Ever wondered what the white creamy sauce they have at Greek or Mediterranean spots and wanted to figure out how to make it at home well here it is. This tzatziki sauce is good to pair with lemon herb chicken and turmeric or saffron rice. Tzatziki is a salted plain yogurt and cucumber dip made with yogurt, shredded cucumber, garlic, lemon juice, salt and dill. It is optional to add mint as it will give it extra freshness to it. Traditional Greek yogurt is made from sheep or goat yogurt but plain Greek yogurt works just fine.
How to make Tzatziki
- Shredded cucumber is key which is why we grate them using a box grater or cheese grater which gives the final tzatziki that nice green texture.
- Squeezing the water out of the grated cucumber. I use paper towels for this step since I cannot find cheesecloths. This step gives a creamy tzatziki since the water from the cucumber can separate the sauce but keep the squeezed juice as you can drink it.
- Mix everything together. Add the squeezed cucumber with Greek yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, salt, dill, mint and olive oil and chill in the fridge to allow the flavors to mingle.
How to store tzatziki
When chilling the tzatziki for the first time, the water might release from the yogurt and cucumber due to the salt, just stir it together and it will be ready to use. Store in a air-tight container and it will last up to a few days.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/3 cup American or English cucumber, shredded and squeezed
- 1 tablespoon garlic, finely minced
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon olive oil, optional
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh mint, finely chopped
Instructions
- Start by shredding the cucumber onto a cheese cloth or a paper towel. Squeeze out all the juice and save the juice as you can drink it.
- Add the squeezed cucumber with Greek yogurt, salt, mint, lemon juice, dill, and garlic. Mix to combine and adjust to taste.
- Place in the fridge to allow the flavors to combine and serve!