Greek Tzatziki is a cool, garlicky yoghurt and cucumber dip, and it was on our table long before I ever went to Greece. My mum used to make it at home, so tasting it again on holiday there felt like meeting an old friend.
These days I make mine with cucumbers from my own allotment, which give me more than I know what to do with in high summer. Grated and squeezed dry, they keep the dip thick and fresh rather than watery.
It is the perfect cooling side on a hot day, especially next to something from the grill. I love it with my Lamb Kofta.
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Pin itWhere Tzatziki Comes From
Tzatziki is the cool, tangy yoghurt sauce that sits at the heart of Greek food: thick yoghurt, cucumber, garlic, olive oil and herbs, usually dill or mint.
Most people think of it as Greek, and it is, but you will find close cousins right across the Balkans and the Middle East, all built on the same tradition of yoghurt-making. The name itself most likely comes from the Turkish cacık. However you trace it, the appeal is the same everywhere: garlicky, refreshing, and brilliant with grilled meat, warm bread or crunchy vegetables.
The family of Tzatziki around Mediterranean
Tzatziki, while most recognized as a Greek sauce, has been embraced and adapted in various regions, each lending its own twist based on local palate preferences and available ingredients.
- Greece: Tzatziki, as most people know it internationally, hails from Greece. This Greek version blends thick yoghurt - often strained for the right texture - with finely chopped or grated cucumber, minced garlic, olive oil, and sometimes dill or mint. The Greeks take great pride in achieving a good balance of flavours, ensuring that no single ingredient dominates.
- Turkey: Transitioning to Turkey, a dish resembling Tzatziki goes by the name “Cacık”. Unlike its Greek counterpart, Turkish Cacık might be more watery, sometimes even resembling a cold soup due to the addition of water. It primarily consists of yoghurt, cucumbers, garlic, and mint. Depending on regional variations or individual tastes, one might find Cacık seasoned with olive oil, lemon juice, or even the tangy sumac.
- Balkans: Moving to the Balkans, Tzatziki morphs in form and nomenclature. In certain regions, the sauce might forgo cucumbers, emphasizing yoghurt, garlic, and herbs like dill or parsley. Interestingly, it’s not uncommon to encounter versions spiced up with local seasonings or enriched with crunchy walnuts.
- Middle East: Venturing further to the Eastern Mediterranean and the expansive Middle East, one discovers yoghurt-based concoctions reminiscent of Tzatziki. For instance, the Lebanese “Laban Cucumber” melds yoghurt with cucumber and occasionally a hint of mint. On the other hand, in countries like Iraq, a dish named “Jajeek” marries yoghurt and cucumber with a fragrant dash of rose water, offering a unique floral nuance.
Equipment You’ll Need
Three things, and one of them decides the whole texture.
A Closer Look at the Ingredients
Good tzatziki is all about a few fresh ingredients:
- Greek yoghurt thick and strained, for a creamy base.
- Cucumber grated and squeezed dry, or it turns the dip watery.
- Garlic for a gentle kick.
- Olive oil and a little lemon juice to loosen and brighten.
- Fresh dill or mint, and salt to season.
How to Make Tzatziki, Step by Step
- Peel and grate the cucumber, then salt it. Trim a good centimetre off the stem end and throw it away. Grate it on the coarse holes, not the fine ones. Toss the shreds with a good pinch of salt and leave them in a sieve for ten minutes.The bitter compounds a cucumber makes to keep pests off are at the stem end and just under the skin, which is why peeling helps and why one bitter cucumber can spoil a whole bowl. Fine holes give you pulp, not shreds. Salt pulls water out of the cucumber, so it does most of the work before you squeeze.
- Squeeze it dry. A handful at a time, in your fists or twisted up in a clean tea towel, until no more runs out. Be brutal about it.This decides whether you get tzatziki or soup. The cucumber is most of the water in the bowl, and anything you leave in it weeps out overnight in the fridge. You will be surprised how much comes away.
- Fold everything together. The yoghurt, the squeezed cucumber, the garlic and the dill, in a wide bowl, folded through, not beaten. Grate the garlic to a paste, do not chop it.Thick yoghurt goes runny if you work it hard, so a few strokes beat a minute of stirring. Garlic grated to a paste spreads evenly, so nobody gets a raw hot lump in one spoonful and none in the next.
- Season and taste. Salt, pepper and the lemon juice, a little at a time. Go carefully with the salt.The cucumber has already had some salt, and yoghurt carries salt further than you expect. The garlic settles and softens as it sits, so a bowl that tastes fierce now is usually gentler by the time you serve it.
- Chill it for at least an hour, then finish it. A tight lid, into the fridge, overnight if you can. Just before it goes to the table, pour the olive oil over the top and scatter on a little more dill.The fridge pulls the garlic, dill and yoghurt together into one thing. The oil is kept back for the end on purpose: stirred in it disappears, spooned over the top it sits on the surface and you taste it.
Recipe Card for Greek Tzatziki
Authentic Greek Tzatziki: Yoghurt & Cucumber Dip
Greek tzatziki made the proper way: thick Greek yoghurt with grated cucumber, garlic, dill, lemon and a little olive oil.
Equipment I Use
Ingredients
Instructions
Trim a centimetre off the stem end of the cucumber and discard it, then peel and grate it on the coarse holes. Toss the shreds with a good pinch of salt, leave them in a sieve for 10 minutes, then squeeze them dry a handful at a time, in your hands or in a clean tea towel. Do not skip this: the cucumber holds most of the water in the bowl, and whatever you leave in it will weep out in the fridge.
In a mixing bowl, combine the Greek yoghurt, squeezed cucumber, finely minced garlic, and chopped dill. Mix them well.
Add salt and ground black pepper to your taste. Mix again until all ingredients are well-combined.
Transfer the Tzatziki sauce to a container with a tight-fitting lid. Let it chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. This allows the flavours to meld together.
Before serving, drizzle the olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of fresh dill. Tzatziki is perfect as a dip for Greek flatbread, sauce to go with Gyros or Souvlaki, or even as a refreshing side with grilled meats. Enjoy!
Chef’s notes
- Squeeze harder than feels necessary. Salted, drained and wrung out is the difference between tzatziki and soup, and no amount of resting will thicken a dip that went in wet.
- Rasp the garlic rather than chopping it so it spreads evenly, and go easy: it settles and softens overnight, so a bowl that tastes fierce now will be gentler tomorrow.
- The olive oil goes over the top at the end, not into the bowl. Stirred through it disappears; spooned over just before serving you actually taste it.
- Keeps 3 to 4 days in the fridge and is better on day two. Do not freeze it, as the yoghurt splits and the cucumber weeps.
Nutrition per serving
Check out my other recipes:
Pin itIngredient Substitutions
- Greek yoghurt - full-fat natural yoghurt strained through a muslin cloth for a few hours works if you cannot get Greek; it needs to be thick.
- Lemon juice - swap for a splash of red wine vinegar for a cleaner, sharper tang.
- Fresh dill - use finely chopped fresh mint for a Cyprus-style version, or dried dill at roughly a third of the amount.
- Fresh garlic - a small pinch of garlic powder will do in a pinch, though the flavour is milder and less fresh.
- Cucumber - any cucumber is fine; if using a large watery one, scrape out the seeds before grating to keep things thick.
What to Serve With Tzatziki
🍽 Tzatziki is at its best spooned alongside anything hot off the grill - souvlaki, gyros, grilled lamb, chicken or pork all love a cool dollop on top. I serve it as a dip with warm pita or flatbread and crunchy veg, tucked into wraps and pittas, or as part of a mezze spread with other dips and olives. It cuts through rich, smoky, charred flavours beautifully, so keep a bowl on the table.
Storing Tzatziki
Tzatziki keeps for three or four days in the fridge in a tub with a tight lid, and it is at its best on day two rather than the day you make it. The garlic mellows, the dill comes through and the whole thing settles.
A little water gathering on the surface after a day is normal and not a fault. Pour it off or stir it back in, whichever you prefer. If it is more than a little, the cucumber was not squeezed hard enough, and there is no way to take that water back out once it is in there.
Do not freeze it. Yoghurt splits when it thaws and the cucumber goes limp and weeps, so what comes out is grainy and thin. It takes ten minutes to make fresh, which is less time than waiting for a tub to defrost.
FAQ for Tzatziki
How do I stop tzatziki being watery?
Grate the cucumber, toss it with a little salt, then squeeze out as much liquid as you can (a clean cloth works well) before mixing. Starting with thick, strained Greek yoghurt keeps it lovely and thick.
Can I make it ahead of time?
Yes - it is even better after a few hours in the fridge, which lets the garlic and herbs mingle into the yoghurt. It keeps for 2 to 3 days.
Which yoghurt is best?
Full-fat, strained Greek yoghurt gives the thickest, creamiest result. Thin or low-fat yoghurt makes a runnier dip.
What do I serve it with?
Grilled meats like souvlaki, warm pita or flatbread, as a dip for vegetables, or spooned into wraps and gyros.
Can I freeze tzatziki?
It is best not to - the yoghurt and cucumber tend to separate and go watery once thawed. It is quick enough to make fresh.
Should I use vinegar or lemon juice?
This recipe uses lemon juice, which gives a brighter, more citrusy lift and is what most people have to hand. A splash of red wine vinegar in its place gives a cleaner, sharper tang, and it is the one I reach for when I want that sharper edge. Either works. Add it a little at a time and taste as you go, because you can always add more and you cannot take it back out.
My tzatziki tastes really strong of garlic - is that normal?
Fresh raw garlic is punchy, and a proper tzatziki is meant to have a good garlicky kick. The good news is it mellows and settles as it rests in the fridge, so it is often gentler the next day than the moment you make it. If you like it milder from the start, simply use fewer cloves - one or two is plenty for a softer flavour.
Can I use mint instead of dill?
You can. Dill is what I use for a classic Greek flavour, but a little finely chopped mint gives a lovely fresh, cooling twist that is popular in Cyprus. Some people even use a touch of both - just keep the amount small so the herb supports the yoghurt and garlic rather than taking over.
More recipes you’ll like
- Try my Halloumi Souvlaki and Grilled Aubergine & Halloumi
A Few Words from the Chef
My mum made tzatziki long before I ever set foot in Greece, so it tasted like home to me before it ever tasted like a holiday.
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I’ve always adored the lovely combination of yoghurt, cucumber, and dill in Greek Tzatziki. It reminds me of Mediterranean dishes. It is also a light dip, made mostly from yoghurt and cucumber. I encourage you to try this recipe. Afterward, please share your feedback. Did you make any modifications? Additionally, what did you pair it with? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Happy cooking!