Homemade Tzatziki
This easy homemade tzatziki is made with plain Greek yogurt and garden-fresh cucumbers, and is a delicious dip or sauce.Make at least 2 hours before serving.Makes approximately 2 cups of sauce. Makes 32 conservative 1 TB servings, or about 6-8 larger servings.
Prep Time5 minutes mins
Resting Time2 hours hrs
Total Time2 hours hrs 5 minutes mins
Course: Snack
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Servings: 32 people
Calories: 9kcal
- 1 cucumber (medium-size)
- 2 cups plain Greek yogurt
- 2 cloves garlic (peeled)
- ½ lemon, juiced
- ½ teaspoon sea salt (to taste)
- 1 teaspoon olive oil (optional)
- 2 sprigs fresh dill, roughly chopped
Peel the cucumber, and scoop the seeds out with a spoon.Tip: The seeds and skin can add a bitter flavor to the sauce. Make sure not to skip this step! Add the cucumber, yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, and salt to a blender or food processor. Blend until creamy. (The sauce will be very runny at this point.)No Blender / Food Processor Alternative: Finely dice or grate the cucumber and garlic, and stir the ingredients together with a spoon. Strain the sauce for at least 2 hours by pouring it into an ultra fine mesh sieve or a mesh sieve lined with 2 layers of cheesecloth. Place the sauce in the fridge while it strains.
Just before serving, drizzle the sauce with olive oil (optional), and garnish with fresh dill.
Leftovers / Make Ahead: This sauce is best the first day, but can be refrigerated and used for 2-3 days.
How to Skip Straining:
- Use store-bought yogurt (it has added thickeners)
- Use grated or diced cucumber instead of blended. Wrap the cucumber in a towel, and wring out any excess water.
- You should still allow the sauce to rest for 2 hours in the fridge.
Serving Ideas:
- Veggie Dip
- Chip Dip
- Add to a gyro (Greek classic)
- Add to a veggie burger
Nutrition information does not include optional olive oil.
Calories: 9kcal | Protein: 1g | Sodium: 41mg | Potassium: 32mg | Vitamin A: 5IU | Vitamin C: 1.2mg | Calcium: 16mg