A hand squeezes a lemon wedge into a glass bowl of dip topped with herbs, next to a bulb of garlic and sliced cucumbers.

Tzatziki: Creamy Greek Yogurt Cucumber Dip

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  • A smiling woman surrounded by sunflowers, tacos, pizza, pancakes, and cupcakes, with Xenas Kitchen Homemade Cooking & Baking written in pink, rustic-style text over a wooden background.

    Hey, I'm Xena! I cook the kind of food that makes people wander into the kitchen asking, "What smells so good?" Around here, you'll find easy dinners, comfort-food favorites, and recipes that don't require a culinary degree or a 47-step process. Xena's Kitchen is where I share the meals I actually crave: bold flavors, cozy vibes, and dishes that make you want to lick the plate (no judgment here.)
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Tzatziki: Creamy Greek Yogurt Cucumber Dip This Greek yogurt cucumber dip is built around a simple sequence: drain the grated cucumber, prepare the garlic and herbs, then stir everything together and chill it briefly. The recipe uses fresh mint and dill alongside lemon juice, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and four cloves of garlic prepared as a smooth paste.

The cucumber is handled before it reaches the yogurt. After being grated, it is lightly salted, rested in a strainer, and squeezed dry so the prepared cucumber can be combined with the remaining ingredients after its excess moisture has been removed.

A hand pours shredded cucumber from a small green bowl onto a paper towel, near a baking sheet of ground meat and a container of Greek yogurt.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

This recipe includes both fresh mint and fresh dill, with a tablespoon of each finely chopped before mixing. The two herbs are added with fresh lemon juice and garlic, giving the yogurt base several distinct fresh ingredients in one bowl.

Garlic is a prominent part of the mixture, with four cloves crushed or minced into a paste rather than left in larger pieces. Preparing it this way helps distribute the garlic throughout the yogurt when the dip is stirred until uniform.

The final refrigerator rest is part of the method, not an optional extra step. Once the cucumber, yogurt, herbs, lemon juice, seasonings, and garlic are fully combined, the dip rests for 20 to 30 minutes so the fresh herbs and heavy garlic can blend deeply into the yogurt.

Ingredients You'll Need

Plain Greek yogurt is the base of the dip. Use 1 cup, which is combined with the prepared cucumber after the cucumber has been grated, salted, allowed to sit, and squeezed dry.

The recipe calls for 1/2 English cucumber. Grate the cucumber, toss it with a small pinch of salt, and let it sit in a strainer for 5 minutes before squeezing it dry with either a clean kitchen towel or paper towels.

Four cloves of garlic are minced or crushed into a paste. This preparation is completed before the garlic goes into the mixing bowl, alongside the chopped herbs and other ingredients.

A hand sprinkles minced garlic onto a counter next to fresh mint leaves, sliced cucumbers, half a lemon, a spice jar, and a bowl of dip.

For the herbs, use 1 tablespoon fresh mint and 1 tablespoon fresh dill. Both are finely chopped until you have about a tablespoon of each, keeping the herb pieces ready to stir evenly through the yogurt mixture.

Fresh lemon juice adds the specified 1 tablespoon. The remaining seasoning is 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, with the small pinch of salt reserved for the cucumber during its draining step.

How To Make It

Grate the half cucumber, toss with a small pinch of salt, and let it sit for 5 minutes in a strainer. Squeeze the cucumber dry using a clean kitchen towel or paper towels.

Crush or mince your 4 cloves of garlic into a smooth paste. Finely chop your fresh mint and fresh dill until you have about a tablespoon of each.

Combine the Greek yogurt, squeezed cucumber, garlic paste, chopped mint, chopped dill, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper in a mixing bowl. Stir until uniform, then let it rest in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes to let the fresh herbs and heavy garlic blend deeply into the yogurt.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I prepare the cucumber for tzatziki?

Grate the cucumber, toss it with a small pinch of salt, and let it sit in a strainer for 5 minutes. Then squeeze it dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels.

How much garlic is used in this tzatziki?

This recipe uses 4 cloves of garlic, minced or crushed into a smooth paste.

Which fresh herbs are in the tzatziki?

The recipe uses 1 tablespoon each of finely chopped fresh mint and fresh dill.

How long should the tzatziki rest before serving?

Let it rest in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes after stirring so the fresh herbs and garlic can blend into the yogurt.

Wrapping Up

The recipe is finished after the 20- to 30-minute refrigerator rest. The earlier cucumber-draining step, the garlic paste, and the finely chopped herbs are all incorporated before that final chill. Once the resting time is complete, the yogurt, cucumber, lemon juice, mint, dill, garlic, salt, and black pepper have had time to come together as directed.

Recipe created by Xena’s Kitchen for Trust Me Try It.

A hand squeezes a lemon wedge into a glass bowl of dip topped with herbs, next to a bulb of garlic and sliced cucumbers.

Tzatziki: Creamy Greek Yogurt Cucumber Dip

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Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients

  • 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 English cucumber, grated and squeezed dry
  • 4 clove garlic, minced or crushed into a paste
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt plus a pinch for the cucumber
  • 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  • Grate the half cucumber, toss with a small pinch of salt, and let it sit for 5 minutes in a strainer.
  • Squeeze the cucumber dry using a clean kitchen towel or paper towels.
  • Crush or mince your 4 cloves of garlic into a smooth paste.
  • Finely chop your fresh mint and fresh dill until you have about a tablespoon of each.
  • Combine the Greek yogurt, squeezed cucumber, garlic paste, chopped mint, chopped dill, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper in a mixing bowl.
  • Stir until uniform, then let it rest in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes to let the fresh herbs and heavy garlic blend deeply into the yogurt.

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