YIELDS:
4 servings
PREP TIME:
0 hours 5 mins
COOK TIME:
0 hours 0 mins
TOTAL TIME:
0 hours 5 mins
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INGREDIENTS
1 cup Fat-free Greek yogurt (Fage is a favorite)
1 Medium Cucumber, peeled with seeds removed, then finely chopped
2 Tbsp. Fresh dill, chopped
1 Medium Clove garlic, grated
1/2 Lemon, juiced
1/4 Tsp. Kosher salt
1/8 Tsp. Freshly ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS
1) Combine the yogurt, cucumber, dill, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl and mix well. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
NOTES: This is a basic Tzatziki sauce which can be used as a sandwich spread, salad dressing, on pitas and as a dip for vegetables. It is fresh and light and easy to make. I’ve used fat-free Greek yogurt in this sauce (always looking to lighten things up) but feel free to use full fat, 1% or 2% options too.
I’m also a fan of garlic. If you don’t like a lot of garlic, use just half. But you need garlic in this sauce to bring it all together. Use fresh dill please. Do not substitute dried dill in this recipe. It just doesn’t work. The same goes for fresh lemon juice. No bottled versions allowed! The taste is completely different and in my opinion will ruin the sauce.
The sauce will hold in the fridge covered for up to five days. Note that whey and water might appear on top of the dip when it is stored. That is perfectly normal and absolutely fine. I just drain that off to keep the sauce thicker but you can also just stir it into the mixture to make a looser consistency if that is your preference. A thinner consistency might be used for a tzatziki salad dressing. A tzatziki cucumber salad would be amazing since this sauce already has chopped cucumber in it. A tzatziki salad, using any vegetables you have on hand would also be amazing. Whether there is a thick or thin consistency, both ways work just fine. You can easily substitute this version of Tzatziki for the one I used in my Lamb Meatball Souvlaki recipe or serve this on the side with my Leg of Lamb with Garlic Gravy or Grilled Baby Lamb Chops too.
To make this recipe is incredibly easy. To start, I recommend prepping the cucumber. Using a vegetable peeler, simply peel the cucumber and cut it in half lengthwise. If it is very long, you may want to cut it in half first. You want to remove the seeds in the middle of the cucumber. I use a spoon or a grapefruit spoon which is a great tool for this. Discard the seeds. Dry the cucumber with paper towels. You don’t want any excess water in the yogurt mixture. Chop the cucumber very finely and add to a bowl.
Then, I chop my dill and using a handheld grater, grate my garlic. Add everything to the bowl with the cucumber and add the rest of the ingredients. Stir to combine and let chill covered for at least 1/2 hour to let the flavors meld. This sauce will remain good for up to five days covered in the fridge.
It is important to note, that whey from the yogurt and excess liquid from the cucumber may rise to the top of the dip as it sits. That’s perfectly normal and is absolutely fine. You can drain that off to keep the dip thicker or mix into the yogurt to loosen it up. Your choice. I decide based on how I’m using the Tzatziki. If as a dressing, I’ll want it looser and will mix in. If as a spread or dip, I’ll drain it off.
Looking for other go to sauces? Be sure to try some of these. I use all of these for multiple purposes. Marinades, salad dressing, dips and spreads. It is good to have a handful of multi-tasking recipes that you can lean into when you want to up your condiment game. Let me know what you think.
Hatch Chili Salsa with Peaches
Lemon and Thyme Vinaigrette Dressing
