Homemade Tzatziki
Tzatziki is a cold sauce made of strained yogurt, grated cucumber, garlic, and fresh dill. Its success depends entirely on removing the excess water from the cucumber so the yogurt stays thick and creamy rather than runny.
The importance of dryness
If you skip draining the cucumber, your sauce will thin out within minutes. Squeeze the liquid until you think you have enough, then squeeze it one more time.
- box grater
- clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth
- mixing bowl
- whisk
What goes in.
- 1large English cucumber
- 2 cupsfull-fat Greek yogurt
- 3 clovesgarlic, minced into a paste
- 2 tbspextra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbspfresh dill, finely chopped
- 1 tspred wine vinegar
- 1/2 tspkosher salt
Removing moisture
Grate the cucumber onto a towel, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and twist the towel over the sink. You want the cucumber to feel almost dry to the touch before it hits the yogurt.
The method.
Prep the cucumber
Grate the cucumber on the large holes of a box grater. Transfer the shreds to a clean kitchen towel.
Wring it out
Gather the edges of the towel and twist tightly over a sink. Keep twisting until no more liquid drips out.
Create the base
In a bowl, whisk the Greek yogurt, minced garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and salt until smooth.
Combine
Fold the dry cucumber shreds and chopped dill into the yogurt base.
Chill
Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour. This allows the garlic to mellow and the flavors to unify.
Other turns to take.
Lemon forward
Replace the red wine vinegar with one tablespoon of fresh lemon juice for a brighter edge.
Herb heavy
Add a tablespoon of fresh mint alongside the dill for a cooling effect.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Use full-fat yogurt; low-fat versions will separate and turn watery.
Mincing the garlic into a paste with a knife ensures you don't bite into a sharp, raw chunk.
Stir a small splash of olive oil over the top right before serving.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I use regular cucumbers instead of English?
Yes, but you must peel them first and scoop out the watery seed cavity before grating.
How long will this stay fresh?
It is best consumed within two days. After that, the garlic flavor tends to become overly intense.
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