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This easy Greek Tzatziki Sauce is great to have in your back pocket. Whether you are making tzatziki to eat on your vegan gyros, with pita, on chicken souvlaki if you’re not plant-based, or even on sandwiches, this recipe is my go-to for whipping up this delicious dip.
Why You’ll Love This Greek Tzatziki Sauce
- Versatile: Whether you’re vegan, vegetarian, or none of the above, you can make this recipe to fit your dietary needs
- Quick: This tzatziki recipe can be made in 10 minutes or less, super quick & super delicious!
- Use it on Anything: You can use this tzatziki on anything. Use it as a dip, spread it on a sandwich, with protein like my vegan gyros, or whatever your heart desires
Ingredients
Olive Oil: Make sure you choose a good quality olive oil. Look for “extra virgin” on the label and avoid anything in a clear bottle since olive oil doesn’t like light!
Maria Koutsogiannia
Maria is the creator of FoodByMaria and your go-to Greek food expert for cozy, flavor-packed recipes. Inspired by her Mediterranean roots, she brings traditional Greek flavors, feel-good ingredients, and a whole lot of joy to everyday cooking.
Yogurt: You can use yogurt, vegan yogurt, or cream cheese here. Whatever you prefer. The consistency will slightly change based on what you choose but any option is delicious.
Dill: I love fresh dill in this recipe as fresh herbs just add a better flavor in my opinion, but this recipe will still be delicious with dry dill if you don’t have fresh on hand. Use one teaspoon of dried dill for every one tablespoon of fresh.
How to Make Greek Tzatziki Sauce
🗒 Tips and Tricks
- How to squeeze a cucumber: There are a few ways you can do this. Some people like to sprinkle salt on them and leave them in a strainer to allow for the water to drain. However, when you don’t have time for that, once you grate the cucumbers, squeeze out the moisture with your hands. Voila!
- Thick yogurt: Full-fat Greek yogurt is best. This is the foundation of a creamy tzatziki. Look for plain, full-fat Greek yogurt, ideally one that is naturally strained and doesn’t contain thickeners. The thicker the yogurt, the better. If you don’t have full-fat yogurt you can strain it yourself using a colander or fine-mesh sieve with cheesecloth.
- Fresh is key: Always use fresh garlic for the best flavor.
- Acid: Acid adds brightness to your creamy dip. I used lemon juice but you can also use red wine vinegar.
- Quality olive oil: Make sure you are using a high quality olive oil for your Tzatziki as it makes such a difference. Check out my guide to make sure you’re picking the best kind.
Substitutions
- Greek Yogurt: You can use a vegan yogurt or cream cheese substitute.
- Olive Oil: Substitute olive oil for avocado oil if you prefer it.
- Dill: To me the FRESH dill is a must in Tzatziki but you can also add in mint to your recipe as well.
- Lemon Juice: The acid in the recipe helps with brightness. If you don’t have fresh lemon juice you can use red wine vinegar instead.
Best served with
- Use this as a topper with plant-based jackfruit gyros
- If you aren’t plant-based this can be great on chicken souvlaki as well
- Make a spinach pie and use it as a dipper
- Create a delicious Greek-inspired charcuterie board
- Make this salad and use the tzatziki as a side with warm pita
How to Store Leftovers
This sauce will last up to one week in the fridge in a properly sealed container or mason jar. I love making a big batch up and storing it in the fridge for an easy dip or sauce.
Common Questions
Also known as tarator or cacik, tzatziki is a dip found in cuisines of Southeast Europe and the Middle East. It’s made with salted, strained yogurt or diluted yogurt mixed with cucumbers, garlic, salt, and olive oil. You sometimes use vinegar or lemon juice, and herbs too. Everyone has their own way they like to make it!
Tzatziki is considered a healthier dip because it’s made with whole, healthy ingredients.
The cucumber is usually the problem here. If you didn’t sufficiently squeeze enough water out of the cucumber your sauce will be a bit more watery. A solution to this is after you grate your cucumber and try and squeeze as much moisture out, you can add salt to it and let it sit for 10-20 minutes, then squeeze out the moisture again.
If you’re using very thick, high-fat Greek yogurt then you should be good-to-go. If you’re using anything else, you may want to strain your yogurt first for that thicker and creamier tzatziki sauce.
English cucumber or mini Persian cucumbers are best for making your own homemade tzatziki sauce.
Fresh is best but if you have to use dried just remember you use about 1/3 of dried herbs to the amount of fresh herbs it calls for in the recipe.
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Ingredients
- 2 cups greek yogurt or vegan cream cheese or yogurt
- ¼ cup fresh dill, roughly chopped
- 3 cloves of grated garlic
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 3 tbsp lemon juice (about 1 small lemon)
- 1 cucumber, peeled, grated and squeezed to remove any excess liquid
- 3 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
Start Cooking- Combine every ingredient in a large container and mix to combine.
- Store in a tightly sealed container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Enjoy with literally anything!
81 people are discussing this recipe. Join in
I would like your recipe for spanakopita, Tiropita, and meat pita but I don’t know how to spell it in Greek.
Hey Florence, how you spelt them is how they are on my website! I hope that helps!
Great recipes!!! Do you have a recipe for dactylo bread?
HI! No I don’t! But I just googled them and they look so yummy!!
I rarely use recipes, and it’s even less common that I leave a review, but this tzatziki is a game changer!! I love the bite from the garlic. I usually use 4 tsp of dried dill since that’s what I usually have on hand, and an English or Persian cucumber (with the thinner skin) and it is perfect.
I used to buy my favorite tzatziki from the farmers market every week, but I literally can’t go back now that I know how to make this!
yes queen!! now you can make your own!!
A you specify if the Greek yogurt should be full-fat or not? I think the fat percentage makes a difference in taste, so I’d like to use whatever you recommend! Thanks—
Full fat!! Always!!
THE BEST TZATZIKI SAUCE 😍🙏 Made this to accompany your chicken gyro recipe and holy moly it sooo good! Thank you so much for sharing!!
Thank you so much, Chaunette!!
Best tzatziki recipe I’ve ever made. Instantly regretted not having fresh pita on hand to devour it with.
ISNT IT THE BEST EVER!!! thanks hunnie!
This was the easiest and most flavourful homemade tzatziki we’ve had by far! We made this to accompany the chicken souvlaki and pitas (also your recipes) for a family dinner. The tzatziki was the star of the dinner lol. Thank you for sharing your Greek recipes, Maria!
Obsessed! I make this weekly! It goes with everything!
ISNT IT THE BEST!
This was the easiest and most flavourful homemade tzatziki we’ve had by far! We made this to accompany the chicken souvlaki and pitas (also your recipes) for a family dinner. The tzatziki was the star of the dinner lol. Thank you for sharing your Greek recipes, Maria!
You are so sweet, thank you so much Kristy!
thank you I love this recipe it takes me straight back to Greece, love to have with your souflaki recipe some salad , pittas and maybe a corn on the cob
So fresh, so bright and SO
EASY. It was absolutely delicious!
Thanks!