greek tzatziki

Total Time40 mins
DifficultySimple
SimpleNo real technique needed. Follow the steps and you'll be fine.
StraightforwardEasy going but worth paying attention. A good one to build confidence.
Building SkillsYou'll learn something making this. Great for developing technique.
Technique RequiredYou need to know what you're doing. Read the method before you start.
ChallengingThis will push you. Worth every bit of effort.
AdvancedSerious cooking. Rewarding when it comes together.
Servings4
Sauces & BasicsLight & FreshGreekSummer

A thick Greek tzatziki done properly: thick yogurt, properly drained cucumber and garlic left to mellow, for a fresh, tangy, creamy sauce that goes with all things Greek. My girlfriend went to Greece lots when she was younger, so she’s a tough critic and judges every tzatziki I make. I kept tweaking this one until it finally got her approval. It’s also part of my pork souvlaki with flatbreads.

This is a Pro feature

Get the full Cooked Properly experience for £4.99/mo

  • 🗓️ Plan your week and build your shopping list in two taps
  • ⚖️ Scale any recipe to exactly the servings you need
  • 💡 Unlock Why This Works and Common Failures on every recipe
  • 🔖 Save unlimited recipes
See All Pro Features →

Save this recipe for later

Free to join — no card required

  • 🔖 Save up to 10 recipes for free, access them anytime
  • 🗓️ Upgrade to Pro to plan your week and sort your shop in two taps
  • ⚖️ Scale recipes to exactly the servings you need with Pro
Create a free account
Prep aheadOptional head start · the night before

Pro members see exactly what to do and when.

See what Pro gives you

Ingredients

Servings: 4
  • 0.5 Cucumbers, grated, before draining
  • Fine sea salt, for salting the cucumber, plus to taste
  • 300 g Full-fat Greek yoghurt, thick — FAGE or similar
  • 20 g Fresh lemon juice
  • 20 g Extra virgin olive oil
  • 8 leaves (4g) Fresh mint, finely chopped
  • 2 Garlic cloves, finely minced
  • To serve
  • 1 tbsp (13.5g) Extra virgin olive oil, to drizzle

Equipment

  • Fine sieve or colander
Salt and drain the cucumber
1

Grate the cucumber and toss with a generous pinch of fine sea salt until well coated. Transfer to a fine sieve set over a bowl and leave to drain for 30 minutes.

Ingredients for this step:

  • 0.5 Cucumbers, grated, before draining
  • Fine sea salt, for salting the cucumber, plus to taste
Make the yoghurt base
2

While the cucumber drains, combine the full-fat Greek yoghurt, fresh lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, fresh mint, and garlic in a bowl. Mix until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning with fine sea salt.

Ingredients for this step:

  • 300 g Full-fat Greek yoghurt, thick — FAGE or similar
  • 20 g Fresh lemon juice
  • 20 g Extra virgin olive oil
  • 8 leaves Fresh mint, finely chopped
  • 2 Garlic cloves, finely minced
Squeeze and combine
3

Once the cucumber has drained, take it in your hands and squeeze out as much remaining moisture as possible. Push it firmly against the sieve or wrap it in a clean cloth and wring it hard.

Add the dry cucumber to the yoghurt base and stir until evenly distributed. Taste and adjust the seasoning one more time.

Rest and serve
4

Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving, overnight is better. Spoon into a bowl and drizzle generously with extra virgin olive oil to serve.

Ingredients for this step:

  • 1 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil, to drizzle

Notes & Substitutions

Yoghurt: Use proper strained Greek yoghurt, FAGE or similar. Standard yoghurt, even full-fat, is thinner and will make a runny tzatziki even after draining the cucumber properly. If you can only find regular yoghurt, strain it overnight through a cloth-lined sieve before using.

Make-ahead: Tzatziki keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days. It often improves on the second day once the garlic has fully mellowed. Give it a stir before serving if any liquid has separated to the top.

Serving: Works alongside grilled meat, as a dip with warm bread or crudités, or as a sauce for pork souvlaki.

Greek Tzatziki

Serves 4  ·  40 mins  ·  Simple

COOKED
PROPERLY

Ingredients

  • 0.5 Cucumbers (grated, before draining)
  • Fine sea salt (for salting the cucumber, plus to taste)
  • 300 g Full-fat Greek yoghurt (thick — FAGE or similar)
  • 20 g Fresh lemon juice
  • 20 g Extra virgin olive oil
  • 8 leaves Fresh mint (finely chopped)
  • 2 Garlic cloves (finely minced)
  • 1 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil (to drizzle)

Equipment

  • Fine sieve or colander

Method

1

Salt and drain the cucumber

0.5 Cucumbers  ·  Fine sea salt

Grate the cucumber and toss with a generous pinch of fine sea salt until well coated. Transfer to a fine sieve set over a bowl and leave to drain for 30 minutes.

2

Make the yoghurt base

300 g Full-fat Greek yoghurt  ·  20 g Fresh lemon juice  ·  20 g Extra virgin olive oil  ·  8 leaves Fresh mint  ·  2 Garlic cloves

While the cucumber drains, combine the full-fat Greek yoghurt, fresh lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, fresh mint, and garlic in a bowl. Mix until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning with fine sea salt.

3

Squeeze and combine

Once the cucumber has drained, take it in your hands and squeeze out as much remaining moisture as possible. Push it firmly against the sieve or wrap it in a clean cloth and wring it hard.

Add the dry cucumber to the yoghurt base and stir until evenly distributed. Taste and adjust the seasoning one more time.

PRO TIP

Squeezing is where most people stop too early. The cucumber should feel almost dry — keep going until it genuinely is.

4

Rest and serve

1 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil

Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving, overnight is better. Spoon into a bowl and drizzle generously with extra virgin olive oil to serve.

SCAN TO OPEN

Good food, cooked properly.

Proper recipes, intelligent planning, one shopping list.

cookedproperly.com

Suggestions