Greek Tatziki Is the Ultimate Greek Dip
Tatziki is a traditional Greek sauce made from yogurt, cucumber, garlic and olive oil. This dish can be used as a dip or sauce for pita bread or any other flatbread. It’s also great as an appetizer with some fresh veggies and crackers!
What is Tatziki
Tatziki is a Greek sauce made from strained yogurt, olive oil, cucumbers and garlic. It’s served as a dip with pita bread or as a salad dressing in some restaurants (and even on pizza). It also makes for great sandwiches and spreads—you can use it to top gyros or chicken.
Tzatziki! Tsaht-ZEE-kee! Alternatively referred to as the yogurt and cucumber sauce you enjoy at Greek restaurants but are concerned about pronouncing correctly (hear the correct pronunciation here).
Simple ingredients for tzatziki are yogurt, drained cucumber, olive oil, fresh herbs (often mint or dill), garlic, lemon juice, salt, and lemon juice. It is a cooling sauce, dip, or spread.
Let’s make some tatziki!
Tatziki is a cool, creamy Greek yogurt sauce that’s often made with cucumber, garlic and dill. It’s a very simple sauce to make at home but can be adapted to suit your taste.
The ingredients:
1 cup Greek yogurt (thick or thin)
1 clove garlic minced or grated,
1 cup chopped cucumber (about ½ medium size)
1 tablespoon fresh dill chopped finely
The instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a bowl until well combined then serve immediately! If you want it richer add some olive oil while mixing in the remaining ingredients; if you want it thinner add more yogurt until desired consistency is reached.
If you have time before serving then let the mixture sit out for 30 minutes so that the flavors develop further before eating.
Pro tip: Use any other kind of vegetable instead of cucumbers like broccoli rabe or fennel bulbs…let me know how this goes!
Preparation
- Dice the cucumber.
- Grate the garlic.
- Grate the salt. If you have a microplane, use it! It’s worth it!
- Drain the yogurt and mix everything together in a large bowl or container (I like to use an old mason jar).
Cooking Notes
- Keep it in the fridge for a few hours before serving.
- Use a spoon to scoop out the tzatziki, or you can use your hands if you prefer.
How Long Does This Usually Resistance in the Freezer?
In general, this Greek sauce should keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days when stored in a container with a lid. Water may separate to some extent, but you can just swirl it back in before serving.
Pro Tip
- Use a food processor to mix the ingredients together.
- Add in Greek yogurt for a thicker, creamier tatziki.
- Use a good quality olive oil and cucumber, garlic, herbs (such as mint or parsley).
Add-ins and Variations
You can add a variety of spices to your tatziki, such as:
- Cumin and cinnamon (as in this recipe)
- Paprika (the classic Greek version uses red pepper flakes)
- Cayenne pepper or cayenne powder are both popular additions to tzatziki sauce. They add heat and flavor but won’t overpower the other ingredients.
What distinguishes cucumber sauce from tzatziki sauce?
Tzatziki sauce and other cucumber sauces differ from one another in a few important ways.
The ingredients for cucumber raita, an Indian cucumber sauce, include freshly chopped cucumber, green chilies, yogurt, and, if desired, finely diced tomato and onion. So, the green chilies give the cucumber raita a little bit of a kick. The raita is a tad thinner than our traditional thick tzatziki sauce from Greece.
Turkish tzatziki, also known as cacik cucumber sauce, is remarkably similar to Greek tzatziki, with the exception that most recipes cut the cucumber rather than grate it as we do in our Greek tzatziki recipe. This dish has a chunkier consistency thanks to the chopped cucumber.
Is It Possible To Use The Freezer To Extend Its Shelf Life?
Tzatziki sauce can be frozen, but it won’t have the same consistency as when it’s freshly produced. In the freezer, the cucumbers could become mushy. If you freeze your tzatziki sauce, be careful to give it a good stir right before serving and wrap it well in an airtight container.
We hope you enjoyed this recipe, and that you’re excited to start making your own tatziki! If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave them below, and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
