Greek & Mediterranean · Free recipe
Tzatziki
Thick strained yogurt loaded with crisp cucumber, garlic, and dill, brightened with lemon and olive oil. Cool, tangy, and endlessly useful as a dip or sauce.
Step 1
Peel the cucumber if the skin is thick or waxed, then cut it in half lengthwise. Scrape out the watery seeds with a teaspoon and discard them.
Step 2
Grate the cucumber on the large holes of a box grater into a bowl.
Step 3
Sprinkle the grated cucumber with a pinch of salt, toss, and let it sit 10 minutes; the salt pulls out water that would otherwise thin the dip.
Step 4
Transfer the cucumber to a clean kitchen towel or several paper towels and squeeze hard over the sink until barely any liquid comes out. This step is critical for thick tzatziki.
Step 5
In a medium bowl, add the Greek yogurt. If it looks thin, you can strain it through a coffee filter for 20 minutes first, but good Greek yogurt is usually thick enough.
Step 6
Add the squeezed cucumber, grated garlic, dill, lemon juice, olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt, and pepper to the yogurt.
Step 7
Stir everything together gently until evenly combined and creamy.
Step 8
Taste and adjust: add more salt, lemon, or garlic to your liking, remembering the garlic gets stronger as it sits.
Step 9
Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes so the flavors meld and it thickens slightly.
Step 10
Before serving, stir once, spread into a bowl, and finish with a drizzle of olive oil and a little extra dill.
Tips from the test kitchen
- Squeezing the cucumber dry is the difference between thick tzatziki and a watery puddle.
- Make it a few hours ahead so the garlic and dill can develop.
