Homemade Tzatziki Sauce

Name: Homemade Tzatziki Sauce
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 1 medium (about 12 oz) (340 g) English (seedless) cucumber, ends trimmed; left unpeeled if skin is thin, or peeled in alternating stripes; coarsely grated on the large holes of a box grater; ½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt, for salting the cucumber (Diamond Crystal; use about half as much if using fine salt); 2 cups (500 g) plain whole-milk Greek yogurt, cold, straight from the fridge; 2 medium cloves (8 g) garlic, peeled and finely grated into a paste; 3 tbsp (10 g) fresh dill, fronds finely chopped, thick stems discarded; 2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice, freshly squeezed, seeds removed (about ½ lemon); 1 tsp (5 ml) white wine vinegar (optional); ½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste; black pepper, freshly ground, to taste (about ¼ tsp); 1 tsp (5 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling on top

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Thick, cool, garlicky Greek yogurt sauce with salted-and-squeezed cucumber, fresh dill, lemon, and good olive oil. Perfect for gyros, shawarma, grilled meats, or as a dip with warm pita.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: —
Wait: 2 hr 30 min
Total: 2 hr 45 min
Makes: About 3 cups (roughly 700 g), serving 8 at about ⅓ cup each as a sauce or dip

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Ingredients

8 servings

1 medium (about 12 oz) (340 g) English (seedless) cucumber, ends trimmed; left unpeeled if skin is thin, or peeled in alternating stripes; coarsely grated on the large holes of a box grater
½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt, for salting the cucumber (Diamond Crystal; use about half as much if using fine salt)
2 cups (500 g) plain whole-milk Greek yogurt, cold, straight from the fridge
2 medium cloves (8 g) garlic, peeled and finely grated into a paste
3 tbsp (10 g) fresh dill, fronds finely chopped, thick stems discarded
2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice, freshly squeezed, seeds removed (about ½ lemon)
1 tsp (5 ml) white wine vinegar (optional)
½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
black pepper, freshly ground, to taste (about ¼ tsp)
1 tsp (5 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling on top

Equipment (8)

Box grater (large holes)
Fine-mesh sieve or colander
Bowl to set under the sieve
Clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth
Medium mixing bowl (2 qt / 2 L)
Microplane or fine grater for garlic
Rubber spatula
Airtight container (at least 3-cup / 750 ml capacity)

Steps

Before you start

Use full-fat (5–10%) plain Greek yogurt; low-fat or regular yogurt turns out thin and watery.
Plan on about 2¾ hours total: 30 minutes to draw water from the cucumber, then at least 2 hours to chill (the flavor is best after several hours).
Use a clean kitchen towel or several layers of cheesecloth for squeezing the cucumber.
Raw garlic gets stronger as it sits, so start with the amount given and adjust after chilling.

1
Grate the cucumber
- Wash the cucumber and trim off both ends.
- Coarsely grate it on the large holes of a box grater into a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl.
- You should have about 2½ packed cups (roughly 300 g) of grated cucumber.
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Ready when: Cucumber is in even, shredded strands with no large chunks.
Tip: If the cucumber is not seedless, halve it lengthwise and scoop out the watery seeds first.
2
Salt and drain
- Toss the grated cucumber with ½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt.
- Let it drain in the sieve for 30 minutes, stirring once halfway through, so the salt pulls out excess water.
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Ready when: A good amount of liquid (3–5 tbsp) has collected in the bowl underneath.
3
Squeeze it dry
- Pile the cucumber into the center of a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth, gather the corners, and twist and squeeze firmly over the sink until almost no liquid drips out, about 1 minute.
- You should end up with about ¾ cup (110–140 g) of compact cucumber.
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Ready when: The cucumber forms a dry, crumbly clump and no drops fall when squeezed.
Tip: This is the most important step. Wet cucumber makes a runny sauce that separates in the fridge.
4
Prep the flavorings
- Finely grate the garlic with a Microplane into a paste.
- Finely chop the dill fronds.
- Squeeze the lemon and measure out 1 tbsp juice.
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Ready when: Garlic is a smooth paste with no chunky pieces.
Tip: Chunks of raw garlic taste harsh and sharp; grate it as finely as you can.
5
Mix the sauce
- In a medium bowl, stir together the Greek yogurt, 2 tbsp olive oil, lemon juice, garlic paste, dill, ½ tsp kosher salt, and a few grinds of pepper until smooth and creamy.
- Add the squeezed cucumber, and the white wine vinegar if using, then fold gently until evenly distributed.
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Ready when: The sauce is thick, creamy, and evenly speckled with green, with no white streaks of plain yogurt.
Tip: Fold rather than whisk vigorously, which can thin the yogurt.
6
Chill to blend
- Cover the bowl or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to overnight, so the garlic mellows and the flavors meld.
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Ready when: The sauce is cold, thick, and fragrant of dill and garlic.
7
Taste and serve
- Stir the chilled sauce, then taste.
- Add a pinch more salt, a squeeze of lemon, or a little more dill as needed.
- Spoon into a serving bowl, make a shallow swirl on top, and drizzle with 1 tsp olive oil.
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Ready when: Sauce tastes bright, garlicky, and well salted, not flat.
Tip: If a little liquid has pooled on top after chilling, stir it back in or pour it off for a thicker sauce.

Good to know

Tips

Squeeze the cucumber until it is truly dry; this is what keeps the tzatziki thick enough for gyros and shawarma.
Grate the garlic on a Microplane rather than mincing for a smooth, evenly distributed flavor.
Serve with warm pita, as a sauce for lamb or chicken gyros and shawarma, with grilled vegetables, or alongside falafel.
Add salt gradually at the end; the squeezed cucumber retains some salt, so don't over-season early.

Make ahead

Make the sauce up to 3 days ahead; the flavor is best after 4–24 hours. Stir well before serving and re-season with a little salt or lemon if needed.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days; stir before serving. Do not leave at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Freezing is not recommended because the yogurt and cucumber turn grainy and watery when thawed.

Substitutions

plain whole-milk Greek yogurt → Regular plain whole-milk yogurt, strained. Strain about 3¾ cups (900 g) yogurt through cheesecloth in a sieve in the fridge for 4–6 hours to get about 2 cups (500 g) thick yogurt.
fresh dill → Fresh mint (same amount). Gives a cooler, more Turkish-style cacık flavor; or use 1½ tbsp each dill and mint.
fresh lemon juice → Red wine vinegar (2 tsp). Gives a tangier, slightly sharper flavor.
English (seedless) cucumber → Persian or regular cucumber. For regular cucumbers, peel and seed them first; start with about 450 g so you have about 300 g to grate. Persian cucumbers need no seeding; use about 340 g.