Tzatziki Sauce Recipe

Name: Open Sesame Lebanese Grills Tzatziki Sauce Recipe
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 2 cups full-fat plain Greek yogurt; 1 medium English cucumber (or Persian cucumber); 2 cloves garlic cloves, minced; 1 tbs extra-virgin olive oil; 1 tbs fresh lemon juice; 2 tbs fresh dill, finely chopped; 1 tbs fresh mint, finely chopped (optional); 3 tsp salt; 1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground; 0.5 tsp red wine vinegar or white wine vinegar (optional)

Inspired by Open Sesame Lebanese Grill

Time1h 30m

Serves6

Cool And Creamy Yogurt-Based Sauce With Cucumber And Garlic.

Was this page helpful?

Help improve this recipe for others.

Send this recipe to your inbox.

We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.

Ingredients

Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Tzatziki Sauce

2 cups full-fat plain Greek yogurt

1 medium English cucumber (or Persian cucumber)

2 cloves Garlic cloves, minced

1 tbs extra-virgin olive oil

1 tbs fresh lemon juice

2 tbs fresh dill, finely chopped

1 tbs fresh mint, finely chopped (optional)

3 tsp Celtic sea salt

1 tsp Black pepper, freshly ground

1/2 tsp red wine vinegar or white wine vinegar (optional)

Method

Tzatziki Sauce

Prepare the cucumber

Peel the cucumber if the skin is thick or waxy (leave skin on for thin-skinned English/Persian cucumbers). Grate the cucumber coarsely using the large holes of a box grater. Place the grated cucumber in a fine-mesh sieve or a clean kitchen towel and sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of the salt over it. Let it sit 10 minutes, then press or squeeze firmly to remove as much liquid as possible. Transferring to a bowl and pressing down with a spoon also works. Excess liquid will make the tzatziki thin.

Combine yogurt and aromatics

In a medium mixing bowl, place the Greek yogurt. Add the minced garlic, 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, chopped dill, chopped mint (if using), 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, 1/4 teaspoon of the black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon vinegar (optional). Stir until smooth and evenly combined.

Incorporate cucumber

Fold the well-drained grated cucumber into the yogurt mixture. Taste and adjust seasoning: add the remaining salt and pepper in small increments to reach your preferred saltiness and pepper level (total salt used listed in ingredients accounts for initial cucumber salting and final seasoning).

Chill to develop flavor

Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, preferably 2–4 hours. Chilling lets the flavors meld and reduces raw garlic bite. If you need it immediately, let it rest 15–20 minutes at minimum.

Finish and serve

Before serving, give the tzatziki a final stir. Spoon a small well in the center, drizzle with the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil, and sprinkle a pinch of dill and a light grind of black pepper on top. Serve chilled as a dip, sauce for grilled meats, or accompaniment with bread or vegetables.

Storage

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. Stir before serving; if it thickens too much, stir in 1–2 teaspoons of cold water or olive oil to loosen.