How to Make Tzatziki Sauce

Creamy and flavorful, classic Greek Tzatziki Sauce is way easier to make than it is to say! This cucumber and Greek yogurt-based sauce is loaded with flavor from salted cucumbers, fresh dill, garlic, and lemon juice -- and pairs beautifully with oh-so many things. Follow the steps below on how to make Tzatziki Sauce to easily whip up your own tasty batch at home.

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Tzatziki Sauce -- Hard to say, but easy to make! And amazingly delicious, too.

If you're not super familiar with it, Tzatziki is a classic Greek and Middle Eastern sauce (or dip) made with yogurt and cucumber as its base. It's the signature creamy white sauce served with the traditional  Greek dishes, gyros and souvlaki. And I, for one, think it's absolutely delicious.

But just looking at those "t" and "z" blends in its name can be intimidating! Believe me though, Tzatziki is way less intimidating to make than it is to say.

So how do you actually say "Tzatziki?" 

Though there are a few slightly-different pronunciations for this classic Greek cucumber sauce, it's commonly pronounced "tsah-see-key." The first syllable isn't a straight "t" or straight "z" sound, it's more of a blended "t+s," and that emphasis definitely goes on the second "see" syllable.

Tzatziki Sauce -- Hard to say, but easy to make! And amazingly delicious, too.

But just know that no matter how you say it, Tzatziki Sauce goes wonderfully with so many things. It's great paired with simple chicken and pork dishes, grilled vegetables, pita bread or pita chips, and as a dip with fresh vegetables. Or it's even great as a creamy dressing for salad -- which happens to be my favorite way to enjoy it. 

What's to Love About This Recipe?

• Easy - Homemade Tzatziki Sauce is way easier to make than it is to say! Truly, it takes just a little chopping and a little stirring to whip up a bowl of this creamy cucumber deliciousness.
• Creamy - Using thick and creamy Greek yogurt as its base means the Tzatziki turns out nice and creamy, too. 
• Great flavor - This classic Greek sauce is loaded with the fabulous flavors of salted cucumber, fresh dill, garlic, and a hint of fresh lemon.
• Versatile - Homemade Tzatziki Sauce beautifully complements so many things -- from chicken and pork, to pita bread and chips, grilled vegetables, fresh veggies as a dip, or even goes great as a creamy dressing for salad.

Tzatziki Sauce Ingredients:

It only takes a handful of ingredients to make homemade Tzatziki Sauce. Choose good quality, fresh ingredients to develop the best and fullest flavor in this deliciously creamy sauce.

To whip up a batch, you'll need:

• Greek yogurt - Plain Greek yogurt serves as the base of the sauce. While regular plain yogurt can be substituted, we recommend sticking with Greek yogurt for the most authentic texture and flavor.

• Cucumber - It's not Tzatziki without the cucumber! Choose an English ("seedless") cucumber for the best result. Regular cucumbers can be substituted for the English cucumber. -- Just be sure to remove the seeds and use only the "fleshy" part of the cucumber.

• Extra-virgin olive oil - Brings richness and subtle background flavor to the sauce.

• Fresh lemon juice - Enhances the Tzatziki's flavor. We recommend using fresh lemon juice for the best flavor, rather than using bottled.

• Fresh dill - A good dose of chopped fresh dill brings fabulous flavor to the sauce, and beautifully pairs with the sauce's cucumber.

• Garlic - A traditional flavoring ingredient in Tzatziki Sauce. Finely mince or press the garlic to avoid having large pieces in the finished sauce.

• Salt & pepper - Salt and pepper seasons the sauce, while salt is also used to draw out the cucumber's liquid before mixing it into the sauce base.

How to Make Tzatziki Sauce:

Making a batch of homemade Tzatziki Sauce is really quite easy, and the process begins with preparing the cucumbers -- a signature element of this classic Greek sauce.

The first step in preparing the cucumbers is choosing the right one. -- We recommend choosing English cucumbers, which are sometimes called "seedless" cucumbers. English cucumbers are the longer, thinner, darker green cucumbers that are typically sold wrapped in plastic wrap at the grocery store.

While English cucumbers aren't truly seedless, their seeds are much smaller and thinner than those of regular cucumbers, and therefore tend to be less watery in the area around their seeds. You can substitute regular cucumber for the English cucumber to make Tzatziki, if you'd like. -- Just be sure to remove the seeds and use only the "fleshy" part of the cucumber.

Finely chop the cucumber and place it in a colander. Sprinkle it with salt, and then let the cucumber drain for about 15-20 minutes to release some of its liquid. -- It will probably release a couple of tablespoons or so.

You can grate the cucumbers on the large holes of a box grater if you'd like a finer cucumber texture. We just prefer the chunkier texture of them being finely chopped. If you grate the cucumber, still salt and drain it, just as directed with the finely chopped. 

Once the cucumber has drained, place it on a couple of layers of paper towels and squeeze and pat out any remaining liquid. Removing as much liquid as possible will help keep the Tzatziki Sauce from getting watery. (Some wateriness developing as the Tzatziki Sauce sits is inevitable. -- But we want to take steps to minimize it as much as possible.)

Then in a medium-sized bowl, stir together some plain Greek yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, dill, and a finely minced clove of garlic. Once these ingredients are mixed, stir in the drained cucumbers.

Many Tzatziki sauce recipes call for straining the yogurt to remove any liquid. We find this unnecessary due to Greek yogurt being so thick. That being said, if there's any liquid on the top of your Greek yogurt when you open the container, pour it off instead of stirring it back in.

Finish off the Tzatziki Sauce with a little salt and pepper, then cover and refrigerate the Tzatziki for about an hour to allow the flavors to meld.

Then you're good to go with enjoying its creamy deliciousness. Loaded with the fabulous flavors of cucumber, fresh dill, garlic, and lemon juice, homemade Tzatziki Sauce just pairs beautifully with so many things.

And truly, Tzatziki is so easy to make -- way easier than it is to say!

Recipe FAQs:

• How do you say "Tzatziki" Sauce? - Fortunately, Tzatziki Sauce is much easier to make than it is to say! Though there are a few slightly-different pronunciations for this classic Greek cucumber sauce, it's commonly pronounced tsah-see-key. The first syllable isn't a straight t or straight z sound, it's more of a blended t+s, and the emphasis goes on the second "see" syllable.

• What do you eat Tzatziki Sauce with? - Tzatziki Sauce goes wonderfully with so many things! It's the sauce traditionally served with the Greek dishes, gyros and souvlaki. It's also great paired with chicken, pork, grilled vegetables, pita bread or pita chips, as a dip with fresh vegetables, or used as a creamy salad dressing. 

• Does Tzatziki Sauce have to be refrigerated?- Yes, it's best to store this Greek yogurt-based sauce in the refrigerator.

• How long does homemade Tzatziki Sauce last in the refrigerator? - Typically, homemade Tzatziki Sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for up to about 1 to 2 weeks when made with fresh yogurt and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Keep in mind, if you make Tzatziki Sauce with Greek yogurt close to its expiration date, its storage time will be less -- it can only last as long at the yogurt it's made with.

 

• Can you make Tzatziki Sauce with sour cream? - Yes, you can make Tzatziki Sauce with sour cream, though it is traditionally made with yogurt as its base. Simply substitute the same amount of sour cream for the Greek yogurt, and proceed with the recipe as directed. The flavor will be slightly different and the texture will be a little thinner, but it will still taste great.

Check out these other tasty sauce and dip recipes:

• How to Make Hummus
• Sweet Potato Hummus
• Mixed Olive Tapenade
• 7-Layer Greek Dip
• Loaded Hummus Dip
• Creamy Feta Dip
• Homemade Boursin Cheese Spread
• More appetizer & snack recipes

Thank you for stopping by The Kitchen is My Playground. We'd love to have you back soon!

tzatziki sauce, homemade tzatziki sauce, how to make tzatziki sauce, Greek yogurt cucumber sauce

sauce

Greek

Yield: about 2 cups

Author: Tracey | The Kitchen is My Playground

How to Make Tzatziki Sauce

Creamy and flavorful, classic Greek Tzatziki Sauce is way easier to make than it is to say! This cucumber and Greek yogurt-based sauce is loaded with flavor and pairs beautifully with oh-so many things. Follow the steps below on how to make Tzatziki Sauce to easily whip up your own tasty batch at home.

Prep time: 15 MinInactive time: 1 H & 20 MTotal time: 1 H & 35 M

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 c. plain Greek yogurt
• 1 c. finely chopped peeled English "seedless" cucumber (about 1 cucumber)
• 2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
• 2 - 3 T. chopped fresh dill
• 1 garlic clove, very finely minced
• 1/2 tsp. salt + more, to taste
• pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Place finely chopped cucumber in a colander. Sprinkle with the 1/2 teaspoon salt and drain for 15-20 minutes to release some of the cucumber's liquid.
2. Place drained cucumbers on a couple of layers of paper towels; squeeze and pat out any remaining liquid.
3. In a medium-sized bowl, stir together Greek yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, dill, and garlic. Stir in drained cucumbers.
4. Add salt and pepper, to taste. (We add 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper.)
5. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour to allow the flavors to meld.

TRACEY'S NOTES:

1. You can substitute regular cucumber for the English cucumber. Just be sure to remove the seeds and use only the "fleshy" part of the cucumber.
2. Many Tzatziki sauce recipes call for straining the yogurt to remove any liquid. We find this unnecessary due to Greek yogurt being so thick. That being said, if there's any liquid on the top of your Greek yogurt when you open the container, pour it off instead of stirring it back in.
3. You can grate the cucumbers on the large holes of a box grater if you'd like a finer cucumber texture. Still salt and drain them, as directed in the recipe.
4. Store the Tzatziki sauce in the refrigerator for up to about 1 week, possibly longer if the Greek yogurt used to prepare it was very fresh.

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