The tzatziki is one of those recipes I’ve wanted to try for a long time but kept postponing. To think that just a few years ago I didn’t even know what tzatziki was!

Having never been to Greece, I have never had the honor of tasting an original tzatziki, and it so happened that I never had the chance to taste an Italianized or personalized version either, nor a packaged one (well, I actively avoided the packaged tzatziki, to be honest).

In short, no tzatziki so far.

After starting the blog, I saw that many bloggers were proposing their version, and the idea of trying it began to tickle my fancy.
But at this point, another “problem” arose, which in fact, I should have considered from the start: cucumbers are not very liked by my better half 🤷‍♀️ and they are, I might say, literally hated by my kids. 🙄

So, why make tzatziki if I have to eat it all by myself? 😅 Then it happens that during the summer I discover kefir (milk kefir), I start making it myself and using it in my recipes (a great discovery).

And among all the various experiments I did to use kefir, also the tzatziki experiment. It was one of the first recipes I tried (and then repeated several times).

So, come on, if you also want to try tzatziki and an alternative one at that, made with kefir, here is my recipe. The original recipe calls for Greek yogurt, so if you don’t have kefir or don’t like it, feel free to substitute it with yogurt.

👇 Below are other recipes featuring homemade kefir: 👇

Difficulty: Very Easy
Cost: Very Cheap
Preparation time: 10 Minutes
Portions: 2
Cooking methods: No Cooking
Cuisine: Healthy
Seasonality: All Seasons

Ingredients

3.5 oz milk kefir (strained, thick like yogurt)
2.5 oz cucumber
Half clove garlic (or a whole clove for a stronger taste)
A few leaves mint (or dill)
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
pepper (or chili)
Half teaspoon lemon or vinegar (optional)

Tools

Grater

Steps

Grate the cucumber using a coarse grater.
👉 You can use the cucumber either peeled or unpeeled; I’ve done it both ways because I like cucumber both ways. Today, I’ll show you the peeled version.
In a bowl, mix the cucumber with the kefir yogurt
☝ It should be quite thick; if necessary, let it drain a bit, as I explained for the homemade spreadable cheese).
Chop the garlic, or press it with a garlic press, and add it to the sauce.
Add the mint leaves, or dill, and mix.
Season with oil and pepper or chili.
☝ You can optionally add a few drops of lemon or vinegar, even half a teaspoon for the quantities I provided. I’ve tried both, but in the end, I decided that, since kefir is already quite acidic on its own, adding another acidic ingredient might not be too suitable. For me. However, I find that chili suits it well.
Chill in the fridge for at least an hour.
Spread on slices of bread or crostini or use as a sauce for white meats. It’s ideal with chicken, for example with the spiced fillets using tzatziki instead of the mustard sauce (which, by the way, is also kefir 😃).
Enjoy!
And for some more information on the original tzatziki, I refer you here, it’s always useful to have a bit more information!

Salt-Free Tips

As always, I remind you that I cook without added salt and leave you with my usual salt-free tips: 👇

If you’re interested in reducing or eliminating salt, always remember to:
▫ Decrease the salt gradually, the palate needs time to adjust without noticing the progressive reduction.
▫ Use spices. Chili, pepper, curry, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, cumin…
▫ Use aromatic herbs. Basil, parsley, oregano, thyme, sage, marjoram, rosemary, mint…
▫ Use seeds. Sesame, pine nuts, almonds, walnuts…
▫ Use spicy vegetables or fruits. Garlic, onion, lemon, orange…
▫ Use my vegetable granules without salt
▫ Prefer fresh foods.
▫ Avoid cooking in water, prefer cooking methods that retain flavors (griddle, foil, steam, microwave)
▫ Avoid bringing the salt shaker to the table!
▫ Occasionally allow yourself a treat. It lifts the spirits and helps to persevere.

If you cannot or do not want to give up salt:
▫ You can still try my recipes by salting according to your habits.