Tzatziki Sauce sits on a black background with crackers, and bowls of lemons, olives, and tomatoes nearby.

This recipe right here, this simple, quick recipe, was the very first recipe I ever posted on this website, and itโ€™s simplicity, speed, and nutrition are exactly why itโ€™s still a staple in our house now.

If youโ€™ve never had (or heard of) tzatziki sauce, itโ€™s a Greek yogurt sauce that is flavored with dill, cucumber, and fresh lemon juice. Itโ€™s amazing served with grilled or roasted meat (hello, gyros) and also works beautifully as a dip or salad dressing. Itโ€™s amazingly versatile, and I think itโ€™s a sauce that every healthy cook should have in their repertoire.

Traditional tzatziki sauce is an overnight (or even longer) eventโ€”you need to strain fresh yogurt and get all the liquid out of shredded cucumber and let flavors meld and develop for hoursโ€”if you are ever looking for a fun weekend project, I highly recommend trying out making tzatziki the traditional way.

But if you need some tzatziki flavor on a super busy weeknight? Well, Iโ€™ve got a hacked together 10 minute version for you thatโ€™s almost as good as the real deal.

Ingredients to make yogurt cucumber sauce sit on a red background.

Ingredients for Tzatziki Sauce sits in a bowl on a red background. A squeezed lemon, a bowl of salt, and a wooden spoon sits off to the side.

This is probably a big โ€œduh!โ€ momentโ€”but if you eat dairy, youโ€™re going to want to use Greek yogurt here. You want the thickness and tanginess. I recommend going for full fat or, at the very least, 2% for the best flavor. This isnโ€™t the place to shave off calories and use non-fat yogurt.

If youโ€™re plant-based, you can still make this work! Just search out and find some plain (unsweetened) soy, coconut, or almond milk yogurt. Iโ€™ve even seen a thick and tangy โ€œGreek-styleโ€ version of coconut milk yogurt at Whole Foods beforeโ€”which would obviously perfect. A word of warning though: many of the โ€œplainโ€ versions of plant-based yogurts are still sweetened, so make sure you are reading labels!

Since the plant-based yogurts donโ€™t quite have the tang of the regular Greek yogurt, youโ€™ll want to add a bit more fresh lemon juiceโ€”I made note of the tweaks for a plant-based version in the recipe.

Finished Tzatziki Sauce sits in a bowl on a red background

As the recipe name suggests, this recipe is ready to go after a short chill in the fridge, but, obviously, the longer you can wait, the better the flavors meld together.

Since weโ€™re using raw garlic here, itโ€™s going to have quite a bite when you first make it (which I love, but some folks donโ€™t). That garlic bite will mellow out the longer the tzatziki rests in the fridge. If you want to avoid the garlic bite, you can use garlic powder or pre-minced garlic from the store. Enjoy!

 

 
Tzatziki Sauce sits on a black background with crackers, and bowls of lemons, olives, and tomatoes nearby.

Ten Minute Tzatziki

Yield: 1 1/2 cups
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes

Ten Minute Tzatziki is ready in a snap, so you can use it as a sauce, dip, or salad dressing tonight!

Ingredients

  • 1/2 large cucumber, peeled and diced (about 3/4 cup)
  • 1 cup plain, full fat or 2% Greek yogurt
  • 1 clove garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
  • 2 teaspoons dried dill or 1 tablespoon fresh minced dill
  • Juice and zest of 1/2 lemon (about 1 tablespoon juice and 1/2 teaspoon zest)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir well.
  2. Refrigerate for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

For a plant-based version: Sub in plain almond, coconut, or soy yogurt for the Greek yogurt and add the juice and zest from an additional 1/2 lemon.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 5 Serving Size: 1/3 cup
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 67Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 105mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 1gSugar: 8gProtein: 5g

At Wholefully, we believe that good nutrition is about much more than just the numbers on the nutrition facts panel. Please use the above information as only a small part of what helps you decide what foods are nourishing for you.

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16 Comments

  1. I have tried to make homemade tzatziki in the past and it never turned out “like the restaurant’s.” But this did! Very tasty. I simplified it by zesting everything–since I had the Microplane out for the lemon zest, I also grated the garlic and onion. Eazy peezy. Thanks for the great recipe.

  2. This was awful. Not to be a hater. It seemed like it would be ok. If I went back I would probably try to figure out a different balance that definitely didnโ€™t involve lemon zest and maybe subbed in some vinegar. This tasted like a raw garlic lemon yogurt sauce.

  3. I am literally eating a Greek salad with Tzatziki and one of your Lentil Walnut veggie burgers on top right now. So good! Canโ€™t wait to try it with homemade Tzatziki next time!