bold flavor. All the taste elements you want in a sauce!
- Healthy and nutritious. Packed with active cultures from the Greek yogurt, plus vitamins, minerals and protein. 10g of protein per 1/4 cup!
- Quick & easy. We can make this in 10 minutes
- Perfect on gyros, burgers, bowls, sandwiches, etc.
- A great high protein snack on its own. Perfect with some baby carrots and pita chips!
- Cucumber – we’re going to shred it. You’ll need one large english cucumber or about 3 small cucumbers.
- Yogurt – any plain Greek yogurt works. You can use whole, low fat or non fat. Whole milk Greek yogurt will be thicker and a little richer but you can use low-fat and nonfat Greek yogurt too. A good quality, thick Greek yogurt is best since it’s the star of this recipe.
- Garlic – fresh is definitely preferred over the powder for this one. A clove, the already minced kind or your can use the frozen cubes (I love these for convenience).
- Olive oil – make sure it’s extra virgin and not “light” olive oil
- Fresh dill – fresh dill is definitely going to give the best flavor but you can use good quality dried dill if that is all you have.
- Lemon juice – preferably freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Salt and pepper – freshly cracked for the pepper if you have it!!
How To Make
- Grate the cucumber (I used the large holes on my box grater for this).
- Then drain the grated cucumber as much as possible by using a cheesecloth or by pressing down with paper towels to remove the excess water. Do this until all the liquid is out.
- Combine the drained cucumber, yogurt, garlic, 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil, dill, lemon juice and salt in a bowl.
- Let sit for a few minutes to give the flavors a chance to come together. Drizzle the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil and add a few cracks of black pepper. Serve with warm pita bread and enjoy!
Expert Tips
Since Greek yogurt is the largest component of this recipe, it’s important to use a good quality, thick yogurt.
The olive oil is also important since it is used twice in this recipe, both mixed into the dip and as a drizzle.
Pick an extra virgin olive oil that is made for dressings and marinades versus a light olive oil which is used for cooking at high temperatures and not ideal for this recipe.
What is tzatziki?
Tzatziki is yogurt based sauce made with strained yogurt (traditionally sheep or goats milk but Greek yogurt is widely used now), cucumbers, olive oil, garlic, lemon and dill. It’s authentic to Greek culture and very popular across the Middle East. It’s a creamy and fresh, cool sauce that is used to help balance out really seasoned and spicy meat. Because of its unique taste and texture profile, it’s used vastly in the Mediterranean diet, and now across the world to elevate any food or dish.
How long does homemade Tzatziki last?
Homemade tzatziki sauce can last for up to 2 weeks, when using fresh yogurt and stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
How to use Tzatziki?
There are endless ways to enjoy! It’s perfect to throw on burgers, gyros, sandwiches, grilled veggies, or any kind of bowl to add a creamy, fresh element. You can use it as a sauce, appetizer or snack. I love building a lunch snack plate with mediterranean orzo salad, tzatziki, pita and grilled chicken or salmon.
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure leave a review, tag me on Instagram or TikTok at @LaurenFitFoodie or hashtag #LaurenFitFoodie so I can see your creations!
Tzatziki Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 large english cucumber (115g)
- 1.5 cups plain Greek yogurt (340g) nonfat, 2%, whole all work
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 Tbsp olive oil (15g) divided
- 2 Tbsp fresh dill chopped
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice (15g)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- freshly cracked black pepper to garnish
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Instructions
- Grate the cucumber (I used the large holes on my box grater for this).
- Then drain the grated cucumber as much as possible by using a cheesecloth or by pressing down with paper towels to remove the excess water. Do this until all the liquid is out.
- Combine the drained cucumber, yogurt, garlic, 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil, dill, lemon juice and salt in a bowl.
- Drizzle the remaining 1/2 Tbsp of olive oil on top of the Tzatziki. Serve immediately or add to an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition is hand-calculated and accurate. No autocalulations! However, note that values can vary based on the brands you use and if you substitute ingredients.
