Authentic Greek Tzatziki

Authentic Greek Tzatziki is perfectly versatile dip or sauce to compliment countless different appetizers. It’s simple list of ingredients makes it quick to whip up and an eternal crowd pleaser at any time of the year. At its core, it’s cucumber, yogurt and garlic. It is guaranteed to be 110% addicting and will likely be the star of your appetizer show! It’s nearly always in my refrigerator given my obsession with it. I figured there are far worse obsessions to have. It packs a solid garlic punch balanced with the lightly sweet flavor of cucumber. Did I mention it’s also healthy?

We’re going to time travel for a hot minute to enjoy this Authentic Greek Tzatziki. Bare. With. Me. I’ll be quick!

Tzatziki actually comes from the Turkish word cacık but is actually based upon an Indian dip. Wait, what? You’re probably thinking, “but the title says Authentic Greek Tzatziki! Mmmmkk!” Stay with me…

During the time of the Ottoman Empire, trade routes were in their prime and the Persians remained an elite class India. The people of India enjoyed a similar dip which had a yogurt base, called raita. In it’s simplist form, it’s yogurt, herbs, spices, veggies (like our crisp cool cucumber friends) and occasionally a fruit. The Persians were also big big fans of a spicy Indian rice dish called biryani…but it proved to be a bit scorching to the taste buds, so they topped the rice with raita to alleviate the kick. They then brought this dip to Greece while on their trade routes. So it made its way to Greece, from India, via the Persians.

Now fast forward to when the Ottoman Empire ruled Greece from the 15th century until the Greek War of Independence in 1821. The Greeks continued to enjoy the Indian rendition, but the dish evolved to be almost unrecognizable of its Indian origin under the Ottoman Rule. Of course, like any boastful ruling empire, the name had to be changed to reflect the Turkish rule…and tzatziki which was derived from the Turkish word cacık was born to be the dip we know and devour regularly today.

Okay, so, “Authentic Greek Tzatziki” might be a bit of a misnomer, but for all intents and purposes, it’s the most authentic “modern” widespread version on the dip. I learned to make this dip between glasses of wine while taking a cooking class in Athens, Greece this past September. There is a small family-owned Greek market down the street from me, so I usually will gather some of my ingredients there, specifically the pita bread and the yogurt. This dip is as real as you can get!

Why you’ll love this Authentic Greek Tzatziki Recipe!

It’s authentic. You don’t have to look hard for store bought tzatziki, and it usually fails to impress. Sometimes it’s too watery, too tart, or too bland. The magic is in the ratio of ingredients and the cucumber prep.

It’s healthy. We are using traditional Greek yogurt. There is no mayo or sour cream base.

Garlic. Either you love garlic or you’re wrong. I’m kidding. I just really love garlic. I’m a vampire’s worst daymare? (Since they sleep during the day?)

What to serve with Authentic Greek Tzatziki

• Pita bread or chips

• Pretzel chips

• Spanakopita (Spinach pies)

• Tiropita (Cheese pies)

• Veggies (carrots, celery, bell pepper)

Handy Tools/Equipment

• Cheesecloth

• Box grater for cucumber

Olicity Cheese Cloths

Gorilla Grip Stainless Steel Box Grater

Ingredients for Authentic Greek Tzatziki

• Cucumber- I always try to use English (seedless, AKA “hot house”) cucumbers. If you’re unable to find them, garden cucumbers are ok, but bear in mind the seeds aren’t ideal and the skin is waxier. I usually don’t peel my cucumbers when making tzatziki

• Yogurt- I use Fage Total 5%. It was the yogurt suggested by the chef in Athens and it has never disappointed

• White vinegar- gives the dip it’s tang

• Olive oil- adds richness

• Garlic- gives this tzatziki its “pop.”

• Salt and pepper- enhances flavor

• Garnish- I will usually garnish with a drizzle of olive oil, olives, or some fresh sprigs of dill

• Pita bread- used for dipping in the tzatziki. I prefer the thicker non-pocketed pita bread. Kontos is a good brand that I have used.

Making Authentic Greek Tzatziki

Wash the cucumber and grate with the skin intact. I used the largest hole size of the box grater
Wrap your grated cucumber up in your cheesecloth. Squeeze excess water from the cucumbers over a sink. You may need several squeezes. I try to get as much water out as possible. This is the crucial step to make sure your tzatziki sauce is not runny. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP.
Mince the garlic. I tend to usually double the amount of garlic the recipe calls for, however that is personal preference. You can tailor the amount of garlic you used to your preference.
Place the cucumber in a mixing bowl, add your Greek yogurt, white vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper and olive oil.
Mix just until ingredients are combined.
Garnish your dip with sprigs of dill, olives, and/or olive oil.
Your dip is ready! Your authentic Greek tzatziki is ready to eat right away, however, I usually will pre-make my tzatziki one day ahead of time so that the garlic has a chance to really flavor the yogurt. You will notice a significant taste difference and robust nature to the tzatziki if you let it mature in the fridge overnight.

Recipe FAQs

Do I have to use a cheese cloth?

I highly suggest using a cheese cloth. I have tried using paper towel however they tend to rip as soon as they become saturated with water

Can I substitute a lower fat Greek yogurt?

In theory, yes. However keep in mind that a yogurt that has less fat content will also be more runny and will make your tzatziki runny. I really do suggest the full fat yogurt because it adds richness to the dip.

Why is my tzatziki sauce runny?

Notice that if you don’t ring out your cucumbers well enough the water content of the cucumber will tend to make the tzatziki quite runny.

Why is there a layer of liquid on top of my tzatziki when I take it out of the fridge?

The leftover water from the cucumber and the water in the yogurt will rise to the top after sitting. This is normal, give your tzatziki a stir and you’ll be good to go.

Kitchen Pearls

• The biggest kitchen pearl in this recipe is making sure to get as much water rung out from your cucumber as possible. If you skimp on this step, your tzatziki will be runny. It is one of the first things I noticed about most store-bought tzatziki—it’s runny. The cheesecloth used to wring out the cucumber is easy to wash and can be thrown in the dryer on no heat or allowed to air dry.

• This recipe measures ingredients by weight. I’ve noticed that in many European countries and now starting here in the US, many recipes are measuring ingredients by weight. I have not fully converted to using strictly weight versus volume however I will tend to use weight over volume in a recipe where the ratio of ingredients is crucial.

Storage

Story or to tzatziki in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
You can absolutely make tzatziki ahead of time, in fact, I suggest it. I suggest making your tzatziki one day before you plan on serving it to let the flavors fully mature.

Notes

Your authentic Greek tzatziki is ready to eat right away, however, I usually will pre-make my tzatziki one day ahead of time so that the garlic has a chance to really flavor the yogurt. You will notice a significant taste difference and robust nature to the tzatziki if you let it mature in the fridge overnight.