Tzatziki

Tzatziki is a creamy Greek yogurt sauce with grated cucumber, garlic, and fresh dill. It's one of the most popular Greek recipes, and it's ready in 5 minutes. The added feta? A total game changer!

For more Greek recipes, try our Greek salad, Spanakorizo, Avgolemono soup, chicken souvlaki and Orzo salad.

Tzatziki (pronounced tsaht-ZEE-kee!) is one of Greece’s most iconic dips—cool, creamy, tangy, and loaded with garlicky flavor. It's made with thick Greek yogurt, grated cucumber, garlic, olive oil, and a splash of vinegar or lemon. You’ll find similar versions across the Mediterranean—from Turkish cacık to Balkan tarator—but tzatziki is uniquely Greek in its punch and simplicity.

Louise and I love how quick and satisfying it is. It’s light but packed with flavor, and makes the perfect partner to grilled meats. We especially love serving it with oven-roasted chicken gyros or souvlaki wrapped in flatbread, alongside a crisp Greek village salad.

Tzatziki also happens to be incredibly versatile—use it as a dip, sauce, spread, or even a dressing for salads and grain bowls. Once you make it from scratch, you’ll never want the store-bought kind again.

For quantities, see recipe card at the bottom of the page.

• Greek yogurt (full-fat) → Substitute with plain whole-milk yogurt strained through cheesecloth for a few hours or overnight. Skim or low-fat yogurts will work, but the texture will be thinner and less creamy.
• Cucumber (seedless preferred, like Persian or English cucumber) → If using regular cucumbers, peel them and scoop out the seeds before grating. This helps reduce bitterness and excess water.
• Garlic cloves (fresh) → For a milder option, use roasted garlic or start with a small amount. In a pinch, garlic powder (about ¼ teaspoon per clove) can work, but it won’t have the same bite or aroma.
• Extra virgin olive oil → Avoid strong-tasting oils like sesame or coconut.
• Red wine vinegar → Lemon juice is a classic alternative that gives a slightly different acidity. White wine vinegar works too, but avoid apple cider vinegar—it can alter the flavor.
• Fresh dill (optional but traditional) → Sub with fresh mint for a different but still authentic Greek taste, or fresh parsley if you want something more neutral. Dried herbs can work too. You can skip herbs altogether if you prefer a plainer tzatziki.
• Feta (optional, not traditional but delicious) → Keep out for traditional tzatziki.

1. Mix the base: In a mixing bowl, combine the yogurt, grated garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and salt. Stir well until creamy and smooth.

2. Grate and drain the cucumber: Grate the cucumber with the large holes of a box grater and squeeze out as much water as you can. This keeps the tzatziki thick and creamy.

3. Add cucumber and dill: Fold the grated cucumber and chopped dill into the yogurt base. Mix until fully combined. Optional: Stir in some crumbled feta for added texture and a pop of salty flavor.

Chill & Serve: Let it rest in the fridge for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to develop. The garlic will mellow and the whole thing becomes more cohesive. Drizzle with a little more olive oil before serving. Optional: garnish with a sprig of dill or a few Kalamata olives.

• As a meze with warm pita, schiacciata, or crusty bread
• Alongside grilled meats like souvlaki or lamb
• As a dip for raw veggies
• In gyros, shawarma, or wraps with chicken, pork, or falafel
• Even as a sauce for sheet-pan mediterranean chicken with baked potatoes or roasted eggplant

• Prosciutto Sandwich
• Crispy gnocchi
• Chicken saltimbocca
• Chicken tagine
• Honey harissa chicken
• Tuscan cod
• Baked cod
• Chicken piccata

If you tried this Greek Tzatziki recipe or any other recipe on our blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it goes in the comments. We love hearing from you!