The best, authentic, cool, creamy, easy Tzatziki sauce recipe, homemade with simple ingredients in just one pot or one bowl in 20 minutes. Serve as side dish with meat or appetizer with pita bread, chips, fresh vegetables.
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This is great to make during Summer time where there is an abundance of cucumbers. It's very cooling and refreshing and comes together very quickly. It's just as delicious as some of my other Summer recipes like Mango Salsa (One Bowl) and this Pineapple Salsa (One Bowl). Try them out and let me know which one is your favorite.
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Key ingredients
- Yogurt- Greek yogurt is the way to go for this recipe.
- Lemon juice- Freshly squeezed is best.
- Herbs- I like to use fresh mint and dill.
- Garlic- Use fresh instead of powder for best flavor.
- Oil- Use high quality olive oil.
- Seasonings- Keep it simple and classic with just salt and pepper.
- Cucumbers- English cucumbers are best but you will need to grate them and get rid of excess water.
Variations
- Adjust quantities of herbs, lemon garlic- This is based on your preference. Add more of what you like and less of what you dislike.
- Garnish ideas- You can drizzle a little olive oil and sprinkle some finely chopped fresh dill or mint, prior to serving. You can even add some crumbled feta cheese.
- Make it spicy- By mixing in some finely chopped jalapenos, cayenne pepper or red chili flakes.
- Mix in other veggies- Like finely chopped spinach or grated broccoli.
- Add sumac or zaatar- These are spices that are very popular in the Mediterranean cuisine and add more depth and flavor.
- Cucumber substitute- Try zucchini or pickles but obviously the taste will change drastically.
- Try using roasted garlic- For a more smoky and intense garlic flavor. This is great for garlic lovers like me.
How to make easy one pot tzatziki sauce recipe from scratch?
- Prepare cucumbers- To get rid of excess water.
- Prepare yogurt mixture- Until smooth.
- Toss grated cucumbers- In yogurt mixture until combined.
- Cover- And chill.
What to serve with this cucumber sauce?
- It can be used as a spread on sandwiches, burgers or wraps.
- It can also used as a dip with pita bread, chips, and fresh vegetables like baby carrots, bell peppers and celery for an easy appetizer. You can also serve it along with these grilled or roasted vegetables: Oven Roasted Carrots (One Pan), Oven Roasted Cauliflower (One Pan), Oven Roasted Broccoli (One Pan).
- You can also enjoy it as a side dish alongside roasted or grilled meats like chicken souvlaki, beef shawarma, lamb kabobs, baked salmon, lamb chops, steak, gyros.
- You can also thin it out a little with some milk and use it as a salad dressing. You can also use it instead of mayonnaise or sour cream in other salads, especially potato salad or Pea Salad.
Tips and techniques
- Greek yogurt substitute- You would have to strain regular full-fat yogurt in a cheesecloth overnight and use this thicker yogurt. Some people also like to use a combination of regular yogurt and sour cream.
- You must squeeze out the water from cucumbers- Since cucumbers are so full of water, they can make the sauce very watery and thin. The best way to avoid that is to grate cucumbers first and then squeeze them through a clean kitchen towel and then, add them into the yogurt mixture.
- Let the sauce rest- For at least 1 hour because it allows the flavors to develop and deepen.
- How to thicken sauce? Mix in more Greek yogurt and make sure you are using strained cucumbers.
- How to thin sauce? Mix in some milk (whole or 2%).
- Use fresh herbs- They look better and even taste better than dried herbs
Recipe FAQs
It's a yogurt-based cucumber sauce that's loaded with garlic and fresh herbs. It has Greek origin but it's also served across the Mediterranean cuisine and is very popular in Middle East. Sometimes, it's served under different names.
Full fat Greek yogurt is the best choice since it's a Greek sauce recipe. It's rich, thick and super creamy since it has already been strained of excess water.
Storage
- Refrigerate- In a sealed container for up to 3 days.
- Freeze- This is not recommended since it does not thaw well and become very watery.
- Make ahead instructions- You can make this 1 day in advance and just keep it covered and refrigerated until you are ready to serve.
More easy appetizers
- Caprese Skewers (One Pan)
- Instant Pot Grape Jelly Meatballs
- Bacon Wrapped Dates (One Pan)
- Buffalo Chicken Dip (One Pot)
- Grape Jelly Little Smokies (One Pot)
Recipe
Easy Greek Tzatziki Sauce
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Ingredients
- 2 cups Greek yogurt Full fat
- 2 tablespoon Lemon juice Freshly squeezed
- 1-2 tablespoon Dill Fresh, Finely chopped
- 1-2 tablespoon Mint Fresh, Finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon Olive oil Extra virgin is best
- 1-2 cloves Garlic Finely minced
- Salt To taste
- Pepper To taste
- 1 English cucumber Grated and excess water drained through a kitchen towel
Instructions
- In a medium-size glass bowl, add yogurt, lemon juice, dill, mint, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, cucumber.
- Mix until fully combined.
- Cover and chill for at least 1 hour or overnight for flavors to develop and deepen.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Read all my tips above.
- Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Mix with a spoon, before serving. Â
Nutrition
An automated tool is used to calculate the nutritional information. As such, I cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information provided for any recipe on this site.
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