Tzatziki

By Kay Chun

Published Sept. 1, 2022

Tzatziki
Johnny Miller for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Sue Li.
Total Time
10 minutes
Rating
4(1,413)
Comments
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Tzatziki is a popular Greek sauce traditionally served with souvlaki and pita bread, but it’s super versatile in its potential: It’s a great snacking dip with crudités and chips, as well as a bright and tangy sauce to drizzle on grain bowls or serve alongside roasted chicken or salmon. Most commonly finished with dill, tzatziki is sometimes made — and equally delicious — with other fresh herbs, like mint or oregano. It can be made a few hours ahead and will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

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Ingredients

Yield:2½ cups
  • 3Persian cucumbers
  • 2cups plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
  • 2tablespoons finely chopped dill
  • 1tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1garlic clove, minced
  • Salt and pepper
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

139 calories; 8 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 0 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 8 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 6 grams sugars; 11 grams protein; 505 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Using the large holes of a box grater, grate cucumbers. Using your hands, squeeze grated cucumbers to remove excess water, then place cucumbers in a medium bowl (you should have about 1 cup).

  2. Step 2

    Add yogurt, dill, lemon juice and garlic; season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix well.

Ratings

4 out of 5
1,413 user ratings
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Comments

Anne

I put the gratedcucumbers in a colander with salt and let them stand for an hour. This removes excess water.

Valerie

I make tzaziki almost every week during the summer months. It's a very cool and refreshing dip. I follow this recipe except that I also add a tablespoon or two of virgin olive oil. I use a mortar and pestle to crush the garlic into the olive oil with a teaspoon of salt. And I use a potato ricer to squeeze the water out of the cucumbers. It works wonderfully and saves time! I don't use dill, but I will sometimes add other spices. This is an easy recipe to adapt to your personal taste.

Andrea

No sour cream. Why would you add sour cream to Greek yogurt?

Rachel

It is better when made with real/natural yogurt: more savoury and tangy; adds a contrast to heavier courses. Cuts the fat and refreshes. That is the original utilisation in ancient Persian Lebanese, Turkish, etc. cuisine.

Catherine Fast

True blasphemer here but my position is any recipe that calls for yoghurt is always better when made with sour cream. And no, I am not svelte.

Rachel

I think you are thinking of real yogurt. I agree, the point of these meze dishes, traditionally, is to contrast the richer courses. Therefore, you need to use real (or as we used to call in the UK, natural, or ‘plain’ yogurt, not the added cream varieties like the recent fads of strained yogurts.

Vickster

This is so good and relatively easy, except for the shredding and shopping, why would anybody use store-bought tzatziki?

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