Do you love getting Tzatziki Sauce when you go out for Greek food? But maybe find it far too salty? Especially if you buy a tub of the sauce at the grocery store, it often has a bad aftertaste from the preservatives and is high in sodium. Making it though, is really easy, with a few ingredients, many of which you could have in your pantry – including the cucumbers.
Tzatziki Sauce
Ingredients:
- 1 cup cucumber, diced
- 1½ cups full-fat Greek yogurt*
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp freeze-dried garlic or granulated garlic
- 2 tsp dried dill weed
- 1 tsp dried peppermint, crumbled
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
Directions:
Place cucumbers in a bowl.
Stir in the yogurt and seasonings, blending well.
Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least half an hour for the seasonings to hydrate. Making it overnight will give it an even better flavor as it develops, so stir well before serving.
Serve with vegetables to dip, pita chips, or use in gyros – or even as a salad dressing.
Store tightly sealed in the refrigerator; use within a couple of days.
*Note:
I used Fage 5% greek yogurt, which is strained, and does not use thickeners. While more expensive, using a yogurt that is strained is preferable. The higher the fat, the creamier the dip as well. Yes, you can use non-fat but it’s so much better with real yogurt….
Find the dill weed and peppermint in the bulk spice section at many grocery stores. Sometimes the peppermint will be sold with bulk tea, so look carefully. I air dry my personal stash from what we grow, and then crumble as needed.
~Sarah