Tzatziki
Prep: 75 Minutes (At least 60 Minutes straining) | Cook: 5 Minutes | Resting Time: N/A | Total: 80 minutes
Makes 8 Servings
Ingredients
16 oz Greek Yogurt, strained
1/2 Cucumber, shredded and excess moisture removed
3 cloves Garlic, minced
2 x 1 tbsp of Fresh Mint, chopped and kept in 2 separate portions *
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 tsp Salt (to taste)
Recipe Summary
Strain greek yogurt.
Shred cucumber and remove excess moisture.
Mix strained greek yogurt, cucumber, minced garlic, mint, lemon, and salt.
Recipe
At least 1 hour prior to making tzatziki, strain Greek yogurt in the fridge to remove as much moisture as possible. You can use a strainer, cheese cloth or a combination of the two. The longer the yogurt is strained, the more moisture will be removed (up to 8 hours).
Shred a cucumber using a cheese grater. Remove excess moisture from the cucumber shreds by gathering them in a cheese cloth and squeezing. Mince 3 cloves of garlic. Roughly chop 2 tbsp of fresh mint and separate into 2 equal portions
In a bowl, fold yogurt, cucumber and garlic with a spoon to roughly mix. Add lemon juice, salt, and 1 tbsp of mint (retain other measured out portion for garnish. Mix until the tzatziki is fully uniform.
Garnish with fresh mint. Serve with warm pita, on a hot gyro or with fresh vegetables.
Why the Recipe Works
Tzatziki is a blend of multiple fresh ingredients that come together in a refreshing dip. The star of the show is strained Greek yogurt that becomes extremely creamy when the excess moisture is removed. Shredded cucumber is then strained and added to the Greek yogurt making up the majority of the dip.
Freshly minced garlic, lemon juice, and mint round out the sourness of the yogurt and the cucumber by adding more depth of flavor. Adding salt to the dip enhances the flavors of each of the ingredients.
The texture and refreshing flavor of tzatziki is perfect for eating with more savory Greek meat, french fries, Gyros, or with a warm piece of pita.