Greek yogurt sauce made with cucumber, garlic, dill, and lemon. That's it. Really. It’s the perfect sauce: creamy, light, zesty, and best of all--HEALTHY! But who cares? It’s freakin’ delicious, and that’s all that matters. This recipe will make about 4 cups of tzatziki in 10 minutes.
I grew up eating tzatziki at The Mad Greek Cafe in Baker, CA. My family rented a houseboat each summer on Lake Mead, and The Mad Greek Cafe was our traditional pitstop on the 5 hour road trip. Tzatziki was the most refreshing snack in the dry heat of the desert on a long car ride. We shared a communal styrofoam container and took turns dipping our pita triangles and zucchini fries.
When I started to learn how to cook, this was one of the first things I wanted to make. And it's a perfect beginner recipe because it's so quick and easy!
I usually make Tzatziki in an appetizer dip for parties or as a sauce for when we have a simple chicken dinner. It’s a crowd-pleaser, unless your crowd is filled with vampires. (It has a LOT of garlickly goodness.)
Ingredients:
16 oz. plain Greek yogurt, full fat
3 small cucumbers or 1 large cucumber, halved, seeded and sliced thin
1/3 cup fresh dill, roughly chopped, stems discarded
4 large cloves of garlic, minced finely
½ teaspoon lemon zest
Juice of half lemon
Salt, to taste
Instructions:
Prep your cucumber. Peel it or don't. I like the texture and color, so I peel only a little bit. Cut the cucumber in half length-wise and seed the cucumber using a teaspoon. You can really cut the cucumber however you choose, but they must be in small pieces. I like to slice mine thinly.
In a mixing bowl, stir together the yogurt, cucumber, dill, lemon zest, and garlic.
Add squeezes of lemon and pinches of salt to your desired taste and continue stirring.
That's it! You can serve it immediately or keep in the fridge for 4-5 days. Personally, I find that tzatziki tastes best the next day. Dip crackers, pita, veggies, or roasted chicken in it! Serve it with a charcuterie board! Take it to your next potluck! Name your next child Tzatziki!!!!! IT'S THAT GOOD!
