Tzatziki Sauce
This post may contain affiliate links.
It’s easy to make homemade Tzatziki Sauce in just 10 minutes with this simple 5 ingredient recipe. This Greek cucumber yogurt sauce is delicious as a dip with pita bread and veggies, or drizzled over gyros or falafel for a flavorful meal!
Why this recipe is the best
I first made this tzatziki sauce recipe back in 2019 to drizzle over these delicious Greek meatballs. Since then, I’ve been serving it as a dip and drizzling it over dozens of different recipes.
Over the years, I’ve learned a few secrets that makes this the best tzatziki sauce ever! You know it’s good when you’re sharing it with your Greek friends. They’re very serious about their tzatziki sauce!
- The seasoning. After coming home from a trip to Greece in 2023, inspired by the delicious herbs and flavors in all of the Greek food, I made a homemade Greek seasoning. This way I could recreate the flavor of my favorite Greek dishes right from my kitchen in California. I use the seasoning in this tzatziki sauce to give it a bold Greek flavor!
- The cucumber. Over the years I’ve tested and perfected the perfect ratio of grated cucumber to Greek yogurt resulting in a sauce that’s not too runny and has the perfect texture for dipping and drizzling!
- The yogurt. After coming home from Greece, I wanted to find a Greek yogurt in the states that was as close as I could get to what I was eating in Greece. I taste tested several national brands and today I’m going to share my favorites, so you can make an authentic tzatziki sauce at home, that tastes just like it came from the islands of Greece!
Ingredients
Here I explain the best ingredients for this tzatziki sauce recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For the exact ingredient measurements, see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Cucumber – I recommend an english cucumber for this recipe. The skin is thin, making it easy to peel and this variety of cucumber is seedless, so you don’t have to worry about seeds getting in your tzatziki sauce. You’ll need ¾ cup grated cucumber, which you should get from one large cucumber, about ½ pound in weight.
- Greek yogurt – always use plain Greek Yogurt, without any added flavors. I recommend a high quality, whole milk Greek yogurt for the best flavor. While the yogurt used to make tzatziki sauce in Greece is made with sheeps milk, that’s very hard to find in the US, so I tested this recipe with Greek Gods (pictured above) and Chobani. I would recommend both of these brands. They have a better taste and texture than the other brands of Greek yogurt that I tested.
- Olive oil
- White vinegar (or fresh lemon juice) – you want to add just a hint of acidity to the sauce. This can be done with a teaspoon of vinegar or fresh lemon juice. I’ve made this sauce with both options over the years, and they both work great.
- Greek seasoning – click the link for my homemade spice blend that features a variety of Greek herbs and spices. You can make it ahead and store it in the pantry for up to 6 months, so you’ll have it on hand whenever you want to mix up a batch of this tzatziki sauce. If you prefer not to use the dried seasoning mix, you can combine fresh grated garlic with salt, fresh dill, and fresh mint.
Instructions
I’ve included step by step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full detailed recipe instructions, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Grate the cucumber. Use a vegetable peeler to peel the cucumber, then use a box grater to grate the cucumber. Place the grated cucumber in the middle of a thick towel, or three layers of paper towels, then wring the cucumber dry in the towel over the sink. You want to make sure to get as much liquid out as possible, or you risk the tzatziki sauce ending up runny. Measure out ¾ cup of the grated cucumber and add it to a medium bowl.
- Combine the cucumber with the other ingredients. Add Greek yogurt, olive oil, white vinegar and Greek seasoning to the bowl with the grated cucumber. Stir to combine. Place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes before serving This will allow the flavors to meld together.
You can store the prepared tzatziki sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 6 days.
Ways to serve it
This tzatziki recipe is delicious served as a sauce with a meal, or as a dip for a side dish or appetizer.
When serving it as an appetizer, I recommend serving pita chips, warm slices of pita bread, or fresh vegetables on the side for dipping. Fresh veggies like cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, broccoli, celery, and carrots all pair well with the tzatziki sauce.
When serving it as a sauce with a meal, it’s delicious as a spread in a sandwich or wraps. It also pairs perfectly with any of these delicious main dishes.
More Greek recipes
If you’re looking for more authentic Greek recipes, look no further than these delicious dishes, inspired by my time in Greece.
Tzatziki Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 large English cucumber, about ½ pound in weight
- 2 cups plain whole milk greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar, or fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons Greek seasoning, click link for the recipe *see notes below
Instructions
- Peel and grate the cucumber, then place the grated cucumber in the middle of a thick, or doubled-up, paper towel. Wring the cucumber dry in the paper towel over the sink.
- Measure out ¾ cup of the grated cucumber and add it to a bowl with the Greek yogurt, olive oil, white vinegar and Greek seasoning.
- Stir until fully combined, then place it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving. Store the prepared sauce in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 6 days.
Notes
- If you prefer to use fresh herbs, instead of the Greek seasoning, use a combination of 5 cloves fresh grated garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons fresh chopped dill and 2 tablespoons fresh chopped mint.
Nutrition Facts
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
