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This Greek yogurt-based sauce is incredibly simple to make and versatile. It is traditionally served with souvlaki and gyros, but we think there are many more possibilities beyond these dishes. Tzatziki can be used as a dip for veggies and whole-wheat pretzels (instead of bottled ranch dressing) or as sauce to pour over chicken. It’s also good thrown into a whole-wheat wrap or pita with vegetables like cucumber and tomatoes. We’ve even mixed it together with whole-wheat couscous and feta cheese…so get creative and enjoy!
Tzatziki Sauce
(pronounced zad-ZEE-kee). This Greek yogurt-based sauce is incredibly simple to make and versatile. It is traditionally served with souvlaki and gyros, but we think there are many more possibilities beyond these dishes
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Servings: 4 people
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Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups plain yogurt ((preferably the whole-milk variety, but any type will work))
- ½ cucumber (large, grated with a cheese grater)
- 1 clove garlic (minced)
- 1 tablespoon dill (fresh, finely chopped (or 1 teaspoon of dried dill))
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Can be served immediately, but it is even better if you let it sit for a few hours or overnight before serving.
Notes
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition Facts
Tzatziki Sauce
Amount Per Serving
Calories 93
Calories from Fat 63
% Daily Value*
Fat 7g11%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Cholesterol 12mg4%
Sodium 44mg2%
Potassium 193mg6%
Carbohydrates 5g2%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 120IU2%
Vitamin C 1.9mg2%
Calcium 116mg12%
Iron 0.1mg1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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Is there a substitution for red wine vinegar? We have a sulfite issue
Hi- Do you ever freeze this in smaller lunch portions for the kiddos? Thx.
Hi Jessie. We have not frozen this but would love to know how it works if you do. ~Amy
I actually use lemon instead of red wine vinegar and also use greek yogurt. The tip of using salt to pull out the extra moisure of the cukes is also good – it keeps the dip a bit thicker, which I like. We often have Greek chicken pita’s for dinner in the summer with fresh cucumbers, tomatoes with a little feta cheese and some olives. A house favorite!
Does couscous need to say whole wheat? Or is it automatically a whole grain?
Yes, Renee. It should say 100% whole wheat. ~Amy
I make my version of this every few days in summer with all our cukes from the garden. I use 1 large whole cuke for every cup of Greek yogurt, and I do drain my cukes after shredding. All I add is sea salt and garlic powder and everybody EATS IT UP! It is great on pitas as a sandwich spread, but it best with some baked pita chips or raw veggies.
Yummy. The Indian equivalence of Tzatziki is yogurt, cucumber and mint leaves. Its often used for cooling your mouth if you’re eating something spicy. I like to just eat either with a spoon lol
If anyone out there is not a fan of dill, it can be substituted for mint. YUM YUM!
A tip to keep it from being runny is to put the yogurt in muslin and hung it from the tap over your sink and let it drain for a night. The next morning will look very thick but with olive oil and cucumber will be perfect.
I made this dip today, SOOOO good. I am really happy with the recipe, fast, inexpensive, and easy. Doesn’t get much better than this!
Thanks for the recipe – it is wonderful. I put it on a whole wheat tortilla with vegetables.
Had this today made with the thicker Greek Yogurt. AMAZING!!
I am wondering, do you leave the skin on the cucumber when shredding it? And do you leave in the seeds of the cucumber? So excited to have a recipe for this sauce that my family loves.
Thanks!
I leave the skin and seeds in tact…I like shortcuts!
Delicious! Thanks for another great tasting yet simple recipe! It’s the first time I’ve actually purchased fresh dill. There is quite a bit leftover (came in a big bunch), any suggestions on what else I could use dill for?
Glad you enjoyed it. You could try dill with salmon, pickles (cucumbers that you turn into pickles) or roasted potatoes. Good luck!
I just made whole wheat pitas that were delicious. Time consuming,but worth it. Wanted to share the link. It calls for All purpose flour and sugar(or honey). I used whole wheat flour and honey. http://annies-eats.net/2008/08/10/pita-bread/
I just made a tzatziki sauce the other day and it was sooo good but I think I will try your recipe next time. A tip to keep it from being runny is to use Greek yogurt instead of regular. Also, after you dice/shred your cucumber, put it in a colander or strainer/sieve with a little salt for about 30 minutes. Then you just dry finish them off with a paper towel and voila… dry-ish cucumber! ;)
Great alternative to Ranch dip! Thanks! How long will it keep in the fridge?
It will keep til the same expiration date as the yogurt…glad you like it!
Can someone describe what this sauce tastes like or give me a reference point for the flavor of it?
You can definitely taste the dill in it!
I tried this last night and it is amazing! It tastes like the sauce from my favorite diner, but I know exactly what went into mine. Thanks for the great recipe!!
This site is just nothing but awesome! I’ve been looking for an alternative to Ranch dressing for my kids veggies and this looks fantastic! Have you ever put it all in the food processor and see what happens? Again, thanks for all you do to promote good, clean eating!
Thank you!! And no I have not put this in the food processor, but it would be worth trying. Let us know how it turns out!
I like to make my egg salad with tzatziki instead of mayo. Gives it a fun, Greek flavor!
I never knew the name of this sauce! OMG you made my week, at the very least. Thanks! I will let you know what I think after I make it.
I adore tzatziki! It’s superb over fish (my favorite protein). I had some last night on top of leftover roasted salmon and it was to die for. I like it on just about any type of fish. It’s even good as a dipper for steamed or boiled shrimp but I usually jazz it up with lemon juice and lemon zest instead of red wine vinegar if I’m making it to go with shellfish.
I love all the little variations that people have posted here. I can’t wait to give them a try!
I made this tonight but had to make some changes to avoid a trip to the store. I did: Garlic, Cucumber, Salt and Cilantro. It turned out really good! I will try the actual recipe next time to see how it’s really supposed to taste.
That sounds great! I like cilantro a lot more than dill, and it’s great for detoxing! I am gonna give this one a try.
An easy way to get dill cut down is use your kitchen scissors and snip it into 1/8″ pieces. Just hold it all in your hand and snip until you get to where the stems are bigger than you want to eat! We love dill so we usually go all the way…
I just wanted to let you know I used this as the dressing to make macaroni salad and it was great!! I just added some sweet peppers, tomatoes, cucumber, and feta. Picnic, here we come!
This recipe inspired me! I made this last night to have with our “veggie” pita pockets. Yumm!! My 20mo loved it. He likes all things yogurt and this dip was a hit! Thanks for the idea. We now have another meal to add into our family’s rotation!
Hi. I have found that dairy doesn’t work for me, so I have recently substituted it for a blend of rice milk and condensed coconut milk. Coconut milk contains similar properties as breast milk, has electrolights, vits, minerals, and is good sources of non-animal cholesterol !
YUM! I’m going to try this with plain Greek yogurt. Thank you!!
Tried the tzatziki recipe tonight….delish! Made it with whole-milk organic yogurt (which I had never tried but have now switched to because of the last challenge) and it couldn’t have tasted yummier!
So glad it worked out for you…and thanks for leaving a review!
I’m going to make this along side the relish tray at Easter dinner! And I think I’ll add feta too. Yummy!
Made the sauce last night with friends and served it with grilled chicken (cut up and on skewers) and whole wheat couscous. Big hit :)
Would you share your whole wheat bread recipe … ( for the bread machine) ???!!! Thanks!!
I am still experimenting, but so far I like this one: 3.5 cups flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1.5 cups water, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 4 tablespoons honey, 1 tablespoon yeast. Good luck!
that’s twice as much yeast as my normal whole wheat recipe, is it a larger loaf?
It is a little larger than the other loaves I’ve made, but this loaf has been inconsistent in rising properly. I am still working towards the “perfect” recipe!
Mmmm looks good!
I love Tzatziki! I learned to make it from a friend of mine who is Greek. She always strains her yogurt first to make it thicker and not so runny. I’ve thought about using FAGE, since it is thick but haven’t tried it yet. She also adds mint instead of dill.
Thanks for posting! By the way, I LOVE your blog. I now have my husband and sister-in-law hooked on it!
Thank you!! Also, I’ve seen recipes that strain the yogurt, but I am all about the shortcuts :)
I also add some feta to mine…and instead of dill I use fresh oregano with a little bit of lemon zest!
I love tzatziki. It’s a great as a salad dressing too (especially if you throw in some leftover, chopped up souvlaki, or other grilled meats and veggies)!
Yummy! I love tzatziki :D I do find though when you use lower fat varieties of yogurt and you don’t squeeze some of the liquid from the cucumber it gets watery especially after it sits in the fridge for a while so be careful :D
This looks delish – can’t wait to try it!
Here is another sauce that is really good too. It is quick, easy and I usually have all of the ingredients on hand.
http://www.dedemed.com/index.php/Vegetarian-Recipes/Garlic-Sauce-Recipe.html#axzz1FX9qjTz7
This looks good. Will be on next weeks grocery list~