Homemade Tzatziki Sauce

Top gyros, salads, chicken and more with this homemade Tzatziki Sauce recipe. Studded with chunky cucumbers, this creamy sauce is tangy without being overpowering or bitter. Makes 8 servings.

2023 Update: This recipe was originally shared in February 2013. I have simplified this recipe, as well as more specific measurements according to ingredient weight. The post has been updated to include new photos, as well as several more tips and tricks. I hope you love this sauce!

This should come as no surprise by now, but I didn’t get into yogurt — or really like any kind other than my beloved Gogurt from childhood — until I was living alone and responsible for eating breakfast before going into work and pretending to be a “grown up.”

I was always looking for something that was filling and relatively healthy… and after unsuccessfully trying to become a cereal person, I tried yogurt and fell in love.

What in the world does my love of yogurt have to do with Tzatziki sauce? 

It’s the base ingredient, combined with sour cream, to make this tzatziki, y’all, and let me be the first to tell you that once you try this, you’ll want to put it on EVERYTHING.

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Why I love this recipe:

We keep a jar of this sauce in our fridge at all times. We love it on a variety of different foods.

Over the years, I’ve tweaked my recipe for this creamy tzatziki sauce, though. While I used to blend it in the food processor for a smoother sauce, I’ve been leaning into a chunkier sauce in recent years.

The key to it? English cucumbers.

Why? The skins are easy to eat and there are no chunky seeds to throw you off. If you’re making this recipe with regular cucumbers, you’ll need to peel them and remove the seeds before dicing.

The beauty of this recipe is that it’s full of flavor, and you can pair it with most anything.

Please note that this might not be a traditional tzatziki sauce (or one that’s authentic that you might find at Greek restaurants), but it tastes excellent. I highly recommend giving it a try!

Recipes to try this tzatziki sauce recipe with: Grilled Chicken Shawarma | Turkey Shawarma Wraps | Chicken Shawarma Salad

What you need to make this recipe:

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• Large mixing bowl
• Rubber spatula or another utensil for stirring
• Airtight storage container

Here are the simple ingredients you need to make this easy recipe:

• English cucumber — you’ll need a single large English cucumber to make this recipe. I like to use these because they do not have seeds and their skin is easier to eat.
• Olive oil — or another neutral-flavored oil. Extra virgin olive oil also works.
• White vinegar — this vinegar adds an acidic punch and some balance to other ingredients. Some recipes might call for fresh lemon juice or white wine vinegar here.
• Garlic — freshly minced garlic cloves are the way to go here because they’ll pack more garlic flavor into the sauce. Pre-chopped garlic is awesome, though you’ll need to use more than this recipe calls for to get the garlic flavor. You could also use roasted garlic if you’re feeling fancy.
• Creamy elements — we’re using a combination of creamy Greek yogurt and sour cream to really up the creaminess of this sauce. Personally, I like to use nonfat yogurt paired with full-fat sour cream for the ultimate creaminess, but you can also use full-fat Greek yogurt for extra decadence. Do not use regular yogurt because it will make the sauce thinner.
• Spices — we’re using a combination of kosher salt and black pepper to season this tzatziki sauce with. We’re also adding dill. Fresh dill OR dried dill both work, though y’all know I love to use fresh herbs when I have them.

What to serve with tzatziki dip:

• Homemade Pita Chips
• Tortilla chips
• Raw veggies, like cucumbers, carrots, radishes, cherry tomatoes and more
• Pitas, for scooping
• Salad, like this Chicken Shawarma Salad
• A wrap, like Turkey Shawarma Wraps

How to make Tzatziki Sauce with Sour Cream and Yogurt

Prep your ingredients. This means chopping the English cucumber, as well as measuring everything out.

Please note that some tzatziki recipes call for shredded cucumber or grated cucumber, which you would do with a box grater. We’re dicing ours here because I appreciate the texture. I have not tried this recipe with those, though I know more liquid is released when you do that, so you’d need to pat them dry with a paper towel. You could also place the grated cucumbers in a fine mesh strainer and let them release their excess liquid.

Measure the plain Greek yogurt and sour cream into a bowl. Stir together until combined.

Add the seasonings. Pour in the olive oil, white vinegar and garlic. Season with salt, pepper and dill. Stir until combined.

Add the fresh cucumber. Stir the sour cream, yogurt and cucumber gently together until the mixture is combined.

Serve immediately… or store in an airtight container in the fridge until time to serve.

Frequently Asked Questions

What can I use this tzatziki sauce on?

If you’re looking for inspiration of where to use this recipe, here are a few ideas.

• Use this sauce as a creamy salad dressing. It’s a little like ranch, but healthier!
• Substitute these for ketchup to dip your fries in.
• Slather it on pita bread… or sandwich bread… and add some creaminess to your sandwich.
• Serve as a dip alongside pita chips, fresh veggies and more.
• Use it as a dipping sauce for Turkey Zucchini Meatballs.

More sauces to try:

• Roasted Garlic White Bean Hummus
• Whipped Feta Dip
• Winston’s Garlic Hummus
• Easy Marinara Sauce
• Sage Pumpkin Hummus

Here’s how you can make it…