Classic Tzatziki Sauce Recipe
Tzatziki sauce is an integral part of Greek cuisine, and its best known for its creamy, cucumber-infused flavor. You could slather some on a pita, dip gyro meat in it, or enjoy it as a veggie dip. While you may be tempted to buy a tub of tzatziki from the store, it really does taste best when it's homemade — and, as it turns out, it's not too hard to make it right in your own kitchen! "This sauce is so fresh, creamy, and herby," recipe developer Catherine Brookes says of her homemade version. "It's made using simple ingredients and super versatile too."
Not only does this classic tzatziki sauce have an undeniably fresh taste, but it also has the addition of mint, which really gives it a unique flavor. While Brookes does note that mint is a "fairly standard addition" to the sauce, she does consider it a special ingredient as it really adds some pizzazz and "gives it that extra boost of fresh herby flavor."
Gather the ingredients for classic tzatziki sauce
Your shopping trip will be quick and succinct for this classic tzatziki — all you need is half of a large cucumber, Greek yogurt, crushed garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, mint leaves, and a little bit of salt to taste.
Grate and drain the cucumber
To kick things off, you'll want to first grate the cucumber — it'll be quickest if you use a large box grater. Next, place the grated cucumber in a clean cloth and squeeze out as much excess moisture as possible.
Mix up all of the ingredients
Once you've squeezed out that excess moisture, go ahead and put the grated cucumber into a large bowl, along with the Greek yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, mint, and salt. Give everything a good stir so that the ingredients are evenly incorporated.
Serve your fresh tzatziki as desired
Now that the sauce is all mixed up, you're ready to serve it up as you wish! "It's great for dipping," Brookes says of this sauce. "For example, veggies like carrots or celery, or pitta bread or corn chips [are good options]." You're not limited to dipping, though — spread this sauce on a sandwich, enjoy it with chicken, or of course include it on a classic gyro platter. If you have leftovers, you're in luck: "Leftovers should keep well in an airtight container in the fridge up to 2 days," Brookes says. Simple, classic, creamy, and delicious — when it comes to a homemade sauce, it doesn't get much better than that.
- ½ large cucumber
- 1 ½ cups Greek yogurt
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ cup loosely packed mint leaves, finely chopped
- salt, to taste
- Coarsely grate the cucumber using a box grater.
- Wrap the grated cucumber in a thin towel or cloth and squeeze out all the excess liquid.
- Add the cucumber and all remaining ingredients to a mixing bowl and stir well to combine.
| Calories per Serving | 67 |
| Total Fat | 4.6 g |
| Saturated Fat | 2.0 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.0 g |
| Cholesterol | 7.2 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 3.0 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0.3 g |
| Total Sugars | 2.1 g |
| Sodium | 185.2 mg |
| Protein | 4.2 g |
