All you need is a few simple ingredients and a little time to whip up this homemade tzatziki. Freshly grated cucumber is salted and set to drain in a colander in your sink until dehydrated and limp. Mix this with Greek yogurt, fresh garlic, mint, lemon juice and olive oil and season with salt to taste.
If you haven’t made your own tzatziki, this is your chance to experience such an amazing sauce. Whether you topping lamb in a pita, grilled vegetables or with crispy baked pita chips for dipping, this fresh and vibrant condiment is extremely easy and will make your tastebuds dance. And don’t worry, as you can see above, I have a killer skewer recipe coming at you tomorrow, so you can plan on making this over the weekend.
To Make This Homemade Tzatziki sauce You Will need:
- 1 English cucumber
- 2 cups Greek yogurt
- 1 to 2 cloves fresh (peeled) garlic
- 1/2 a large lemon
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- fresh mint
- kosher salt
NOTE: For the cucumber, I pulled out my trusty box grater and grated the entire thing. Seeds and all. Next, I set cucumber shreds into a colander (or use a fine mesh strainer) into my sink or into a larger bowl. Toss the grated cucumber with a generous pinch of kosher salt and let it drain for an hour or so.
Meanwhile, add 2 cups of plain Greek yogurt into a bowl and add in the juice of 1/2 a lemon, 2 tablespoons olive oil and then 1 heaping tablespoon minced fresh mint leaves.
I then use a microplane to grate the garlic directly into the bowl and then add in the drained cucumber.
Note: I’ve actually forgotten to drain the cucumber once. It’s not the end of the world, but it will water down the dip quite considerably. Just a heads up! 😉
Next, stir to combine. Then cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a couple of hours or overnight. Doing this so the flavors have a chance to develop.
That’s it, you’re now ready to slather allthethings! This homemade tzatziki is super simple and the flavor is out of this world.
Fresh.
Clean.
Delicious.
Enjoy! And if you give this Homemade Tzatziki recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!
Homemade Tzatziki
Ingredients
- 1 english cucumber, grated
- kosher salt
- 2 cups Greek yogurt, good quality, authentic preferred
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 to 2 cloves fresh garlic, grated
- 1 heaping tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves
Instructions
- Using a box grater, grate the entire cucumber. Place into a fine mesh strainer or colander, season with a generous pinch of salt. Toss and let the cucumber drain into your sink or a large bowl for 1 hour or so.
- In a medium bowl combine the yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, mint and drained cucumber. Stir to combine, taste and season with more salt to your preference.
- Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours or overnight so the flavors can develop.
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I have always used dill in my tzatziki, but mint sounds like a refreshing new twist!
ooooh! I bet dill is delicious too!
I’ve never made tzatziki, but your post has inspired me to try this. Such nice snaps too, my dear! Pinned, and thanks! –G
Why thank you, Ginger! Enjoy! 🙂