Chef-tested recipe
Thick strained yoghurt with cucumber, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and fresh dill
Tzatziki is a Greek yoghurt-and-cucumber condiment whose quality depends more on restraint and texture than on a long ingredient list. The cucumber must be salted and squeezed thoroughly so it freshens rather than waters down the thick yoghurt. Garlic, good olive oil, wine vinegar, and dill give the cool dip enough character to stand beside grilled meat, bread, and vegetables.
Recipe at a glance
- Servings
- About 750 g, or 20 servings
- Prep Time
- 20 mins
- Cook Time
- PT0M
- Drying Time
- 30 mins
- Chilling Time
- 1 hour
- Total Time
- 1 hour 50 mins
- Cuisine
- Greek
- Course
- Sauces, dips, and condiments
- Cooking Method
- Cucumber salting, draining, squeezing, folding, and chilling
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Best Served With
- Best served with souvlaki, gyros, grilled lamb, keftedes, pita, fried courgettes, roast potatoes, dolmades, or raw vegetables.
Before you begin
Ingredients & equipment
Gather what you need first, then cook through the method with confidence.
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Equipment
- Box graterpaid link
- Fine-mesh sievepaid link
- Clean kitchen towelpaid link
- Mixing bowlpaid link
- Silicone spatulapaid link
- Airtight containerpaid link
- Digital kitchen scalepaid link
Ingredients
For the tzatziki
- Full-fat strained Greek yoghurt: 500 g
- Cucumber, coarsely grated: 300 g
- Fine sea saltpaid link: 8 g
- Garlic cloves, finely grated: 18 g
- Extra-virgin olive oilpaid link: 55 ml
- Red wine vinegar: 18 ml
- Fresh dill, finely chopped: 20 g
- Freshly ground black pepper: 2 g
Preparation Overview
Choose truly strained yoghurt without added starch. Grate the cucumber on the coarse side of a box grater. Set a sieve over a bowl and prepare a clean kitchen towel for squeezing out as much moisture as possible.
Method
Toss the grated cucumber with 5 g salt in a fine-mesh sieve.
Set the sieve over a bowl and drain for 30 minutes.
Wrap the cucumber in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze firmly until very little liquid remains.
Place the yoghurt in a mixing bowl.
Add the garlic, olive oil, vinegar, dill, black pepper, and remaining 3 g salt.
Stir until smooth and evenly combined.
Fold in the dried cucumber.
Taste and adjust garlic, vinegar, or salt without thinning the yoghurt.
Cover and chill for 1 hour.
Stir once before serving and finish with a small drizzle of olive oil.
Beginner Technique Notes
Squeezing cucumber is the most important step; draining alone does not remove enough water.
Add garlic conservatively because its flavour strengthens during chilling.
Fold rather than whisk vigorously so the strained yoghurt keeps its body.
Salt after combining because both yoghurt and drained cucumber may already taste seasoned.
Tips and Variations
Mint may replace dill in some regional and household versions.
For an especially thick dip, drain ordinary full-fat yoghurt overnight before measuring 500 g.
Do not add large amounts of lemon juice, which can make the sauce loose and obscure the clean yoghurt flavour.
Make tzatziki several hours ahead for the garlic and herbs to settle.
Serving Ideas
- Spread the tzatziki into a shallow white bowl and make soft spoon swirls, finishing with olive oil, dill, and one thin cucumber ribbon.
Storage
Refrigerate in a clean airtight container for up to 3 days. Stir gently if a little whey appears. Do not freeze because the cucumber and yoghurt become grainy after thawing.
Nutritional Value
Allergen Notes
Contains milk. Check yoghurt for added stabilisers or cross-contact. Garlic may cause digestive discomfort for people sensitive to fructans.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my tzatziki watery?
The cucumber was not squeezed dry enough, or the yoghurt was not properly strained.
Should cucumber be peeled?
Tender-skinned cucumbers may be left unpeeled; peel thick or waxed skin.
Can I make tzatziki without dill?
Yes. Mint is common in some versions, and plain garlic-cucumber yoghurt is also traditional in some homes.
How far ahead can I make it?
Several hours ahead is ideal; keep it refrigerated and use within 3 days.
