How to Make Tzatziki

Co-authored by Jennifer Levasseur

Last Updated: March 12, 2023

Tzatziki is a Greek cucumber-yogurt sauce which can be served as an appetizer, dip, and in or on various dishes. It goes great over Gyros or simply all by itself. Below you'll find two recipes: choose whichever one suits your needs. Get started with Step 1 below or see the sections listed above to jump straight to the recipe you want!

Ingredients

Authentic

24 oz. Plain Greek yogurt (Greek Gods in the US and Total Greek Yogurt in the UK brands are recommended for proper texture, but the thicker the yogurt the better)
1 cucumber (English for fewer seeds or Kirby for stronger flavor)
2 cloves of garlic
Fresh oregano
Fresh dill
High quality, extra virgin Olive Oil (look for a harvest date, and be willing to spend a little money if you want the best flavor)

Chunky

2 32 oz. containers of plain yogurt
4 medium or 2 large cucumbers
1 head of garlic
2 large lemons
olive oil
1/2 tbsp fine ground white pepper
1/2 tbsp salt

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Authentic (Greek Style)

Peel the cucumbers, cut them into three or four parts, and then use an apple corer to remove the seed section in the middle.
With the flat side on the cucumber chunk on a large grater, roughly grate the cucumber. The chunks do not need to be too small.
Place the shredded cucumber in a sieve and drain the liquid into a cup. Press the cucumber in the sieve to encourage more of the moisture out. Set aside both the drippings and the cucumbers.
Very finely dice garlic or run the garlic through a high quality garlic press. Then, mix the garlic together with a little olive oil and a half tablespoon of salt, preferably with a mortar and pestle but a bowl and fork/small potato masher can work okay.
Line a sieve with coffee filters and then pour in your yogurt. Drain for about 15 minutes, stir carefully (do not disturb the filters) and allow to drain for another 15 minutes.
Mix the container of yogurt, the drained cucumbers, and the garlic mixture together in a glass or stainless steel mixing bowl.
Now, there are different schools of thought here. Different areas of Greece tend to use different spices, and tzatziki is prepared with non-traditional spices elsewhere in the world. You can choose which best suits you, or combine 2: lemon juice, wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon (14.8 ml) fresh oregano, 1 tbsp fresh dill, or 1 tsp mint. Ground black pepper to taste is pretty standard, however.
Cover with plastic wrap and set in the fridge for at least 2 hours. Twelve hours will produce a better tasting final product. The cucumber juice can be used to get a more sauce-like texture for use on salads or as a dressing on meat, or just a small amount can be added to get a stronger cucumber flavor.
Enjoy your authentic Greek tzatziki! Traditionally it is served in a bowl with dipping bread, and topped with a light drizzle of olive oil, a few whole kalamata olives, and a sprig of oregano or other fresh herbs.

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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Chunky (American Style)

You can find the ingredients listed in the ingredients section.
Peel cucumbers and slice into long quarters. Then, using a spoon, remove all the cucumber seeds.
Dice the cucumber and drain with a sieve to remove the excess liquid. Excess liquid can cause the tzatziki to be too runny.
Peel and chop the amount of garlic you'll think you need. This may be just a few cloves or a whole head, and should be done to taste. Chop the garlic and put it into a food processor with olive oil. Blend the mixture until the chunks are gone.
Line a sieve with coffee filters and then pour in your yogurt. Drain for about 15 minutes, stir carefully (do not disturb the filters) and allow to drain for another 15 minutes.
Place the garlic, cucumber, and yogurt together in a large stainless steel or glass mixing bowl. Then add in salt and pepper to taste. Top off with the lemon juice, if desired.
Beat mixture with a whisk or large spoon until all ingredients are totally mixed. You may want to taste a little and adjust the ingredients to your taste. Remember, the taste will grow a little stronger as the flavors mingle.
Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 2 to 3 hours before serving. This gives the garlic a chance to really unleash its flavor.
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Tips

Use plain yogurt, not vanilla or any other flavor.

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You may adjust the amount of salt and pepper to your taste.

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The Tzatziki tastes even better then next day and will keep for several days when refrigerated.

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Warnings

Make certain your significant other enjoys some too or their reaction to your breath may not be an enjoyable one.

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Things You'll Need

Coffee filters
Sieve or strainer
Grater/shredder
Food processor
Garlic press

How to Make Tzatziki

Ingredients

Authentic

Chunky

Steps

Authentic (Greek Style)

Chunky (American Style)

Expert Q&A

Video

Tips

Warnings

Things You'll Need

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