Easiest Most Delicious Tzatziki

This is Easiest Most Delicious Tzatziki, and a constant staple in my house. Tzatziki, also known as tarator or cacık, can be served as a dip, soup, or sauce and is found in the cuisines of Southeast Europe and the Middle East. It is made of strained yogurt, or diluted yogurt, mixed with cucumbers, garlic, salt, olive oil, sometimes with vinegar or lemon juice, and herbs such as dill, mint, parsley, or thyme, depending on the preference. It takes 5 minutes to make and is the most refreshing dip or side to any dish. When my family and I lived in Greece we ate tzatziki with every meal and it’s one dip I will never get sick of. In Bulgaria, we have our own yogurt dips, salads, and cold cucumber soup known as Tarator, so our cuisines are very similar and most countries around the Balkans, Mediterranean, Middle East etc. have their own take on yogurt dips and salads that are similar. It makes me incredibly happy to see similar versions shared around the world. Food is love and food is what unites us all.

Easiest Most Delicious Tzatziki

themodernnonna

Tzatziki, also known as tarator or cacık, can be served as a dip, soup, or sauce and is found in the cuisines of Southeast Europe and the Middle East. It takes 5 minutes to make and is the most refreshing dip or side to any dish.

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 5 mins

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 English cucumber (any variety of cucumber will work)
• 2 cups plain Greek yogurt or Balkan-style yogurt
• 1 to 2 cloves of garlic, grated or minced
• juice of 1/2 a lemon
• ¼ cup finely chopped dill
• salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• olives for garnish (optional)

Instructions

 

• Wash, peel, and grate the cucumber, using the largest holes on your cheese grater. Squeeze all the excess moisture out of the grated cucumber. You can squeeze it out using a nut milk bag, a kitchen towel, a cheese cloth, or just clean hands. This step will ensure a thicker dip. Alternatively, you can finely chop the cucumber.
• Add the yogurt to a large bowl, along with the grated cucumber, garlic, lemon juice, and freshly chopped dill, and salt with your heart. Stir well.
• Drizzle the olive oil over the dip for presentation and garnish with olives, if you like. Serve or store it in the refrigerator in a glass Tupperware. The dip should last up to 10 days. Enjoy!

Notes

For a thicker dip, you can strain the yogurt overnight. There are two techniques for this: add the yogurt to a fine-mesh strainer placed over a bowl and weigh the yogurt down with something heavy, like a bowl. Or add the yogurt to cheesecloth, wrap it up, and hang it over a bowl. 

You can grate the cucumber or finely dice it. It comes down to personal preference. 

Feel free to use your favorite dairy-free yogurt. 

Instead of dill, you can also use fresh mint. 

Serve these with freshly baked tortillas, cut into triangle chip shapes, or use your favorite Greek pita. 

Tzatziki is perfect as a dip or as a topping for grilled veggies, grilled meats, kofte, cevapi, and so many other ways.

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