Tzatziki is a famous Greek sauce (or a dip), known pretty much worldwide. It’s rather delicate in its taste, yet it’s full of character thanks to the contrast between its ingredients! We’re big fans of tzatziki; it’s a wonderfully tasty sauce that pairs beautifully with grilled meats, roasted or simple raw vegetables, warm pita bread, tortillas and much more. We often make it at home, as it’s quick to whip up, versatile, and perfect for any occasion – whether served as a side or as a refreshing dip with appetizers.

Preparing Tzatziki

Tzatziki is going to be quite easy to make, and it will only take a few steps! This time, I chose to make it without vinegar, but do consider adding it if you like it, it’s delicious!

Step 1: Chopping

To start, split the cucumber in half, or four parts, by the long side. We don’t want to have the seeds in our Tzatziki, so you can remove the inner gelatinous core that contains them. Once this is done, we need to grate what remains of the cucumber; for this, you can use the larger holes of a cheese grater (the ones that make little stripes) or, in absence of that, smaller cuts work too! Drain the excess water and let the cucumber rest on a colander. We can leave it there for an hour or so, so that it will lose a bit more of its water. Towards the end, gently press with the back of a spoon to squeeze out even more water.

In the meantime, chop the garlic in fine pieces and, to get the garlic flavor out, press them with the blade of your knife or the bottom of a glass.

Step 2: Mixing

From here on, we’re pretty much only left with putting it all together. Put the yogurt in a bowl, add salt, vinegar (if you chose to use it) and olive oil and mix well. I recommend adding salt and vinegar a little at a time so that you can taste-test your Tzatziki and stop when you reach your preferred balance!

Proceed to add the cucumber and garlic and mix well! All that’s left to do now is just let the Tzatziki rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to make the flavors intensify and spread uniformly.

You can serve this as-is or with a mint leaf for an added touch, alongside your favorite snack or meal of choice!