Let’s make homemade tzatziki! With just a few simple ingredients like grated cucumber, creamy Greek yogurt, dill, and zingy lemon, this quick and easy tzatziki recipe is super versatile, and a refreshing sauce, dressing, dip or spread.
Greece is pretty far up there in my list of favorite countries, and this is probably largely due to it being the home of the best sauce known to man, TZATZIKI!
But first, what is tzatziki? Tzatziki (pronounced tuh·ZEE·kee) is a yogurt- and cucumber-based sauce that originates in Southeast Europe and Middle Eastern cuisine.
And while I’d like to begin a business of importing tzatziki to then redistribute across all of America so everyone might bask in its glory, I will instead just give you the secrets to the world’s best Tzatziki recipe. This is one of my favorite recipes in the realm of homemade dips and sauces (rivaled only by homemade hummus and this easy baba ganoush).
What yogurt do you use for tzatziki?
To make homemade tzatziki, you’ll need to get yourself some good, plain Greek yogurt. For best results, strain the moisture from the yogurt by spooning it into a cheesecloth (or a few layer of paper towels), setting it into a mesh sieve, and letting the excess moisture drip out.
Do you peel cucumber to make tzatziki?
Short answer: you don’t have to! To make the World’s Best Tzatziki recipe you’ll need a cup of cucumber (1 big or 2 small, you can guestimate). If yours has seeds, get those outa there before anything. I like to leave the peel on for more nutrients and fiber (it doesn’t compromise the flavor)!
Sprinkle with a touch of salt then lay the cucumber out flat on a few layers of paper towels and let sit while you prepare the other ingredients. The salt helps to draw out moisture from the cucumber!
How do you make Greek tzatziki?
After you have your thick Greek yogurt and shredded cucumber, the rest is pretty simple. Finely chop 1 tablespoons of dill, mince 2 cloves of garlic, and measure out 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or white wine vinegar. You can let the yogurt sit for a few hours, or zero hours if you’re like me and want tzatziki NOW! Mix it all together and voila! You have a healthy, low carb tzatziki sauce with just 5 minutes of hands-on work.
Is tzatziki healthy?
This sauce became a favorite of mine while I was studying nutrition, because not only is it packed with flavor, but it’s also healthy!
To really know if tzatziki is healthy, you’ve got to look at its main ingredient – Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt is a healthy nutrition powerhouse, containing more protein than its traditional yogurt counterpart. Add in to that the fiber-packed cucumber and antioxidant-heavy lemon juice and you have yourself a healthy tzatziki sauce!
This recipe is suitable for either full-fat or nonfat Greek yogurt. But what does the fat percentage in Greek yogurt mean? Full-fat greek yogurt is usually 5%, meaning it is 5% of fat by weight. Nonfat Greek yogurt, on the other hand, has had all the fat removed. They both have their benefits, with full-fat providing a richer mouthfeel and more satiation, while nonfat has far less calories. The choice is yours!
Ingredient tip
Speaking of using different fat contents, you can also use sour cream to make tzatziki! It can be used 1:1 for the yogurt, or you can simply replace some of the yogurt with sour cream. The fat content of most sour creams is about 20%, making sour cream tzatziki ultra-creamy and rich.
Uses For Tzatziki Sauce
Tzatziki is great as a veggie or bread dip, but it can also be used in a number of Mediterranean inspired recipes!
- Roasted Chickpea Gyros
- Mediterranean Roasted Veggies
- Portobello Mushroom Gyros
- Mediterranean Kale Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups plain Greek yogurt 480 g, can use dairy-free
- 1 cup shredded or diced cucumber 200 g
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice or white wine vinegar 30 mL
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 Tbsp chopped dill
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Thicken yogurt: Strain yogurt using a cheesecloth or paper towel for 30 minutes to 3 hours to remove excess moisture (can skip this step if you're in a hurry).
- Prep cucumber: Meanwhile, sprinkle a pinch of salt onto shredded or diced cucumber and spoon into cheesecloth or paper towels. Let sit for a few minutes then wring it out to draw out moisture.
- Mix: Mix together yogurt, cucumber, dill, garlic, and lemon. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Tips & Tricks
Nutrition Information
Fun fact: This was the very first recipe posted on Live Eat Learn! Here’s a photo from way back when I first published it. Thanks so much for stopping by and for making easy recipes like this tzatziki possible.
Sherry says
Can’t wait to try it.
Sarah says
Let me know how it goes, Sherry! 🙂
Emily says
Made this just now along with the roasted chickpea gyros! So delicious! You can enjoy this with just about anything, 🙂
Sarah says
I always make extra so I can put it on salads and use it as a dip for the whole week 🙂 Plus the flavors get better after a day or two. So happy to hear you liked it!
Desiree Johnson says
I made these over the weekend and they were fabulous! I used smoked spanish paprika, so the chickpeas had a nice smokey flavor. I will definitely make these again.
Sarah says
Oh sounds delicious! I bet the smokey flavor paired well with the tzatziki. So happy you enjoyed it!
laurie says
NOT MY USUAL KIND OF MEAL, BUT HAVE BEEN WNATING TO TRY GYROS. EVEN HUBBY LIKED THEM! VERY GOOD AND INTERESTING FLAVOR
Sarah says
Happy to hear, Laurie! 🙂
Casey says
Making these tonight with the roasted chick pea Gyros and fresh pitas 🙂 the only thing that rubs me wrong is the suggestion to buy low-fat yogurt- noted that it’s good for you, as if the whole milk version is a less healthy choice. Not true! To each their own but from my own research I choose to buy the whole milk yogurt. This tzaziki will be delicious regardless and I look forward to the meal!
Sarah says
Hi Casey, thanks so much for dropping by and I hope your gyros turned out tasty! Regarding the fat content of the yogurt, I tend to go for low fat yogurts as the whole milk yogurts are high in saturated fat, but the other macros aren’t actually all that affected. Let’s look at the nutrition for Fage’s Total yogurt:
1 cup of full fat yogurt has 220 calories, 11 g fat, 9 g carbs, and 20 g protein.
1 cup 0% fat yogurt has 130 calories, 0 g fat, 9 g carbs, and 23 g protein.
While I’m not the type to go replacing everything with a low fat alternative (low fat mayonnaise should be against the law it’s so awful), looking at the macros and comparing the ingredients leads me to choose the low fat yogurts.
But yes, to each their own! This recipe is great with whichever variety of Greek yogurt suits you! 🙂
Jessica says
Hi how long can I store this until it starts going bad?
Sarah says
Hi Jessica, I try to eat mine within 5 to 7 or so days. (But the flavor is BEST on the second day, after all the flavors have really blended together)
Joelle says
I buy the giant tub of Fage 0% at Costco, and just recently got on a cottage cheese and fruit kick instead, so I had lots of yogurt on hand. Hubby LOVES tzatziki, and usually buys that at Costco as well. Long story short, I thought we had plenty, and after we came home from Costco, realized I was wrong. Whipped this up and it’s TITS! So delicious and much tastier than the one we thought we liked. Stupid easy too! Thanks so much:)
Sarah says
Hahah so happy to hear, Joelle! If you’re like me you probably put it on EVERYTHING, so the batches never last long 😉 Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting!
Shaila says
Made this for dinner, the whole family loved it. Since I have meat eaters I cooked a turkey tenderloin and sliced it up, just as delicious without.
Sarah says
So happy to hear, Shaila! Did you put the tzatziki on the turkey as well? Sounds like that would be a good flavor combo as well!
Shaila says
We did and it was just as delicious!
Dani says
Amaziiiing, and so easy to do once you find the cheesecloth! (used a triangular gauze I had hidden in my medikit and worked perfectly)
Sarah says
Haha I love your outside the box thinking, Dani! I usually use a paper towel if I don’t have cheesecloth, but medical gauze works well too! 🙂
Felicia says
I had to substitute lemon for lime (note *it does not take quite as much) because that’s what I had on hand. My husband was skeptical about it, but he really liked it!!
Billie says
Your recipes look delish. Can’t wait to try the gyro. Tzatziki looks good too. A little secret for our Tzatziki in Greece is to add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil to it. Not only does it make it more tasty but adds all the benefits of olive oil too.
Sarah says
Thanks so much, Billie! And you’re so right about the olive oil. I drizzle a little bit in sometimes and definitely adds a boost of flavor (and healthy fats!) 🙂
bill Bradley says
I noticed in your directions, you call for 2 tbs. chopped dill. The ingredients say 1 tbs. chopped dill. Just thought i’d mention it.
Sarah says
Hey Bill, thanks so much for catching that! It should be 1 Tbsp 🙂
Sherry says
Made this with the gyro recipe for lunch today and it was excellent!!! Thanks for sharing!
Sarah says
So happy to hear, Sherry!! 🙂
Noel says
I made this with 4 cloves of garlic and instead of vinegar or lemon juice, used the liquid from Kosher dill pickles but also cut up dill sprigs and used a little lemon juice. It is fantastic. Got the recipe from a Greek restaurant that makes it’s own tatziki and pita bread and it was the best I’ve ever tasted. I do drain the yogurt and cucumbers and it stays thick and creamy.
Sarah says
Oh that sounds great! I’m not particularly fond of pickles, but I bet the acidity would be great in this! And I LOVE homemade pita. Have you tried it?
Livia says
Hi Sarah,
Can I use dill seasoning (dry) instead of fresh dill?
Sarah says
Hi Livia! Absolutely! Just substitute fresh dill with 1/3 dry (so 1 teaspoon of dry dill)
Tina Sommer says
Here’s another tip for a promising youthful cook – Never use artificial lemon juice!
Especially if you’re going through the trouble to make your own Tzatsiki sauce. Always fresh!
Sarah says
Thanks for the tip! 😀 I use real lemons much more often nowadays.
james says
Just made, yummy right from the bowl, but have no fresh dill, I have some mint in garden???? Thoughts?
Sarah says
Hey James! I haven’t tried it with mint before but another reader did and said it was tasty! Perhaps mix the mint into half of it and taste. Otherwise, I make it without dill quite often and it’s still tasty 😀
Angela says
This is perfect thank you! Delicious~
Sarah says
Happy to hear, Angela! 😀
Juana de la Gaviota says
Re leaving the cucumber unpeeled: Supermarket cucumbers have a coating as a preservative, and most people don’t realize it. I do–it’s wax., and it’s awful.
If you don’t believe me, buy a cucumber at a supermarket and another at a farmer’s market and see how long each lasts in the fridge.
Sarah says
Thanks for the tip, Juana! 😀
John Harlow says
Sounds good. Mine is very similar but I add a touch of Olive Oil and a bit of sour cream to make it richer.
Sarah says
Sounds nice, John! I also tend to add some good olive oil (when I remember to), but haven’t tried the sour cream before!
Allie says
Like John, always use our cream and olive oil. Both make a noticeable difference.
Thanks for posting this recipe.
Sarah says
Sounds like I’ll have to try it out next time! It’s hard to find sour cream here in the Netherlands, so perhaps I’ll try with crème freche.
Melanie Witte says
I grew up with this stuff in Germany. We make it half Greek yoghurt and half sour cream or even creme fraiche. Using low-fat or even fat-free versions is an absolute no-no.
Sarah says
I like the crème fraiche idea! I’ll have to try it next time 😀
Weedpicker565 says
I had to buy the cuke’s cause they are not ready yet but the garden gave me dill and the tips of the garlic plants. Using vegan yogurt. Anyone know how to make vegan yogurt?
I’ll let you know how it goes…big fireworks party tonight!!!
Sarah says
Minimalist Baker has a great tutorial on how to make vegan coconut yogurt here. Hope you had a fun fireworks party! 😀
Dan says
Please – try not to use Dill in tzatziki. everything else looks fine.
Sarah says
Hi Dan, do you not like dill? You can easily omit it from this recipe (but it is an ingredient in traditional tzatziki, so I’ve included it). 😀
Cate says
I was thinking of making this but I can’t get past the bottled, fake lemon juice. I don’t understand why someone would use this when buying and prepping other fresh ingredients. Slicing and squeezing a fresh lemon is so simple and inexpensive. Bottled lemon tastes horrible, is more costly, not to mention entirely Eco-unfriendly.
Sarah says
Hi Cate! I actually agree, but made this recipe long ago when I didn’t entirely know the difference (it’s actually the first recipe on the blog!) Will be remaking the post soon with updated ingredients and photos 😀 Thanks for pointing that out!
William R Homberg says
You can use cheap cotton dish towels to drain the liquids. Just set the towel on a sieve or colander and the juice should drain. The towels are also strong enough to squeeze out if you are in a hurry.
Sarah says
Thanks for the tip William! 😀
Natalie says
Doubled the garlic 😃,and added a TOUCH of fresh mint….can’t WAIT to try it in a few hours….so far so FABULOUS!!
Sarah says
No shame in more garlic! And I love the mint idea, will have to try it next time 😀
Olga says
Sarah, it looks perfect and tasty! Can’t wait to have this anytime of the day, love it!
Sarah says
Thanks so much, Olga! 😀
Brooke @ The Inspired Abode says
We’re making this today for Mediterranean lunch boxes & can’t wait!! Such a good call to strain the moisture out of the yogurt & cucumber!
Sarah says
Yumm enjoy, Brooke!! 😀 Straining does WONDERS for this tzatziki!
Allison George says
I love the recipe can I continue getting a recipe and emails thank you very much
Sarah says
Thanks Allison! You can subscribe to email recipes here if you’re interested 😀
Jenny says
This was seriously amazing! The best tzatziki I’ve ever eaten! Super easy too. I used mint and dill, and it was wonderful!
Sarah says
Yay, so happy to hear Jenny!! 😀 The mint sounds like a tasty addition!
Ryan Andrew Berends says
Very good right out of the mixing. We didn’t dry the yogurt or the cucumber because we were hungry and it was late. Put in the chick pea gyros and went to town. It was delicious as it was. Looking forward to having it tomorrow after it sits for a bit!
Sarah says
I do this often too! Sometimes you just can’t wait 😀 Happy you liked it and the gyros!
Jessica santiago says
This looks so yummy gonna try and make it tonight fingers crossed it tastes as good as it looks
Sarah says
I hope you’ll love it as much as we do, Jessica! 😀
Wesley Bielinski says
Except for the dill, this is Alton Brown’s recipe for Tzatziki with the same directions to remove moisture from both yogurt and cucumbers.
Sarah says
I believe he also uses mint and red wine vinegar, which I’m not a huge fan of in my tzatziki. But generally the principles are the same!
Jane says
So freaking good! Loved this recipe!
Sarah says
Yay! Glad you enjoyed it, Jane! 😀
Patti Goodman says
Dang it!! I’m all set to make this, but I forgot the dill!!!!! Any way I could possibly use a dash of dill pickle juice instead?? I do have cilantro, but that’s not dilly lol
Sarah says
Ah that’s always the worst missing just 1 ingredient! Fortunately in this case the recipe us fine without the dill 😀
Patti Goodman says
I actually did put about a tablespoon of dill pickle juice along with the lemon juice, cukes and some chopped cilantro. It was delish but next time I will make it per recipe lol
Sarah says
Haha, always good to experiment though! 😀
Brenda says
Delicious
Everyone loved it
Sarah says
So happy to hear, Brenda! 😀
Vikki says
I tried another tzatziki recipe and it was very disappointed by the bitter taste…! Your recipe was delicious and as close to others i have tasted…! Thank you for this recipe….! Now my keeper..!
Sarah Bond says
So happy to hear it, Vikki! 😀
Jill says
Keep that cucumber juice for a delicious cocktail! I added club soda, a splash of gin and a bit of simple syrup.
Sarah says
Such a great idea! 😀
James says
Thank you for providing this tzatziki recipe. Local Sams Club has gyro meat for sandwiches but stopped carrying the sauce. My wife and adult stepdaughter have never had gyro sandwiches and I have been trying to get a healthier diet for us so this is one of the changes from hamburgers and other high fat foods they are used to eating.
Sarah says
Happy you could find this recipe then! Enjoy! 😀
Jamie Lewis says
Great recipe! I love this! My family enjoyed this recipe with our Gyros today,
Sarah says
So happy to hear it, Jamie! 😀
Tracy L Crews says
I always use this recipe and get rave reviews of my taziki! Thanks Sarah!
I never strain my yogurt as i have a favorite brand that works great! Siggs!
If i don’t have cheesecloth I just use a thin dish towel – but definitely you need to strain and squeeze those cucumbers!
Sarah says
Yay! So happy you’re loving this recipe 😀 I’ll have to try that brand, it’d be nice not to have to strain the yogurt!
angeline says
Can tzstziki be frozen
Sarah says
I wouldn’t recommend it, I think the texture would become gritty when thawed.
Alisha says
Love this! Was searching for easy dips for our dinner tonight and ran across Sarah’s website. I am excited to try this dip and will be back for more!
Sandra says
This turned out delicious, but it makes a lot! I wish I had halved the amount of yogurt as it was just for the two of us but taste wise this was great!
PkM says
Like using dill instead of mint! Good quick recipe.
Charlotte Hammond says
Can’t wait to try this I love this kinda sauce😊😋
Ray Lottriet says
Came out amazing. We addicted to this. Eat it with everything.
Maggie says
Made this and it was great never left the cucumber skin on before ,it made it more crunchy , awesome 😎