Tzatziki is made simply with yogurt, cucumber, olive oil, fresh herbs (usually mint or dill), garlic, lemon juice and salt. Nutritionally speaking, tzatziki is a creamy but light sauce. You can dollop it generously on your food without adding a lot of calories.
Recipe
Makes 2.5 cups
2 cups diced or grated cucumber
1 ½ cups plain Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint and/or dill
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 medium clove garlic, pressed or minced
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
Preparation:
Working with one handful at a time, lightly squeeze the diced or grated cucumber between your palms over the sink to remove excess moisture. Transfer the squeezed cucumber to a serving bowl, and repeat with the remaining cucumber.
Add the yogurt, olive oil, herbs, lemon juice, garlic, and salt to the bowl, and stir to blend.
Let the mixture rest for 5 minutes or longer to allow the flavors to meld.
Taste and add additional chopped fresh herbs, lemon juice, and/or salt, if necessary.
Serve tzatziki immediately or chill for later. Leftover tzatziki keeps well, chilled, for about 4 days.
Tzatziki Nutrition & Yogurt Notes
Nutritionally speaking, tzatziki is a creamy but light sauce. You can dollop it generously on your food without adding a lot of calories. It’s a great dip for veggies too! I haven’t found a noticeable difference in texture whether I use whole-milk yogurt, low-fat or non-fat, so any of those will work. Greek yogurt is going to be thicker and higher in protein than regular yogurt.