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This tzatziki sauce is made the authentic way, and that starts with one step most recipes skip: grating the cucumber, salting it, and squeezing out as much water as possible before anything else happens.
Cucumbers are over 90% water, and if you skip the first step, your dip will be thin, watery, and flat. Get it right and you end up with something thick, creamy, garlicky, and genuinely refreshing. It’s also the creamy sauce I use in my crispy smashed potato salad, where it pairs so well with the golden, crispy potatoes.
If you love Greek-inspired cooking, this sauce pairs beautifully with homemade gyro bread, or alongside a crisp or alongside a crisp Greek salad for a full spread.
Tzatziki sauce ingredients
- Greek yogurt or plain yogurt: Use a thick, strained yogurt for the best creamy consistency. Full-fat works best here. You can also use homemade yogurt, that you can strain before starting with the recipe.
- English cucumber: These or other small-seed or seedless varieties work well because the skin is thin and the seed content is low.
- Fresh dill: Finely chopped fresh dill gives tzatziki its characteristic herby brightness.
- Garlic: Use a bit more or less depending on how garlicky you like it.
- Olive oil: A good olive oil adds a subtle richness and rounds out the tangy yogurt.
- White vinegar: or apple cider vinegar will add a gentle sharpness that brightens the whole dip. Lemon juice works too, though it is not the traditional choice.
- Salt: Draws moisture out of the cucumber during the draining step and seasons the finished sauce.
See printable recipe card below for the full ingredients list and quantities.
How to make tzatziki sauce
Start with the cucumber. Grate it using the large holes of a box grater. Sprinkle the grated cucumber with salt, toss to coat, and set it aside for about 10 minutes. The salt pulls out moisture and helps the cucumber release liquid faster.
Note: You can skip the salt at this stage if you want to save the squeezed cucumber juice for a light, fresh drink! Just keep in mind that releasing the liquid will take a bit longer without it.
Once the cucumber has rested, transfer it to a nut milk bag or several layers of cheesecloth and squeeze out as much liquid as you possibly can. Press firmly and keep squeezing until very little liquid comes out.
1. Grate the cucumber
3. Squeeze out the water
2. Sprinkle salt and let it rest
4. The cucumber is readyAlternatively, you can place the salted cucumber in a colander set over a bowl and let gravity do the work over a longer resting period. This hands-off method gives a slightly better cucumber texture but takes considerably more time.
While the cucumber rests, finely chop the dill and grate or mince the garlic cloves.
5. Prepare the ingredientsCombine the well-drained cucumber, yogurt, chopped dill, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and salt in a large bowl. Mix everything together thoroughly until evenly combined.
For the best flavor, cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving, or overnight if you have the time. The garlic mellows, the dill infuses into the yogurt, and the overall flavor becomes noticeably more cohesive and delicious than freshly made tzatziki.
6. Mix
7. Refrigerate for best flavorWhen you are ready to serve, give the tzatziki a final taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. A little more salt, an extra splash of vinegar, or a bit more garlic are all easy tweaks. Transfer to a serving bowl and finish with a drizzle of olive oil on top.
The Zero-Waste Juicer Shortcut
If you regularly make cucumber lemonade or green juices, don’t throw out the leftover cucumber pulp! Because the juicing process already strips out almost all the liquid, the remaining pulp is naturally pre-drained and ready to go. Skip the grating, salting, and waiting entirely. Just mix the dry pulp straight into your yogurt with the rest of the ingredients for an ultra-fast, zero-waste batch of tzatziki.
What to serve with tzatziki sauce
Tzatziki is one of those sauces that works with almost everything. The most classic pairing is warm Greek pita (gyro bread) with a plate of fresh vegetables on the side. It is also excellent with homemade pita chips as a snack or appetizer.
For a more substantial meal, serve it alongside turkey burgers instead of regular condiments, or spoon it over arayes (Lebanese meat-stuffed pita) for a great flavor contrast. It also works beautifully as a topping for stuffed tomatoes.
Beyond Greek food, tzatziki is a great cooling sauce for anything spiced or grilled. Use it as a sandwich spread, a dipping sauce for roasted vegetables, or a quick weeknight sauce for grilled chicken or lamb.
Storage and make-ahead tips
- Fridge: Store in a tightly covered glass or airtight container for up to 4 days. Give it a good stir before serving since some liquid may separate.
- Make-ahead: Tzatziki actually tastes better after resting in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight. Making it ahead is strongly encouraged.
FAQs
Fresh dill is traditional and gives the best flavor, but if you cannot find it, fresh mint is a reasonable alternative. Dried dill is a last resort since it lacks the brightness of fresh.
The most common reason is that the cucumber was not drained well enough. Make sure to salt the grated cucumber, let it rest, and then squeeze out as much liquid as possible before mixing everything together.
More dips and yogurt-based recipes
If you enjoyed this tzatziki, these recipes use similar ingredients and are just as easy to pull together for a spread or a snack.
If you try this authentic recipe, I would love to hear how it turned out! Please leave a star rating and a comment below to let me know your thoughts.
Authentic Tzatziki Sauce
Ingredients
For the tzatziki
- 24 oz greek yogurt or plain yogurt, 3 cups drained
- 10 oz English cucumber 1 large
- 0.88 oz fresh dill 1 cup chopped
- 0.7 oz garlic 2 large or 4 small cloves
- 2 tablespoons olive oil plus more for serving
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar or apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice, though not traditional)
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Grate the cucumber using the large holes of a box grater. Sprinkle with salt and toss to coat. Set aside for 10 minutes to allow the excess liquid to release.
- Transfer the salted grated cucumber to a nut milk bag or several layers of cheesecloth. Squeeze firmly to remove as much liquid as possible. Continue squeezing until very little liquid comes out. Alternatively, place the salted cucumber in a colander and allow it to drain naturally over a longer resting period for an even better texture.
- Finely chop the fresh dill. Grate or mince the garlic cloves.
- Combine the well-drained cucumber, Greek yogurt, chopped dill, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Stir well until everything is evenly combined.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving, or overnight for the best flavor. Before serving, taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Transfer to a serving bowl and finish with a drizzle of olive oil.
Video
Notes
- Cucumber draining shortcut: If you have leftover cucumber pulp from juicing cucumbers, use it directly without salting or draining. The water is already removed during juicing, so it goes straight into the bowl.
- Adding salt: Salt speeds up draining by pulling out cucumber moisture. If you want to drink the squeezed juice as a fresh cucumber drink, skip the salt before squeezing. Just keep in mind that draining without salt will take a bit longer.
- Best made ahead: Tzatziki tastes significantly better after resting in the fridge for at least 2 hours. Overnight is even better.
- Storage: Keep in a tightly covered container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Stir before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This was spot on! My husband likes it a bit smoother, so I used my immersion blender to reach the consistency he liked.
Thank you for your comment, Amy. Glad you liked it!
This recipe is AMAZING!!!! Ifollowed the make ahead tips. This was served with a Roasted leg of lamb. My Word!
Thank you for your comment, Genene. So happy you’ve enjoyed this recipe 🙂
Can you use fat free greek yoghurt or will it be too watery??
Hi Becky,
Yes, you can but it may not be as creamy as it would be with full-fat Greek yogurt.
I have to be honest, I’ve never tried tzatziki in Greece but I loveeeeed this!!!❤️ Made this tonight and I’m probably gonna dream about this tonight
Thank you for your comment, Roberta. Glad you enjoyed this recipe. 🙂