Tzatziki: Cucumber Yogurt Dip

Tzatziki: Cucumber Yogurt Dip

The Spruce / Julia Estrada

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Chill: 2 hrs
Total: 2 hrs 20 mins
Servings: 16 servings
Yield: 2 cups

Tzatziki (pronounced sat-ZEE-key, or cha-CHI-key in Greece) is a popular yogurt-based cucumber sauce. It's traditionally made with strained salted sheep's or goat's milk yogurt combined with cucumbers, garlic, and herbs. Cool and creamy, this tangy cucumber dip is the perfect complement to grilled meats and vegetables. It is often served on the side with warm bread for dipping, used as a condiment for souvlaki, or included on a meze platter. 

Breaking from tradition to make our recipe easier, we use uses store-bought Greek yogurt and vinegar. That combination could result in a rather tangy sauce, but cutting the yogurt in half and adding sour cream creates a smooth and mellow tzatziki without any bite.

Making this version of tzatziki is straightforward: Mix the ingredients and let it chill. However, you need to prep a couple of ingredients first to ensure your tzatziki is smooth and not runny. Most importantly, unless you use a seedless variety, you'll want to seed the cucumbers, then dice them and place in a colander to allow any liquid to drain off. And, while Greek yogurt is already strained, that can vary from one brand to the next, and some can have a bit of liquid. To ensure it's as thick as possible, place the yogurt in a cheesecloth-lined fine mesh strainer and let any liquid drip out before making the sauce.

This is one of those recipes that is better when made ahead of time. If you can, don't add the cucumber right away and let the yogurt mixture sit overnight in the fridge. This extra time allows the garlic to lose its sharpness and ensures that the flavors blend nicely before serving.

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar

  • 2 cloves garlic, finely minced

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 cup Greek yogurt, strained

  • 1 cup sour cream

  • 2 medium cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and diced

  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill, plus more for garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Tzatziki: Cucumber Yogurt Dip ingredients

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  2. In a medium bowl, combine the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix until well combined.

    Combine olive oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper in a bowl

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  3. Using a whisk, blend the yogurt with the sour cream in a separate bowl. Add the olive oil mixture to the yogurt mixture and mix well.

    blend the yogurt with the sour cream with the olive oil mixture

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

  4. Add the cucumbers and chopped fresh dill. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving and garnish with an additional sprinkle of fresh dill.

    Tzatziki: Cucumber Yogurt Dip in a bowl

    The Spruce / Julia Estrada

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
64 Calories
5g Fat
2g Carbs
2g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 16
Amount per serving
Calories 64
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 5g 7%
Saturated Fat 2g 9%
Cholesterol 9mg 3%
Sodium 76mg 3%
Total Carbohydrate 2g 1%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 1mg 5%
Calcium 35mg 3%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 77mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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