Easy Homemade Greek Tzatziki Sauce

A white ramekin of Tzatziki Sauce with pita triangles in the background.

Easy Homemade Greek Tzatziki Sauce

This easy recipe for the Greek yogurt and cucumber sauce Tzatziki takes less than 20 minutes to make and is delicious served as a dip or as a sauce for grilled meats and veggies.

5 from 1 vote

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Course: sauce

Cuisine: Greek

Keyword: cucumber, dill, dip, garlic, Greek, gyro, pita, sauce, tzatziki, yogurt

Prep Time: 10

Total Time: 10

Servings: cups

Calories: 110kcal

Author: Nicole Gaffney (ColeyCooks.com)

Ingredients

1 small clove garlic peeled
1 very small piece of red onion peeled
1 piece of a cucumber about 4-5 inches in length (abut ¾ cup grated)
1-2 sprigs fresh dill minced (about 2 teaspoons)
2 cups Greek yogurt whole milk / full fat recommended
salt to taste
1-2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice to taste

Instructions

Using the small holes of a box grater to finely grate the garlic so that it makes a paste, then add it to a medium sized bowl.
Grate the onion the same way so that you get about ½ teaspoon of grated onion and its juice, then add it to the bowl.
Use the large holes of the box grater to grate the cucumber. You should end up with about ¾ cup of grated cucumber. Add it to the bowl.* (See note)
Add the dill and yogurt to the bowl, season with salt and mix to combine. Add a teaspoon of lemon juice, taste, and add more as needed.
Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Video

Notes

If using s standard cucumber has a thick, waxy or tough skin, peel it first. Same goes for the seeds - if they are tough and/or large, use a spoon to remove them before grating.
Be careful with the grated onion - if you use too much and it will taste too strong. If you don't love onion, just leave it out.
For a thicker Tzatziki Sauce, wrap the grated cucumbers in a tea towel and squeeze out all of the liquid before mixing.*
For an extra thick Tzatziki, strain your yogurt even more by placing it in a cheesecloth or paper towel lined strainer and letting it sit, with a bowl underneath of it, for at least one hour or up to overnight. This will drain out more liquid from the yogurt, resulting in a super rich, thick and creamy Tzatziki Sauce.
It's best to let the Tzatziki sit for a few hours before serving to let all of the flavors meld, but it will still taste great right after making.

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