Greek Tzatziki
24 July 2018 by Natanja
A creamy and refreshing tzatziki with garlic and lemon.
Today we are making a creamy and delicious authentic Greek tzatziki. Summer is the perfect time to make this refreshing dish because it pairs so well with grilled vegetables and meat. Digging into a bowl of slightly chilled tzatziki is one of the best things you can do in the summertime! (Well that and make this pretty lavender limeade.) Making a traditional tzatziki is not only easy, it also comes together very quickly. Make this for your next bbq and watch your guest crowd around the bowl!
Tzatziki is a huge deal in my family. It is brought with and eaten at almost every family get together we have. Whenever we’d plan a party the first question would usually be, who’s bringing the tzatziki? The job would mostly fall on my dad or brother since they are usually given the ‘simpler’ recipes. They would of course (like a true man does) make a batch to feed an army. If only I’d have a picture to show you. I’m talking huge bowls filled with delicious and creamy tzatziki. (Not that anyone in the family would ever complain about too much tzatziki!) If we had leftovers, which didn’t happen often, they’d be packaged and given with to guests like leftover cake. It’s ridiculous. I notice how crazy this all sounds typing it up for you.
Why are we so strangely obsessed with this Greek dish? We aren’t even Greek afterall! However, we spent the majority of our family vacations on the beach in Greece. We’d always grab our lunch at a typical Greek tavern….and you guessed it, it would always include tzatziki. I remember the traditional Greek tzatziki the waiter served us vividly. It had olive oil swimming on the top and usually olives as decor. It never included dill. Depending on the region and the restaurant, tzatziki is a bit different. Some add dill, some add lemon juice, there are various ways to enjoy it.
Cucumber
The star of this recipe is the creamy Greek yoghurt but that isn’t complete without a refreshing grated cucumber. Since cucumber contains a lot of water and we do not want to water down our tzatziki, it is important to get out as much of the water as possible beforehand. After grating the cucumber, place it into a sieve over a bowl and salt it generously. You will notice the cucumber will start to release its water. This is due to the salt literally pulling out the water. You also want to help that process by squeezing out any additional water from the cucumber. Now it’s ready for the yoghurt!
The best way to enjoy tzatziki is alongside grilled foods such as veggie skewers, potatoes or grilled bread sticks. Or you can enjoy it in the traditional way with fluffy white pita bread! Have you ever tried tzatziki? What’s your favourite way to enjoy it? Let me know!
Greek Tzatziki
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
An authentic Greek tzatziki that pairs well with grilled meat and veggies
Ingredients
- 1 English cucumber
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 800g Greek yoghurt, or soy yoghurt for a vegan version (1.8lbs)
- 2–3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- salt to taste
- mint or dill
- Kalamata olives, optional
Instructions
- Wash and grate the cucumber. Place it into a sieve above a bowl and season it with 1 teaspoon salt. Let it sit for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, squeeze as much of the water out of the cucumber as you can and discard the water. Combine the grated cucumber with the rest of the ingredients.
- Garnish with Kalamata olives and extra mint or dill and drizzle with additional olive oil.
- Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.
Notes
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
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Tagged With: appetizer, bbq, Greek, Greek tzatziki, grilled, snack, summer, tzatziki
Filed Under: Entrées & Sides, No Bake: Savory, Summer Recipes