This classic Tzatziki Sauce recipe is easy to make and delicious when paired with many different meats, vegetables, sandwiches, and more. This homemade dip features fresh, natural ingredients like cucumber, olive oil, Greek yogurt, garlic, herbs, lemon juice, more. It will take you 15 minutes to make and takes a thousand times better than store-bought!
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What Is Tzatziki Sauce?
I think Tzatziki Sauce may just be my favorite condiments. Well, I have so many favorites that it’s hard to pick just one… But Tzatziki Sauce is definitely towards the top of that very competitive list! It’s a cool and refreshing sauce that has a signature Greek yogurt base and is made flavorful with cucumber, bold fresh herbs, lemon juice, and garlic.
Falling in love with Tzatziki Sauce is easy to do. If you’ve ever been to a Greek restaurant, you’ve probably had it served with whatever you ordered, and that’s because it pretty much compliments everything!
While it is a very flavorful sauce, it’s also neutral enough to be paired with so many different dishes. It’s delicious when served with roasted meats of all sorts, various fresh or grilled vegetables, and a huge list of sandwiches and wraps.
My biggest suggestion when whipping up homemade Tzatziki Sauce is to use the best quality of ingredients you can. You want to really highlight the bold ingredients like fresh mint, dill weed, and cucumber, but the more neutral ingredients like olive oil and Greek yogurt should also be good quality as well.
Since we’re not cooking this sauce, all of the ingredients will pretty much taste exactly how they are stirred into the sauce, so it’s important to be a little picky here!
Origin of Tzatziki Sauce
Tzatziki (pronounced Tsaht-ZEE-kee) is a yogurt and cucumber based sauce (or dip) that originated in Greece. This sauce has a Turkish name because it was created during the Ottoman Empire’s rule over Greece.
It’s made with cucumber and Greek yogurt and flavored with olive oil, lemon, and herbs. This sauce/dip is often served with grilled meats or as a dip on the meze (a Mediterranean style party platter).
Ingredient Notes and Tips
Greek Yogurt – For the best flavor and consistency, make sure you use a whole milk Greek yogurt that’s full fat and has no other flavors. Plain Greek yogurt allows all of the other ingredients to be bold without competition!
Cucumber – A medium sized, English cucumber is what you’ll need. Make sure the one you use doesn’t have any soft spots or discoloration.
Garlic – Use fresh garlic only, not the pre-minced stuff. Fresh garlic lends the most incredible flavor to this sauce.
Olive Oil – A good quality olive oil that’s green in color and has that signature olive taste is what you want to use here! Real, authentic Tzatziki sauce shouldn’t ever cut corners with olive oil.
Lemon Juice – Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best flavor. Avoid using the bottled lemon juice in this all fresh, naturally flavored recipe.
White Wine Vinegar – This, combined with the lemon juice, provides the sauce with the perfect level of acidic flavor.
Herbs – Fresh dill weed and mint leaves give the Tzatziki Sauce a boldly fresh flavor that can’t be replicated with dried herbs.
Salt and Pepper – Just add enough to taste, and don’t be too heavy handed with these seasonings. You don’t want them (especially the salt) to overpower the other ingredients in the sauce.
How To Make Tzatziki Sauce
Prepare the cucumber.
First, you’ll want to rinse the cucumber with water before cutting it in half, length-wise. Scoop out the seeds and discard them.
Grate the cucumber into thin strips and place those strips into a mesh strainer. Sprinkle salt over the cucumber strips and let the excess moisture drain off for about 10 minutes. After it’s drained the excess liquid, gently squeeze the cucumber.
Combine and enjoy!
Place all of the ingredients for Tzatziki sauce in a mixing bowl. Mix everything together until fully combined.
You can serve it or store it – either way, enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I serve Tzatziki Sauce?
This classic Greek sauce goes well with so many different meats! Dip it or drizzle over kebabs, lamb, chicken, fish, and so many other meats.
You can also use it as a topping for sandwiches, wraps, and salads. It’s also pretty commonly used as a dip with sliced vegetables, pita or flatbread slices, toasted bread, and anything else you’d like to dip into it! Serve it among other appetizers like Baba Ganoush, Hummus, and Roasted Red Peppers.
How to Store Tzatziki Sauce?
Since this isn’t a store bought bottle of sauce that’s loaded with preservatives, it doesn’t have a super long shelf life. However, when properly stored, this fresh condiment will stay good for about 3-4 days!
Simply keep it stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Every time you use a utensil to scoop some out, make sure it’s clean. If you use a spoon that is dirty, it has any bacteria on it, and it will cause the sauce to spoil much faster.
More Easy Appetizer Recipes
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Tzatziki Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb whole milk Greek yogurt
- 10-12 oz cucumber 1 medium cucumber
- 1-2 garlic cloves
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp minced fresh dill weed
- 1 tbsp fresh minced mint
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
Instructions
- Wash the cucumber and cut it in half, length-wise. Scoop out the seeds from the cucumber and discard.
- Grate the cucumber on a fine grater and place it into a mesh strainer. Salt the cucumber with some salt, mix it, and let it sit and drain off the excess moisture for about 10 minutes.
- Combine all of the ingredients in the mixing bowl, gently squeeze the cucumber, and add it to the bowl. Mix well.
- Serve right away of transfer into an air-tight container and refrigerate.
- Store the Tzatziki sauce in the refrigerator, in an air-tight container, for 3-4 days.
Kathleen says
I made the chicken with the sauce and felt like I out did myself. The different layers of flavor in this recipe is amazing.
LyubaB says
I love hearing that! It sounds like you really nailed it. Tzatziki is one of those sauces that brings everything together, and I’m so glad you enjoyed the layers of flavor. It’s always a win when a dish makes you feel like you’ve outdone yourself! Thank you for sharing your experience!
Alexa Woestmann says
So freakin tasty!!!! Made it exactly as described and this will become a much more consist dip I make!!
LyubaB says
I am so glad you liked it, Alexa!
Ashley says
This is a really great recipe! I added 1/2 of sour cream and used my dried mint from the garden and it was everything I could ever want tzatziki to be!
LyubaB says
That is great to hear, I am so glad you liked it so much! 🙂
Janet says
I love this sauce with some cucumbers!
Gary says
Thanks