This fresh tzatziki recipe will liven up any summer meal! Rich, creamy & full of fresh herbs, it's delicious on pita, grilled veggies, sandwiches, and more!
Break out the pita, it’s tzatziki time! On Monday, I posted my favorite Greek salad, and now I’m following it up with another Greek essential: this cool, refreshing cucumber tzatziki sauce.
One of the best parts of summer is that dinner suddenly becomes easy. My favorite ingredients – fresh fruits and veggies – are at their peak. Tomatoes are sweeter and juicier, berries are plumper, peppers are snappier, and our backyard herbs are at their most potent.
Sometimes, when I want to put these peak-season veggies front and center, making dinner just means prepping a sauce to dress them up. This tzatziki sauce is a great recipe for showcasing summer produce – it’s rich & creamy, bright, and packed with fresh herbs. So mix it up, serve it with a big platter of pita and your favorite summer veggies, and call it dinner!
What is 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. It’s easier to find in the store, and it still has the creamy, thick consistency you want in tzatziki sauce. Along with the other traditional ingredients, I stir in fresh mint and dill for a bright, summery finish.
How to Make Tzatziki Sauce
I first started eating tzatziki sauce at Greek restaurants, but I’ve since learned that it’s incredibly easy to whip up at home. Now, along with pesto, it’s one of my must-make summer sauces. Here’s how you do it:
- Start by grating the cucumber. I use the largest holes on a box grater to give my final sauce texture and plenty of green flecks.
- Next, squeeze the water out of the grated cucumber. This step is essential for making a creamy tzatziki – if you skip it, the water from the cucumber will cause your sauce to separate. Squeeze the cucumber directly over the sink, or press it lightly between kitchen or paper towels.
- Then, stir everything together! Mix the squeezed cucumber with the yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, salt, and herbs, and chill until you’re ready to use.
That’s it!
How to Use Tzatziki Sauce
Once you’ve mixed your tzatziki sauce together, there are endless ways to use it. Most simply, I enjoy it as a snack with fresh veggies and pita or crackers. Try it this way, or add it to your next crudité platter. Your guests will love it!
You could also slather it onto sandwiches like these pita wraps, serve it alongside a Mediterranean salad like tabbouleh or couscous salad, or top it onto falafel, falafel burgers, or a flatbread.
And last but not least, serve it with pita and lots of grilled veggies for a delicious, easy summer dinner.
If you love this tzatziki recipe…
Try my hummus, tahini sauce, chipotle sauce, cilantro lime dressing, pico de gallo, tomatillo salsa, or guacamole next!
For more appetizer ideas, check out this post with 50 easy appetizers.
Tzatziki Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup finely grated cucumber
- 1 cup thick whole milk Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint, optional
Instructions
- Place the cucumber on a towel and gently squeeze out a bit of the excess water.
- In a medium bowl, combine the cucumber, yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, dill, and mint, if using. Chill until ready to use.
I made this to go with chicken souvlaki tonight and added some feta. It was so delish! Don’t think I’ll be buying tzatziki from the store again. Thanks!
Hi Sarah, I’m so glad you loved it!
Very good and easy to mske
Absolutely delicious! First time making tzatziki and it won’t be the last if I follow this recipe again! I also added in chunks of cucumber for added crunch 🙂
Hi Britt, I’m so glad you loved it!
Super easy to make and had great flavor!
I’m so glad you loved it!
Love this recipe, I added a bit more garlic. Have made this a few times now and it’s my go-to for tzatziki
I’m so glad you’ve been enjoying it!
Did you peel the cucumber?
Hi Kathleen, I don’t – if you’re using mini Persian cucumbers or an English cucumber, the skin is tender enough to leave on. If your cucumber skin is very thick, you could peel it.
This was my first time making tzatziki and it came out so delicious and it was very easy! I made mine with 0 fat Greek yogurt and it still tasted fantastic and the texture was no different than any tzatziki I’ve had before.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Fantastic receipe, thanks so much for sharing. Doesn’t need any adjustments whatsoever and YES it’s soooo addicting!
Hi Mario, I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Excellent! I’ve made it 4 times in 2 weeks lol
I’m so glad you’ve been loving it!
I l9ve this recipe. I do add a tsp of Stevie so it’s not quite so tart. Thank you for the recipe.
Really good and easy to make.
I had to use dried herbs. They were fine
Made a turkey burger, topped with tomato and spinach, added this on top, and sprinkled with feta and cracked black pepper. It was delish. I did not have lemon juice and I was going to use lime juice, but ended up going with apple cider vinegar. I think the ACV was a good substitute for lemon in a pinch. Think I like it better than I would have subbing lime
Hi Kelly, so glad you enjoyed the tzatziki!
How long will this stay good in the fridge?
Ide like to make this for myself so I need to decide if I will cut the recipe in half
Hi Gramy, about 3 to 5 days.
This recipe is perfection. No changes are needed, but to keep the calories lower I used nonfat Fage yogurt and it was still amazing. The only thing I added was some fresh cracked pepper.
Hi Marie, I’m so glad you love it!
I use a potato ricer to squeeze water out of vegetables like the cucumbers in this recipe (and also cauliflower “rice” when I’m making cauliflower mashed potatoes). It works really well, and doesn’t make a big mess.
Hi Susan, thanks, great tip!
Great post,I always learn alot from your post,
I made this today, and it is soo delicious! I need to watch my sodium intake, so I omitted the salt, and I also did not add the mint. I used slightly more dill just because I love it but did not alter anything else. This recipe is definitely a keeper, and I’m so glad I found it. Thank you!
I’m so glad you loved the sauce!
This was absolutely delicious. I doubled the recipe, used minced garlic from a jar to save time and holy cow! This is delicious. I will only make it from now on! And it only took a few minutes to whip up.
Hi Bella, I’m so glad you loved it!
So good!
So glad you loved it!
I made this today, and it is soo delicious! I need to watch my sodium intake, so I omitted the salt, and I also did not add the mint. I used slightly more dill just because I love it but did not alter anything else. This recipe is definitely a keeper, and I’m so glad I found it. Thank you!
Hi Joan, I’m so glad you loved the tzatziki!
Unlike Penny Lane, I don’t dream of eating toothpaste. And the Greeks I work with use dill. I only know three Geeks and they could be liars though, surely Penny Lane knows better. I followed the recipe closely enough. I salted the cucumber after grating and let it sit for 10-20 minutes, then squeezed, and made garlic paste instead because it’s fun. Turned out delicious and almost as good as my faux-Greek coworkers’.
A perfect recipe! The taste was exactly what I was hoping to achieve at home following our recent stay in Greece. I was transported right back again 🙂
Hi Michelle, I’m so glad you loved it!