Greek Yogurt Tzatziki
Quick high-protein cucumber-garlic-yogurt sauce. Pairs with basically everything.
Quick
Adapted from Claude
Ingredients
servings
- 1 cup full-fat Greek yogurt (Fage 5% or 2%)
- 0.5 English cucumber, grated
- 4 cloves garlic, finely grated or minced
- 1 tbsp lemon juice (or white wine vinegar)
- 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped (or 1 tsp dried)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 0.5 tsp kosher salt
- 0.25 tsp black pepper (to taste) (to taste)
Steps
- Drain the cucumber. Grate the cucumber on the large holes of a box grater. Pile it into a clean kitchen towel or several layers of paper towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. This is the step that separates a good sauce from a watery one — you’ll be surprised how much water comes out.
- Mix. In a bowl, combine the squeezed cucumber, yogurt, grated garlic, lemon juice, dill, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Stir well.
- Taste and adjust. More salt, more lemon, more garlic if you want it punchier.
- Rest. Let it sit in the fridge for at least 15–20 minutes before serving. The flavours meld and the garlic mellows slightly. It’s even better the next day.
Notes
- Skip the cucumber if you want a faster sauce or just need a dip — it works as a straight garlic-yogurt sauce too (sometimes called toum-style or just “white sauce”).
- Mint is a great addition alongside or instead of dill, especially with lamb or beef.
- For shawarma pitas: keep it as-is. For chicken thighs: lean heavier on the lemon and add a pinch of sumac if you have it.
- Keeps 4–5 days in the fridge. The garlic intensifies over time — if you’re sensitive to raw garlic, start with 3 cloves.
Protein-wise, a 1/3 cup serving lands around 6–7g — modest on its own, but it stretches a meal and makes the high-protein components more satisfying without adding much fat or many calories.
My Notes
(your own tweaks go here)