This fresh tzatziki recipe will liven up any summer meal! Rich, creamy & full of fresh herbs, it's delicious on pita, grilled veggies, sandwiches, and more!
Break out the pita, it’s tzatziki time! On Monday, I posted my favorite Greek salad, and now I’m following it up with another Greek essential: this cool, refreshing cucumber tzatziki sauce.
One of the best parts of summer is that dinner suddenly becomes easy. My favorite ingredients – fresh fruits and veggies – are at their peak. Tomatoes are sweeter and juicier, berries are plumper, peppers are snappier, and our backyard herbs are at their most potent.
Sometimes, when I want to put these peak-season veggies front and center, making dinner just means prepping a sauce to dress them up. This tzatziki sauce is a great recipe for showcasing summer produce – it’s rich & creamy, bright, and packed with fresh herbs. So mix it up, serve it with a big platter of pita and your favorite summer veggies, and call it dinner!
What is tzatziki?
Tzatziki is a salted yogurt and cucumber dip that’s made of strained yogurt, shredded cucumber, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and herbs. Authentic Greek tzatziki is most often made with sheep or goat yogurt, but my tzatziki recipe calls for regular full-fat Greek yogurt. It’s easier to find in the store, and it still has the creamy, thick consistency you want in tzatziki sauce. Along with the other traditional ingredients, I stir in fresh mint and dill for a bright, summery finish.
How to Make Tzatziki Sauce
I first started eating tzatziki sauce at Greek restaurants, but I’ve since learned that it’s incredibly easy to whip up at home. Now, along with pesto, it’s one of my must-make summer sauces. Here’s how you do it:
- Start by grating the cucumber. I use the largest holes on a box grater to give my final sauce texture and plenty of green flecks.
- Next, squeeze the water out of the grated cucumber. This step is essential for making a creamy tzatziki – if you skip it, the water from the cucumber will cause your sauce to separate. Squeeze the cucumber directly over the sink, or press it lightly between kitchen or paper towels.
- Then, stir everything together! Mix the squeezed cucumber with the yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, salt, and herbs, and chill until you’re ready to use.
That’s it!
How to Use Tzatziki Sauce
Once you’ve mixed your tzatziki sauce together, there are endless ways to use it. Most simply, I enjoy it as a snack with fresh veggies and pita or crackers. Try it this way, or add it to your next crudité platter. Your guests will love it!
You could also slather it onto sandwiches like these pita wraps, serve it alongside a Mediterranean salad like tabbouleh or couscous salad, or top it onto falafel, falafel burgers, or a flatbread.
And last but not least, serve it with pita and lots of grilled veggies for a delicious, easy summer dinner.
If you love this tzatziki recipe…
Try my hummus, tahini sauce, chipotle sauce, cilantro lime dressing, pico de gallo, tomatillo salsa, or guacamole next!
For more appetizer ideas, check out this post with 50 easy appetizers.
Tzatziki Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup finely grated cucumber
- 1 cup thick whole milk Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint, optional
Instructions
- Place the cucumber on a towel and gently squeeze out a bit of the excess water.
- In a medium bowl, combine the cucumber, yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, dill, and mint, if using. Chill until ready to use.
This may be a silly question, but what %MF should I be looking for, for “full fat” Greek yogurt? Thanks!
Fage brand look for 4-5% is full fat yogurt
I used 2% and it turned out great.
So good and simple to make, served it with grilled chicken and salad last night. I want to make this every day.
Too much lemon juice for my taste and my husband’s, tried to reduce the acidity and ended up throwing all of it out. I think I would have added the garlic and lemon juice to taste next time.
Whoa – fantastic!
Cucumbers and herbs in or gardens find yet another delicous use.
Because I LOVE-LOVE-LOVE lemon, I added fine lemon zest. I also added a pinch of celery seeds, because I usually taste them in Greek salads, and we like them very much.
This recipe is a keeper!
Thank you! <3
How many days can you make this ahead of time while still preserving the flavours and freshness of it?
Hi Irma, I like to use it within about 3 days.
I love tzatziki. I scrape out the seeds of the cucumber before grating it and then salting it and leaving to drain – under a press or in a muslin bag. Then rinse off the salt.
Also drain the yogurt (muslin bag or fine mesh sieve)
This will give a really creamy result!
ok perfect!! thank you. eeeyum!
Awesome recipe. Absolutely delicious.
So glad you loved it, Steve!
It is amazing!! I did add just a little more cucumber, but that was all that I did. My husband was raised on this stuff and I had never made it before. He told me to make more.
Hi Heather, I’m so glad you both loved it!
1- garlic clove? One…… OK. One… Garlic…. Clove. If you say so 😁. My family are Gricko People (ethnic Greeks) in Italy. Sometimes my house adds a little tahini a a few drops (literally a few drops as in 1or 2) of Balsamic vinegar. And a little more garlic. I recommend separating some of your Tzatziki sauce and add those additional ingredients to your taste. I highly recommend Greek olive oil from Crete! That’s where the best comes from other than having your own lives pressed.
I grow my own cucumbers. Should I peel them? Delicious sauce with tomato basil crostini too.
Hi Linda, you could leave the skins on or peel them. It’s really personal preference. You may want to peel them if the skins are very thick.
OMG I’ve just gone threw a huge list of your recipes and I’m hungry already! I must go shopping today as I can’t wait to try them!! Thank you
What kind of mint? Mint is a generic term; there is peppermint, spearmint, apple mint, etc. etc. and so without more detail I’m not sure what kind of mint to use.
The common mint that is in supermarket across the world? Sure there are other mints but use a bit of critical thinking….
I did this with just the cucumber and yogurt with garlic pepper and half a lime instead of lemon and it was amazing!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Delicious looking! What herbs do you include and what’s a good measurement for each of the herbs?
From the recipe:
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint, optional
I personally omit the mint, but then again, it’s optional. 🙂
This is the best tzadiki sauce I’ve ever had. I love that it is Greek yogurt based and doesn’t use sour cream like many recipes. All the spices were spot on. Really delicious!
Hi Valerie, I’m so glad you loved it!