It’s so easy to make your own tzatziki and it’s so tasty you’ll want to drizzle it on everything! Fabulous as a dip or sauce.
Tzatziki is a wonderful Greek side dish made with yogurt and cucumber that tastes divine as a dip or a sauce.
And it’s so easy to make that there’s no reason not to make it yourself.
It’s creamy and savory and packed with flavor and freshness!
Also check out our homemade tartar sauce, ranch dressing and haydari.
How To Make Tzatziki
Full instructions and measurements can always be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. This is a summary of the process to go along with the process photos.
- Peel and shred an English cucumber using a standard box grater.
- Now add Greek yogurt, olive oil, crushed garlic, fresh dill, lemon juice, salt and black pepper to a mixing bowl and mix together.
- Add in the shredded cucumber and stir it in.
- Place it in the fridge for 30 minutes for the flavors to blend and then serve!
Ingredient Notes
Shredded cucumber: Peel and shred an English cucumber for this tzatziki. It’s not necessary to squeeze out the excess liquid, you can just use it as is.
We tried a version where we squeezed out the excess liquid from the cucumber and the resulting tzatziki was a little too thick. So the water content from the cucumber is not a bad thing in this recipe, it just makes it more saucy and flavorful.
Greek Yogurt: A full fat plain Greek yogurt works great in this recipe! However, you can also use plain unsweetened yogurt.
Fresh Dill: Ideally use fresh dill in this recipe for the best flavor, however if you only have dried dill on hand then you can use that instead.
Lemon Juice: Ideally use freshly squeezed lemon juice. However, if all you have on hand is store-bought lemon juice, this is fine to use as well.
Make It Dairy-Free
If you can get a plain dairy-free yogurt then you could certainly make this tzatziki dairy-free as well.
How To Serve Tzatziki
Serve it with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, some cucumber slices and a sprinkle of fresh dill.
It’s wonderful to serve as a dip for some pita breads or fresh veggies. It’s also ideal as a sauce for things like falafel or even a baked potato or use it as a spread on toast or crackers or sandwiches. It’s also wonderful alongside roasted vegetables.
Storing and Freezing
Keep leftovers stored in a covered container in the fridge where it will stay good for 3-4 days.
It’s not ideal for freezing at all, as the fresh cucumber can cause it to become watery once thawed.
More Delicious Dips and Sauces
- Spinach Artichoke Dip
- The Best Hummus
- Baked Spinach Dip
- Homemade Tartar Sauce
- Baba Ganoush
- Mushroom Sauce
Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and rating below.
Tzatziki Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup English Cucumber Peeled and Grated
- 2 cups Greek Yogurt Full Fat, Plain
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil Extra Virgin
- 1 teaspoon Crushed Garlic
- 1 Tablespoon Fresh Dill Chopped
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice Freshly Squeezed
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper Freshly Ground
Instructions
- Peel and shred an English cucumber using a standard box grater. Measure out a cup (packed) and set aside.
- Add the Greek yogurt, olive oil, crushed garlic, fresh dill, lemon juice, salt and black pepper to a mixing bowl and mix together.
- Add in the shredded cucumber and mix in.
- Place into the fridge for 30 minutes for the flavors to blend.
- Serve with a drizzle of olive oil, some fresh dill and cucumber slices.
Video
Notes
- It’s not necessary to squeeze out excess water from the shredded cucumber. We tried a version where we removed the excess water and found the sauce was too thick as a result. It’s ideal for the water from the cucumber to create a more saucy tzatziki.
- Greek yogurt (full fat) is ideal for this recipe, however you can also use a plain yogurt.
- Fresh dill creates the best flavor in this tzatziki, but if you only have dried dill on hand, you can use that instead.
- Fresh lemon juice is ideal, but store-bought will also work fine.
- Prep time does not include the 30 minutes spent chilling in the fridge.
- Leftovers keep very well in a covered container in the fridge for 3-4 days. If any separation occurs, just stir it up again, this is normal. It is not freezer friendly.
Can’t believe it was this easy to make tzatziki. And it tastes amazing! I put mine on some pizza and it was DIVINE!
Cool! I love that way of using it Jo! Thanks for sharing!