There are two kinds of people. People who are Greek, and people who wish they could eat every day like they were Greek.
OK, that was a bad take on a movie quote. But I am one of those people. I love all cuisines. However, the basic yet beautiful flavors found in Mediterranean food, especially Greek food, regularly tops my list of crave-able dishes.
The garlic. The olive oil. The herbs. So fresh, and so darned healthy for you, too! I mean, what’s not to love?
Yesterday I gave you a fantastic and easy recipe for Crock Pot Souvlaki. A favorite Greek street food (well, one of MY favorites, anyway) topped with creamy Greek Tzatziki sauce. I promised the recipe for this traditional yogurt-based dip and spread, and, being a woman of my word, here you go!
One of the ways that I love to serve this refreshing and creamy dip is alongside other spreads for a whole Mediterranean “Dip Sampler”. At our favorite Greek restaurant back in Northern Virginia (I’ve talked about it before, but it stands to be repeated–get there if you have the chance!) called Nostos. They have a sampler that both fills you up, but makes you hungry for what may come next. My three favorites to order are the Tzatziki, the Tyrokafteri, and the Fava Santorini. Served with freshly toasted pita bread, you won’t want to share with the rest of the table.
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 8 people | 1 hour |
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This dip just gets better the longer it sits in the refrigerator. The flavors continue to meld, and make for a great dip for pita chips, topping for sandwiches, or used with fresh veggies. You can't go wrong with this Greek classic!
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- 2 cups plain Greek yogurt, drained
- 1 cup grated English cucumber
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp. frehsly chopped dill
- 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- kosher salt, to taste
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Drain yogurt using either a cheesecloth, or 3 sheets of paper towels. Place cheesecloth over a strainer and allow to drain for at least an hour, or overnight in the refrigerator. Using a box grater, grate the cucumber and squeeze to remove excess liquid.
- Mix all of the ingredients together, and add salt and pepper to taste.
- Refrigerate and serve as a dip, or as a topping on gyros or souvlaki.
So I have a confession about this delicious Greek yogurt dip. As I stated above, one of my (many) favorite ways of enjoying this spread is on things like gyro and souvlaki. My confession is that I may--may--have been known to reach for one of these tasty and handy meals after a couple cocktails. I mean, a girl needs a nosh after some liquid refreshment, right?
When my husband and I were dating, we attended a wine festival. Beautiful surroundings, great weather, LOTS of wine--and food trucks. Well, after a few (very large) tastes of various wines, I got it in my head that I had to have a gyro. I told the guy in the food truck that "you can't PUT too much tzatziki on that thing"!
Um, apparently he could. Let's just say that the gyro on that particular occasion didn't stay with me long. (TMI? Sorry...) So I guess you actually CAN put too much tzatziki on some things. You've been warned.
And yet, my husband didn't dump me after that. He's a keeper.
This is fabulous. I absolutely love Tzatziki. I worked in a Greek restaurant for years when I was younger and learned how to make it from the owner. It’s so yummy, and perfect on gyros. I want to reach through the screen and snag yours.
I love the subtle varieties I’ve had at various restaurants, too. Some add mint, others add lemon–it’s very regional, I think. Any way about it, it’s delicious!
I LOVE tzatziki sauce and use it so many different things! Yours looks terrific!
I haven’t had Greek food in ages! Your tzatziki and that photo of the gyro has me thinking I need to fix that, pronto! I love how easy it is to make tzatziki and it goes so well with so many things.
I love anything tzatziki and this dip is no exception. Looks delicious! Thanks for sharing.
I love Tzatziki! It is so versatile! I also use it to accompany beef kafta. Your tzatziki looks creamy-licious!