Super Bowl weekend is upon us, and if you need a last minute dip idea, this Easy Tzatziki Dip is it! If you’ve never had tzatziki before, it’s a dip or sauce that’s found often in Greek cuisine, though there are similar preparations in Turkish and some Middle Eastern cuisine. It’s usually served as a cold appetizer or on gyros, which is my favorite way to eat it. Tzatziki packs a ton of refreshing flavor thanks to shredded cucumber, fresh dill, and tangy Greek yogurt.
serve it with:
Chicken Tzatziki Bowls
Incorporate this Easy Tzatziki Dip into a meal with this bowl recipe featuring marinated and grilled chicken tenders, rice, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and pickled red onions.
Tzatziki also makes for a great game day dip! Try it out with pitas, pretzel crisps, carrots, and baby cucumbers alongside your favorite hummus. Feel free to double dip 😉
Ingredients and Substitutions
Here’s what you’ll need to recreate this Easy Tzatziki Dip at home!
- Greek yogurt – This serves as the base of any tzatziki. You can opt for whatever fat content you prefer – obviously the more fat content the more luxurious the mouthfeel. I used a 2% version for my recipe.
- Cucumber – Along with dill, cucumber is the most critical flavor component of tzatziki. Some people opt to peel their cucumber, but I actually prefer to keep the peel on there because I love the specks of green and the flavor. Be sure to follow my tips below to remove as much water from the cucumber as you can before adding it to the dip!
- Garlic – Don’t go overboard with the garlic! I know some people always double what the recipe calls for, but use restraint here. Garlic can quickly overpower the more subtle cucumber flavor if you’re not careful.
- Dill – Fresh dill will give you the best flavor in tzatziki, but I’m told that dried dill will work as well. I’ve never tried it myself, but you’ll definitely need to cut the amount down to about 1 tsp if using dried instead of fresh.
- Lemon zest – A touch of lemon zest really helps brighten up this dip! You can skip it if you prefer, but I love the flavor in tzatziki.
- Vinegar – Another optional ingredient, I used just a bit of red wine vinegar to add more tang to the yogurt.
- Salt and pepper – Don’t forget to season the dip to your liking with salt and pepper!
Tips for Thick Tzatziki
- Remove the liquid from the cucumber – We start by scooping out the seeds from the cucumber (yes even if it’s a “seedless” English cucumber!). Then after shredding it, spread it onto a paper towel lined plate or fine mesh sieve, add salt, and let it rest. This helps draw more liquid out of the cucumber, which we can then squeeze out with a paper towel.
- Strain the yogurt – I didn’t do this step for this recipe, but if you want a really thick tzatziki, you can also strain your Greek yogurt through a cheesecloth to get even more liquid out.
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Recipe
Easy Tzatziki Dip
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups plain 2% fat Greek yogurt, (340 grams)
- 1 English cucumber, seeds removed, peeled, and shredded, (144 grams shredded)
- 2 cloves garlic, grated, (8 grams)
- 1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp red wine vinegar
- 1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Spread the shredded cucumber onto a paper towel lined plate or fine mesh strainer. Evenly season the cucumber with 1/2 tsp of salt and let it rest while you measure out the other ingredients, about 5-10 minutes.
- Add all remaining ingredients to a bowl and set aside.
- Using a fresh paper towel, squeeze the liquid out of the shredded cucumber, then add it to the bowl with the remaining ingredients. Mix until well combined and season with additional salt to taste.
Tips & Tricks
Nutrition Information
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