Quick, easy and packed full of flavour – you are going to love my Easy Peasy Tzatziki! This delicious Greek inspired dip is perfect for serving alongside crudités and warm strips of pitta, on top of burgers, inside a wrap or with kebabs…
Easy Peasy Tzatziki
What’s you favourite dip? I have a hard time answering this question – I really love hummus and guacamole, but tzatziki has definitely got to be up there in my top 5!
I love tzatziki because it’s super quick to make, packed full of flavour and so versatile, not to mention pretty healthy too!
To make my Easy Peasy Tzatziki all you have to do is mix a few tablespoons of Greek yogurt with grated cucumber (don’t forget to squeeze the water out – see below!), chopped fresh mint, a grated garlic clove (no point in dirtying you garlic crusher if you’ve already got the grater out!) and a little salt and pepper – that really is it!
Why you should squeeze the grated cucumber for tzatziki (and how to do it!)
The one thing that can go wrong with tzatziki is forgetting to squeeze the water out of the grated cucumber. Cucumber is a very watery vegetable and if you don’t squeeze the grated cucumber you will end up with very watery tzatziki – not especially pleasant!
But don’t stress over this step it really is very easy. Simply grate your cucumber onto a board that has a rim, or into a bowl, then pick up a handful at a time and squeeze that handful, so most of the moisture comes out and onto the board/bowl. Put the handful of squeezed cucumber into the bowl you are making the dip in and repeat until you have one bowl of squeezed, grated cucumber and one bowl of cucumber water.
You can now get rid of the cucumber water (or if you are not a fan of waste, I guess you could drink it or use it in a smoothie!)
What to eat with Tzatziki?
One of the reasons I love tzatziki is because it is so versatile – it goes brilliantly with chicken, lamb and fish – especially salmon, and anything cooked with Greek or Middle Eastern flavours.
It makes a great starter or snack served with crisp, crunchy crudités and/or warm strips of pitta bread. It goes brilliantly dolloped on top of a burger – especially my Spicy Moroccan Lamb Burgers or my Lamb, Feta and Mint Burgers. It’s delicious in a wrap or drizzled over a flatbread. It’s amazing with falafels, and it’s also a fab accompaniment to kebabs and other grilled (or barbecued) meats.
Here’s a few recipes this Easy Peasy Tzatziki goes brilliantly with…
- Chicken Shish Kebabs
- Moroccan Lamb Chops
- Oven Baked Chicken Shawarma
- Slow Roast Ras el Hanout Lamb with Pomegranate and Quinoa Tabbouleh
- Greek Style Lamb Kebabs (Souvlaki)
Slow Roast Ras el Hanout Lamb with Pomegranate and Quinoa Tabbouleh
Make this tzatziki your own – adaptations to try
There are lots of adaptations you could try to make this tzatziki it your own…
You could add a little ground cumin, a squeeze of lemon juice or a small handful of finely sliced spring onions.
You could swap the mint for dill…
And if you don’t mind a few extra calories, you could finish the dip off with a swirl of extra virgin olive oil!
You can also absolutely play around with the proportions to suit your tastebuds. In all honesty, I very rarely follow this recipe to the letter when making tzatziki – I tend to be very rough and ready with my measurements and it always comes out tasting fabulous!
If you like my Easy Peasy Tzatziki…
…you might also like:
- One Pan Greek Roast Chicken and Roast Potatoes
- Greek Style Lamb Traybake (Kleftiko)
- Easy Peasy Greek Salad
- Greek Chicken Traybake
- Easy Lamb Moussaka
Easy Peasy Tzatziki
Ingredients
- ⅓ cucumber (roughly 150g/5oz) grated and most of the moisture squeezed out
- 8 tablespoons Greek yogurt
- 1 garlic clove crushed or grated
- 2 tablespoons fresh mint chopped finely (plus extra for garnish)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Start by grating the cucumber on the coarse side of your grater onto a rimmed board, plate or bowl and then squeeze the grated cucumber over the board (or plate/bowl) to get rid of as much of the moisture as you can.
- Put the squeezed cucumber in a new bowl and add the yogurt, garlic and chopped mint, plus salt and pepper to taste.
- Stir everything together and then cover the tzatziki (with clingfilm, foil or a plate) and put it into the fridge until you are ready to serve.
- When you are ready to serve, give the tzatziki a stir and garnish with more fresh mint
Notes
Pin Easy Easy Peasy Tzatziki for later
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Donna says
I love tzatziki on pittas with chicken and salad! Looks awesome, as always!
Eb Gargano says
Thanks Donna – ooooh yes – tzatzki with chicken and salad in a pitta = AMAZING! Eb x
Vicki Montague says
I adore tzatziki. It comes of having so many wonderful holidays in Greece. It is by far my most favourite dip of all time. In fact just thinking about it makes my mouth water. Oh to be in Greece with a bowl right now!
Eb Gargano says
Aw, I am jealous – I still have never made it to Greece for a holiday. It’s firmly on the bucket list, though – till then I have to content myself with lovely Greek restaurants… and making my own, of course! Eb x
Sisley says
This is perfect for summer al fresco dining. I can’t wait to make it!
Eb Gargano says
Is’t it just? Perfect for BBQs, picnics, potlucks etc. Eb x
jacqui Bellefontaine says
We love tzatziki in our house and eat it by the bucket load. Both my boys can make it too. Thank you for linking it to #CookBlogShare
Eb Gargano says
Haha, yes – hubby and I could eat it by the bucket load, but sadly I can’t get my kids to even try it – not sure what they’ve got against it as they like all the ingredients! Eb x
Michelle Frank | Flipped-Out Food says
Ah, yes…I remember the first tzatziki sauce I made. I forgot to wring out the cucumbers, so it was a watery mess. I make the sauce all the time now, though, and it’s one of our favorites. It’s a great sauce for just about anything, and I love that it’s cool and summery. Your version is so easy and beautiful!
Eb Gargano says
Oh no! Yes, wringing out the cucumbers is a step you really can’t miss out. And I totally agree that it goes with almost anything – so versatile! Eb x
Janice says
How lovely, perfect for summer barbecues and salads.
Eb Gargano says
Thank you, Janice – yes, indeed – perfect for all sorts of summery meals 😀 Eb x
Corina Blum says
I make homemade tzatziki a lot as it goes with so many recipes we like. Right now it’s so good with kebabs and things done on the barbecue x
Eb Gargano says
Yes – it really does go with so many different recipes! Definitely agree with you about it being really good with BBQ food 😀 Eb x
Monika Dabrowski says
I adore yogurt based dips and tzatziki is definitely at the top of that list. Lovely recipe!
Eb Gargano says
Thanks Monika – yogurt based dips are so good, aren’t they? Eb x
Jenny Walters says
I love the stuff too. It’s the sides that often lift a meal to a full blown feast and tzatziki is one of THOSE sides!
Eb Gargano says
YES to this – couldn’t agree more! Eb x
Kat (The Baking Explorer) says
My boyfriend makes tzatziki but he always makes it up then forgets what he did last time so I’ll be bookmarking this as a recipe for him to follow!
Eb Gargano says
Haha – good plan! Eb x