Tzatziki
Servings: 4 people
- 1 cup (250 grams) Greek yogurt
- 1½ packed cups (250 grams) cucumber (9 ounces) grated with large holes of box grater
- 2 tablespoon (2 tablespoons) dill chopped
- 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) mint chopped (optional)
- 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove (1 clove) garlic add more to taste
- ½ teaspoon (½ teaspoon) salt add more to taste
- Grate 1½ packed cups cucumber using the large holes of a box grater. Keeping the peel adds color and a slight crunch to the sauce.Next, drain the cucumber by squeezing out excess liquid with your hands. This step is key to preventing a watery tzatziki and ensuring a rich, creamy texture.
- Add the cucumber, 1 cup Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoon dill, 1 tablespoon mint, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 1 clove garlic, and ½ teaspoon salt to a mixing bowl.Stir to combine then taste and adjust for salt.
- If you can, let it rest for 30 minutes in the fridge to allow the flavors to meld. Spread on a serving plate, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and fresh herbs. You can add a pinch of paprika for color.It's delicious with warm pita or crunchy pita chips.
SUBSTITUTIONS
- Greek yogurt: substitute non-dairy yogurt to make the recipe vegan.
- Fresh dill: Substitute parsley, purslane, or 1/2 tsp to 1 tsp dried dill.
- Fresh mint: Substitute more dill, parsley, or 1/2 tsp dried mint.
- Lemon juice: Substitute white wine vinegar.
- Yogurt: Use full-fat Greek yogurt for best texture and flavor. If your yogurt isn’t thick enough, strain it by wrapping it in a cheesecloth or muslin, placing it in a fine-mesh sift over a bowl, and adding a weight on top. Let it drain overnight in the fridge for an ultra-creamy texture.
- Garlic: Must be grated so that it melts in the sauce. We recommend a microplane grater for best results. Not sponsored, just a great product.
- Cucumber: There’s no need to add salt to the cucumber, but it’s important to squeeze out excess liquid by hand after grating it to prevent a watery sauce.
- Olive oil: Must be good quality and extra-virgin. If you don’t have good oil is best to omit it.
