40 minutes
A refreshing and creamy cucumber tzatziki sauce, perfect as a dip or accompaniment to your favorite dishes.
English Cucumber, unpeeled
each
cups
tablespoons
Himalayan Pink Salt
pinches
Black Pepper, freshly ground
pinches
Lemon, juiced
each
Garlic Clove, finely minced
cloves
tablespoons
1. Prepare the Cucumber
Start by halving the cucumber lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and discard them. Next, grate the cucumber using a zester or grater over a large plate lined with paper towels. Grated cucumber needs to be dry, so wrap it in the paper towels or cheesecloth and squeeze out as much moisture as possible. For best results, you can leave it wrapped and let it drain overnight.
2. Prepare the Yogurt Base
In a food processor or blender, combine the Greek yogurt, olive oil, pink salt, black pepper, lemon juice, and minced garlic. Blend these ingredients until they are fully combined and smooth.
3. Combine Ingredients
Once your cucumber is well-drained, transfer the yogurt mixture to a medium bowl. Stir in the grated cucumber and fresh dill, mixing thoroughly to evenly distribute all the flavors.
4. Chill the Tzatziki
Transfer the prepared tzatziki sauce to a sealed glass container and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes. Chilling the sauce allows the flavors to meld together beautifully.
Salt grated cucumbers and let them sit to draw out moisture before squeezing them dry. This step is critical for a non-watery tzatziki.
Opt for full-fat Greek yogurt for its richness and to avoid a runny tzatziki. Low-fat varieties are not recommended.
Allow the tzatziki to rest in the refrigerator to let flavors marry, ideally for a few hours or overnight.
Use English cucumbers for fewer seeds and a thinner skin, which are ideal for tzatziki. If unavailable, peel and deseed regular cucumbers.
Properly season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, tasting and adjusting as necessary to meld the flavors together.
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