Tzatziki Sauce

Tzatziki sauce is creamy and flavorful, a breeze to make, and pairs beautifully with veggies, meat, and seafood.

Course Sauce

Cuisine Greek

Prep Time 15

Rest time 1

Total Time 1 15

Servings servings

Calories 102kcal

2 cups Greek yogurt plain, full-fat
1 tablespoon olive oil extra-virgin
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice or vinegar
1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt or ½ teaspoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
¼ teaspoon white pepper black is OK but will be visible on the white sauce
2 teaspoons fresh garlic minced
1 large cucumber peeled, coarsely grated
¼ cup fresh dill chopped

In a large bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, kosher salt, and white pepper.
2 cups Greek yogurt, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon white pepper
Mix in the garlic, cucumber, and dill.
2 teaspoons fresh garlic, 1 large cucumber, ¼ cup fresh dill
Cover and chill for 1 hour to let the flavors meld and develop. Mix the sauce again before serving.

Seasonings, especially salt, are just guidelines. Adjust to taste.
To make a chilled yogurt soup, add as much water as needed to slightly thin out the sauce, starting with ¼ cup. Don't add too much water. You want the soup to be thick and creamy.
Plain, whole-milk Greek yogurt is best. I don't recommend using a reduced-fat yogurt in this recipe, and certainly not nonfat yogurt. If you must, add 1-2 extra tablespoons of olive oil.
This is one recipe where I insist on using the best, highest-quality, extra-virgin olive oil. It's delicious, and it will make a big difference.
English cucumber works best because it's seedless and has a lower water content. However, a regular cucumber is fine if that's what you have on hand.
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Remix the sauce before serving. I don't recommend freezing this sauce.