Tzatziki: Cucumber Yogurt Dip

Tzatziki (pronounced sat-ZEE-key, or cha-CHI-key in Greece) is a popular yogurt-based cucumber sauce. It's traditionally made with strained salted sheep's or goat's milk yogurt combined with cucumbers, garlic, and herbs. Cool and creamy, this tangy cucumber dip is the perfect complement to grilled meats and vegetables. It is often served on the side with warm bread for dipping, used as a condiment for souvlaki, or included on a meze platter. 

Breaking from tradition to make our recipe easier, we use uses store-bought Greek yogurt and vinegar. That combination could result in a rather tangy sauce, but cutting the yogurt in half and adding sour cream creates a smooth and mellow tzatziki without any bite.

What Is Mezze?

Making this version of tzatziki is straightforward: Mix the ingredients and let it chill. However, you need to prep a couple of ingredients first to ensure your tzatziki is smooth and not runny. Most importantly, unless you use a seedless variety, you'll want to seed the cucumbers, then dice them and place in a colander to allow any liquid to drain off. And, while Greek yogurt is already strained, that can vary from one brand to the next, and some can have a bit of liquid. To ensure it's as thick as possible, place the yogurt in a cheesecloth-lined fine mesh strainer and let any liquid drip out before making the sauce.

This is one of those recipes that is better when made ahead of time. If you can, don't add the cucumber right away and let the yogurt mixture sit overnight in the fridge. This extra time allows the garlic to lose its sharpness and ensures that the flavors blend nicely before serving.