Authentic Greek Tzatziki (Cucumber Yogurt Sauce)

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 my cooling side on a hot day, especially next to something from the grill. I love it with my Lamb Kofta.

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Where 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.

Some of the best tzatziki I have had was in Cyprus. You can buy it in every shop there, and it comes with most of the local food. It is made with thick Greek yoghurt and not so much cucumber, and some people add a splash of white wine vinegar to the cucumber.

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 Full-fat and thick, because it is nearly all of the dip. Low-fat and cheaper brands are thinner and make a runnier dip. The tzatziki I had in Cyprus was made with thick Greek yoghurt, and that is what I aim for.
• Cucumber English and Persian cucumbers have thinner skin and less water than ordinary field cucumbers, so they make a thicker dip. Mine come from the allotment in summer.
• Garlic Raw garlic is the sharpest thing in the bowl, and it softens as the dip sits. Using one clove gives a milder dip, and some cooks use more.
• Lemon juice A small amount, for brightness and not for sourness. Red wine vinegar is the other classic choice, and in Cyprus some people add a splash of white wine vinegar to the cucumber.
• Olive oil Extra virgin, and worth using a good one, because it sits on top where you taste it.
• Fresh dill or mint Dill is the classic Greek herb and the one I use. Fresh is best, and dried works at about a third of the amount. Mint gives a cooler, fresher dip.
• Salt Used twice: a pinch on the grated cucumber, and a little at the end to season. Yoghurt carries salt further than you expect, so taste before adding more.

How to Make Tzatziki, Step by Step

1. 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.

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2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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

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Ingredient 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 white wine vinegar on the cucumber, the way some people make it in Cyprus, or red wine vinegar for a 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 3 to 4 days in the fridge, and it is at its best on day two.

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, because 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.

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. The best I have had since was in Cyprus, where every shop sells it.