This tzatziki sauce is a creamy, high-protein dip made with Greek yogurt, cucumber, garlic and fresh dill. It's quick to make, incredibly versatile and great for making your meal prep more exciting during the week by using it across salads, proteins and grain bowls.
Tzatziki is one of those things I rarely buy from the shops because the ingredients are already staples in my house and it takes about five minutes to make. And because you're making it yourself, you can adjust the garlic, lemon or herbs to suit your taste.
For me, the key to a good meal prep routine is having sauces and flavour boosters ready to go (especially my peanut satay sauce which you guys love!). They turn simple proteins, grains and vegetables into meals you actually want to eat again the next day - and tzatziki is one of the easiest ways to do that.
TL;DR
- Prep time: 5 minutes
- Meal prep: It keeps well in the fridge and can be used across multiple meal preps like rice bowls, salads and proteins.
- Fridge storage: 1 week (airtight container).
- Freezer storage: Not recommended.
- Customise: Adjust garlic, lemon or dill depending on your preference. You can also grate or dice the cucumber depending on your preferred texture.
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Why you'll love this recipe
Easy sauce. This tzatziki takes about five minutes to make and instantly adds flavour to proteins, grain bowls and roasted vegetables.
Versatile. Use it in a Mediterranean couscous salad, mix it with shredded chicken or drizzle it over crispy salmon for an easy flavour boost.
Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt adds a natural source of protein and creates a thicker, creamier tzatziki that works well in meal prep bowls and salads.
Ingredients
Greek yogurt. Thick Greek yogurt is preferred because it creates a creamy tzatziki and holds its texture once the cucumber releases moisture.
Cucumber. Cucumbers vary widely in water content. Lebanese or Persian cucumbers tend to work well because they are less watery, but I often use whatever I have. Unlike many recipes, I use the entire cucumber to avoid waste.
Garlic. Fresh garlic provides the best flavour. Finely mincing or grating it helps distribute the flavour evenly throughout the tzatziki.
Dill. Fresh dill provides the most vibrant flavour and aroma. Dried dill can work, but the flavour will be more subtle.
Lemon. Fresh lemon juice brightens the tzatziki and balances the yogurt. You can adjust the amount depending on how tangy you like it, and if you're a lemon lover you can also add a little zest.
Please check the recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantity. See below for substitutions and variations.
Substitutions and variations
Yogurt substitution. If you don't have Greek yogurt, you can use regular natural yogurt, but it will produce a thinner tzatziki. For a dairy-free option, thick coconut or soy yogurt works well, though the flavour will change slightly.
How to make Tzatziki sauce
Step 1: Add finely minced or grated garlic, diced or grated cucumber, Greek yogurt, cucumber, dill and lemon juice to a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 2: Stir until well combined. Taste and adjust the garlic, lemon or seasoning if needed.
Step 3: Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes if possible to allow the flavours to develop.
Lauren's Top Tips
Let it sit before serving. Allowing the tzatziki to rest for 15-30 minutes helps the flavours develop.
Taste and adjust. Everyone prefers different levels of garlic and lemon, so adjust the recipe to your taste.
Batch Prepping Tzatziki
This tzatziki is a great meal prep option because it adds flavour and protein to simple meals. Greek yogurt provides protein while the cucumber and herbs add freshness, making it a versatile sauce that works across salads, proteins and grain bowls.
What to use Tzatziki with?
Chicken. You can make a roast chicken or butterflied chicken then add on a drizzle of the tzatziki sauce at the end, or coat some slow cooker shredded chicken.
I also have a Mediterranean chicken rice bowl which uses this exact sauce to coat the chicken and fresh veggies which taste amazing!
Seafood. Because of the fresh and zesty flavours, the sauce would work excellent alongside a whole baked barramundi or crispy skin salmon.
Salads. As the flavour deepens overnight, this sauce makes a perfect salad dressing for meal prep - try it in my Mediterranean couscous chicken salad.
You could also mix-and-match with my Greek yogurt dill dip which has similar flavours but retains the base of the recipe making it perfect for a versatile prep during the week.
Storing
Tzatziki can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. The flavour tends to improve after the first day as the garlic and herbs infuse the yogurt.
If you notice a little liquid forming on the surface, simply stir it back through before serving.
If storing as a meal prep, make sure to keep the sauce separate to anything that could have its texture impact (like the photo below).
Can you freeze tzatziki dressing?
Freezing tzatziki is generally not recommended. Greek yogurt tends to separate once thawed, which changes the texture and can make the sauce grainy.
Although, I have frozen it with my slow cooker shredded chicken in souper cubes (shown in the photo below) and then partially reheated it for salads, wraps and bowl and it actually works surprisingly well.
So if you are planning on freezing it, do it alongside a protein.
If you want more meal prep information, check out my Meal Prep for Beginners post and my Meal Prep Basics E-Book.
FAQs
This usually happens when cucumbers release excess moisture. Using thick Greek yogurt and salting the cucumber lightly before mixing can help reduce wateriness.
You can, but fresh dill gives the best flavour. If using dried dill, use about one third of the amount.
Other sauce recipes
Or, you can have a browse through my easy sauce recipes for more delicious eats.
Recipe
Greek Tzatziki Sauce
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Equipment
- Air tight container
Ingredients
- 420 g (2 cups) Greek yoghurt, subs Note 1
- 1 cucumber
- 2 garlic cloves, see Note 2
- 2 tablespoon dill, fresh preferred
- 1 lemon juice, fresh preferred
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Finely mince or grate 2 garlic cloves so the flavour distributes evenly through the sauce. Dice or grate 1 cucumber depending on your preferred texture.
- Add 420 g (2 cups) Greek yoghurt, the prepared cucumber, 2 tablespoon dill, 1 lemon juice, and the minced garlic cloves to a large bowl.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste, then stir until everything is well combined and the ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Taste the tzatziki and adjust with additional lemon juice, garlic, salt or pepper depending on your preference.
- Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes before serving. This allows the garlic, dill and lemon to infuse into the Greek yoghurt and improves the overall flavour.
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