This easy Homemade Tzatziki Sauce recipe is made with Greek yogurt, cucumber, garlic, and fresh herbs. It’s a cool, creamy, and tangy sauce that tastes delicious served with raw or grilled veggies, pita chips, salads, and in wraps or sandwiches.
Greek Tzatziki takes just a few minutes to throw together and adds a cool and refreshing flavor to pita sandwiches and falafel. Or it can be used as a dip for vegetables, pita chips, or on appetizer platters.
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Homemade Tzatziki Sauce Recipe
This Homemade Greek Tzatziki recipe takes just a few minutes and is mostly made in a food processor. The only real trick is making sure to properly strain the grated cucumber before adding to the rest of the ingredients so you don’t end up with a watery sauce.
The flavors of cool cucumber, raw garlic, tangy yogurt, and fresh herbs are only made more delicious by allowing the sauce to sit for a few minutes before eating so that the flavors meld. You can store this sauce for up to 5 days in the fridge, but it usually gets eaten in one sitting at my house.
Tzatziki Sauce Ingredients
- Greek Yogurt - you can use full fat Greek Yogurt or light Greek Yogurt for this recipe. If the yogurt you are using happens to have a lot of liquid, it’s a good idea to strain it through cheesecloth before using. Otherwise your Tzatziki sauce will be watery.
- Cucumber - I like to use English cucumbers as they have far fewer seeds. But really any kind of cucumber will work well. They should be peeled and grated or shredded. I recommend also straining the excess liquid from the grated cucumber through cheesecloth before adding it to the rest of the ingredients.
- Olive Oil - olive oil is great or you could substitute avocado oil.
- Lemon - for the best flavor, be sure to use fresh squeezed lemon juice and fresh lemon zest.
- Garlic - you can add the fresh minced garlic to taste. If you know you prefer a little less, just use one clove.
- Salt and Pepper
- Parsley - chopped fresh parsley makes a great garnish. Fresh dill is another good option.
How to Make the Best Tzatziki Sauce
- Prepare the cucumber. Peel and shred or grate the cucumber using a box grater (or dice very finely). Transfer cucumber to a bowl lined with cheesecloth and allow to sit while you prep the rest of the ingredients.
- Blend the ingredients. Once you are ready, squeeze the juice from the cucumber through the cheesecloth. In a food processor, add the Greek yogurt, grated cucumber, olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, and the grated garlic cloves. Add pepper and salt to taste, then mix until combined.
- Store or use. Transfer to a glass jar or other airtight container and store for up to 5 days in the fridge. Serve with veggies, pita chips, or on your favorite wrap or sandwich. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
No—Tzatziki Sauce does not freeze well. The textures of the yogurt and cucumber in particular become watery and mushy when frozen and thawed. Since this recipe is so quick and easy to make, I highly recommend just making it fresh.
The main flavors in Tzatziki Sauce are the creamy and tangy Greek yogurt, cool cucumber, garlic, and fresh herbs. It’s a very fresh tasting sauce that is great for using as a dip for veggies, pita chips, or Middle East-inspired sandwiches like falafel.
The main reasons why your homemade Tzatziki Sauce may become watery is if you didn’t properly strain your cucumbers after grating, or if you should have used strained yogurt. Be sure to let the grated cucumber sit for a few minutes and then squeeze out the excess moisture before adding to the rest of the ingredients. As for the yogurt, if your Greek yogurt is on the thinner side, strain it through cheesecloth to remove some of the moisture.
Storing Instructions
- Refrigerator: store in an airtight container for 3-5 days in the fridge. If you notice a little water settling on top, just mix it in before serving again.
Homemade Tzatziki Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups Plain Greek Yogurt
- 1½ cups Cucumber peeled and shredded (about 1 whole cucumber)
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 medium Lemon zested and juiced
- 2 cloves Garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Pepper
- 2 Tablespoons Parsley chopped
Instructions
- Peel and shred or grate the cucumber using a box grater (or dice very finely). Transfer cucumber to a bowl lined with cheesecloth and allow to sit while you prep the rest of the ingredients.
- Once you are ready, squeeze the juice from the cucumber through the cheesecloth. In a food processor, add the Greek yogurt, grated cucumber, olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, and the grated garlic cloves. Add pepper and salt to taste, then mix until combined.
- Transfer to a glass jar or other airtight container and store for up to 5 days in the fridge. Serve with veggies, pita chips, or on your favorite wrap or sandwich. Enjoy!
Nutrition
More Easy Sauce and Dip Recipes
- Olive Oil Dip for Bread
- Everything Bagel Seasoning Dip
- BLT Dip
- Homemade Ranch Dressing
- Southwest Ranch Dressing
- More Dip Recipes
- More Easy Appetizer Recipes
This easy Tzatziki recipe takes less than 15 minutes to prepare and tastes delicious on so many Greek and Middle Eastern wraps, sandwiches, and appetizers. It's made with creamy Greek yogurt, cool cucumber, raw garlic, and fresh herbs.
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