5 Minute Greek Tzatziki Sauce
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This Greek Tzatziki Sauce or dip will become your favorite summer meal addition. Bright with fresh flavors and aromatic herbs, it’s a healthy and easy sauce to make in 5 minutes or less.
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And perfect on pitas, with grilled vegetables, crudites, or simply as a healthy snack on a summer afternoon.
Creamy, rich, and utterly delicious, this Tzatziki is filled with a combination of fresh herbs, grated cucumber, Greek yogurt… and tastes exactly as summer is meant to.
So get ready to bring on the pita, because this sauce is one you’ll want to make today.
Easy, simple, and so-so delicious!
While tzatziki is wonderful any month of the year, it especially shines in the summer. Truly, it’s a Greek recipe you’ll want to have at the ready all season.
There isn’t one summer vegetable ripening on the vine that wouldn’t be even better with this Greek essential!
Much like my 2 Minute Greek Dill Yogurt Sauce, tzatziki is healthy and refreshing but has its own unique ingredients.
And if you’re thinking about souvlaki, it’s absolutely a must.
What is Tzatziki Sauce?
Tzatziki is a simple sauce, dip, or spread made from salted yogurt, drained cucumber, olive oil, garlic, lemon, and fresh herbs.
Authentic Greek tzatziki is often made using sheet or goat yogurt, but I’m using a full-fat Greek yogurt instead. It retains much of the creamy texture but is easier to find.
History and Meandering of Tzatziki Sauce
Spiceography says “The word tzatziki is Greek but it originated in the Turkish language. The Turkish word for it (cacik) most likely originated with the Persian word zhazh, which means herb mixture.”
How tzatziki traveled to Greece is somewhat obscure, but most likely it made its way from India through Persia during the Ottoman Empire.
Persians would use raita sauce, a yogurt-based condiment with similar ingredients as tzatziki, to help cool the heat. When the Persians brought raita from India to the Middle East, it would eventually become the tzatziki sauce we know today, “but would not lose its Indian roots entirely.”
Tzatziki Ingredients
The exact measurements are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post, but here is a list of the ingredients you will need.
- English cucumber
- Greek yogurt (I prefer full fat for the creaminess)
- Garlic
- Fresh dill
- Lemon juice, fresh squeezed lemon juice is best
- Fine sea salt and black pepper for flavor
- Olive oil for serving
How to Make Tzatziki Sauce
While this sauce is easy to find in most markets today, it’s incredibly easy to make at home. Whenever you’re craving this delicious sauce.
Here’s how to make it in 5 minutes or less!
- Grate the cucumber: I like to use the largest holes on a box grater.
- Squeeze moisture from the grated cucumber: This is an important step in making a creamy tzatziki sauce. Otherwise, the sauce will separate. I add the grated cucumber to a paper or kitchen towel over the sink and squeeze it to release the moisture.
- Combine the ingredients: In a medium bowl, mix the squeezed cucumber with yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, salt, and herbs. Chill until ready to use.
What do you eat with Tzatziki Sauce?
There are endless and delicious possibilities.
I love to add it as a snack with fresh vegetables, on charcuterie boards, in wraps, or simply as a snack with pitas or crackers.
But it’s also delicious with Mediterranean salads like Couscous Salad with Smoked Salmon, or alongside Greek Chicken and Orzo Skillet, or Sheet Pan Greek Chicken.
It’s also delicious with a simple platter of grilled veggies for a quick and healthy summer dinner.
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5 Minute Greek Tzatziki Sauce
This Greek Tzatziki Sauce or dip will become your favorite summer meal addition. Bright with fresh flavors, and aromatic herbs, it's a healthy and easy sauce to make in 5 minutes or less.
Ingredients
- ½ English cucumber, halved and seeds removed
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 1 garlic clove, minced or pressed
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill, minced
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt (or to taste)
- Black pepper to taste
- Olive oil for serving
Instructions
- Remove cucumber seeds with a small spoon, cut it in half, and grate using the large holes of a box grater. Place on a paper towel or kitchen towel and squeeze to remove excess moisture.
- In a medium bowl, combine the cucumber, Greek yogurt, garlic, dill, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle with olive oil for serving
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
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