Tzatziki (τζατζικι) Recipe
A Greek yogurt, garlic and cucumber delight. Make it as a dip to serve with crisp fresh cut vegetables and crackers or double the amount of yogurt to serve as as a cold soup for a hot summer night.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups (16 oz) thick yogurt / 4 cups for a soup
Greek yogurt is preferred, but you can mix any regular or low fat yogurt with thicker goat yogurt for rich flavor yet less calories - ½ cup (4 oz) sour cream
skip and add more yogurt if you prefer less fat, but be warned: it will not taste as good! - 2 to 8 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
we usually go with 4 cloves, but if you are a bigger garlic fan – go for it! - ½ cup of grated unpeeled cucumber
we like the big English cucumbers or big green house cucumbers for this recipe; it will be about ½ a cucumber - 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
try replacing with red wine vinegar for a more tangy flavor - 2 tsp minced fresh dill, mint or a mix of the two
- salt and crushed pepper to taste
Preparation:
- Combine oil and lemon juice in a mixing bowl
- Add yogurt, folding it in slowly, making sure it mixes fully with the oil. For thicker consistency consider draining the yogurt in cheese cloth for an hour before using it; for a soup consistency double the amount of yogurt
- Add the chopped garlic; quantity according to taste
- Add the coarsely grated cucumber; squeeze liquids out if you want a thicker consistency. Some take the cucumber seeds out: we don’t, hence the English variety – smaller softer seeds
- Add the finely chopped herbs, salt and pepper. Stir until evenly distributed
- Refrigerate for several hours before serving to allow the flavors to blend
- Serve well chilled at a hot summer night: mix well before serving, and garnish with a bit of green and a drizzle of your finest olive oil
Yield
- about 2½ cups dip
- about 5 cups soup
Want to comment Chef's Kitchen? 
