Creamy Tzatziki Sauce

Name: Creamy Tzatziki Sauce
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 1 medium (about 10 oz) (280 g) English (seedless) cucumber, unpeeled if thin-skinned (or peeled in stripes), ends trimmed, coarsely grated; ¾ tsp (4 g) kosher salt, divided: ½ tsp for cucumber, ¼ tsp for the sauce; 2 cups (450 g) full-fat plain Greek yogurt, cold, stirred smooth; 2 medium cloves (8 g) garlic, peeled and finely grated or minced to a paste; 2 tbsp (28 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling; 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice, freshly squeezed; 1 tsp (5 ml) white wine vinegar; 2 tbsp (6 g) fresh dill, fronds finely chopped, plus a few small sprigs for garnish; black pepper, freshly ground, to taste

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A thick, cool Greek yogurt sauce with crisp grated cucumber, sharp garlic, fresh dill, and bright lemon. Salting and squeezing the cucumber keeps it creamy instead of watery, so it's ready for gyros, grilled meats, or pita.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: —
Wait: 1 hr
Total: 1 hr 15 min
Makes: About 2 cups (480 g), serving 8 as a sauce or dip

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Ingredients

8 servings

1 medium (about 10 oz) (280 g) English (seedless) cucumber, unpeeled if thin-skinned (or peeled in stripes), ends trimmed, coarsely grated
¾ tsp (4 g) kosher salt, divided: ½ tsp for cucumber, ¼ tsp for the sauce
2 cups (450 g) full-fat plain Greek yogurt, cold, stirred smooth
2 medium cloves (8 g) garlic, peeled and finely grated or minced to a paste
2 tbsp (28 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1 tsp (5 ml) white wine vinegar
2 tbsp (6 g) fresh dill, fronds finely chopped, plus a few small sprigs for garnish
black pepper, freshly ground, to taste

Equipment (7)

Box grater (large holes)
Fine-mesh sieve or colander
Clean lint-free kitchen towel or cheesecloth
Medium mixing bowl (1.5-quart / 1.5 L)
Microplane or fine grater for garlic and lemon
Spatula or spoon
Airtight container

Steps

Before you start

Use full-fat (5–10%) plain Greek yogurt; low-fat or regular yogurt will be thinner and may turn watery.
Plan on at least 1 hour of chilling so the garlic mellows and the flavors blend; overnight is even better.
Have a clean kitchen towel, cheesecloth, or nut-milk bag ready for squeezing the cucumber.

1
Grate the cucumber
- Trim the ends from the cucumber.
- Coarsely grate it on the large holes of a box grater into a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl.
- You should have about 1½ cups (250 g) grated cucumber.
- Toss with ½ tsp of the kosher salt.
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Ready when: Cucumber is evenly coated with salt and piled in the sieve.
Tip: Grate on the large holes; fine holes make a mushy pulp that will not drain well.
2
Drain the cucumber
- Let the salted cucumber drain for 15 minutes.
- Liquid will collect in the bowl below.
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Ready when: About 2–3 tablespoons of liquid has dripped out and the cucumber looks softened.
3
Squeeze it dry
- Pile the cucumber in the center of a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth, gather the corners, and twist hard over the sink, squeezing firmly for 20–30 seconds.
- Fluff the squeezed cucumber with a fork.
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Ready when: The cucumber forms a compact, damp (not dripping) clump and yields about ¼ cup (60 ml) liquid in total; no more drips when squeezed.
Tip: This is the most important step. Under-squeezed cucumber will make the sauce runny after a few hours.
4
Mix the base
- In a medium bowl, stir the yogurt until smooth.
- Add the grated garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, white wine vinegar, and the remaining ¼ tsp salt.
- Stir until fully combined and glossy.
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Ready when: No streaks of oil remain and the yogurt is smooth and thick.
Tip: Grate the garlic on a Microplane so no sharp chunks remain; raw garlic gets stronger as it sits.
5
Fold in cucumber and dill
- Add the squeezed cucumber and the chopped dill to the yogurt mixture.
- Fold gently with a spatula until evenly distributed.
- Season with several grinds of black pepper.
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Ready when: Green flecks of dill and cucumber are evenly spread through the sauce.
6
Chill to blend
- Cover the bowl or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (up to overnight) so the garlic mellows and the flavors meld.
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Ready when: Sauce is cold, thick, and the garlic smell is rounded rather than sharp.
Tip: Total chilling is 1 hour; the first 15 minutes overlap with draining time if you prefer to start the base early.
7
Taste and serve
- Stir the chilled sauce and taste.
- Add a pinch more salt, a squeeze of lemon, or pepper if needed.
- Spoon into a serving bowl, drizzle with a little olive oil, and top with a few dill sprigs.
- Serve cold.
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Ready when: Sauce tastes tangy, garlicky, and well salted, and holds soft peaks when spooned.
Tip: Chilling dulls flavors, so always taste again before serving.

Good to know

Tips

Squeeze the cucumber until it stops dripping; this is what keeps the sauce thick.
Use a Microplane for garlic, and start with 2 cloves; add a third only after chilling if you want a stronger bite.
Fold in the cucumber and dill at the end so the yogurt stays thick and doesn't thin out from overmixing.
Serve with warm pita, grilled chicken or lamb, gyros, roasted vegetables, or as a dip with raw veggies.

Make ahead

"Make up to 2 days ahead. The flavor is best after 4–24 hours. Stir well before serving, and pour off any small amount of liquid that collects on top."

Storage & reheating

"Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days; stir before serving. Not recommended to freeze, as the yogurt separates and turns grainy. Serve cold or at cool room temperature; do not reheat."

Substitutions

fresh dill → Fresh mint (same amount). Gives a cooler, more traditional-in-some-regions flavor; or use half dill, half mint.
full-fat plain Greek yogurt → Strained plain whole-milk yogurt. Drain regular yogurt in a cheesecloth-lined sieve in the fridge for 2–4 hours until thick; use 2 cups (450 g) of the strained result.
white wine vinegar → Red wine vinegar or extra lemon juice. Use the same amount; lemon will make the sauce slightly brighter.
English (seedless) cucumber → Regular cucumber. Peel it, halve lengthwise, and scoop out the seeds before grating.