Easy Tzatziki Recipe – Spend With Pennies

Fresh and flavorful, this easy Tzatziki is so good you’ll want to dip, dunk, and drizzle every meal.

A creamy cucumber yogurt sauce with, garlic, dill, and lemon. This is great with meats, veggies, pita, or even for dipping fries.

What is Tzatziki

Pronounced “tsah-see-key,” it is traditionally a simple cucumber yogurt sauce. It is popular in Greek cuisine but there are variations found in both Middle Eastern and Southeast European cuisines as well.

• Tzatziki is a simple sauce or dip made with Greek yogurt, cucumbers, garlic, and dill.
• The ingredients for this tzatziki recipe seem basic but the flavor is fresh and flavorful adding a bright flavor to any meal.
• This sauce is best made ahead of time so the flavors can blend. It keeps for days in the refrigerator.
• Drizzle it over Chicken Souvlaki in wraps, spoon it on pork, chicken, or roasted potatoes.
• It can also be served as a fresh dip with fresh veggies, chips, or pita bread!

Ingredients

Yogurt is the base of this tzatziki recipe. Greek yogurt makes tzatziki nice and thick but plain yogurt does work too. The flavor is best with full fat (not low fat) yogurt.

A cucumber is shredded using the large side of a box grater. I prefer English cucumber for this recipe so you don’t have to peel or seed it, although you can if you’d like.

If you’re using a field cucumber with larger seeds and thicker skin for this tzatziki recipe, it should be peeled. If the seeds are large, cut in half lengthwise and scrape the seeds out and discard before shredding.

Fresh dill is best if possible but you can use dried dill if it’s all you have, a bit of fresh mint is great in tzatziki too. If using dried dill, reduce the amount to 1 teaspoon. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice adds the best flavor to this recipe and will have a sweeter taste while bottled lemon juice will be a bit more bitter in flavor.

Season the tzatziki with garlic, salt, and pepper and finish with a drizzle of a good quality olive oil.

How to Make Tzatziki

1. Shred the cucumber with the larger side of a box grater. Gently drain.
2. Combine all remaining ingredients in a medium bowl.
3. Fold in the shredded cucumber.

The bright and tangy flavor of tzatziki stands out best when the flavors have had a chance to blend. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving.

Quick Tips

• Use full fat (not low fat) yogurt for the best flavor. Greek yogurt is thicker than plain yogurt.
• If using a field cucumber, peel the thick skin with a vegetable peeler, cut it in half and use a spoon to remove the large seeds.
• English cucumber doesn’t need to be peeled and the seeds can be grated with the cucumber.
• Lightly drain the cucumber by placing it in a fine mesh sieve or a piece of cheesecloth and gently pressing. You don’t want to squeeze it dry, just remove some moisture.
• If using dried dill, reduce the amount to 1 teaspoon.
• Fresh mint or other fresh herbs can be added.

Serve as a Dip, Dressing, or Sauce

This tzatziki recipe isn’t only a dip but a spread and sauce too. It goes well with grilled meats or your favorite Mediterranean inspired recipes.

• As a dip, try it with fresh vegetables, pita chips, baked french fries, crackers, zucchini fries, or even greek meatballs. It makes a great dip for pizza crust too!
• As a spread, serve it with gyros or lamb and veggie kebabs, falafel. Use in place of mayonnaise on sandwiches, subs, or salads!
• As a sauce, pour it over oven-baked chicken breasts, salmon, or use it on a classic potato salad! It’s also great on fish because of its mild, creamy flavor.

Storing Tzatziki Sauce

Keep fresh Tzatziki for up to 2 days in the refrigerator.

Can You Freeze Tzatziki? This recipe doesn’t keep well in the freezer. The consistency changes and it becomes watery after freezing.

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