Tzatziki Sauce
When I dip, you dip, we dip. Tzatziki is a versatile sauce, spread or stand-alone dip containing a refreshing blend of yogurt, cucumbers, fresh herbs and other complimentary ingredients. Did you know that this popular Greek dip was originally influenced by an Indian condiment: raita? It is believed that voyagers who worked along the Ottoman trading routes spanning across India, the Middle East and Europe were first introduced to raita as their cooling solution to enjoy spicy Indian food. From here, Tzatziki was created as the Greek interpretation of raita and is often served with Middle Eastern and South European cuisines.Feel free to share questions or comments below. We love to see renditions – try this recipe and tag @CleanCulinaryCanvas on social media!
Ingredients
- 1 cup plain, lowfat Greek yogurt
- ¾ cup peeled and grated cucumber (~1 medium cucumber)
- 2 Tbsp dill, very finely chopped
- 1 Tbsp mint, very finely chopped
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest (~1 lemon)
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 1 garlic clove, minced or pressed (optional)
Instructions
- Peel and then grate cucumber by hand or with a food processor. Drain very well. This may be done by hand, pressing the cucumber juice out one handful at a time. Alternatively, this can be done by placing grated cucumber into a cheese cloth or napkin and then pressing the liquid out.
- In a large mixing bowl, wisk together Greek yogurt and drained cucumber. Add dill, mint, olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic (optional), and sea salt. Chill (refrigerate) before serving.
- Tzatziki Sauce may be garnished with extra virgin olive oil before served. It goes very well with pita, pita chips, fresh veggies, falafel, and gyro sandwiches. As a creative & fun serving option, it may be worked into a grazing board as shown in the photo. Below are ingredients on this board:-Fresh broccoli, cauliflower, tri-colored bell peppers, baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, radish-Cheddar cheese cubes-Greek Olives (pitted)-Peppadew® Hot Whole Sweet Piquanté Peppers-Keebler® Town House® Focaccia Crackers Rosemary & Olive Oil-Dare Breton Crackers, Original-Simple Mills® Fine Ground Sea Salt Almond Flour Crackers