Tzatziki Recipe (Authentic Greek Tzatziki Sauce)

The secret to thick, restaurant-style tzatziki that never turns watery is all in how you treat the cucumber. If you've ever wondered how to make tzatziki sauce from scratch, this traditional cucumber sauce is incredibly easy and uses basic ingredients. It's perfect for homemade gyros, Greek-style grilled cheese, or as a dip for vegetables and pita chips.

Make a big batch of this tzatziki recipe at home and turn any night into a Greek-inspired feast. Drizzle it with EVOO and smear it onto my crispy-tender pork gyros, serve it with a Greek salad, halloumi cheese salad, and homemade Greek pita, or set out pita chips and fresh vegetables for dipping. Delicious without the restaurant price tag.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Thick, never-watery tzatziki dip: Salting the grated cucumber, adding a splash of white wine vinegar, then squeezing it dry keeps the fresh cucumber flavor without any liquid that waters tzatziki down or makes it too runny.
• About 10 minutes hands-on: Grate, squeeze, stir, and let the fridge do the rest.
• Freezer-friendly: I've frozen it and thawed it overnight in the fridge, and it changed nothing about the texture or flavor (see before and after photos below)
• Fresh herbs: Dill is classic, and a hint of fresh mint and flat-leaf parsley are also authentic, but optional (I highly recommend them).
• Better as it rests: The flavors keep melding in the fridge, so it's an easy make-ahead sauce.
• One sauce, lots of uses: Spread it, dip it, or spoon it over grilled meats and vegetables.

Tzatziki Ingredients

• Full-fat Greek yogurt: I use full-fat for the thickest, creamiest texture. Greek yogurt is already strained, so just pour off any liquid pooled in the container.
• Cucumber: English or Persian cucumbers both work. Use the same weight of either. If using regular waxed cucumbers, spoon out the seeds before grating.
• Kosher salt and white wine vinegar: Tossed with the grated cucumber before squeezing it all out. The salt helps draw out moisture, and the vinegar gives the cucumber a little tang without making the sauce taste vinegary.
• Garlic: Pressed or mashed into a paste using the side of a chef's knife so it blends in smoothly.
• Fresh lemon juice: Freshly squeezed and added to taste.
• Fresh dill: Finely chopped dill adds the herbaceous flavor tzatziki is known for.
• Fresh mint and flat-leaf parsley: Optional, but highly recommended because they create a more nuanced depth of flavor.
• Extra virgin olive oil: It adds to the texture of traditional tzatziki, especially after it's been refrigerated, but you can cut it in half or leave it out if you're looking for a low-fat tzatziki sauce.
• Salt and freshly cracked black pepper: To taste.

Full ingredient measurements can be found in the recipe card below.

How to Make Tzatziki Sauce

Step 1. Salt, soak, and squeeze the cucumber. Grate the cucumber on a box grater, toss it with kosher salt and the white wine vinegar, and let it rest for 15 minutes. Then squeeze it in cheesecloth or a clean, lint-free kitchen towel until it's as dry as you can get it.

Note: It will look like a very small amount of cucumber when you're done, which is normal. You want the flavor, not the liquid.

Step 2. Make the garlic paste. Press the garlic, or smash the clove with your knife, sprinkle it with a little salt, and scrape it against the cutting board into a paste.

Step 3. Mix, taste, and chill. Stir together the cucumber, yogurt, half the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, and herbs. Season with salt and pepper, taste, and add the rest of the lemon juice as you like. Cover and chill before serving.

How to Store, Make Ahead, and Freeze Tzatziki

• Make ahead: Chill for at least 30 minutes so the flavors have time to mingle. It's even better after 2 hours, and at its very best after a night in the fridge, when everything has fully melded together.
• Fridge: Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• Freezer: Freeze it for up to 2 months. Press a circle of parchment paper cut to fit over the top to prevent ice crystals from forming, then wrap in sustainable cling film or seal it in an otherwise airtight container.
• Thawing: Thaw it overnight in the fridge. I've tested this, and it changes nothing about the texture or flavor.
• Sour cream or crème fraîche version: Keep it in the fridge and skip the freezer.

Tzatziki Substitutions & Variations

• Regular yogurt or runny Greek yogurt: Strain it first. Line a fine-mesh sieve with cheesecloth or a linen tea towel, set it over a bowl, add the yogurt, and let it drain (covered) in the fridge overnight.
• Without yogurt: Use sour cream or crème fraîche in place of the Greek yogurt. Keep this version in the fridge rather than the freezer, since it's not recommended to freeze sour cream.
• Low-fat tzatziki: Cut the olive oil in half or leave it out. It won't be traditional without it, but it still tastes really good.
• Tzatziki no dill: Simply leave it out and add more parsley and mint, or skip the herbs entirely for a really tasty cucumber sauce.

Ways to Use Tzatziki

Here are a few ways to use your tzatziki sauce.

• Gyros: Spread it on warm homemade Greek pita (recipe coming soon) to make these crispy pork gyros, or my vegetarian halloumi gyros (recipe coming soon).
• Greek-style grilled cheese: Smear a spoonful on the bread before adding a slice each of American and cheddar cheeses.
• Dip: Fresh vegetables, pita chips, or flatbreads like homemade naan.
• Greek salad night: Serve it alongside this easy Greek salad.
• Mezze board: Pair it with black chickpea hummus, olives, and warm flatbread.
• Grilled meats and vegetables: Spoon it over grilled chicken, lamb, or vegetables.

Tzatziki FAQs

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Food Safety

• Don't leave tzatziki out at room temperature for more than 2 hours, or more than 1 hour when it's above 90°F, per the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service.
• Bacteria grow fastest between 40°F and 140°F, so keep it chilled until you're ready to serve.