This recipe for homemade tzatziki, the traditional Greek pickle sauce, features fresh dill, creamy Greek yogurt, and garlic. Perfect for dipping pita!
We have just returned from Greece and have been working on recreating some of the fabulous dishes we had there. If you’ve been to the country or are a fan of Greek cuisine, you probably know it tzatziki, the famous Greek sauce with creamy cucumber and garlic. It’s typically eaten as a dip on top of pita or veggies, or in gyros sauce (one of our favorite sandwiches when we’re flexitarians). So if you’re wondering how to make gyros sauce, you’ve come to the right place!
Want a faster and easier spin? Try this quick pickle sauce.
What makes the best authentic tzatziki?
Eating tzatziki sauce in Greece tastes heavenly. So Alex and I took on the challenge of creating a homemade tzatziki sauce recipe. It turns out that just like the best potato salad or tomato sauce, everyone and their grandmother have an opinion on the “right” way to make a tzatziki recipe. Luckily we were prepared for this as we published a tzatziki recipe in June 2012.
There has been a lot of discussion in the comments about the perfect tzatziki recipe! Dill or mint (or both)? Lemon Juice or Vinegar? olive oil or not?
Common tzatziki ingredients
We set out to make authentic tzatziki sauce again. After much research and trial and error, we’ve found our contender for best tzatziki recipe. What’s in our tzatziki recipe?
- Grated cucumber: Just a little, that retains a creamy consistency
- Dill: It’s a bit more traditional than mint, although some recipes we’ve seen even omit the dill.
- Olive oil: important for taste and texture.
- white wine vinegar: All you need for a bit of flavor is a bit of acid: usually white wine vinegar or lemon juice
- Full-Fat Greek Yogurt: Using whole yogurt is key to achieving the desired creaminess
Fancy more with cucumbers? Check out the best cool pickle recipes.
How to make tzatziki
Making homemade tzatziki is incredibly easy! To prepare this Greek sauce, you must first peel and grate the cucumber, then squeeze out as much of the liquid as possible. Next, mix the grated cucumber with the chopped garlic and dill, Greek yogurt, white wine vinegar, olive oil, kosher salt and pepper.
For the best flavor, let the mixture sit for a few hours before serving. If stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, your homemade tzatziki should last up to a week.
Fancy more with cucumbers? Check out the best cool pickle recipes.
Tips for the best tzatziki sauce
Preparing this tzatziki recipe isn’t just about mixing all of the above ingredients together! Here are a few tips for making homemade gyros sauce / tzatziki sauce at home:
- Squeeze as much liquid out of the cucumber as possible. Too much water in the cucumber will result in a watery dip. After grating the cucumber, place it in a fine mesh strainer and use your hands to extract as much of the liquid as possible.
- Refrigerate for 1-2 hours to allow the flavors to combine. To really enhance the flavor of this homemade tzatziki sauce recipe, let it sit in the fridge for a few hours before serving. This allows all the flavors to meld together and create the tastiest sauce.
While not Greek ourselves, this is the culmination of our research, our recipe testing, our best memories of Greece and the consensus of our tasters. One last tip: we found that it was usually served in a shallow bowl or plate (instead of a deep bowl for easy dipping), garnished with a drizzle of olive oil and an olive several times.
What’s your best tzatziki recipe? We’d love to hear your advice!
Looking for more Greek recipes?
Our trip to Greece inspired us to cook more Greek dishes at home. Some of our favorite Greek dishes are:
This tzatziki recipe is…
Vegetarian and gluten free.
The description
This recipe for homemade tzatziki, the traditional Greek pickle sauce, features fresh dill, creamy Greek yogurt, and garlic. Perfect for dipping pita!
- 10 ounces Cucumber (1 medium cucumber 3/4 large cucumber)
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill (do not substitute dried)
- 18 ounces whole greek yogurt
- 1½ tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Peel the cucumber, cut in half and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Grate the cucumber with a box grater, then put the cutlets in a fine-mesh sieve and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Sprinkle with kosher salt, then let sit for at least 10 minutes to drain off any remaining water. Squeeze again to drain.
- Finely chop 1 clove garlic and chop 1 tablespoon fresh dill.
- When the pickle is ready, combine the cucumber, garlic, dill, 18 ounces Greek yogurt, 1½ tablespoons white wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon olive oil, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, and a few freshly ground black peppercorns. Refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours to allow the flavors to combine. Can be kept in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- Drizzle with olive oil to serve; Garnish with olives and a sprig of dill, if you like. Serve with flatbread, crackers or vegetables.
- Category: aperitif
- Method: Mixed
- Kitchen: Greek
Keywords: Tzatziki recipe, how to make tzatziki, tzatziki sauce, greek tzatziki
