Tzatziki is a cold Greek sauce of strained yogurt, cucumber, garlic, olive oil and herbs, and you can make a thick, creamy batch in about 15 minutes of hands-on time. The secret is not a rare ingredient. It is draining the cucumber well and using full-fat strained Greek yogurt. Below you will find our base recipe, the traditional variations, a dill-free version, and how to store and serve it.

Key Takeaways

• Squeeze the grated cucumber dry. Water is the main reason homemade tzatziki turns thin.
• Use thick, full-fat strained Greek yogurt for a creamy texture and a gentler garlic bite.
• Dill is traditional, but mint, parsley or a little lemon juice make a good tzatziki too.
• Let the sauce rest in the fridge for at least an hour so the garlic mellows and the flavors meld.
• Keep it refrigerated and eat it within about three days.

Table of Contents

• What Is Tzatziki?
• Ingredients for Authentic Greek Tzatziki
• How to Make Tzatziki, Step by Step
• Garlic: How Much and When
• Tzatziki Without Dill, and Other Variations
• Healthy Tzatziki: Why It Works for Everyday Eating
• How to Serve Tzatziki
• Storage and Food Safety
• Our Perspective: Keep Greek Food Simple
• Cook More Greek and Healthy Recipes With Us
• FAQ
• Sources

What Is Tzatziki?

Tzatziki is the best-known yogurt and cucumber sauce of Greek cooking. It is served cold as a meze, as a side, and as the sauce for souvlaki and gyros. It belongs to a wider family of salted-yogurt dishes across Southeastern Europe and West Asia, as this overview of the dish explains.

Epicurious describes it as a simple sauce of yogurt, garlic, dill and cucumber, and notes that Turkey, the Balkans and India all have their own versions, eaten plain, as a salad, or alongside curries and spicy foods. That cooling effect is exactly why it shows up next to grilled meat and spiced dishes.

At Boost Eat we cook a lot of Greek food, and tzatziki is the sauce we reach for most. It turns plain vegetables, a baked potato or a simple wrap into something you actually look forward to.

Ingredients for Authentic Greek Tzatziki

Published Greek recipes agree on the core and differ in the details. Visit Greece, the national tourism site, lists 500 g of Greek yogurt, 1 cucumber, 2 garlic cloves, 1/2 cup of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of vinegar and salt, with dill as a garnish. Another Greek travel guide suggests 500 g of whole-milk yogurt with at least 10% fat, 2 medium cucumbers, 3 to 4 garlic cloves, 80 ml of extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar or the juice of a lemon, and 2 tablespoons of chopped dill or 1 tablespoon of mint.

That is a wide range, and it is useful to know. Here is the base we use for a bowl that serves about six as a dip or side:

Ingredient	Amount	Why it matters
Strained Greek yogurt, full-fat	2 cups (about 500 g)	Gives body and a creamy tang
Cucumber	1 large or 2 medium (about 1 pound)	Fresh crunch, once drained
Garlic	2 to 3 cloves, finely grated	Adjust to taste
Extra virgin olive oil	2 to 3 tablespoons, plus more to finish	Richness and a fruity note
White wine vinegar or lemon juice	1 to 2 tablespoons	Brightness
Fresh dill	2 tablespoons, chopped	Classic herbal flavor
Salt	1/2 teaspoon, to taste	Seasons the cucumber and yogurt
White or black pepper	A pinch	Optional

We keep the olive oil lower than the 1/2 cup in the Visit Greece list because we like the sauce thick enough to hold on a spoon. Add more if you prefer a looser, silkier texture.

Why full-fat strained yogurt

Traditional Greek yogurt, called straggisto, is drained for hours until it loses most of its whey, which leaves it thick and creamy. Serious Eats adds a flavor reason: fattier yogurt takes the edge off lemon juice and softens the raw bite of garlic, so the flavors blend more nicely.

If your yogurt looks loose, set it in a sieve lined with a clean cloth or coffee filter over a bowl for an hour or two in the fridge. Whatever drains out is whey you do not want in the sauce.

Which cucumber to buy

The same Greek guide recommends fresh, crisp cucumbers, preferably thin-skinned varieties with small seeds. In a US supermarket, that points to English (hothouse) cucumbers, Persian cucumbers or Kirby cucumbers. Regular waxed slicing cucumbers work if you peel them and scoop out the seeds.

How to Make Tzatziki, Step by Step

Plan on 15 minutes of work, plus resting time in the fridge.

1. Prep the cucumber. Halve it lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with a spoon. Peel it if the skin is thick or waxy. Grate it on the coarse side of a box grater, or chop it finely if you want more texture.
2. Salt and drain. Toss the cucumber with a small pinch of salt and leave it in a colander for 15 to 30 minutes. It will release a surprising amount of liquid.
3. Squeeze it dry. Wrap the cucumber in a clean kitchen towel and twist hard over the sink. Do this twice. The cucumber should look like damp shreds, not a wet pile.
4. Mix the base. In a bowl, stir the yogurt, grated garlic, olive oil and vinegar or lemon juice until smooth.
5. Fold in the cucumber and herbs. Add the cucumber and dill. Stir gently, then taste and adjust the salt.
6. Rest it. Cover and chill for at least an hour. Drizzle with olive oil and add a sprig of dill before serving.

How to drain cucumber properly

Different cooks drain differently, and all of them agree on the goal. Epicurious halves an English cucumber, scoops out the seeds, grates or chops it, drains it in a colander for about 3 hours, then wraps it in a towel and squeezes out what remains. Nigel Slater in The Guardian peels, seeds and finely chops the cucumber, salts it in a colander until it gives up some juice, and pats it dry with kitchen towels.

Our shortcut for a weeknight is the 15 to 30 minute salt-and-squeeze above. If you are making tzatziki for a party, give the cucumber longer in the colander and the sauce will stay thick on the table for hours.

Fix a runny batch

If the sauce has already gone thin, stir in a few more spoonfuls of strained yogurt, or spoon the mixture into a cloth-lined sieve and let it drain in the fridge for 30 minutes. Taste again afterward, since the salt and garlic will be more concentrated.

Garlic: How Much and When

Garlic is where tzatziki varies most. Greek regional habits differ: island cooks tend to use less, while cooks in the northern mountains may make it more pungent. The same source notes that many Greek chefs add garlic at least an hour before serving so the flavors can meld.

Our practical approach:

• Start with two cloves, grated finely so there are no raw chunks.
• Stir, rest for an hour, then taste. Garlic grows more assertive as it sits.
• Add a third clove only if you want a sharper sauce for grilled meat.
• If you are serving children or garlic-sensitive guests, use one clove and a little more lemon.

Tzatziki Without Dill, and Other Variations

Dill is common, but it is not a rule. Serious Eats lists lemon juice, garlic and dill as the most typical add-ins, and says parsley, mint or olive oil also work. Visit Greece’s traditional recipe uses dill or mint.

If you do not have dill, or simply do not like it, try one of these:

• Mint version: Use 1 tablespoon of finely chopped fresh mint in place of the dill. It tastes fresher and a little sweeter.
• Parsley version: Use 2 tablespoons of flat-leaf parsley. It is milder and lets the garlic and lemon lead.
• No herbs at all: Skip them and finish with olive oil and a pinch of black pepper. It is simple and very good.
• Lemon instead of vinegar: Use the juice of half a lemon for a brighter finish.
• Dairy-free: Use a thick, unsweetened plain yogurt made from coconut, almond or soy milk. Add the lemon and salt gradually, since plant yogurts vary in tang.
• Cypriot style: In Cyprus, a similar dish called talattouri leans on mint and lemon, and may use dried mint or oregano.

Healthy Tzatziki: Why It Works for Everyday Eating

Tzatziki is built from simple whole ingredients: yogurt, vegetables, olive oil, herbs. It is naturally gluten-free, and there is no added sugar in the recipe above. That makes it a good fit for the sugar-free, vegetarian and low-calorie ways of eating many of our readers follow.

We like it as a swap for heavier dips and dressings:

• Spread it in a wrap instead of mayonnaise.
• Dollop it on a grain bowl as the dressing.
• Serve it with raw carrots, peppers, snap peas and radishes for an easy snack.
• Thin it with a spoonful of water or lemon juice for a salad drizzle.

A bowl with sliced vegetables and pita is also a simple lunch box idea for kids, since the flavor is mild when you go light on garlic.

How to Serve Tzatziki

The traditional uses are souvlaki, gyros, grilled meat and fish, pita, vegetables and meze. Epicurious also points to grilled steak, lamb, corn on the cob, wraps, flatbreads and salads.

A few pairings from our own kitchen:

• Roasted or baked potatoes: Spoon it on while they are hot.
• Stuffed vegetables: It is a cool contrast to our Greek gemista, baked tomatoes and peppers filled with rice and herbs.
• Chickpea stew: A spoonful on top of revithada, the Greek chickpea stew, adds creaminess.
• A meze spread: Put it next to our hummus, olives, tomatoes and warm pita.
• Grilled chicken or lamb: Serve it on the side with lemon wedges.

If you like your Greek yogurt on the sweet side too, the same ingredient is the base of our quick Greek yogurt desserts.

Storage and Food Safety

Tzatziki contains fresh, uncooked cucumber and garlic, so treat it like any chilled leftover. The USDA advises refrigerating leftovers within 2 hours, because bacteria grow rapidly between 40°F and 140°F.

Our routine:

• Store it in a clean, airtight container in the coldest part of the fridge, at 40°F or below.
• Use clean spoons, never a utensil that has touched other food.
• Eat it within about three days for the best flavor and texture.
• Stir before serving. A little liquid may separate as it sits, and stirring brings it back together.
• Throw it out if it smells sour, has changed color or shows any mold.

Tzatziki does not freeze well, because the cucumber turns watery and the yogurt separates when thawed. Make it in batches you will finish.

Our Perspective: Keep Greek Food Simple

We built Boost Eat around the idea that healthy food should be easy enough to make on a Tuesday night. Tzatziki is the proof. Five or six honest ingredients, one smart step (draining the cucumber), and you have a sauce that upgrades almost anything on your plate.

Greek cuisine is a big part of what we cover because it already does what we care about: wholesome ingredients, vegetables at the center, olive oil, herbs and yogurt. Many Greek dishes also adapt well to vegetarian, gluten-free and sugar-free eating, which matters for the families and busy professionals who cook with us.

Our advice is to learn the base recipe once, then make it your own. Change the herb, change the garlic, change the yogurt. A sauce you make the way you like it is a sauce you will make again.

Simos Boost-eat.com Founder

Cook More Greek and Healthy Recipes With Us

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You can join Boost Eat Member’s Kitchen or browse the free recipes on the Boost Eat home page.

FAQ

What is the difference between tzatziki and Greek yogurt dip?

Tzatziki is a specific dip: strained yogurt with cucumber, garlic, olive oil and herbs. Plain Greek yogurt is just the base. Adding drained cucumber, garlic and a little acid is what turns the yogurt into the sauce served with souvlaki and gyros.

Can I make tzatziki ahead of time?

Yes, and it usually tastes better after resting. Chilling it for at least an hour lets the garlic mellow, and Greek cooks commonly add the garlic an hour or more before serving. For parties, make it the morning of, and stir it just before it goes on the table.

Why is my tzatziki watery?

Almost always, the cucumber was not drained enough or the yogurt was not thick enough. Salt the grated cucumber, let it sit, then squeeze it hard in a clean towel. Use full-fat strained Greek yogurt, and drain it further in a sieve if it looks loose.

Is tzatziki healthy?

The recipe is made from yogurt, cucumber, garlic, olive oil and herbs, with no added sugar. That makes it a lighter alternative to many creamy dips and dressings. As with any recipe, portion size and what you eat it with shape how it fits your own diet.

Can I make tzatziki without garlic or dill?

Yes. Use mint or parsley in place of dill, or leave the herbs out and finish with olive oil. For less garlic, use one small clove and add lemon juice for brightness. Rest the sauce, then taste before adjusting.

Sources

• Tzatziki, Visit Greece
• Tzatziki Sauce: how to Make the Authentic Greek Recipe, Visit-Greece.info
• Nigel Slater’s classic tzatziki recipe, The Guardian
• How to Make Tzatziki, Step by Step, Epicurious
• Mediterranean Flavors: Tzatziki Recipe, Serious Eats
• Tzatziki, Wikipedia
• What Is Tzatziki? Ingredients, Storage and How to Serve It, PelopsGreekGoods
• Leftovers and Food Safety, USDA FSIS

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