Tzatziki Sauce

Tangy Greek yogurt, cooling cucumber, and fresh dill come together in this fabulous homemade Tzatziki sauce. This deliciously creamy sauce is a marvelous companion for your gyros, wraps, burgers, pitas, and everything in between! Skip the trip to Lanzarote or Mykonos as we’re about to create authentic Greek goodness right in your kitchen.

Back in my younger, freer college days, I lived off burritos, gyros, and pitas.

Anything that could be swaddled in a tortilla or wrapped in a flatbread was in my field of vision. 

I had the same lamb gyros with tzatziki sauce for lunch every single week. I had always assumed that a homemade tzatziki sauce recipe was hugely complicated and utterly impossible to make at home.

Well, it turns out I was completely wrong. It’s easy!

For the uninitiated, tzatziki is a Greek yogurt-based sauce typically served as a dip or a condiment for meat (like my weekly gyros!). The basic ingredients are yogurt, cucumber, dill, garlic, vinegar or lemon juice, and salt. 

It’s refreshingly cool, creamy, and tangy, making it perfect for taking the edge off spicy dishes or complementing rich, grilled, meaty flavors.

So, join me in whipping up an easy-peasy batch of fresh cucumber sauce.

Let’s discuss the simple ingredients for this tasty Greek tzatziki.

Ingredients for Tzatziki Sauce

Believe it or not, this is the full list of things you’ll need to make my homemade tzatziki sauce. It couldn’t be simpler!

Full-Fat Plain Greek Yogurt: Greek yogurt is the traditional base for tzatziki sauce, but I find it a little too tangy. Plain whole milk yogurt has the perfect balance of flavor and texture in my opinion!

English Cucumber: Adds a cool, refreshing crunch and balances the tang of the yogurt. Cut your cucumber lengthwise and scoop out the seeds before peeling and chopping if you want to be extra fancy!

Garlic: Minced, raw garlic clove gives this dip its bold, savory backbone. The sharp, pungent edge contrasts beautifully with the cool yogurt and cucumber but doesn’t overpower any of the other ingredients.

Fresh Dill: Light, lemony-fresh chopped dill gives Tzatziki sauce its signature Mediterranean taste. The small flecks of green look fantastic in the creamy sauce, too!

Cider Vinegar: Tangy, fruity cider vinegar balances the richness of the yogurt and garlic. It also adds a touch of acidity that brightens the dip and enhances all the other flavors.

Salt: We’ll use a little salt to season the recipe, and more to dehydrate the cucumber before we make our dip.

Recipe Customizations

• Replace the whole milk yogurt with a non-dairy substitute to make this recipe totally vegan!
• Try fresh mint or parsley instead of dill for a different (but still delicious!) flavor profile. Any fresh herbs are amazing in this Greek tzatziki sauce recipe.
• Lemon juice can be used in place of cider vinegar if you want to be traditional.
• Swap diced cucumber for grated cucumber for smoother texture. Simply use a box grater to grate the cucumber.
• Toss in 1/2 cup of feta cheese for added richness and texture.
• Use low fat regular yogurt if you aren’t concerned with a thick yogurt sauce.

How to Make Tzatziki Sauce

Begin by peeling your cucumber and chopping it up into small pieces. The smaller the better! 

Place the chopped cucumber into a colander (or fine-mesh sieve). Sprinkle it with a little salt, and let it sit and drain in the sink for 30 minutes to drain out any excess water. This draws a lot of the moisture out of the cucumber, ensuring your tzatziki sauce doesn’t turn watery.

Next, place the cucumber in a mixing bowl along with the yogurt, garlic, dill, vinegar, and a pinch of salt. 

Give everything a good stir, and voila! Homemade tzatziki sauce – ready to eat.

Store tzatziki sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Serving Suggestions:

1. This easy recipe pair magically with pita bread and fresh veggies for a light snack or meal. You can also enjoy it with pita chips for your new favorite dip!
2. Try it on my Chicken Tzatziki Lettuce Wraps , Tzatziki Salmon Salad, or my Lamb Burgers with Mint Pesto! 
3. Use it as salad dressing! I do this often with various green salads.

Tips for The Ultimate Tzatziki Sauce

• Be careful not to use too much garlic! Raw garlic has an intense flavor. So, if you go over the given amount, you’ll be left with more of a garlic sauce than a tzatziki.
• Chilling your sauce in the fridge for an hour before serving lets the flavors meld and the texture thicken slightly.
• Don’t skip the step to drain the excess moisture from the cucumber for the best tzatziki. This ensures the sauce is nice and thick and rich, not watery.

Whether you’re dipping, spreading, or grilling, my easy tzatziki sauce recipe will be your best friend for years to come. 

Thrilled with this tzatziki sauce? Here are five more simple sauces you can make at home.

More Sauce Recipes:

• The Best Chimichurri Sauce
• Easy Salsa Verde
• Paleo Chipotle Aioli
• Basil Pesto Sauce Recipe
• Thai Peanut Sauce

Let me know how you enjoy your authentic tzatziki recipe in the comments!

Frequently Asked Questions:

What is Tzatziki made of?

The main ingredients for tzatziki are Greek yogurt, fresh dill or fresh mint, fresh cucumber, fresh lemon juice, sometimes olive oil, and salt.

I make mine with cider vinegar instead of lemon, but both work!

What Does It Taste Like?

It’s tangy, fresh, herby, and cool (as a cucumber!). 

Tzatziki sauce tastes like a concentrated Mediterranean Summer! 

Every spoonful has a perfect balance of richness and zest. Plus, it pairs perfectly with breads, meat, veggies, and pretty much anything else!

Is tzatziki the same as gyro sauce?

Gyros are often served with tzatziki sauce. Many Greek restaurants also offer a creamy garlic sauce, hummus, and sometimes other sauces too. However, if you’re enjoying a gyro with a white cucumber sauce, that is tzatziki!