How To Make Greek Yogurt Sauce

Must Try

What Is Shawarma Sauce Made Of

Tzatziki Sauce – How to Make Tzatziki – Greek Garlic Yogurt Sauce

Shawarma is either chicken or meat. Usually chicken shawarma is served with a garlic sauce , and meat shawarma is served with a tahini sauce.

Toum is a delicious emulsified spread made with garlic thats whipped until fluffy and thick with vegetable oil. Its really hard to make! I havent perfected it yet- I actually just tried making this once at home and it was a complete fail. Therefore, I have the perfect, easier and lighter hack.

What Is In A Greek Yogurt Dressing Recipe

This plain yogurt salad dressing recipe is really a creamy vinaigrette as it contains yogurt, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, minced garlic, fresh herb of your choice, and salt and pepper.

When it comes to yogurt, I am a big fan of Stonyfield Organics Greek yogurt as it is nice and thick. However, you can certainly make this recipe with plain yogurt as well. If you are calorie conscious and prefer the low-fat version of this yogurt-based dressing, feel free to swap whole milk yogurt with fat-free plain yogurt.

My favorite fresh herb to use is dill as I find that when it is mixed in with yogurt, it pairs so well with the rest of the ingredients. You can drizzle it on salad greens or use it as a dipping sauce for summer vegetables as I did in this baked zucchini fritters recipe or mixed in with cucumbers to make tzatziki sauce.

However, you can change it up by using different kinds of herbs. I also love fresh Italian parsley, mainly when I am serving it with Turkish meatballs.

Is Whole Milk Yogurt Healthier Than Non

Whole milk Greek yogurt has a creaminess that tempers this acidic edge. Although whole milk yogurts have more saturated fat, questions exist as to whether whole milk dairy is worse for your health than non-fat.

The results of a recent epidemiological study with thousands of subjects suggest that some fat may better than none. Subjects who consumed two or more servings of full- or low-fat dairy had better health outcomes than the subjects who consumed non-fat dairy products.

study, read my blog post, Dairy Do!)

Also Check: Where To Buy Rao’s Sauce

The Skinny On Protein In Greek Yogurt

Plain whole-milk Greek yogurt has more than twice as much protein as plain regular whole milk yogurt. Although the two types of yogurt can be similar in terms of calcium content, regular yogurt usually contains more calcium and probiotics than Greek yogurt.

Because Greek yogurt is so high in protein, its very sustaining. This has earned it a reputation as a weight-loss food. The higher amount of fat in whole milk Greek yogurt also helps stave off hunger.

1 cup

How Do You Store Greek Yogurt Alfredo Sauce

Greek Yogurt Sauce

As I mentioned, I like to keep a jar of this sauce in the fridge just in case an alfredo craving hits. I store mine in an airtight jar, but any airtight container will do. The sauce will thicken as it sits in the fridge, but you can add a tablespoon of water or milk and microwave it to heat/thin it back out before pouring over pasta.

Recommended Reading: Where To Buy Rao’s Sauce

How To Use This Sauce

This flavorful sauce is wonderful with any seafood dish. I usually serve it with crab cakes, tuna cakes, and salmon patties.

It also pairs beautifully with simply boiled shrimp, in lieu of cocktail sauce. And it goes really well with keto fried fish. So as you can see, you have quite a few options for using this homemade tartar sauce! It never lasts long in our house.

Greek Tzatziki Sauce With Garlic And Dill

The Greek version of cucumber yogurt sauce is known as tzatziki which is full of bright and fragrant fresh dill.

When I have a few extra minutes, I love turning plain yogurt into a delicious side dish by mixing it with cucumbers, lemon juice, garlic, and herbs.

For an Indian twist, I’ll throw in chopped cilantro and garam masala to create Cucumber Yogurt Raita.

For a Syrian twist, I add plenty of fresh or dried mint to create Cucumber Yogurt Mint Sauce .

Recommended Reading: Texas Pete Hot Sauce Recipe

How To Make Tzatziki Sauce

Here I show you step by step how to make tzatziki sauce.

First, assemble the ingredients.

Grate 1/2 of a large cucumber, unpeeled.

Drain the grated cucumber through a fine mesh sieve.

Allow the grated cucumber to drain overnight in the fridge by placing the sieve over a bowl and covering with plastic wrap. If you dont have time to do the overnight drain, just press the cucumber in the sieve to press out more of the liquid.

Add 1 1/2 cups plain, full-fat Greek yogurt, 2 large garlic cloves, finely minced, 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon of white vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon of salt into a large bowl.

Mix the yogurt and other ingredients well.

The yogurt mix should be smooth and consistent as shown below.

Read more: how to cook chicken with sweet and sour sauce | Family Cuisine

Cover and refrigerate the yogurt mix overnight.

The next day, when you are ready to serve the tzatziki, mince the fresh dill to yield one tablespoon of dill.

Take the yogurt mixture out of the refrigerator and transfer the grated cucumber and fresh dill into the yogurt mixture.

Stir well to combine in the cucumber and dill.

The tzatziki sauce should be well combined as shown below.

Serve chilled with pita bread and veggies for dipping.

Im getting hungry just looking at this deliciousness on a plate!

How Long Does It Stay Good

Honey and Lemon Yogurt Sauce | Homemade Greek Yogurt Sauce | How to Make Yogurt Sauce | Greek Yogurt

The sauce should stay good in your refrigerator for 5-7 days and the flavor will intensify as it refrigerates. For that reason, I used minced garlic from a jar rather than fresh. I find that fresh garlic leaves me with the most unbearable breath for a good 24 hrs no matter how many times I brush and gargle with mouthwash. Garlic from a jar is a little more subtle.

Nutritional values are estimates only. See our full nutrition disclaimer here.The equipment section above contains affiliate links to products we use and love. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

I was pleasantly surprised to find cucumbers on sale 7 for $1 at our produce market today so that really brought the price of this sauce down. Unfortunately, they are only this cheap for a short time during the summer.

Dont let the rest of the cucumber go to waste. Slice it up for dipping into the Tzatziki, layering on sandwiches and salads or as a garnish!

Recommended Reading: Where To Buy Rao’s Sauce

How To Make Greek Gyro Sauce

I learned how to make this Tzatziki recipe while I was visiting Athens everyone who tries it tells me that its the authentic tzatziki sauce recipe they were looking for!

Reading: how to make greek gyro sauce

Let me start by apologizing for not posting this sooner.

I know Ive promised you all sorts of Greek recipes, so starting today I am going to deliver! First things first. How to Make Tzatziki Sauce!

You may be wondering, What is Tzatziki sauce? This is a classic Greek appetizer made from thick strained yogurt, cucumber, garlic, olive oil, and fresh dill.

Its super simple to make and a hit at any get-together!

While in Athens, I decided to take a cooking class on preparing classic Greek dishes.

One of the first things we made in that class was this Tzatziki sauce! I was so thrilled when we made this, because Ive been looking for the perfect homemade tzatziki recipe for ages.

I made a few adjustments to suit my taste , but feel free to experiment with your own amounts of each ingredient!

Right, so back to this recipe. Here are the most important tips and tricks I picked up in class:

Why Do You Need To Strain The Cucumber

Great question! As much as I wish you could skip this step, straining the cucumber makes all the difference when it comes to this easy tzatziki recipe. Cucumbers are mainly made up of water and if you dont strain the water out, all of this water will leave you with a watery dip recipe. Thats also why we use greek yogurt in this easy tzaztiki recipe! Greek yogurt has more straining than regular yogurt to remove the water content so it leaves you with a thick greek yogurt dip which is better for dipping veggies.

Read Also: Texas Pete Hot Sauce Recipe

Creamy Chipotle Greek Yogurt Sauce

This spicy southwest style sauce is perfect for taco night or even a marinade. The best partit only takes 3 ingredients! Here is the recipe:

  • 2 cups Greek yogurt
  • 3-4 canned Chipotle peppers in Adobo
  • Juice of 1 medium lime

To make this tasty sauce add all of the ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend until totally smooth. Once blended, add to a squeeze bottle and drizzle overtop homemade tacos or use as a yummy dip for tortilla chips.

For use as a marinade add 1/4 cup of olive oil and mix together. Once the oil is mixed with the sauce you can coat your protein and marinate overnight for super tender meat!

The Roast The Hell Out Of Those Scallions My Dude Move

Tzatziki Recipe (Greek Cucumber Yogurt Sauce)

Roasting or grilling some alliums is good old-fashioned fun. Its one of my most treasured pastimes, especially because I can just sit around and drink a beer while its happening. I love getting some intense color going on scallions and garlic, because it turns yogurt into a deeply flavorful experience.

Toss peeled garlic cloves and scallions with salt and olive oil and roast them at 425°, flipping them when the top side takes on a dark brown color . Once theyre tender and darkened, throw them in a food processor, or chop them with a sharp knife, until the garlic and shallots become paste-like. Now, you know what to do. Mix that stuff into your yogurt, seasoning with salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Dip, spread, and swoosh your damn heart out.

Also Check: Saffron Road Lemongrass Basil Simmer Sauce

Why Greek Yogurt Is Good For You

Besides being a great healthy option for achieving that creamy tang, adding Oikos Greek Nonfat Yogurt to your diet is always a good idea because of these healthful yogurt facts:

  • Greek nonfat yogurt is higher in protein and lower in fat than regular mayonnaise.
  • According to the 2015 USDA Dietary Guidelines, 64% of Americans dont meet their daily calcium needs. Each 5.3 oz cup of Oikos Nonfat Yogurt supplies 15% of the daily calcium our bodies need, so eating even one yogurt a day becomes a first step to a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle.
  • Greek yogurt contains active yogurt cultures and the balance and diversity of bacteria in your gut is associate with better health.
  • Greek yogurt contains less lactose than regular nonfat yogurt, making it helpful for yogurt lovers who are lactose intolerant.

And those are just a few reasons for using Greek yogurt as a base for any dip is a good thing.

What Does Greek Tzatziki Sauce Taste Like

Tzatziki is a very refreshing sauce, that is very popular during the summer. As you can see the ingredients used in this tzatziki recipe are Greek yogurt, cucumber, garlic, olive oil and vinegar. So you can imagine it tastes sour and creamy, with a crunchy bite. One can also taste a light background acidity from the vinegar and of course garlic flavor and aroma.

Read Also: Where Was Texas Pete Invented

What Is Tzatziki Sauce

Tzaziki is a Greek cucumber yogurt dip. Its a healthy sauce you can serve with chicken, grilled veggies, pita chips, gyros, and as a raw veggie dip. My cousin Alla is a fabulous cook and Im blessed to be able to glean from her kitchen wisdom.

Homemade Tzatziki is also a healthy sauce with just 57 calories in a generous 1/4 cup serving. Try this once and you will love the fresh flavors.

How To Make Homemade Shawarma Sauce:

Tzatziki Recipe: How to Make Greek-Style Yogurt Sauce

For the garlic sauce:

Combining yogurt with garlic gives a tangy creaminess with a hint of heat from the garlic.

I use a mix of plain yogurt and labneh to get a really nice sour edge, but if you cant find labneh, the perfect substitution is using greek yogurt in place of the plain yogurt and labneh mix. A hint of white vinegar, salt to taste and a good squeeze of lemon juice completes this!

You can whisk the ingredients together vigorously or blend them briefly in a food processor just to get a nice uniform consistency.

For the tahini sauce:

This is as easy as mixing together tahini, lemon juice, crushed garlic, and just enough water to thin out as needed. Its better to use room temperature water so it combines better. You can just whisk the ingredients together with a fork and thats it!

Read Also: Strongest Hot Sauce

The What Herb Do You Dig Dill Sounds Good Move

I offend a lot of people when I call this dill yogurt tzatziki-esque. No, its not tzatziki. No, youre wrong. Theres no cucumber. No, you dont know anything about Greek food, you idiot. So now, in an effort to ease yogurt-instigated tension, I just call this dip or condiment “dill yogurt.” Because really, thats what it is.

All you need to do is hit Greek yogurt with a generous amount of the chopped herb of your choicein this case, dillfreshly ground black pepper, grated garlic, a squeeze of lemon juice, flaky sea salt, and a glug of olive oil. Using a Microplane to grate the raw garlic helps it spread throughout the dip evenly, and using flaky salt gives you intense pockets of seasoning. Once youve mixed the first six ingredients together, finish it with a pour of olive oil, so all the yogurt valleys get filed with liquid gold. It looks nice too. And yes, thats important.

Do I Have To Use Fresh Herbs

When fresh herbs are readily available or when you already have them on hand, they are fabulous in this dip. But that’s not to say that dried herbs won’t work as well…they totally will! You just have to tweak the amounts since dried herbs are approximately three times more potent than fresh. So for this recipe, you’d use 1 tablespoon dried parsley plus 1 teaspoon dried dill in place of the fresh herbs.

You should also feel free to switch up the types of herbs in this Greek Yogurt Dip. I used fresh parsley and dill, but if you don’t have those or prefer other flavors, simply make the swap! Chives, basil, cilantro, or even thyme would all give this recipe a different and yummy spin.

Read Also: Where To Buy Rao’s Sauce

Tips For Making Tzatziki Sauce

To tell if a cucumber is firm or not, press the ends of the cucumber with your finger. If theres no give, the cucumber is still firm and will give a crisp bite. If its soft, the cucumber is too ripe and will be mushy. You want a firm cucumber for this Greek yogurt dip.

Note that fresh herbs are a must in this recipe. Dried dill wont give you the same flavor or texture.

After mixing together the cucumber sauce, let it chill in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving. This gives the flavors time to come together.

How Long Does Tzatziki Last In The Fridge

Tzatziki Sauce

Tzatziki should last 2-3 days in the refrigerator, but youll find so many amazing ways to use it up, it will be gone long before then! If stored longer, there is a risk that the garlic, which has extremely low acidity, may produce botulism, a serious toxin, and this is not a risk worth taking.

Can You Freeze Tzatziki? No. I mean technically yes you can but sadly this recipe doesnt keep well in the freezer. The consistency changes and it becomes watery after freezing. Its best made and eaten within about 5 days.

Recommended Reading: Where To Buy Rao’s Sauce

What Is The Difference Between Regular And Greek Yogurt

While both kinds of yogurt start out the same , there are a couple key differences between Greek yogurt and regular yogurt. When making Greek yogurt, after the milk and bacteria ferment, the liquid whey is drained off the solid yogurt three times, which is why its so much thicker than regular yogurt.

The straining process for regular yogurt is much less frequent only one or two strainings there which is why its more creamy and less thick. The more concentrated the yogurt is, the more protein it contains, which is why Greek yogurt is such a great source of protein.

Easy Greek Tzatziki Sauce

Just yesterday, I happily discovered I have something in common with the famous food philosopher Alice Waters. Yep. Me and Alice Waters. Its like were twins, living the same foodie ways, and it all stems from our refrigerators. Because apparently, shelike meis a condiment junkie. Okay, so its a stretch, I know, but hey, when youre 6 degrees of separation from the queen of slow food, you take what you can get.

Condiments are just as important to a dish as the dish itself. Theyre the flavor builders. The meal toppers. And theyre all the things that make my mouth go ZING!, and thats why tangy Greek yogurt fits really well into the condiment category for me.

Besides being a favorite part of breakfast parfaits or acting as the base to my fave afternoon bowl of fruit and nuts, nonfat yogurt does double duty in so many more ways. It subs for buttermilk to tenderize chicken, its a lower fat alternative to sour cream or mayo-based sauces for grilled meat and fish, and its my healthier stand-in for mayonnaise in any classic mayo-mixed sandwich. I even use it on my summer BLTs.

But while yogurt is a great sub for other ingredients, there is one recipe that can not, should never, would totally not be PC to flip the tables on, and thats to replace yogurt in the classic Greek tzatziki sauce.

Read Also: Where To Buy Rao’s Sauce

Popular Recipes

More Recipes Like This