Tzatziki Sauce Recipe

What Is Tzatziki?

Tzatziki is a cucumber yogurt sauce and dip, common in Mediterranean recipes as well as Middle Eastern ones. It’s cool, creamy, and goes well with so many dishes! I never run out of ways to eat this.

Ingredients & Substitutions

Here I explain the best tzatziki sauce ingredients for my recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.

• Greek Yogurt – I usually use full-fat plain Greek yogurt for the creamiest texture, but have made this with non-fat and 2% as well. You can also use regular plain yogurt, though your tzatziki will be thinner and less tangy. If you need a dairy-free option, coconut yogurt will work, with a different flavor and also thinner texture. On my recent trip, I learned that tzatziki sauce recipes in Greece sometimes use strained sheep or goat’s milk yogurt, because the country has a lot of mountains and these animals are more common there, but regular Greek yogurt is still popular today.
• Cucumbers – For that essential crisp, refreshing crunch! I recommend English or Persian cucumbers over American ones — see my creamy cucumber salad post for more on why.
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Greek tzatziki sauce always uses this, although technically other types of oil would work for a milder touch.
• Lemon Juice – I make my tzatziki with lemon juice, but my cooking class in Greece used red wine vinegar instead. Both taste great!
• Garlic – I highly recommend fresh garlic cloves, but if you’re in a hurry, 1 teaspoon of jarred minced garlic will do the trick.
• Fresh Herbs – Tzatziki recipes I tried in Athens always included fresh dill, whereas in Crete they did not. Some regions also add fresh mint. I personally like a combination of dill and parsley in mine, and the parsley was my personal twist on this dip.
• Sea Salt – I don’t usually add black pepper, but feel free.

How To Make Tzatziki Sauce

I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.

1. Grate and drain the cucumbers. After grating the cucumbers (I have and recommend this box grater), squeeze them in a kitchen dish towel or cheesecloth over the sink. Remove as much liquid as you can. They should look pretty dry afterward, like my picture on the right.

2. Mix the yogurt sauce base. In a medium bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, fresh herbs, garlic, and salt.
3. Add the grated cucumbers. Taste your tzatziki sauce and add more salt to your taste. I like to garnish mine with a drizzle of olive oil and extra fresh herbs!

Ways I Use Homemade Tzatziki

Every time I make this tzatziki sauce recipe, I always ask myself why I didn’t make a triple batch. It goes so fast at our house! Here are some of the ways we love it:

• Chicken – I serve this sauce with my Mediterranean-inspired chicken kabobs when I’m grilling, or just Mediterranean chicken or Greek chicken if I’m cooking inside. And although it’s less traditional, I’ve enjoyed it with peri peri chicken to tame the heat, and my chicken fritters for dipping.
• Lamb – I first made this tzatziki recipe for my lamb kofta kebabs, but it’s also amazing with lamb chops and lamb burgers.
• Beef, Pork, & Fish – I don’t usually think of tzatziki sauce pairing with these proteins, but it works really well on my salmon burgers, shish kabobs, meatballs, and Greek souvlaki. In Greece, I saw it served with pork a lot.
• Sandwiches & Wraps – This sauce is a must for gyros, but I like it on regular sandwiches, too.
• Mezze Platter – I love platters because they keep everyone happy! Serve up my tzatziki sauce with a spread of hummus (or my cauliflower hummus), kalamata olives, vegetables for dipping (I like cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and mini bell peppers), and pita bread (I even have low carb pita bread).