Tzatziki – RecipeTin Eats

This is my recipe for Tzatziki, the Greek cucumber yoghurt dip / sauce that I use on so many things, including today’s Chicken Skewers, it’s about time I did a separate post for it instead of cramming it in recipes notes!

Tzatziki

If you’re Greek, no one’s Tzatziki will be as good as your yiayia’s – except maybe your mum’s, and only probably because she secretly filmed your yiayia making hers because, what, you want the recipe?? Dollop of yogurt, grate some cucumber, splash of olive oil and lemon, smidge of garlic, a scattering of dill. Measurements be damned!

Well, I know Greeks’ can make it by eye but I can’t! So here is how I make Tzatziki, properly measured (sorry yiayia), creamy, tangy, bright, garlicky, and exactly what you want to dip everything in and smother onto everything. Honestly, even a big platter of raw vegetable sticks is so much more interesting with a bowl of Tzatziki to dunk it in!

Ingredients in my Tzatziki

Here’s what you need to make Tzatziki.

• Yogurt – Greek Yogurt if you can (best! authentic!), or at least Greek style which is what I use for day-to-day purposes because it’s easily found at everyday supermarkets. 🙂 Low-fat yogurt will work but it lacks the thickness and richness of full fat.

• Cucumbers – I use Lebanese cucumbers (also called Persian cucumbers) which are around 20cm/8″ long. These have a softer skin than the longer telegraph cucumbers (continental cucumbers) which works better for tzatziki. If you only have telegraph cucumbers, I would do zebra strips on the skin using a potato peeler.

• Lemon – For a touch of brightness.

• Extra virgin olive oil – To add a little richness into the yogurt. I typically only add a tablespoon as I like my tzatziki fresh rather than rich and creamy, though if you want it richer just add more.

• Salt and pepper – For seasoning.

• Dill or mint (optional) – Adding fresh herbs into tzatziki definitely adds another layer of freshness and flavour into tzatziki and I almost always include one of these if making this as a dip (usually dill over mint). However, if I’m making tzatziki as the sauce for a wrap or dolloping on a protein, if I have fresh herbs on hand I’ll use it but I won’t go out especially to buy them.

How to make Tzatziki

Squeeze as much liquid as you can out of the shredded cucumber to ensure it doesn’t make the yogurt watery which will dilute the flavour in the tzatziki. I find it easiest to do this using a clean tea towel.

1. Remove watery seeds – Cut the cucumber in half lengthways and scrape out the watery seeds using a teaspoon.

2. Grate the cucumber using a standard box grater.

3. Squeeze out as much water as you can from the shredded cucumber using a tea towel.

4. Mix the cucumber with everything else.

5. Set aside for 20 minutes to let the flavours meld. Don’t skip this, the garlic flavour in particular really mellows out.

6. Ready! Dip, dunk, dollop, smear!

Simple, fresh, and endlessly useful, I find myself making Tzatziki on repeat which is why I decided to (finally!) post it as a separate recipe.

Hope you enjoy! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.

Tzatziki

Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats

Prep: 20 minutes mins

Cook: 6 minutes mins

Marinade: 3 hours hrs

Total: 26 minutes mins

Dinner, Entertaining, Grilling, Lunch

Greek

Servings1

Tap or hover to scale

Recipe video above. Nobody makes Tzatziki as good as your yiayia, but just in case you want to make one using actual measurements (rather than a little bit of this and a slosh of that!), here is my recipe. Use as a dip for vegetable sticks and warm pita bread, as a sauce for Gyros, Doner kebabs and chicken skewers, and dolloping on Greek baked chicken pieces.

Cook ModePrevent screen from sleeping

Instructions

• Deseed, shred and squeeze – Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise. Use a teaspoon to scrape the watery seeds out. Coarsely grate the cucumber using a box grater. Then wrap in a tea towel and squeeze to remove excess liquid.

• Mix – Place cucumber in a bowl. Add remaining ingredients then mix to combine.

• Set aside for at least 20 minutes for the flavours to meld.

• Use immediately or keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 – 4 days.

Recipe Notes:

Nutrition for whole batch.

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 354cal (18%)Carbohydrates: 23g (8%)Protein: 13g (26%)Fat: 24g (37%)Saturated Fat: 8g (50%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 40mg (13%)Sodium: 729mg (32%)Potassium: 910mg (26%)Fiber: 2g (8%)Sugar: 19g (21%)Vitamin A: 520IU (10%)Vitamin C: 18mg (22%)Calcium: 419mg (42%)Iron: 1mg (6%)

Keywords: Greek Chicken, greek chicken gryos, gyros, yogurt marinade

Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @recipe_tin.

Remembering Dozer

He never was a fan of cucumber! 🥒 And why would you, with all the other tasty options on offer?? 🤭

Miss you every day, Dozer. 💔