Learn how to make our favorite Tzatziki sauce recipe! This homemade Greek dip will knock your socks off; it's so easy to make and tastes amazing! Serve it with your favorite gyros or top your favorite salad.
Why This Recipe is the Best
This homemade tzatziki sauce is one of those simple, fresh recipes that we find ourselves making again and again. It comes together quickly with just a few ingredients, yet the flavor is anything but basic.
The combination of creamy Greek yogurt, crisp cucumber, garlic, and lemon makes it the perfect companion to gyros, Greek salads, and grilled meats. It's light, tangy, and refreshing-everything you want in a summer sauce or dip. Plus, it tastes just like the tzatziki you'd find at your favorite Mediterranean spot!
Try our homemade Peanut Sauce, Buffalo Sauce, and our classic hummus recipe.
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Key Ingredients
Making your own Tzatziki sauce? We've got you covered with all the best ingredients while still keeping it quick easy.
- Greek yogurt- Use any fat content for this recipe. Make sure to use plain Greek yogurt.
- Lemon juice- Adds a tangy zest while also complementing the garlic flavor.
- Garlic- For the freshest flavor, be sure to use minced garlic. You can use garlic powder in a pinch.
- Dill- This is optional and not traditionally used in authentic tzatziki, but it's a very popular add-in.
- Cucumber- We like using English cucumbers. You can use regular cucumbers or even mini cucumbers.
How to make Tzatziki
Learn how to make homemade Tzatziki sauce in just a few easy steps. It will be ready in no time at all.
- Add all of the ingredients into a small smoothie blender. If you don't have a smoothie blender, a food processor or a traditional blender works as well.
- Blend until smooth. Chill and serve.
Hint: You'll get a little more than 1 cup when making this recipe.
How To Serve
Use this as a dip or dressing! You can add it to pasta salad and regular salad as a dressing. We also love rice bowls, salmon, chicken, and pitas. You can also use it as a chicken marinade. Mix it with tuna, or dip your falafel! Add it to our chickpea salad or Mediterranean Bowl.
We love adding it to our Chicken Shawarma bowl with Tahini Sauce, dressing, and chicken shawarma.
Top tip
Blend it in a smoothie cup for a smooth experience, otherwise just stir it all together for a normal, thick, chunky tzatziki.
Recipe
Tzatziki Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt any fat content
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ⅛ teaspoon salt or more, to taste
- ¼ teaspoon dill optional, see note 1
- ⅓ long English cucumber see note 2
Instructions
- Finely mince the cucumber. Place Greek yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, salt and dill (if using) in a smallish mixing bowl. Stir with a spoon until well combined. Stir in the minced cucumber. Serve or refrigerate immediately.
- For a smooth tzatziki sauce, add all ingredients to a food processor or a blender (I like to use a smoothie cup attachment) and blend until smooth.
Video
Notes
- Dill isn't technically a traditional tzatziki sauce ingredient, but is a very popular add-in. If you are a dill fan, feel free to stir in the dill or garnish the tzatziki with it.
- Any type of cucumber is fine. For a regular cucumber, use about half. If you're using snack size cucumbers, around 2-3, depending on size.
- This recipe yields about 1 ⅓ cups.
Nutrition
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Substitutions and Variations
There are some great substitutions if you don't want to use Greek yogurt. You can even make it vegan/dairy-free!
- Vegan/dairy-free- Make sure to use vegan Greek yogurt to make it a dairy-free/vegan option. Substitute at a 1:1 ratio.
- Sour cream- Add a zesty flavor by substituting half of the Greek yogurt for sour cream.
- Cottage cheese- For a creamy taste, try substituting half the Greek yogurt for blended and smooth cottage cheese.
- Spicy- Add a little spice by finely chopping a jalapeno and stirring it in!
Tahini vs Tzatziki
Tahini and tzatziki may sound similar, but they're quite different in flavor and ingredients! Used in Middle East dishes, Tahini is a rich, creamy paste made from ground sesame seeds with a slightly nutty taste.
Tzatziki, on the other hand, is a cool, tangy sauce made from yogurt, cucumber, and garlic. It has a refreshing and herby flavor that's popular in Greek food.
How Long Does Tzatziki last?
Store your Tzatziki in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Its freshness will depend on how fresh the yogurt you use is.
Can you freeze Tzatziki? We don't recommend freezing Tzatziki for a couple of reasons. The yogurt will create a weird texture when it thaws. It's also not a good idea to freeze cucumbers.
Andrea says
Love making this fresh and easy Taziki Sauce. I love adding it to greek salads, and pitas!