HOW TO MAKE TZATZIKI SAUCE
I confess that a few years ago, the first time I tasted Tzatziki, I was a bit skeptical about the idea of it being a savory sauce made with yogurt and cucumbers, which, to be honest, are not my favorites. However, I had to change my mind, and since then, I haven’t been able to do without it!
I had always bought it ready-made at the supermarket, from different brands, sometimes better, sometimes worse, but never as good as the one I tasted on vacation.
Finally, I managed to find the right proportions to make Tzatziki Sauce at home, in my opinion, perfect!
A very quick and easy recipe for which you will need: Greek yogurt, cucumbers, garlic, lemon juice or white vinegar, salt, and extra virgin olive oil. A truly unique delicacy that has made Tzatziki one of the culinary symbols of Greece.
Like any traditional recipe, there are various versions, the one we will prepare today is the simplest and classic, which you can modify according to your taste, for example, by increasing or decreasing the amount of cucumbers.
Before starting, a few small recommendations: use whole strained Greek yogurt and not regular yogurt (the Italian kind, to be clear) because it is too liquid; grate the cucumbers on the side of the grater with the large holes and especially squeeze them or let them drain so they lose excess liquid. This will allow you to obtain a thick and creamy sauce rather than a liquid one.
Once the Tzatziki is ready, you can use it in thousands of ways: it is perfect for appetizer time to serve with vegetable crudités or spread on crostini, excellent for filling sandwiches instead of mayonnaise, to accompany second courses of both meat and fish, or to dress salads lightly instead of oil.
Trust me, if you haven’t tried it yet, give it a go, and I’m sure you’ll fall in love! I also leave you the recipes for other accompanying sauces perfect for appetizer time and beyond.
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 1 Hour
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 6
- Cooking methods: No Cooking
- Cuisine: Greek
- Energy 104.45 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 6.40 (g) of which sugars 5.07 (g)
- Proteins 4.30 (g)
- Fat 7.27 (g) of which saturated 2.15 (g)of which unsaturated 0.01 (g)
- Fibers 0.48 (g)
- Sodium 226.48 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 70 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 2 cups Greek yogurt
- 2 cucumbers (150 g)
- garlic (1 or 2 cloves to taste)
- 3 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tsps lemon juice (or white vinegar)
- to taste salt
- A few leaves mint
- 1 pinch black pepper (optional)
Tools
- Grater
- Bowl
- Strainer
Steps
Cut the cucumbers in half, remove the seeds, grate them using the side of the grater with large holes. Place the cucumbers in a strainer over a bowl for at least 10 minutes to let excess liquids drain. Finely chop the mint, peel the garlic, and crush it into a puree.
Place the Greek yogurt in a bowl, add the grated cucumbers, minced garlic, extra virgin olive oil, juice of 1/2 lemon, salt (start with 1/2 teaspoon), and a pinch of pepper (optional). Mix well. Add the chopped mint and combine everything. Taste and adjust the salt according to your preference.
Let the TZATZIKI SAUCE rest for about 1 hour in the fridge to enhance the flavors. Transfer it to a bowl, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, add a few mint leaves, and serve!
NOTES
YOGURT: For this recipe, it is necessary to use whole Greek white yogurt.
LEMON JUICE In some recipes, instead of lemon juice, white wine vinegar is used. If you want to use it, consider the same amount (10 ml).
CUCUMBERS Do not skip the step where the cucumbers are drained of their excess liquid after being grated, as this could compromise the outcome of the recipe.
SALT Start by adding half a teaspoon of salt, then taste and adjust according to your preferences.
PEPPER Optional. You can try with 1 pinch, but it is not necessary to add it.
STORAGE
You can serve tzatziki sauce as an accompaniment to an appetizer in a bowl with vegetable crudités or breadsticks, spread it on toasted bread crostini, use it instead of mayonnaise to enrich a sandwich or panini, along with a meat or fish grill, to dress salads.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
WHAT CAN YOU SERVE TZATZIKI SAUCE WITH?
You can serve tzatziki sauce as an accompaniment to an appetizer in a bowl with vegetable crudités or breadsticks, spread it on toasted bread crostini, use it instead of mayonnaise to enrich a sandwich or panini, along with a meat or fish grill, to dress salads.
WHAT IS TZATZIKI?
Tzatziki is a typical sauce of Greek cuisine, widespread throughout the Balkans and the Middle East, just like Hummus, now famous and loved worldwide. There are many versions, but what they all have in common is the presence of Greek yogurt, cucumbers, garlic, oil, and salt. Then there are variations with white wine vinegar, some prefer lemon juice, and there are recipes that even include onion. To flavor this creamy and fresh-tasting sauce, you can’t miss a few leaves of fresh mint, giving it that unmistakable flavor and aroma. A super versatile sauce served from appetizers (typical in Greece served with Pita bread), as a dip or as an accompaniment for main courses based on meat, fish, or vegetables. It can also be a lighter and healthier way to dress salads or to replace mayonnaise or other sauces in your sandwiches or paninis.
