Greek Tzatziki Recipe
A traditional tzatziki dip inspired by my favorite Greek restaurants with yogurt, dill, lemon, garlic, and olive oil.
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 42kcal
Ingredients
- 1 large clove garlic finely grated or minced, plus more if desired*
- ½ lemon juiced
- ½ teaspoon white distilled vinegar or red wine vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- 1 ½ cups plain full-fat Greek yogurt
- 1 Persian cucumber grated | or ¼ English cucumber
- ¼ cup fresh dill chopped
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling
For serving (optional):
- Warm pita, pita chips, or fresh veggies
Instructions
- "Marinate" the garlic: In a medium bowl, mix 1 large clove garlic (finely grated) with the juice from ½ lemon, ½ teaspoon white distilled vinegar, and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt. Let sit for 5 - 10 minutes to allow the acid to soften the intensity of the raw garlic.
- Grate the cucumber: Shred 1 Persian cucumber with a box grater and squeeze out any excess liquid with your hands or a cheesecloth.
- Combine and chill: To the bowl, add the shredded cucumber, 1 ½ cups plain full-fat Greek yogurt, ¼ cup fresh dill, and 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil. Taste and season with salt, then chill in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving to allow flavors to marinate.Note: The dip should taste creamy, tangy, and punchy. Not punchy enough? Add another clove of grated garlic. Tasting bland? Make sure it's seasoned well with salt! Too strong? Add a bit more yogurt. Olive oil is another great option for "balancing" the flavors.
- Serve: Remove from the fridge, drizzle with a little extra olive oil, and serve with warm pita, pita chips, or fresh veggies (if desired). Enjoy.
Notes
* I like my tzatziki with a relatively strong garlic flavor, so I'll often use 2 large garlic cloves but feel free to use less to start!
Make-Ahead Instructions: To make this ahead of time, mix all of the ingredients together except for the grated cucumber (a great tip from Wanderlust Kitchen to prevent a watery consistency!) and chill overnight. Just before serving, grate and add the cucumber.
Storage: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Recipe inspired by my favorite Greek restaurants in Boston (Kava Neo-Tavern and Krasi!)
Nutrition
Calories: 42kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 87mg | Potassium: 75mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 116IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 0.2mg
