Tzatziki
Thick Greek yogurt with grated cucumber, garlic, lemon and dill — a cool, refreshing sauce for grilled meats and a lighter dip than hummus.
Nutrition per serving
2 tbsp- Net carbs
- 1.4g
- Calories
- 32kcal
- Protein
- 2g
- Fat
- 2.2g
- Total carbs
- 1.5 g
- Fiber
- 0.1 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient (optional ingredients excluded). Brands vary — check your labels if you track closely.
Ingredients
Dairy-free (coconut): Thick coconut cream sharpened with extra lemon stands in for the yogurt, so dairy-free eaters can still have a cool, garlicky sauce for souvlaki.
- Whisk the cold coconut cream until smooth, then stir in the cucumber, garlic, oil, the extra lemon juice and the herbs. It firms up in the fridge, so stir well before serving.
Persian-style (walnut & mint): Inspired by Iran’s mast-o-khiar: plenty of mint and crunchy walnuts folded through. The traditional raisins are left out to keep it low-carb.
- Fold the mint and most of the walnuts into the yogurt with the cucumber and scatter the rest on top. Serve as a cool side with grilled kebabs.
- Nice to have (optional)
- Nice to have (optional)
- Also add
Estimated cost $3.19 for 12 servings ($0.27 each) · how we estimate
Instructions
-
Grate the cucumber on the large holes of a box grater, toss with a pinch of the salt and let it drain in a sieve for 10 minutes.
-
Squeeze the cucumber hard in a clean towel or with your hands to remove as much liquid as possible.
-
Stir the yogurt, cucumber, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, dill and mint (if using) together. Season with the remaining salt and the pepper.
-
Chill at least 30 minutes so the garlic mellows into the yogurt. Drizzle with a little more olive oil just before serving.
Tips for success
-
Use full-fat Greek yogurt: it’s thicker and slightly lower in carbs than regular yogurt. Avoid “light” or flavored tubs, which often add starch or sugar. - Don’t skip squeezing the cucumber, or the sauce turns watery within an hour.
- Serve with lamb kofta or chicken souvlaki, or as a dip with cucumber spears and bell pepper strips.
Storage & meal prepMeal-prep friendly
- Keeps 4 days in the fridge
- Doesn’t freeze well
Reheat: Serve cold
Prep tip: Portion it into small lidded cups to pack with grilled chicken or kofta; pour off any liquid and stir before eating.
Refrigerate up to 4 days. Stir before serving, as a little liquid may separate.
Variations
2 variations, each with its own ingredients and macrosDairy-free (coconut)
DietThick coconut cream sharpened with extra lemon stands in for the yogurt, so dairy-free eaters can still have a cool, garlicky sauce for souvlaki.
- full-fat plain Greek yogurt → unsweetened coconut cream
- lemon juice → fresh lemon juice (a larger amount)
1.6 g net · 79 kcal · 0.8 g protein · 8.1 g fat · ≈$0.26 per serving (+0.2 g net carbs vs the original)
Persian-style (walnut & mint)
FlavorInspired by Iran’s mast-o-khiar: plenty of mint and crunchy walnuts folded through. The traditional raisins are left out to keep it low-carb.
- fresh mint → fresh mint
- + ¼ cup walnuts
1.6 g net · 49 kcal · 2.4 g protein · 3.8 g fat · ≈$0.37 per serving (+0.2 g net carbs vs the original)
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