Easy Tzatziki
Easy Tzatziki is one of those fantastic 10 minute dishes that are just so much more than the sum of their parts. After you made it once at home, you’ll never buy it again, as it’s literally just Greek Yoghurt, grated cucumber, garlic, and salt. So much better than shop bought, as it has no preservatives.
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Why You Will Love This
I have made Tzaziki so many times, I can’t even count it anymore. It’s one of my all-time favourite dips or snacks.
Usually I feel it’s nearly too easy to justify even a recipe, but some friends I talked to were still baffled by how quick it is to make at home.
So, I decided to give you a recipe and include in a series on how to create a huge Vegetarian Mezze Feast, which you can mix and match for all kinds of occasions. With all the holidays coming up, it’ll be the perfect meal prep menu for having a crowd over. Stay tuned for more recipes in the next week.
Healthy
Since Tzatziki is made from exactly 4 ingredients, of which 3 are really good for you, its one of the foods I try to include in my diet often.
Let’s see why, shall we?
High in Protein
Greek Yoghurt has protein, which helps with bone health and building muscle.
One cup of 2% fat Greek yoghurt contains about 19g protein and has only 150 calories. That is a pretty impressive statistic right there.
And if that’s not enough to convince you, it has probiotics, which help with digestive health and tastes just really good. Which, let’s be honest, is my main reason for eating it.
For those of you with lactose intolerance like me, it’s also good news, as the bacterial cultured in yoghurt help break down the lactose, so try with a small portion first of course and consult with your doctor (I’m neither a nutritionist nor doctor, so please check with your GP first), but you might help your gut.
I can’t drink cows milk for example, but can eat anything fermented like yoghurt and cheese, since the little bacteria basically do the job my gut can’t do for me.
I’m using a mix of 0% fat and Glenisk full fat Greek yoghurt for its amazing flavour. I loved the balance this gave me of lower calories and creaminess.
Uses
The classic uses are as a dip, which is how I used it in an upcoming Mezze feast, for which I’m giving you the separate parts to pick and choose from in the next weeks.
Other uses are in Kebabs, with grilled meat (Lamb is particularly good), and, my personal favourite, with simple boiled new potatoes. That’s been my “I have no idea what to cook today and am too lazy to think of something” meal for as long as I can think.
Variations
You can make this with different types of Greek yoghurt as mentioned above (neutral flavoured ones without sugar that is), add herbs like dill or mint or even basil. Any soft herb will be lovely with it.
Add more or less garlic to taste. Add olive oil for an even creamier Tzatziki. Or some chili flakes, if you want more heat than you get from the sharpness of garlic.
That’s not traditional, but your Tzatziki, your rules.
The Ingredients
- Choose whichever Greek yoghurt you enjoy and fits your diet. You can even veganize it by picking a vegan one.
- Cucumber – With Cucumber being mostly water and some fibre, this is fantastic news if you want to lose weight or simply enjoy something refreshing and crunchy.
- Garlic – Apart from its vampire fighting (entirely unproven) qualities, it helps you fight off pushy strangers by breathing alone. Oh, wait. That wasn’t what you wanted to hear, was it now?Ok then, the real ones are here.It’s a whole range of benefits right there, but for me, again, flavour is the main reason to include it in so many meals. And combined with Greek yoghurt and cucumber, it makes the most delicious dip.
The Process
This is where it gets really quick.
Cucumber
Grate the cucumber. Either on a box grater* or in a food processor with grating disk (the time my food processor* has saved me in the kitchen is crazy!) I like mine grated coarsely, as I love the crunch it gives, but have seen it grated fine before too. Try it out and adjust to the way you prefer it.
Now the important part: Over a sieve, squeeze the grated cucumber, to remove a lot of the water. Otherwise your Tzatziki will be very runny.
See all the water I squeezed out? Imagine that in your nice and creamy yoghurt.
Garlic
Either grate your garlic, mash it with a pinch of salt or use a garlic press, as I have done here. I find that’s the easiest method. I use 2 cloves or garlic on 2 cups of Greek yoghurt. You can use more or less, depending on how garlicky you like it.
Yoghurt
In a medium bowl mix your Greek Yoghurt with the smashed garlic, grated cucumber and about 1 tsp kosher salt. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking.
I don’t add pepper here, as I feel the garlic gives enough spiciness. If you enjoy it a little hotter, feel free to add some.
And you are done. You just made the best Tzatziki you will ever have.
Meal Prep
This keeps for about 4 – 6 days in the fridge, so you can always have a quick and protein-rich snack on hand.
Serve as dip, with kebab, crudites, bread, potatoes or just by the spoonful. It’s that good.
Looking for bread to have with this Easy Tzatziki? Try my Sourdough Focaccia with Black Sesame. It’s sure to impress your guests.
Or maybe these Rye Sourdough Discard Rolls. As easy as they are delicious.
The Vegetarian Mezze Feast
Here is the full Vegetarian Mezze Feast. Mix and match whatever you like, use just one as super quick snack or dinner or all of them for one stunning feast:
Now I’d love to hear from you in the comments!
Have you tried this? Did you enjoy it?
What other recipes would you like to see?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please share. It helps me a lot.
Easy Tzatziki
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups Greek yoghurt. I used a mix of 0% fat and full fat as I wanted slightly lower calories, but also the flavour of the full fat yoghurt.
- 1 cucumber grated
- 1-2 cloves garlic smashed
- 1 tsp kosher salt or ½ tsp if using sea salt.
Instructions
Grate the Cucumber:
- Start by grating the cucumber. You can choose to grate it coarsely for a crunchy texture, or finely if you prefer a smoother consistency. Experiment to find your preference.
Remove Excess Water:
- To prevent your Tzatziki from becoming too runny, place the grated cucumber in a sieve over a bowl or sink. Squeeze the grated cucumber to remove as much water as possible. This step is crucial for the right texture.
Prepare the Garlic:
- For the garlic, you have a few options. You can either grate it, mash it with a pinch of salt, or use a garlic press. Using a garlic press is the easiest method. Use 2 cloves of garlic for a moderately garlicky flavour. Adjust the quantity based on your personal preference.
Mix the Ingredients:
- In a medium bowl, combine the Greek yogurt, smashed garlic, and grated cucumber.
- Add 1 teaspoon of kosher salt (or ½ teaspoon if using sea salt). You can adjust the salt to your taste, so start with a little and add more if needed.
Adjust Seasoning:
- Taste the mixture and adjust the seasoning if necessary. If you prefer a spicier Tzatziki, you can add a pinch of black pepper at this stage, but keep in mind that the garlic already provides some spiciness.
Serve and Enjoy:
- Your homemade Tzatziki is now ready to be enjoyed! You can serve it as a dip with pita bread, fresh vegetables (crudites), or as a side with kebabs, grilled meats, or roasted potatoes. It’s even delicious by the spoonful.
great post – thanks !!
Thanks a lot 🙂