Tzatziki Sauce
Tzatziki sauce is a quintessential Greek condiment for its creamy texture, tangy flavor, and versatility. Made with yogurt, cucumbers, garlic, and various herbs and spices, tzatziki is the perfect accompaniment to many Mediterranean dishes.
With this simple and easy-to-follow recipe, you can enjoy the creamy goodness of tzatziki right in your own home! The ingredients for this “wicked easy” tzatziki sauce recipe are cucumber, whole-milk Greek yogurt, garlic, olive oil, fresh lemon juice, parsley, dill, mint (optional), salt and pepper. However, experiment with the ingredients and make it your own by adjusting the herbs and garlic to suit your taste preferences!
Prepare the Cucumber: English cucumbers are firm and have very little seeds, therefore you can grate as is. If using a domestic cucumber, you may want to quarter first and remove the seeds before grating. Skin on or skin off is personal preference. I happen to like the specks of green skin in my sauce. Using a box grater, grate the cucumber using the largest holes.
Transfer the grated cucumber to a fine-mesh strainer that is set over a medium bowl. Stir in a 1/2 teaspoon of salt into the cucumber. Let stand for 10 minutes and then use the back of a spoon to press the cucumber against the strainer to extract the liquid. An alternative method is to place the grated cucumber into a clean kitchen towel and twist to squeeze out the excess liquid.
By removing and discarding the excess liquid from the cucumbers, the quality of your finished sauce will be thick and creamy.
In a medium-sized bowl, combine the Greek yogurt, minced garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, and fresh chopped herbs.
Fold in the grated cucumber and stir until all the ingredients are well combined.
Add salt and pepper to taste. Keep in mind that the flavors will intensify as the tzatziki sauce chills, so be conservative with the salt at this stage.
Transfer the tzatziki sauce to a serving bowl and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving to allow the flavors to meld and the sauce to cool, enhancing its taste.
Before serving, you can garnish your tzatziki with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of fresh herbs form a decorative touch. Serve chilled with pita bread, grilled meats, or as a dip for fresh vegetables.
Making homemade tzatziki sauce is a delightful culinary adventure that can elevate your Mediterranean-inspired dishes to a whole new level. With just a few simple ingredients and minimal effort, you can create a creamy, refreshing sauce that is perfect for dipping, drizzling, and enhancing the flavors of your favorite dishes. Give it a try and you will never go back to store-bought tzatziki again!
Tzatziki Sauce
Tzatziki is traditionally served as a dip or an accompaniment sauce to various appetizers and grilled meat dishes.
Equipment
- box grater
- 1 Strainer
- 1 Medium bowl
- 1 Spoon
Ingredients
- ½ each Cucumber (Seedless / English variety preferred)
- ½ tsp Kosher Salt, plus extra for taste
- 2 cups Whole Milk Greek Yogurt
- 2 each Garlic Cloves, minced
- 2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 Tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
- 1 Tbsp Fresh Dill Leaves, finely chopped
- 1 Tbsp Fresh Mint Leaves, finely chopped
- 1 Tbsp Fresh Parsley, finely chopped
- To Taste Black Pepper
Instructions
- Wash the cucumber, cut in half, and scoop out the majority of seeds using a spoon. English cucumbers have very little seeds and is therefore the preferred type. Using a box grater, grate the skin-on cucumber on the largest holes. If you do not have a grater, you can finely dice with a knife instead.
- Transfer the grated cucumber to a fine-mesh strainer that is set over a medium bowl. With spoon, stir in the ½ teaspoon of Kosher salt. Let the grated salted cucumber sit for around 10 minutes to extract its water. You can use the back of the spoon to periodically press the grated cucumber against the strainer to extract additional liquid. An alternative method is to place the salted grated cucumber in the center of a clean dish towel and then twist the towel, a few times to extract the liquid from the cucumber. Discard the extracted liquid from whichever method was used.
- Combine the remaining ingredients in a medium bowl. Add the grated cucumber and mix in. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until needed. Tzatziki can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
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