Greek Yogurt Cucumber Sauce (Tzatziki) Recipe

Name: Greek Yogurt-Cucumber Sauce - German Tsatsiki
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 10
Ingredients: 1 cup Greek yogurt; 1 cup shredded cucumber, from about 1/2 a cucumber); 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 teaspoon lemon juice; 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil; Fresh dill, for garnish

Prep: 20 mins

Cook: 0 mins

Total: 20 mins

Servings: 10 servings

40 ratings

Write a Review

Add a comment

Tzatziki is a yogurt-cucumber sauce or dip which is often served in Greek restaurants in Germany (where it is spelled Tsatsiki). In addition to being served in restaurants, tzatziki and has found its way into German backyard barbecue and party culture.

This yogurt-cucumber mixture is fresh, savory and easy to make. It’s a good accompaniment to spicy and/or grilled meats, fried eggplant or zucchini and it’s tasty on falafel and gyros. In Germany, it's eaten on bread. The yield for this tzatziki recipe is for two, but it easily can be doubled or tripled.

1 cup Greek yogurt
1 cup shredded cucumber, from about 1/2 cucumber
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
Fresh dill, for garnish

If you do not have Greek yogurt (very thick yogurt), line a colander with paper towels and place plain yogurt into it. Cover with more paper towels to drain excess liquid for 15 minutes or longer.
Shred half a cucumber, place in a colander, sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste and let sit for 15 minutes. Press excess liquid out.
In a small bowl, mix together 1 cup Greek yogurt or yogurt cheese, shredded and pressed cucumber, 2 minced cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon lemon juice and 2 teaspoons olive oil. Refrigerate until ready to serve. The longer it sits, the more the garlic melds with the other ingredients. If the sauce looks runny, stir the liquid back in.
The German presentation is to garnish with sprigs of fresh dill or chopped fresh dill or drizzle with a little extra-virgin olive oil over the dish.

Recipe Variations

Rather than Greek yogurt, use yogurt cheese, but start with 1 1/2 cups.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
24	Calories
1g	Fat
1g	Carbs
2g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 10
Amount per serving
Calories	24
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g	1%
Saturated Fat 0g	1%
Cholesterol 1mg	0%
Sodium 114mg	5%
Total Carbohydrate 1g	1%
Dietary Fiber 0g	0%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 1mg	3%
Calcium 28mg	2%
Iron 0mg	0%
Potassium 51mg	1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.