If you’re a fan of dips, you’ll love this homemade tzatziki recipe! It’s creamy, rich, garlicky, lemony, and so incredibly delicious!
It’s made with the simplest and freshest ingredients, and comes together in under 15 minutes.
This Greek tzatziki is the perfect sauce to serve as part of a mezze spread, or as a sauce for a variety of Greek-inspired dishes.
If you’re like me, you probably love delicious and flavorful dips that are also a breeze to make. I mean, sauces make everything so much better!
I always make a big batch of homemade tzatziki whenever I’m serving my favorite Greek Turkey Burgers or Greek Chicken Skewers. I am such a fan of the sauce that I recently made some delicious Greek meatballs that go perfectly with it. I even turned these meatballs into Greek Meatball Pitas, which were SO GOOD!
If you’ve never had tzatziki, here’s what it tastes like: creamy, refreshing, garlicky, and tangy.
The Greek yogurt adds that creaminess, the grated cucumber adds that touch of freshness, and the fresh garlic and lemon juice make it perfectly garlicky and tangy. Finish with a drizzle of really good extra virgin olive oil…and you’ll have the perfect tzatziki!
The best part? It’s super easy to make! Ready in under 15 minutes. It’s seriously the best way to level up any Greek-inspired dish.
Why we love this Greek tzatziki recipe:
- Quick and easy: 15 minutes is all it takes!
- The flavors are well-balanced, with a refreshing and tangy flavor profile.
- Fresh tasting: The key here is using the freshest ingredients. That’s how you achieve that bright, cooling, and refreshing taste.
- Versatile! Not only does it go well with a variety of dishes, but it can also be served on its own as a delicious mezze spread.
Jump to:
What is Tzatziki?
Tzatziki is a traditional and beloved dip made with strained full-fat Greek yogurt, grated cucumbers, vinegar or lemon juice, olive oil, and fresh herbs. It’s often served as part of a mezze spread or as a condiment for a variety of main dishes in Mediterranean cuisine.
The recipe I’m sharing today is the classic Greek version, but there are many variations based on the specific region along the Mediterranean.
Ingredients Notes
Below is a list of the ingredients you’ll need to make homemade tzatziki. The key here is to use FRESH ingredients. For example, don’t use pre-minced garlic or bottled lemon juice – it won’t be the same. As always, quantities are listed in the recipe card down below.
- Plain Greek yogurt: The base. It provides a creamy texture and tangy flavor. Don’t use regular yogurt, as it is too watery.
- Minced garlic: For flavor! Because you can taste the garlic, I’d recommend using fresh.
- Finely chopped FRESH dill: Fresh dill provides an aromatic tone. Don’t use dried herbs here – it won’t be the same.
- English cucumber: An essential ingredient to make authentic tzatziki. It adds that cooling and refreshing taste. English cucumbers work best here because they are seedless.
- Extra virgin olive oil: It helps bind all the flavors together and adds a hint of richness to the sauce. I’d recommend using high quality extra virgin olive oil.
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice: For that tangy and bright taste.
- Kosher salt to taste
Step-by-Step Tutorial
Here’s a quick tutorial on how to make this delicious Greek sauce. You’ll see how incredibly easy it is to make at home!
Step 1 | Grate cucumber
Partially peel the English cucumber and then grate it using a box grater. Add a little bit of salt and let it sit for 5 minutes (helps to release excess moisture). Then, squeeze out the excess water using cheesecloth or a few layers of paper towel.
Quick tip: You can also use a food processor to grate the cucumber for faster results. Pulse until the cucumber is shredded or grated, but not too finely.
Step 2 | Combine all ingredients
In a bowl, combine the squeezed grated cucumber, Greek yogurt, minced garlic, fresh finely chopped dill, olive oil, lemon juice, and salt to taste. Stir until everything is well mixed. Adjust to taste as needed.
Step 3 | Garnish and serve
Garnish with a few more drizzles of olive oil and fresh herbs on top. Serve with pita bread and veggies. You can serve immediately. Alternatively, let it chill in the fridge for 20 minutes or so to allow the flavors to come together.
Make Ahead and Storage Tips
Tzatziki is best consumed fresh. That’s when it’s the creamiest and tastiest, although you can let it sit for 20 minutes to allow all the flavors to come together.
However, if you prefer to make it ahead of time or store leftovers, it will last about 1 to 2 days in the fridge if stored in a sealed airtight container.
A better alternative is to prepare the sauce components in advance: Grate the cucumber 1-2 days in advance, and mince the garlic and herbs. When you’re ready to serve, simply combine all of the recipe’s ingredients.
Freezing: I would NOT recommend freezing. The sauce will separate and become very watery.
Pairing and Serving Ideas
Serve it as part of a mezze spread with your favorite hummus and warm pita bread, assorted olives, grape leaves, and a crudité board or grilled summer vegetable board.
I also enjoy serving it with my main courses, such as Greek meatballs (Keftedes) or Greek chicken skewers. You can take your meatballs to the next level by making Greek meatball pitas!
Get grilling! I also like plenty of tzatziki with my Marinated Lemon Chicken, Marinated Grilled Pork Chops, and Marinated Grilled Shrimp. As you can see, this is a very versatile dip!
It’s also great on a good salad! Try it on my homemade Greek-inspired Salad or Mediterranean Chicken Salad.
My favorite Greek-inspired recipes:
Recipe FAQs
Regular yogurt can be quite runny and not adequate for tzatziki. I’d highly recommend using plain Greek yogurt for best results.
Yes. Peel it completely (the skin can be tough and thick) and scoop out all the seeds (too watery) before grating.
If you don’t have dill, you can use fresh mint as a substitute (less less, to taste). It provides a slightly different, but still refreshing flavor. Don’t use dried herbs.
Garlic is what makes tzatziki unique and flavorful. If you’re not a huge fan of garlic, you could perhaps reduce the amount of garlic to taste instead.
Most likely from the cucumber releasing moisture – make sure to squeeze out as much excess liquid from the grated cucumbers as possible. Using regular yogurt instead of Greek yogurt can also make it watery.
This recipe was published in 2019 and updated in August 2023 to include new photos and information, plus a few recipe modifications.
Tips for Success
- Use plain Greek yogurt – it’s strained and thick, so it’s perfect for dips. Don’t use regular plain yogurt, as it’s too runny.
- Grating the cucumbers: If you don’t have a box grater, you may also use a food processor. Pulse it a few times until grated, but not too finely.
- Use cheesecloth (preferred) or multiple layers of paper towel to squeeze the excess liquid of the grated cucumber.
- For best flavor, use freshly minced garlic, not jarred pre-minced garlic. It will affect the taste.
- Use good quality extra virgin olive oil for best results.
- Give it time: Although you can serve it immediately, you can let it sit for a few minutes so flavors can come together. The garlic and dill will infuse into the yogurt, making the tzatziki ever more flavorful.
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Homemade Tzatziki
Equipment
- Cheesecloth or paper towel
Ingredients
- ¾ of a medium English cucumber
- 2 cups plain Greek yogurt - see note
- 3 cloves fresh garlic, finely minced - or more to taste
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill - plus more for garnish
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil - plus more for drizzling
- 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice - or to taste
- Kosher salt to taste
Instructions
- Partially peel the English cucumber and grate it using a box grater. Add about ¼ teaspoon salt and combine. Let it sit for 5 minutes. Squeeze out the extra moisture with cheesecloth (preferred) or a few sheets of paper towel. Note 1: If using a regular cucumber, peel it completely (too thick) and scoop out all the seeds (too watery). Note 2: You may also use a food processor, but make sure it’s not too finely grated.
- In a bowl, combine the prepared grated cucumber, Greek yogurt, garlic, dill, 1 tablespoon olive oil, lemon juice, and salt to taste. Adjust to taste as needed.
- Garnish with a few drizzles of olive oil and chopped dill. You may serve immediately or chill in the fridge for 20 minutes for more intense flavors.
Notes
- Use plain Greek yogurt, which is thicker than regular yogurt. Regular yogurt is too runny for this recipe.
- Grating cucumbers: I use a box grater, but a food processor works too (don’t pulse too finely though).
- The best way to squeeze out all the excess liquid from the grated cucumbers is with cheesecloth, but you may also use a few layers of paper towel.
- Make ahead 1-2 days in advance. Refrigerate in airtight container.
- I would NOT recommend freezing.
- English cucumber: Regular cucumber – peel completely and scoop out the seeds before grating.
- Lemon juice: White distilled vinegar may work.
- Fresh dill: A little bit of mint, or leave out the herbs. Don’t use dried herbs.
Jack B says
My 16 year old daughter is a Tzatziki aficionado and LOVED this recipe! I definitely agree getting the water out of the cucumber and using fresh dill are key. Easy to make and so much better than anything you will buy at the store. We served our tzatziki with chicken kabobs, rice pilaf and grilled pitas. This recipe is Yum-O!
Tania says
Hi Jack! That is so wonderful. Thank you so much for your kind words!
Susan says
Made this now. Tastes good. How long can u keep in fridge?
Tania says
Hi Susan, about 2 days if you store it in an airtight container in the fridge!
Erin Basile says
This was good, but the 2.5 T of lemon juice was too much. The sauce was super sour. Maybe start with 1T of lemon juice and go from there.
Tania says
Thanks for the suggestion! Yes, I’d definitely recommend adjusting to taste!