Easy Tzatziki Recipe (2025)

This tzatziki sauce recipe is a delicious addition to every meal!

It’s bright, creamy, and filled with the tangy flavors of yogurt, cucumber, lemon juice, and dill!

Is tzatziki a sauce, a dip, or a condiment? The answer is yes, to all of it!

Easy Tzatziki Recipe (1)

What is Tzatziki Sauce?

Popular in Mediterranean cuisine, tzatziki sauce is multi-purpose and can be enjoyed as a sauce or dip. It’s fresh and healthy made with yogurt, cucumber, lemon juice, and fresh dill or mint.

  • It’s refreshing, and cool with a creamy texture. This tzatziki sauce balances out spicy or savory foods.
  • Two-step tzatziki is so quick & easy to make!
  • It’s a low-carb lover’s go-to, protein-packed, dip and dressing, with a million applications!
  • Beyond just salads: try it on pizzas, burgers, and even grilled meats.ut it.

Ingredients for Tzatziki Sauce

Yogurt – Plain Greek yogurt is thicker and creamier than regular yogurt, but plain can be used in a pinch. I prefer full-fat Greek yogurt in this sauce, and while some drain the yogurt in a cheesecloth-lined strainer, I usually make this recipe without draining.

Cucumber – I prefer English cucumber in this recipe, but any will work. If using English cucumber, there is no need to peel. Draining the liquid from the cucumber ensure that the dip stays nice and thick.

Dill – Dill has a fresh bright flavor that complements the other ingredients in tzatziki, but finely chopped fresh mint can be used as well.

Lemon Juice – Fresh is best, and a little bit of lemon zest makes for a colorful garnish!

Easy Tzatziki Recipe (2)

How to Make Homemade Tzatziki Sauce

  1. Shred cucumber using a box grater, toss with a pinch of salt and drain in a fine-mesh sieve. Squeeze out as much liquid as you can.
  2. Stir the remaining ingredients together and fold in the grated cucumber.
  3. Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving.
  4. Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprig of dill, if desired.

PRO TIP: Store in a squirt bottle and use as a condiment for burgers or as a sauce for fish and chips.

Easy Tzatziki Recipe (3)

Serving & Storing Tzatziki Sauce

  • Serve tzatziki as a condiment to drizzle over chicken souvlaki, falafel, grilled veggies, in homemade gyros or lamb kabobs.
  • Serve it with Greek meatballs as a dip, and even as a dressing in cucumber salad.
  • Add it to a platter with warmed pita bread, pita chips, olivea, hummus, tapenade, and fresh veggies like cucumbers and tomatoes.

Store leftover homemade tzatziki in a tightly covered container, bottle, or jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Yogurt doesn’t freeze or thaw well, but this recipe is so easy to make, simply start from fresh!

Easy Tzatziki Recipe (4)

More Greek Inspired Recipes

Sheet Pan Greek Chicken

Main Dishes

Greek Salad

Side Dishes

Greek Meatballs

Ground Beef

Easy Greek Pasta Salad

Pasta Salad

How did you enjoy this Tzatziki Sauce? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!

Easy Tzatziki Recipe (9)

4.94 from 47 votes↑ Click stars to rate now!
Or to leave a comment, click here!

Easy Tzatziki Sauce

Greek Tzatziki is a bright & tangy cucumber yogurt sauce. It’s deliciously fresh and easy to make!

Save

ReviewPrint

Easy Tzatziki Recipe (11)

Servings 8

Easy Tzatziki Recipe (12)

Author Holly Nilsson

Ingredients

  • 1 English cucumber
  • 1 ½ cups Greek yogurt or plain yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice more to taste
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon dill fresh, finely chopped
  • salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Grate the cucumber with the large holes on a box grater. Place in a fine mesh strainer and toss with ¼ teaspoon of salt. Let rest 5 minutes while preparing the other ingredients.

  • In a medium bowl, combine the yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and dill.

  • Gently squeeze out the liquid from the cucumber and fold it into the yogurt mixture. Season with additional salt & black pepper to taste.

  • Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. Drizzle with additoinal additional olive oil to serve.

Notes

  • If using an English cucumber, peeling (and seeding) the cucumber is optional.
  • Fresh is best but you can use 1 teaspoon dried dill in place of fresh or 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder in place of a fresh garlic clove if it’s what you have on hand.
  • Fresh lemon juice is best as store-bought can have a bit of a bitter flavor. To quickly juice a lemon, cut it in half and place a fork in the center. Squeeze the lemon around the fork while moving the fork to extract the juice.
  • Tzatziki will last 2 days in the refrigerator. To avoid the risk of botulism, do not consume past 2 days.

4.94 from 47 votes

Nutrition Information

Serving: 0.25cup | Calories: 65 | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 22mg | Potassium: 126mg | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 85IU | Vitamin C: 2.1mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 0.1mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Easy Tzatziki Recipe (16) Course Appetizer, Dip, Sauce

Easy Tzatziki Recipe (17) Cuisine American, Greek

© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.

Easy Tzatziki Recipe (18)
Easy Tzatziki Recipe (19)
Easy Tzatziki Recipe (20)
Easy Tzatziki Recipe (21)

More Dips We Love

  • Spicy Dill Dip – Great for veggies and crackers.
  • Bacon Cheddar Dip – Classic flavor combo!
  • Avocado Dip – Creamy and healthy.
  • 7 Layer Dip – Party favorite!
  • Buttermilk Ranch Dip – Great to dip appetizers.
  • Easy Spinach Dip – Reader favorite dip recipe!
  • Whipped Feta with Roasted Tomatoes – Rich & Creamy!

Categories:

Appetizer Recipes, Dips and Dressings, Healthy Recipes

Like our recipes?
Follow us on Pinterest!

Follow us on Pinterest

Easy Tzatziki Recipe (22)

Recipes you'll love

Jalapeno Popper Dip (Video)

Appetizer Recipes

The Best Spinach Artichoke Dip

Appetizer Recipes

Cheesy Crab Rangoon Dip (Hot Crab Dip)

Appetizer Recipes

Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Crisps

Desserts

Homemade Taco Seasoning Recipe

Pantry

Crispy Homemade Egg Roll Recipe

Appetizer Recipes

About the author

Holly is a wine and cheese lover, recipe creator, shopping enthusiast and self appointed foodie. Her greatest passion is creating in the kitchen and making deliciously comforting recipes for the everyday home cook!
See more posts by Holly

Follow Holly on social media:

pinterest facebook twitter instagram

Easy Tzatziki Recipe (30)

Free eBook!

Subscribe to receive weekly recipes and get a FREE Bonus e-book: Quick & Easy Weeknight Meals!

You can unsubscribe anytime by clicking the “unsubscribe” link at the bottom of emails you receive.

Latest & Greatest

Raisin Sauce for Ham

Dips and Dressings

The Best Ham Glaze

Kitchen Tips

Cream Cheese Salsa Dip

Dips and Dressings

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Appetizer Recipes

Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Dip

Dips and Dressings

Mango Habanero Sauce

Dips and Dressings

Easy Tzatziki Recipe (2025)

FAQs

What are the main ingredients in tzatziki? ›

Tzatziki is a salted yogurt and cucumber dip that's made of strained yogurt, shredded cucumber, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and herbs. Authentic Greek tzatziki is most often made with sheep or goat yogurt, but my tzatziki recipe calls for regular full-fat Greek yogurt.

Is tzatziki made from yogurt or sour cream? ›

Tzatziki is a creamy cucumber yogurt dip (or sauce) made from simple ingredients including strained yogurt (or Greek yogurt), cucumbers, garlic, and sometimes fresh herbs such as dill or mint.

What is a good substitute for tzatziki sauce? ›

A great alternative would be this Greek Yogurt Salad Dressing. You can also try to up the flavor profile by making a Yogurt Tahini Sauce or Yogurt Dill Sauce to enhance those Mediterranean flavors.

Is tzatziki a healthy snack? ›

Tzatziki also contains key vitamins and minerals for good health. Tzatziki offers 100 IU of vitamin A per serving. It helps keep your eyes and bones strong. The majority of tzatziki's vitamin C comes from lemon juice.

Is tzatziki healthier than hummus? ›

Yes, tzatziki is considered a healthier dip than hummus and sour cream. It contains several vitamins, a good amount of protein, and fewer carbohydrates and calories. The fat content of tzatziki is low too, which is not the case with other dips.

What are 5 dishes that you could put tzatziki on? ›

Ways to use tzatziki from Jamie's 5 Ingredients Mediterranean
  • Lemon-tzatziki chicken.
  • Gorgeous greek chicken with herby vegetable couscous & tzatziki.
  • Grilled lamb chops with fattoush.
  • Crispy barbecued side of salmon with cucumber yoghurt.
  • Souvlaki (Wicked kebabs)
  • My special vegan kofte.
  • Sizzling lamb lollipops.
Sep 8, 2023

What do Greeks eat with tzatziki? ›

While the recipe can vary from region to region in Greece, it is served with the mezes, or small plates appetizer portion of the meal, and can remain on the table as a condiment with roasted meats and vegetables. Street foods like gyros or kabobs are always garnished with tzatziki.

Why is my tzatziki so sour? ›

Some Greek yogurt brands are very tangy so you may wish to use less lemon juice. Also, some lemons can be very tart. Start with 1/2 a lemon and add more if needed. If your sauce is too tart, you can fix this by adding a little sweetener.

Is tzatziki healthier than sour cream? ›

Is tzatziki healthier than sour cream? Yes, tzatziki is healthier than sour cream because it is made with Greek yogurt, which is higher in protein and lower in fat compared to sour cream. Greek yogurt contains beneficial nutrients like calcium and probiotics.

Is tzatziki good for your gut? ›

Easy Tzatziki Sauce Recipes Are Great For Your Microbiome

Preparing this homemade sauce provides an impressive array of beneficial microbial benefits due to the inclusion of freshly sourced ingredients that still contain the hidden supercharged probiotic bacteria that can help to boost our health and immune system.

Is tzatziki anti inflammatory? ›

Tzatziki sauce is perfect healthy snack, especially thanks to protein-packed greek yogurt, shredded cucumber and anti-inflammatory garlic. It's as simple as it sounds: yogurt cucumber sauce!

How long does homemade tzatziki last? ›

Tzatziki sauce should be kept in a sealed container and stored in the refrigerator when you're not using it. As long as it's stored properly, you can expect homemade tzatziki to last about three to four days.

What are the ingredients in store bought tzatziki? ›

Ingredients: yogurt (milk ingredients, bacterial culture), sour cream(milk ingredients, bacterial culture, microbial enzyme), water,cucumber, canola oil, white vinegar, sea salt, garlic purée (garlic,canola oil), modified corn starch, garlic powder, citric acid.

What is the primary flavoring agent of a Greek tzatziki sauce? ›

The main flavor component of Greek Tzatziki sauce is typically tangy yogurt, combined with garlic, cucumber, and often a hint of dill or mint.

Does tzatziki contain mayonnaise? ›

Mix together cucumber, yogurt, sour cream, mayonnaise, and garlic in a serving bowl; season with salt and pepper.

How to thicken up tzatziki? ›

You can thicken it by placing a piece of cheesecloth over the top of a wide mouthed jar and holding it in place with some rubber bands. Fill the cheesecloth with your sauce, cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. The excess water will drain out and the sauce will be thicker.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Prof. Nancy Dach

Last Updated:

Views: 6518

Rating: 4.7 / 5 (77 voted)

Reviews: 92% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Prof. Nancy Dach

Birthday: 1993-08-23

Address: 569 Waelchi Ports, South Blainebury, LA 11589

Phone: +9958996486049

Job: Sales Manager

Hobby: Web surfing, Scuba diving, Mountaineering, Writing, Sailing, Dance, Blacksmithing

Introduction: My name is Prof. Nancy Dach, I am a lively, joyous, courageous, lovely, tender, charming, open person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.