This Tzatziki sauce has the boldness of garlic, finely grated cucumber throughout, a hint of citrus of lemon, olive oil in a thick creamy Greek yogurt. This sauce is ideal as a side in Greek on burgers, in wraps, pitas and sandwiches. Serve it with crispy pita chips.
This delicious tzatziki sauce is well known in Greek and Mediterranean dishes, as a side, topping and a creamy base. There are many slight variations of this sauce, but the main ingredients are yogurt, cucumber, lemon and garlic. I highly recommend using a higher fat content yogurt for a creamy thick tzatziki and avoiding it being too watery. My personal experience of eating tzatziki is with my close Greek friends, and they don’t hold back on giving this rich, thick and creamy sauce lots of flavour, but not overpowering. If you are wondering how to arrive at a creamy concentrated texture, I will tell you what I was told by my Greek friends.
RECIPE INGREDIENTS
Greek Yogurt: when purchasing yogurt, select a plain, high fat content yogurt, 4% if all possible
Cucumber: use an English cucumber for this recipe and I have used the mini cuc’s as well, and added one whole cucumber
Garlic: is a must for tzatziki sauce for it’s bold pungent flavour
Extra virgin olive oil: I use Greek’s Chrisopigi evoo for my recipes, it’s an excellent quality with amazing flavour
Lemon juice: is commonly used in Greek food, and by adding lemon juice it enhances and brings out the flavours of all of the ingredients
Seasonings: Himalayan salt and pepper is what I used
MANY WAYS TO ADD THIS DELICIOUS SAUCE
- fish and seafood dishes
- falafel recipes
- lamb, beef and pork, chicken or turkey burgers or meatballs
- sandwiches
- pitas
- tortilla wraps
- potatoes
- salad dressings
- dips with pita bread and chips
RECOMMENDATIONS WHEN MAKING TZATZIKI
How to create a rich tzatziki sauce that is thick in texture is by using a 4% fat content Greek yogurt and add 1 cup of the yogurt in large enough cheesecloth and set it in a colander or sieve to allow the water to release. Another method I was shown by my Greek friend was to tie the cheesecloth with a string and then hang it over the sink facet, and allow the water to drip through into the sink. I would leave it there for 2-3 hours. If you purchase a high fat content yogurt, it would only take about 30 minutes to 1 hour for the excess water to release. You will be surprised to see how my water is released.
Cucumber have a very high water content, and this recipe requires to remove the excess water. Grate the cucumber finely on a cheesecloth or towel. Then squeeze out the excess of water; just make sure it’s an English cucumber since the skin is edible. I added two cloves of minced garlic to this recipe. If you prefer a more of a garlicky taste, then add a one or two more. Keep in mind, the longer the tzatziki sauce sits, the more potent the garlic will be. The Greek’s will add lemon juice to their tzatziki and I have to say I prefer it. It gives this sauce a fresh citrus flavour and lemon is ideal to bring out the flavour of each of the ingredients.
Use a good quality extra virgin olive oil, whether you have a favourite or still looking for the one you like best. I prefer Greek evoo for it’s purity and low to no chemicals used in the processing.
I would recommend to make this sauce 30 minutes to 1 hour before you serve it. The longer the ingredients sit in the sauce the more bold and flavourful it will be.
Easy Tzatziki Sauce
Equipment
- grater
Ingredients
Recipe makes: 1 cup
- 1 cup Greek yogurt, 4% fat
- 1/2 English cucumber, finely grated
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- salt and pepper
- 2 tsp fresh dill or mint, chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Place yogurt in cheesecloth and let it rest in a colander or seive for about 30 minutes to remove any liquid in the yogurt. (if you are able to find Greek 4% yogurt, you can skip this step) Then add it to a mixing bowl.
- Grate cucumber into a towel or cheesecloth and squeeze out the excess water, and add to the mixing bowl. Then stir in garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper and dill or mint if desired. Season with salt and pepper,
- Alternatively, you can blend the garlic, and olive oil in a blender or food processor, as well as the cucumber for an easy and quick step. Then combine the remaining ingredients and transfer to a bowl with a lid.
- Chill 30 minutes to a couple of hours before serving. This way the flavours will blend and the sauce will thicken as it sits.
- Serve with Pita bread, Vegetables, Greek Chicken Kebabs, Burgers, or Pita Wraps.
