Authentic Greek Tzatziki (Gyro Sauce)

Homemade tzatziki topped with olive oil in a bowl

Authentic Greek Tzatziki (Gyro Sauce)

How to make authentic Greek tzatziki sauce with just 6 ingredients and a few minutes of hands-on prep. This homemade tzatziki I perfect for serving as an appetizer, dip, side, and sauce (the perfect gyro sauce!) and is a healthy, gluten-free, low-carb option. I've also included a vegan tzatziki sauce method too!

Course Appetizer, Condiment, Side

Cuisine Greek, Mediterranean

Diet Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Freezer friendly No

Shelf life 3-4 Days

Prep Time 15 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Servings servings of 1/4 cup

Calories 43kcal

Author Samira

Ingredients

1 English cucumber or other small-seed/seedless varieties
3 cups Greek yogurt or plain yogurt, drained (check FAQs), or labneh.
1 cup dill chopped
4 garlic cloves
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon white vinegar or apple cider vinegar or lemon juice (not authentic)
1 teaspoon salt

Optional add-ins

dried mint

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the cucumber

Grate the cucumber and optionally sprinkle with salt (this will help extract the excess liquid). Set aside for 10 minutes.
I say that the salt is optional because the cucumber juice that you squeeze from the cucumber is delightful as a drink – but maybe not so much if it's salty!
Place the rested cucumber into a nut milk back or several layers of cheesecloth and squeeze out as much excess water as possible.
Alternatively, you can salt the cucumbers and leave them in a colander to naturally drain with the help of gravity (this will provide the best texture of the cucumber). However, this will take a far longer resting time (like overnight!), so I usually avoid it.

Step 2: Prepare the remaining ingredients

Finely chop the dill and grate or mince the garlic. If you need help peeling garlic, I've tried and tested several methods previously.

Step 3: Mix the tzatziki sauce

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.
For the best flavor, allow the Greek sauce to marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours but even better overnight. This will give the flavors a chance to properly meld together and tastes better than directly after making it.
Before serving, give it one last taste and adjust any of the ingredients if needed (more salt, acidity, etc. Then drizzle with a bit of additional olive oil, and enjoy!

How to Store

Store: If you've carefully drained the cucumber, then leftover tzatziki sauce will last, covered, in the refrigerator for between 3-4 days.

Notes

Allow the tzatziki sauce to marinate: This is one of my ultimate top tips for delicious homemade tzatziki as it allows all the flavors to meld. The raw garlic will also mellow the longer it sits in yogurt too.
To make ahead: I recommend mixing all the ingredients except the cucumber and dill together and allowing it to marinate overnight. Meanwhile, if preparing in advance, you could also leave the cucumber to naturally drain in a colander overnight too! That way, when it comes to combining all the ingredients, it's ready to serve immediately!
Using a food processor: You can also use a food processor to grate the cucumber and save time- either with a grating 'disk' or just pulsing it into a fine 'mush' – obviously, the latter will affect the texture of the tzatziki sauce, too. However, DON'T use a food processor to mix the yogurt as it can cause it to 'break down' slightly and become waterier.

Nutrition