Recipe Index » Appetizer Recipes » Greek Tzatziki Sauce

Greek Tzatziki Sauce

Liz DellaCroce Avatar

LIZ DELLA CROCE

Updated:


Make this rich and creamy Greek tzatziki in just 5 minutes! Packed with Greek yogurt, cucumber, garlic, dill, and lemon—perfect for dips, gyros, and sides.

Jump

prep time5 minutes

When I have a few extra minutes, I love turning plain yogurt into a delicious side dish by mixing it with cucumbers, lemon juice, garlic, and herbs. This version of cucumber yogurt sauce is known as Greek Tzatziki which is full of bright and fragrant, fresh Mediterranean flavor. It’s a great appetizer, side dish, dipping sauce for vegetables or roasted salmon, or a snack.

Ingredients

  • Greek yogurt: Thick, creamy, and tangy, plain Greek yogurt is the base of tzatziki.
  • Cucumber: Fresh cucumber adds a cool, crisp flavor and helps balance the garlic and herbs. Be sure to grate and drain it so the sauce stays creamy, not watery.
  • Herbs & spices: Classic tzatziki calls for plenty of fresh dill along with garlic, lemon juice, and a touch of salt and pepper.

How to Make Greek Tzatziki Sauce

Liz mincing fresh dill with a sharp knife.

Step 1. Start by dicing your cucumber and freshly chopping some dill.

Dolloping Greek yogurt into a glass bowl.

Step 2. Then add Greek yogurt to a medium to large size bowl.

Using a microplane to grate garlic into a bowl with cucumber.

Step 3. Add your chopped cucumber to the bowl with the Greek yogurt, then grate in your fresh garlic with a microplane.

Using a microplane to freshly zest a lemon.

Step 4. Then add some fresh lemon zest.

Liz juicing a lemon half with her hands.

Step 5. Add the fresh lemon juice (always juicing after zesting).

Stirring together Greek tzatziki sauce.

Step 6. Finish with some salt and pepper, and the fresh dill. Stir everything together until all ingredients are incorporated.

Garnish with additional fresh dill, serve, and enjoy your Greek Tzatziki sauce! Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container.

Recipes to Try with Tzatziki

Tzatziki is one of those versatile sauces that instantly brightens up any dish. Its creamy, garlicky flavor pairs beautifully with grilled meats, fresh veggies, and warm pita, but it doesn’t stop there. Here are some of my favorite recipes that taste even better with a generous dollop of homemade tzatziki:

Eat It, Like It, Share It!

Did you try this yogurt sauce? The next time you make it, snap a picture and share it to your socials. Tag @thelemonbowl and #thelemonbowl so we can admire and share your dish.

Greek Tzatziki sauce.

If you haven’t tried a yogurt sauce before and you’re on the fence, this Greek Tzatziki Sauce is the one to try.

No fork required.

Have you tried my


Greek Tzatziki Sauce?

Leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how you liked it in the 📝 comments and share it on Instagram, Facebook & Pinterest.

We love hearing from you! This helps us continue to provide free, high-quality recipes.

Greek Tzatziki Sauce

Liz Della Croce
4.40 stars average
Thick and creamy Greek Tzatziki is blended with cucumbers, dill, lemon, and garlic to create a healthy and addictive yogurt sauce.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
CourseAppetizer, Snack
Serves8

Ingredients
 
 

  • 2 cups plain Greek yogurt
  • 2 cups diced cucumber or shredded
  • ½ cup fresh dill minced
  • ¼ cup lemon juice
  • 2 cloves garlic grated
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper

Video

Instructions
 

  1. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl, check for seasoning. Add more dill, lemon, garlic or salt/pepper if you wish!
    2 cups plain Greek yogurt, 2 cups diced cucumber, 1/2 cup fresh dill, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 2 cloves garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  2. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Liz’s Notes

I love to serve with pita chips, fresh veggies, or on top of meats and seafood.

Nutrition

Calories: 42kcal | Carbohydrates: 4.1g | Protein: 6.3g | Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 169mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 2.6g

Have you tried my


Greek Tzatziki Sauce?

Leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how you liked it in the 📝 comments and share it on Instagram, Facebook & Pinterest.

We love hearing from you! This helps us continue to provide free, high-quality recipes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to cut out the cucumber seeds when I prepare tzatziki?

That’s up to you if you’re not a fan of seeds but I don’t.

What type of Greek yogurt do I use for Tzatziki?

Always use Greek (strained) plain yogurt. It is widely available and sold at major supermarket chains.

How long does tzatziki keep for?

It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days in an airtight container.


4.40 from 66 votes (55 ratings without comment)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *






This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.


78 responses to “Greek Tzatziki Sauce”

  1. Lauren Avatar
    Lauren

    I’ve made this recipe so many times throughout the years and it’s a winner. The only change is that I add a bit of lemon zest to the tzatziki as I love lemon. I won’t make any other tzatziki recipe but this one.

    1. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
      Liz DellaCroce

      I’m so happy you enjoy it, and I love the addition of lemon zest!

  2. Alexander Pappas Avatar
    Alexander Pappas

    It’s fantastic that you recommend fresh ingredients, thank you. As a Hellenic / Greek person (and all Hellenics take pride in our cooking) I might suggest the following, while lemon juice is sometimes used, the preferred choice is red wine vinegar. If I may, try swapping dill for fresh fellel for a change sometime. It adds a sweet, licorice flavor but still has the freshness of dill. Also, pepper is considered a contrast that is rarely to never used in tsatsike by Hellenic people. I will of course try your interpretation and I expect it will be flavorful as you clearly appear to enjoy what you do. Thank you again and keep posting more wonderful recipies!

    1. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
      Liz DellaCroce

      Great suggestions and alterations! I’ll have to try it your way!

  3. Cecile Avatar
    Cecile

    Looks good! Too bad there wasn’t a “Pin” button though.

    1. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
      Liz DellaCroce

      We usually have one! Thanks for mentioning it, we’ll fix that now.

    2. Georgia Beys Avatar
      Georgia Beys

      Instead of “chopping” cucumber it should be “grated” on a grater. Grate the cucumber in a strainer and salt it a bit and let stand for the juices to drain. Squeeze cucumber juices with cloth then add all the ingredience.

      1. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
        Liz DellaCroce

        You can do it either way, as there isn’t one “right” way to do it. But if grating it is your preference, then great! I bet it still tastes great.

      2. Cecile Avatar
        Cecile

        Great tips! Thank you!

  4. Susan H Avatar
    Susan H

    So simple… and so flavorful. Used non-fat yogurt, and it tasted lighter than commercial tzatziki. Served as accompaniment to white bean burgers.

    1. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
      Liz DellaCroce

      That sounds so good!!!! :)

  5. Amelia Pizarro Avatar
    Amelia Pizarro

    mixed with cucumbers, garlic, salt, olive oil, sometimes with vinegar or lemon juice, and herbs such as dill, mint, parsley and thyme. is a sauce based on tahini, while in Turkey and the Balkans it came to mean a combination of yogurt and cucumbers, sometimes with walnuts. It has become a traditional part of meze.

    1. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
      Liz DellaCroce

      Oh wow that sounds incredible!!! Good to know!

      1. Carol Avatar
        Carol

        So easy and so good! I thought this sauce would be much more complicated. This made our gyros taste better than any restaurant, and I get as much sauce as I want! Yay!

        1. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
          Liz DellaCroce

          I’m so happy you enjoyed Carol!! Let me know what you make next!

  6. Kerry Baidin Avatar
    Kerry Baidin

    This sauce was delicious. I am looking for other sauces that have no fat because I have family members with pancreatitis. Searching the web has not been fruitful as it appears no one has discovered how to make delicious sauces without butter or oil or things with high fat content (coconut milk etc.). This recipe worked well with the meal I just prepared and it was great with the Russian rye bread stuffed with onions.
    Thank you.

    1. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
      Liz DellaCroce

      I’m so glad you enjoyed this!

  7. Billy Avatar
    Billy

    I love tzatziki sauce. This one looks particularly good. Thank you for sharing this recipe! I love recipes that make use of dill in tasty ways. Can’t wait to try this one at home!

    1. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
      Liz DellaCroce

      It’s so good I hope you love it!

      1. Ainsley Avatar
        Ainsley

        What is the recommended serving size??

        1. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
          Liz DellaCroce

          1/4 cup! So sorry just edited the recipe to show that!

  8. Ashley Avatar
    Ashley

    I can’t wait to try this, Liz!

    1. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
      Liz DellaCroce

      It’s so good!!

  9. Lane & Holly @ With Two Spoons Avatar
    Lane & Holly @ With Two Spoons

    I could eat this on everything!

    1. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
      Liz DellaCroce

      I pretty much do!!

  10. Brooke Avatar
    Brooke

    Pucker up because this is sour! I found this recipe to have far to much lemon juice in it. I made another batch leaving out the lemon to add to the first batch and it still has an over powering lemon taste.

    1. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
      Liz DellaCroce

      Oh really? I think it’s perfectly balanced but I guess everyone has different taste buds!

      1. Sam Avatar
        Sam

        I followed your recipe and thought it was perfect – thanks so much for posting this!

        1. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
          Liz DellaCroce

          I’m so glad to hear it Sam! Let me know if you try anything else!

    2. Persus Avatar
      Persus

      Different strokes for different folks. It’s delicious, so my taste buds say!

      1. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
        Liz DellaCroce

        So glad you enjoy it!!

  11. leann Avatar
    leann

    Cani use lime juice if i dont have lemon?

    1. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
      Liz DellaCroce

      I would really not recommend it- wait until you have lemon juice!

  12. Jess Avatar
    Jess

    I LOVE this sauce…I’ll have to try your version! Funny thing is, both at the Greek restaurant I went to as a child, and in the recipe I received from my brother (who is a chef in a five-star restaurant on Nantucket), it was made with mint and not dill. Not a huge fan of dill so I may stick with my imposter version, but I will definitely give it a try first!

  13. Michelle Avatar
    Michelle

    Great sauce…and the fresh dill…YUM!!!! Making so in the morning…this is a great sauce…thank you!!!!!

    1. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
      Liz DellaCroce

      One of my favorites too!

  14. Bakequery Avatar
    Bakequery

    Loved your Creamy Tzatziki sauce recipe. I served it with koftas. I have to say the sauce turned out MUCH better than the koftas. The only thing I wasn’t sure of was should I scrape the seeds out of the cucumber or not? Should I have drained off the juice or not? The recipe wasn’t clear about that. SI’ll give the recipe flavor a 5 and the written method a 3, averaging the score to a 4.

    1. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
      Liz DellaCroce

      Hi There – So glad you enjoyed the tzatziki! Ironically we are making it for dinner tonight to serve with grilled salmon. :) To answer your question, no need to cut out the cucumber seeds. I don’t mention that in the recipe because there is absolutely no need! Of course you can but I don’t mind the seeds. As for draining off the juice, there is also no need. Of course just like the seeds, you can drain off the water if you wish. To be clear: the reason tzatziki is often thicker when you purchase from store or restaurants is because they use sour cream instead of yogurt. :) Lastly, I’m so sorry you didn’t enjoy the koftas! Was there anything particular you didn’t enjoy? Several people have made it and raved about it this week so I’m wondering if it’s a personal preference about the turkey? The traditional recipe calls for fattier beef/lamb which you may prefer. Let me know!! Thank you so much for your candid feedback- I so appreciate it!

  15. Stasia Avatar
    Stasia

    HELP!!!!!

    I put way too much lemon juice in my Tzatziki sauce. What can I do to fix it? My friends will be here in less than an hour for dinner. and yep,..you guessed it. The Tzatziki is the appetizer.

    Thank You,

    Stasia

    1. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
      Liz DellaCroce

      The best thing to do is add more to make it a larger batch. Do you have extra yogurt, cucumber and salt?

      1. Stasia Avatar
        Stasia

        Looks like I better get to the store real quick. Thank you Liz.

        Stasia

        1. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
          Liz DellaCroce

          Have a great party!

  16. Barb Avatar
    Barb

    This has to be my favorite spring/summertime go to sauce. Only thing I don’t put it on is my Cheerios!! It is just yummy. Btw your blog I found thru Pinterest and so glad I clicked that link ;)

    1. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
      Liz DellaCroce

      Thanks for finding me Barb! Too funny about Cheerios…I’m with you on that. ;)

      1. Dennis Avatar
        Dennis

        It’s not great on Cheerios, but pretty good on Chex Mix.

  17. Dennis Avatar
    Dennis

    How do I get a bad picture of myself running up with my posts, to replace that really bad lemon? I hate all my pictures, but they look better than a lemon. I think.

    1. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
      Liz DellaCroce

      You need to have an avatar- google it!

      1. Dennis Avatar
        Dennis

        I’ll stick with the lemon…lol.

  18. Dennis Avatar
    Dennis

    The amounts listed are perfect. Basically, one fat cucumber and clove of garlic to every cup of Greek yogurt. (Add dill, salt, and pepper to taste – but stay light on all three.)

    Allow me to add some time-consuming suggestions that make a major difference:

    1) Always use Greek (strained) plain yogurt. It is widely available now. It is thick, and the non-fat variety is just as tasty. Isn’t that good?…lol.
    2) After skinning, cut the cucumbers length-wise and remove the seeds (time-consuming suggestion – exhibit A)
    3) Put cucumbers and garlic in a food processor/blender, and puree.
    4) Pour puree into coffee filters – supported by a strainer – over a large bowl, and drain for at least a half-hour. (time-consuming suggestion – exhibit B) There will be a LOT of juice in the bowl. This is what gets rid of the “runny” consistency problem.
    5) Chuck in a tablespoon of olive oil per 8 oz.
    6) Slop it all together (finally!). Thoroughly. Taste and adjust seasonings.
    7) Let meld in the fridge a few hours. (time-consuming suggestion – exhibit C)
    8) Put it on everything you eat.

    Even dirty socks are edible with this stuff. Tastes too good to be so damn good for you. But it does and it is.

    1. Mike Avatar
      Mike

      Nice, Dennis. Thanks for posting this…wish the author was as descriptive as you were.

      1. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
        Liz DellaCroce

        Hi Mike – I hope you enjoy the tzatziki!! Many apologies for not being descriptive enough in my recipe. Please let me know if you have any trouble or have any questions. It’s one of our favorite recipes – we love eating it on grilled salmon, with lamb, as a dip with veggies or just on top of rice! Enjoy!!

      2. Dennis Avatar
        Dennis

        Thanks, Mike. Liz posted a chunky version. Just as good. I posted a painfully slower creamy version. Just as good. You can’t go wrong with Greek yogurt, cucumbers, and garlic. You just can’t.

    2. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
      Liz DellaCroce

      I love all of your tips Dennis! I hope you enjoy it!

      1. Dennis Avatar
        Dennis

        Great site, Liz. It’s all about the variations to the recipes, and the great feedback. Pardon the pun.

  19. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
    Liz DellaCroce

    I adore dill too!!!! Who needs willpower? This is good for us!! :)

  20. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
    Liz DellaCroce

    Thank you so much Kathy!! I would say I have to agree – love tzatziki!!

  21. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
    Liz DellaCroce

    hahaha I am so jealous you live near Trader Joe’s!!!! I love that place!!!! Let me know what you think!

    1. Dennis Avatar
      Dennis

      Very funny, Megan. But very true. Keep Trader Joe’s in business. For now, anyway.

  22. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
    Liz DellaCroce

    Oh I’m sure it’s just as good!! Let me know what you think!! I’m all about tons of fresh dill and garlic. ;-)

  23. mary Avatar
    mary

    looks delicious. I’m going to try making some.

  24. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
    Liz DellaCroce

    Smart thinking!! We buy Fage in bulk too. ;-)

  25. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
    Liz DellaCroce

    Thank you friend!!! I am majorly craving lamb and tzatziki now!!

    1. Dennis Avatar
      Dennis

      It’s like, Hummus and Tzatziki ARE the meal. Then you add stuff to it.

  26. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
    Liz DellaCroce

    Yes girl!! Me too!!

    1. Dennis Avatar
      Dennis

      Ditto.

  27. Jessica@AKitchenAddiction Avatar
    Jessica@AKitchenAddiction

    Love this sauce! I will be putting it on all kinds of food!

  28. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
    Liz DellaCroce

    Yay! Mission accomplished. ;-)

  29. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
    Liz DellaCroce

    Thank you friend!! You would love it. :-) xoxo

  30. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
    Liz DellaCroce

    I do too!! It really is cool that so many regions have their own variations. :-)

  31. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
    Liz DellaCroce

    Same here Dara!!! Mmm…now I want a kabob!!

  32. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
    Liz DellaCroce

    You will love this!!! I could eat Greek food daily. :)

  33. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
    Liz DellaCroce

    Oh my goodness me too!!!! I could eat them daily!

  34. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
    Liz DellaCroce

    Good thinking Heather!!! Let me know what you think. ;-)

  35. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
    Liz DellaCroce

    I’m so glad you found this post helpful!! Enjoy Patsy!

  36. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
    Liz DellaCroce

    LOL You will want to dip everything in life into it!!! xo

  37. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
    Liz DellaCroce

    It is so so good Kim!! You will get hooked!! :)

  38. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
    Liz DellaCroce

    Umm….I kiiiiiind of did exactly that after I took the photo. LOL

  39. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
    Liz DellaCroce

    I always order it in restaurants too but I want it all week long!! I hope you enjoy!!