Homemade Tzatziki Recipe – Oh Sweet Basil

The Tzatziki recipe is made with creamy Greek yogurt, cucumber, tangy lemon juice and zest, garlic and vibrant fresh herbs.

I was on a date at my first summer house from college and the guy took me to a little Greek restaurant with the most delicious fried potatoes and tzatziki (pronounced Tsaht-ZEE-kee). It was perfectly crispy, deep fried and delicious with that light and refreshing sauce. Since then I’ve been sold!

I’ve said many times how much of a sauce/dip lover I am, and this one is my latest obsession. We use it for homemade gyros of course, but I also love it as a dive for fresh vegetables or flatbread. It is also excellent as a spread on sandwiches or as a dressing for salads.

Ingredients for tzatziki sauce

The ingredients are so simple, but combining them all makes such a refreshing and delicious sauce. You will need the following:

• Plain Greek yogurt: You can use full-fat, low-fat, or non-fat yogurt, but non-fat yogurt doesn’t hold up quite as well and you should definitely stick with Greek yogurt
• lemon zest and juice: You definitely need fresh lemon juice for this recipe and you can’t beat the flavor the zest brings
• Extra virgin olive oil: A good quality olive oil is recommended
• Garlic: Take a whole clove of garlic and either squash the clove or finely grate it so you don’t notice it’s there from the texture but still get the distinctive flavor
• Cucumber: Always use English cucumbers as they are less pithy and a little sweeter
  • PRO TIP: I tried it with grated and minced meat and I like it much better grated.
• sea-salt: imparts flavor
• dill: fresh and chopped… dried I don’t recommend, but not the same
• mint: fresh and finely chopped

How to prepare this tzatziki recipe

1. Prepare the cucumber: Grate it and then squeeze out as much liquid as possible with paper towels, cheesecloth, or a thin tea towel
2. Prepare the other ingredients: Grate and squeeze the lemon, finely chop the herbs and garlic
3. Prepare the sauce: Mix all the ingredients
4. let’s rest: Cover the sauce and let it sit in the fridge for at least an hour to allow all the flavors to mix

Tips for Success

We tried different combinations and tried to cut a few corners here and there, but we found that fresh ingredients are critical! Fresh lemon and fresh herbs!

Use English cucumbers instead of regular cucumbers. You don’t have to peel them and the seeds are so small that you don’t even notice them.

To squeeze the living daylight from this cucumber! You want the fresh flavor of the pickle but not the liquid or your tzatziki sauce will become watery and dissolve.

After you mixed everything together, let it rest Store in the fridge to allow all the flavors to combine. It really makes a big difference! You can even make it a day in advance if you want.

Make this yogurt spread Summer long! The kids love it and you can dip everything fresh garden products inside!

How to use tzatziki sauce

We usually think of tzatziki sauce Gyros, which I highly recommend! We’re working on our Chicken Gyro post right now, so stay tuned! But don’t stop there! This creamy cucumber yoghurt dip can be used on salads, sandwiches or as a dip for vegetables (fresh or grilled) or for crackers and pita wedges. We also love it on baked potatoes or even fried chicken!

It also goes great with our chicken souvlaki kabobs or with our Greek turkey tostadas. Oooohhh… and I’m dying to try it as a dip for our Greek Lemon Fried Potatoes. It makes your mouth water!

If you’re looking for other Greek-inspired tzatziki recipes, try our Greek Salad, Greek Salad Skewers, or Greek Pasta Salad.

Why is my tzatziki sauce watery?

A watery tzatziki sauce is mainly created by the cucumbers. Cucumbers contain so much water that you really have to wring the babies when you rub them. If you leave too much water in, they will thin your sauce and even cause separation in the sauce.

storage

Store tzatziki in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It may come off a little when standing, but just give it a good stir and it’s good. Unfortunately, tzatziki sauce doesn’t freeze well.

The Tzatziki recipe is perfect for hot summer days and versatile. We’ll be doing it all summer! It’s healthy, cool and creamy, just what you want in a summer yogurt dip!

Try our other delicious sauces:

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