Greek · Nationwide · mezze

Tzatziki

τζατζίκι

Tzatziki is the cool, creamy anchor of any Greek mezze spread — thick yogurt, cucumber, garlic, dill, and a generous pour of olive oil. It doubles as a dip, a sauce for grilled lamb or souvlaki, and a condiment that makes everything better. The secret isn't the ingredients; it's removing every drop of water from the cucumber so the yogurt stays luxuriously thick.

• full-fat Greek yogurt, strained (such as Fage Total 5%)

  2 cups

  480g

• English cucumber (or 2 Persian cucumbers)

  1 medium (about 12 oz)

  340g

• garlic cloves, minced to a paste

  3 cloves

  9g

• fresh dill, finely chopped

  3 tablespoons

  8g

• extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving

  3 tablespoons

  45ml

• fresh lemon juice

  1 tablespoon

  15ml

• red wine vinegar

  1 teaspoon

  5ml

• fine sea salt

  1 teaspoon, divided

  5g, divided

• freshly ground black pepper

  1/4 teaspoon

  0.5g

• dried oregano (Greek mountain oregano preferred)

  1 pinch, for garnish

  0.3g

  Substitution · hard-to-find

  Original: Greek mountain oregano (rigani). Standard dried oregano works fine; for closer flavor, mix with the tiniest pinch of dried mint

1. 01

   10 min

   Grate the cucumber on the large holes of a box grater directly into a colander set over the sink. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, toss to coat, and let it sit for 10 minutes — you'll see the water start to pool.

2. 02

   3 min

   Transfer the salted cucumber to a clean kitchen towel or several layers of cheesecloth. Gather the corners and twist hard, squeezing out as much liquid as you can. Don't be gentle — this is the step that makes or breaks the texture. You should wring out at least 3–4 tablespoons of liquid. Set the squeezed cucumber aside.

3. 03

   3 min

   Mince the garlic cloves, then use the flat of your knife to scrape and smear them against the cutting board with a pinch of salt until you have a smooth paste. This tames the raw bite and distributes the flavor evenly through the dip.

4. 04

   4 min

   In a medium bowl, combine the yogurt, squeezed cucumber, garlic paste, chopped dill, 3 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, and red wine vinegar. Stir well to combine. Season with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and the black pepper. Taste — it should be bright, garlicky, and creamy. Adjust lemon or salt as needed.

5. 05

   60 min

   Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. This rest time is not optional — it lets the garlic mellow and the flavors marry. Tzatziki made and served immediately tastes raw; tzatziki rested in the fridge tastes like Greece.

6. 06

   2 min

   To serve, spoon the tzatziki into a shallow bowl and use the back of a spoon to swirl a well in the center. Drizzle generously with olive oil, dust with a pinch of dried oregano, and add a small sprig of fresh dill if you have it. Serve cold with warm pita, raw vegetables, or alongside grilled meat.

• · LLM tiebreak failed for "full-fat greek yogurt" — picked first result as fallback

Reheating · Tzatziki, labneh dips. Drain off any whey that separates before serving.

Source: foodkeeper