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This homemade tzatziki sauce is fresh, flavorful, and so easy to make! You only need a handful of ingredients to make this creamy, versatile Greek sauce. Serve it with pita, fresh veggies, grilled chicken, gyros, the possibilities are endless!
One of my favorite recipes to serve this tzatziki with are Greek lemon chicken skewers. Try it out!
Why you’ll love it
5 ingredients – This flavorful Greek sauce only uses 5 ingredients. Greek yogurt, cucumber, lemon, garlic, and dill.
Fresh and flavorful – This creamy sauce is great anytime of year, but it’s especially nice in the summer. It’s cool, creamy, and the lemon, dill, and cucumber give it a bright, fresh flavor.
High protein and healthy – Greek yogurt is the primary ingredient in tzatziki. It’s a great source of protein, calcium, and probiotics. Tzatziki is a great alternative to mayo on a sandwich, a delicious salad dressing alternative, and a healthy dip.
What is tzatziki sauce
Tzatziki is a type of dip or sauce often found in cuisines in Southeastern Europe and West Asia. It’s made of strained yogurt, cucumber, garlic, and sometimes fresh herbs such as dill or mint.
While strained yogurt is traditionally used, Greek yogurt can be used in it’s place to save time.
The ingredients
- Greek yogurt – Plain Greek yogurt is the base of this tzatziki sauce. Whole milk Greek yogurt or reduced fat will yield the best flavor and consistency.
- Lemon – Fresh squeezed lemon juice is best. Skip the bottled juice.
- Garlic – 1-2 cloves of grated garlic are used in the dip. If you don’t like raw garlic use a 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder instead.
- Cucumber – English or Persian cucumbers work best. Grate them with a box grater.
- Dill – Fresh dill adds a ton of flavor to the sauce.
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil (optional) – Use a good quality olive oil to drizzle on top of the tzatziki for extra richness.
How to make tzatziki
This is an overview of the recipe with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
Grate the cucumber on a box grater using the larger holes. Gather it up and use your hands to squeeze out as much of the liquid as you can.
Add all the yogurt, cucumber, garlic, lemon juice, dill, salt and pepper to a bowl.
Stir everything together until well combined and taste for seasoning. Add additional salt and/or lemon juice if needed. Serve with pita and fresh veggies or use it in one of the recipes listed below.
What to serve with homemade tzatziki sauce
I have multiple recipes that use tzatziki sauce when I want to incorporate it into a meal. Here are a few of my favorites!
- Chicken Gyro Bowls
- Greek Chicken Bowls
- Greek Meatballs
- Greek Turkey Burgers
- Spoon it over the top of this Mediterranean turkey meatloaf.
You can also use tzatziki as a spread for sandwiches, wraps, and gyros. It works as a salad dressing or as a dip with pita bread, veggies, crackers, or grilled meats.
Storage
Tzatziki will keep for 2-4 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. You will need to stir it before every use. Tzatziki sauce is not freezer friendly.
More dip recipes
- Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
- Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Dip
- Grilled Baba Ganoush
- Baked Mozzarella and Marinara Dip
- Mexican Corn and Green Chile Dip
Did you make this tzatziki sauce? I’d love if you’d leave a recipe rating and review below.
Tzatziki Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups plain Greek yogurt Full fat or reduced fat are recommended
- 1 cup shredded cucumber
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
- 1/2 – 1 teaspoon grated garlic or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Grate the cucumber on a box grater using the large holes. Use your hands to squeeze out as much of the liquid from the grated cucumber as you can.
- In a mixing bowl, add the grated cucumber, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, dill, salt and pepper. Stir everything together until combined and taste for seasoning. Transfer the tzatziki to a serving bowl and drizzle with olive oil if desired. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.