Tzatziki sauce what is it how to prepare recipes. Tzatziki: a classic recipe and the history of the origin of the famous Greek snack Recipe for tzatziki sauce and what to serve with

He will never forget the hot Greek sun, beaches with white sand and azure sea water, cozy small taverns, and their home-style, simple, incredibly tasty food. And of course, the extraordinary taste of the most popular Greek snack “tzatziki” (τζατζίκι), which is also called “tzatziki”, “tzatziki”.

Local residents, and most tourists, believe that it tastes better and healthier dish It’s hard to find something for the summer table. One way or another, it was tzatziki, together with - that gained the widest popularity among people who prefer healthy eating and natural, high-quality, environmentally friendly Mediterranean products.

Some people choose tzatziki as a cold meze appetizer, eaten with warm and fragrant bread in addition to a glass of ice-cold ouzo, tsipouro or raki, others prefer it in the form of a spicy sauce for grilled meat - gyro or souvlaki, as well as with charcoal-fried fish, French fries or zucchini.
And what Greek holiday would be complete without spit-roasted lamb and the amazing “kokoretsi” - a dish of lamb giblets, the best addition to which can only be tzatziki!

History of the origin of the sauce

They say that this dish of cucumbers with yogurt was prepared by ancient Greek chefs for the famous “symposia”.

It was called Μυττικό (mittiko), and the recipe for its preparation and the products used were practically no different from today:

Cucumber. The name goes back to the ancient Greek ἄγουρος (cucumber), and comes from ἄωρος (unripe), that is, eaten in an unripe form. Perhaps the Greeks considered this vegetable to be an unripe or green melon. The father of botany, Aristotle's friend Theophrastus from the island of Lesbos, described three varieties of cucumbers, which were eaten by the Greeks both raw and boiled.

Yogurt. The basis of tzatziki sauce, the famous Greek yogurt made from sheep or goat milk, was also familiar to ancient Greek cooks, as evidenced by numerous references to the fermented fermented milk product made in canvas wineskins.

History of the name

Byzantine cooks, who inherited many of the traditions of the ancient Hellenes, began to add chopped egg and white cheese to this dish, as well as a little white wine, and gave it the name Tzakisto.

Later, this sauce also appeared among the Turks, who borrowed it from the Byzantines. In Turkish it began to be called dzhadzhik (cacik).

During the Ottoman yoke, the Turkish name for the dish appeared among the Greeks, turning into the current tzatziki (τζατζίκι).

And although the Turks prepare djadzhik from almost the same products: cucumbers and yogurt, it has a completely different taste, a thinner consistency and bears little resemblance to the Greek appetizer, but rather resembles the Bulgarian cold tarator soup.

A snack very similar to tzatziki exists in Iraq under the name mast-o-khiar, but it is prepared using local sour milk ayran.

A similar cucumber sauce is also made in India, where it is called rait.

But according to the majority of gourmets who have tried traditional Greek tzatziki, this particular dish has a special, unique and delicious taste and aroma.

Seduced by the simplicity of the recipe, many guests in Greece, returning from a trip, try to prepare tzatziki sauce at home, but few people get it the same as they tried it in.

The secret of real tzatziki is in its specially prepared yogurt, and of course, in the yogurt that the Greeks add to every dish.

Greek yogurt

Why is it useful?

The peculiarity and difference between the Greek version of yogurt and others is that it is filtered to improve density. It is called here - strangisto yaurti (στραγγιστό γιαούρτι), which means strained yogurt.

This product is a thick mass with a velvety structure, having an average consistency between all the usual yogurt and white cheese.

While maintaining the aroma typical of yogurt, it has a very pleasant taste, not the usual sour, but, on the contrary, reminiscent of heavy cream or sour cream, but at the same time not fatty - only up to 10%.

Thanks to filtering through special cloth filters, which deprives it of whey, filtered yogurt also contains more proteins and less sugar and carbohydrates.

Greek yogurt belongs to the class of natural fermented milk products obtained by bacterial fermentation of milk. It is a rich source of not only protein, but also many microelements: calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus and zinc, as well as vitamins B, A and C.

Where is it used

For its wonderful properties, filtered Greek yogurt deservedly has the highest reputation in the world market, eclipsing many other brands of fermented milk products.
Its popularity is also expanding due to the worldwide popularization of the Mediterranean or Cretan diet, where, of course, this product plays one of the leading roles.

Ordinary consumers and famous chefs around the world prefer Greek yogurt for preparing low-calorie dishes, replacing the usual cream or sour cream, which contain much more fat.
At the same time, the taste of the dishes themselves not only does not deteriorate, but also acquires a special piquancy. And one more property of Greek yogurt is of great value to cooks - it doesn't collapse under pressure high temperature while maintaining its rich, creamy texture.

Any Greek supermarket or small grocery, bakery or confectionery store must have it on sale. weirdo yaurti or products based on it produced by large Greek companies such as FAGE, ΜΕΒΓΑΛ, ΟΛΥΜΠΟΣ.
They provide not only Greek consumers, but also have offices in many European countries and the USA.

In Greece, desserts and ice cream are made from yogurt, and it is added to many sauces.
Local residents start their day with yogurt combined with honey, nuts and fruits, and other healthy additives: various cereals, jams, syrups.
Many Greek dishes cannot be prepared without this wonderful product.

Well, there’s no talk about tzatziki: it is prepared only on the basis of filtered yoghurt from sheep or goat milk. And of course, the better and more aromatic the yogurt, the tastier the dish turns out.

Classic Tzatziki recipe - how it is prepared in Greece

Trust me, this snack is worth trying! It is very easy to prepare and low in calories, and at the same time will be an excellent addition to any meat, fish or vegetable dish.

Even if you are on a diet or vegetarian diet, this sauce will be a tasty addition to your usual dishes, without spoiling your figure at all.

Using this recipe, you can prepare tzatziki, exactly as it is made in Greek taverns.
But I will reveal one little secret here: how to use garlic in the sauce so that it does not emit a sharp and unloved smell by many.

To make tzatziki you will need:

• 500 gr. unsweetened unleavened yogurt;
• 3-4 large cloves of garlic;
• 1 tbsp. l. vinegar;
• 1 large cucumber or several small ones;
• 3/4 cup olive oil;
• salt to taste.

How to prepare:

1. Grate the thoroughly washed cucumber on a coarse grater. If it has a rough peel, then it is better to peel the cucumber first.
2. Transfer the grated mass into a colander, after mixing it with salt, and then squeeze thoroughly so that all the juice comes out of the cucumber. This is necessary so that after adding the yogurt the mixture becomes viscous. If the juice has not been squeezed out well, the sauce will be watery..
3. Cut the garlic cloves in half and remove the green arrows. They are the ones that give any dish with garlic a sharp, unpleasant odor.
4. Grind the garlic cloves in a wooden mortar, adding a few drops of olive oil and a little salt. The mass should turn out creamy.
5. And finally, put yogurt, squeezed cucumber mixture, garlic, salt, vinegar (necessarily wine and no other) into the salad bowl. olive oil.
6. Mix the mixture thoroughly. The sauce can be decorated with olives and a sprig of dill. Our tzatziki is ready.

In summer, keep it in the refrigerator for a while, - it will become even tastier. Now it can be served to the table.

Bon appetit everyone! Kali orexy!

Ekaterina Aravani spoke about the most popular sauce in Greece

Each national cuisine can boast of its own original sauces: in India they love it, in Japan they love it, in Azerbaijan they love it. And in Greece the sauce is widespread tzatziki, the recipe for which is offered to you by the Land of Soviets.

Tzatziki (tzatziki, tzatziki) is a Greek cold appetizer sauce. It is prepared from thick yogurt, fresh cucumber and garlic, additionally seasoned with olive oil, salt and pepper. Sometimes added to tzatziki lemon juice or vinegar, herbs (parsley, dill, mint), ground almonds and other products.

Tzatziki is served with bread, vegetables, meat and fish dishes. It is often an integral part of meze - a set of appetizers or small dishes served in Mediterranean countries. How to make tzatziki?

Tzatziki classic

This classic recipe tzatziki without any “extra” ingredients (although you can add 1 tbsp of wine vinegar to the sauce if you wish). To prepare tzatziki for this recipe we will take:

• 250 g natural thick yogurt without additives
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 cucumber
• 2 tbsp. l. olive oil
• salt - to taste

Wash the cucumber, peel it and grate it on a fine grater. Squeeze the juice from the grated cucumber, put the pulp in a salad bowl and add salt to taste. Peel the garlic, chop finely and mix with cucumber. Add yogurt, mix, add olive oil and mix well again. Tzatziki is best served chilled.

Tzatziki with almonds

You can add grated or crushed almonds to the tzatziki to give it a subtle nutty flavor. To prepare tzatziki with almonds we will need:

• natural thick yogurt without additives - 300-350 g
• cucumbers (medium size) - 2-3 pcs.
• garlic - 2 large cloves
• olive oil - 2 tbsp. l.
• grated or crushed almonds - 1-2 tsp.
• apple or wine vinegar - 1 tsp.
• salt - to taste

Wash the cucumbers, peel them, grate them on a fine grater and squeeze out the juice. Transfer the cucumber pulp into a bowl, add crushed garlic, almonds, vinegar, salt and yogurt. Mix thoroughly, add olive oil and mix well again.

Tzatziki: a note for the hostess

In our country it is not always possible to get thick Greek yogurt, and if you make tzatziki from liquid yogurt, the consistency will not be the same, so the sauce cannot be used as a dip (dipping food in it). But there is a way out of the situation: to achieve the desired consistency, you can mix 150 g of natural yogurt with 200 g of cottage cheese (fat content - 20-40%). It is advisable to take fine-grained cottage cheese. Another option is a mixture of natural yogurt and 10-15% sour cream.

By the way, in the classic recipe, yogurt is suspended in several layers of gauze overnight so that excess whey drips off, then squeezed out and only then used to make tzatziki.

If desired, you can add any greens to the tzatziki, after finely chopping them. They even add mint to this sauce! You can decorate the tzatziki with olives, cucumber slices, parsley or mint leaves. Store tzatziki in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed glass container.

Bon appetit!

Each national cuisine has its own sauce, original and unique to it. These dressings or gravies, which can sometimes be considered snacks in their own right, serve as calling cards in cookbooks different countries. One has only to remember Japanese Indian chutney or Azerbaijani narsharab. In this article we will look at preparing Greek tzatziki. The classic recipe was born in mainland Hellas. There they call it tzatziki or tzatziki.

On the island of Crete, the appetizer sauce is called ttalattouri. Along with the name, the recipe also underwent modifications. In Crete, tzatziki is prepared with less garlic, but mint leaves are added. And in Bulgarian and Macedonian cuisines, the sauce has generally turned into soup - tarator, no less popular in the world. Well, in Russia, okroshka with kefir can be considered an analogue of this interesting dish.

History of origin

Researchers are still at a loss as to which people gave the world this wonderful appetizer sauce. Some believe that it was only thanks to the Turkish conquest that tzatziki sauce appeared in Greece. A classic recipe from the Ottoman Empire, it used pressed goat's or sheep's milk yogurt, garlic, fresh cucumbers, salt, pepper and olive oil. The dish in Turkey is called dzhadzhik. It differs from the Greek in its more liquid consistency. In the Middle East, in Persia, there is a similar mast-o-khiar sauce. Tzatziki also resembles the Indian gravy raita. But perhaps the conquering Turks “borrowed” the recipe from the conquered Greeks? One way or another, we don’t yet know who owns the palm in the matter of tzatziki. The main thing is that we have a recipe for a tasty and healthy sauce.

Cult dish

In Greece, this sauce is sold in any grocery store, with numerous variations. As you know, Greece has everything. And this statement fully applies to a variety of sauces, united under the general name “tzatziki”. The classic recipe calls for yogurt, garlic, cucumber, olive oil and salt and pepper. Variations include mint, dill, parsley, lemon juice, ground almonds and much, much more. There are tzatziki made with goat's milk and sheep's milk. With fresh or pickled cucumbers. In a word, for every taste. Not a single meal in Greece is complete without this dish. It is eaten as a snack on its own, simply by dipping pita into it. Tzatziki is served with gyros, souvlaki, meat, fish, fried or stewed vegetables. The sauce invariably accompanies meze - a set of cold ones that are served in the Mediterranean.

Tzatziki: recipe

In fact, there are no difficulties in creating the sauce. We won't even have to light a fire. In Greece, in addition to ready-made sauce, you can also buy the main ingredient for its preparation - very thick (without flavoring additives). With it, preparing a cult dish will not take even half an hour. All you need to do is mix peeled and finely chopped cucumbers, garlic, spices and olive oil into the yogurt. Tzatziki must be cooled before serving. In restaurants, the sauce is decorated with an olive, an olive, or a sprig of mint cut in half. The amount of ingredients can be adjusted to your taste. But what is the proportion of an authentic tzatziki dish? The classic recipe gives the following list of ingredients. For 370 ml of yogurt for tzatziki you need to take two cucumbers, five cloves of garlic, two tablespoons of olive oil, one teaspoon of salt and a pinch of black pepper.

Cooking step by step: tzatziki (classic recipe)

Photos will make the description more understandable. Peel two cucumbers and grate them. Add some salt and squeeze out the slightly released juice. Finely chop five cloves of garlic and add a spoonful of wine vinegar (or lemon juice). Add to the cucumbers along with 370 ml of thick natural yogurt. If desired, you can sprinkle the mixture with a tablespoon of dill or parsley. Mint flavor with fresh cucumbers will create a cooling effect on a hot day. Mix the sauce thoroughly. Pour in two tablespoons of natural olive oil in a thin stream. Mix again and put in the refrigerator. Before serving, garnish with tzatziki sauce. The classic recipe is good for everyone. But he does not specify where to get such thick natural yogurt, which is sold in any shop in Greece. Let's try to adapt the recipe to our conditions of import substitution.

Yogurt in Greek

Cucumbers and garlic are not a problem for us. You can also buy olive oil for now. It's about yogurt. The one we sell under the name “Natural” is not suitable for tzatziki sauce. The recipe calls for a thick product so that, as they say, a spoon can stand in it. Many people replace yogurt with full-fat sour cream. It's really quite thick. But the sauce will be too oily. Therefore, it makes sense to do several preliminary manipulations to get the real thing. Take a liter of whole milk, bring to a boil and cool to approximately 43 degrees. Add two spoons of sour cream. Place in a warm place to ferment for eight hours. Then the yogurt should sit in the refrigerator for better thickening. If the result disappoints you, fold the product in several layers of gauze and hang it. Overnight, the excess whey will drain and the yogurt will become thick. Well, then you can use it according to the recipe.

Tzatziki with pickles

This sauce can also be made for winter. Pickled or pickled cucumbers will not be as refreshing as the tzatziki. The recipe suggests transferring 250 grams of thick yoghurt into a bowl. Cut two small cucumbers into small cubes in another bowl. Squeeze out the juice - it is not needed in the sauce. Mix cucumbers with yogurt. Finely chop the dill and parsley. Add two cloves of garlic, squeezed through a press. Let's mix everything. Add salt to taste, not forgetting the black pepper. And put it in the refrigerator for half an hour so that all the ingredients of the sauce interact pleasantly with each other. As you can see, in this recipe vegetable oil not used. If we mix a teaspoon of grated almonds into the sauce, the tzatziki will have an interesting nutty flavor.

Tzatziki sauce is a classic Greek appetizer. It is widespread in Turkey, Cyprus, the Balkan countries, and Iran. There are many ways to prepare this sauce. But the base is grated cucumber, thick yogurt, garlic, fresh dill and olive oil.

It is served with lamb, pork, salad dressing, and eaten with a piece of pita bread.

What is tzatziki sauce

A signature favorite of summer picnics, parties and outdoor barbecues, tzatziki appetizer sauce is loved all over the world. In Greece it is called tzajiki. In Turkey - jajik. In Cyprus - talaturi.

The name of the sauce comes from the Turkish word cacık, which in turn is believed to have been borrowed from the Armenian word cacıg.

In Greece, it is made from thick, salty yogurt (usually sheep or goat) mixed with cucumbers, garlic, salt, olive oil, and dill. Sometimes lemon juice, natural apple or grape vinegar are added.

In addition to dill, thyme, mint, and parsley are used. Serve chilled.

In Turkey, the basis of tzatziki is made up of the same ingredients as in Greece, with the only difference being that mint is added instead of dill. There are recipes with sumac, hot pepper, fresh or dried thyme.

It is served thick as an appetizer for the main course. As a side dish or sauce, dilute with water to the desired consistency.

It can be served with fried meat along with a flavored anise aperitif; boiled or raw carrots and other vegetables are seasoned with it.

In Cyprus, they add less garlic and mint instead of dill.

In Iran, where it is called masto-o-khiar (which literally means yogurt with cucumber) and some other Arab countries, it serves as a snack for alcoholic drinks, placed on the table like meze. Sometimes chopped nuts or raisins can be added to it.

In the cuisine of Balkan countries such as Bulgaria, Serbia, Macedonia there is a similar dish called tarator. Unlike the cold soup of the same name, the base of the sauce is cucumbers, garlic, chopped walnuts, salt, and vegetable oil. Whereas yogurt is added to the soup.

How to make tzatziki

Tzatziki sauce is very easy to make. It only requires a few ingredients that are easy to buy in the summer. And the cooking time only takes a few minutes. True, there are some subtleties.

Cucumber is known to contain a lot of water. The essential step is to remove this fluid. To do this, the grated mass is placed in gauze and suspended. Or they leave it on a sieve for some time, sometimes overnight. Of course, you can just squeeze it out.

It is better to grate the garlic on a fine grater or pass it through a press.

The thicker the yogurt, the better. Liquid is not suitable for it. The best option is to buy real sheep or goat.

To make the sauce more aromatic, first combine all the ingredients except cucumber and dill, and place in the refrigerator overnight.

Dill should be added last, just before serving.

How to make tzatziki sauce

Now two classic recipes for dressing sauce.

Tzatziki sauce recipe with dill and mint

You will need:

0.5 large cucumber

2 cloves garlic

500 grams Greek thick yogurt

1 bunch of dill

A few sprigs of mint

How to cook:

1. Cut the cucumber in half and scrape out the seeds. Grate on a fine grater.
2. Place the grated cucumber in a sieve, place it on a bowl and add salt. Stir and leave for several hours or overnight in the refrigerator. Stir again, squeezing out the liquid with a spoon.
3. Peel and finely grate or crush the garlic. Combine with oil in a large bowl. You can leave it in the oil for several hours. But not necessarily.
4. When most of the liquid has disappeared, spread the mixture on a clean kitchen towel and pat dry.
5. Stir in garlic mixture. Add yogurt and stir.
6. Finely chop the dill and mint leaves. Add to sauce.
7. Squeeze lemon juice (to taste), add oil and mix everything well.

If desired, sprinkle with dried mint.

Serve with meat as an appetizer, top with a salad of tomatoes and other vegetables. And just putting a spoon on a piece of loaf or pita bread is very tasty.

Classic tzatziki sauce recipe

You will need:

0.5 cucumber

1.5 cups yogurt

2 cloves garlic

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon white grape vinegar

0.5 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon chopped dill

How to cook:

Grate the cucumber and squeeze out the liquid.

Mix yogurt, chopped garlic, oil and salt. Cover with a lid and put in the refrigerator. Maybe overnight.

In the morning, add cucumber mixture and dill. Stir and serve.

You can get creative and add other herbs, paprika or hot peppers.

Impress your guests by serving it with fried chicken, kebabs, or grilled vegetables.

To make tzatziki sauce at home, take fresh crispy cucumber with thick pulp. Rinse thoroughly in running water and dry with a paper towel. If the peel is thick, remove it with a vegetable peeler. Young cucumbers can be used with the skin on. Grind on a medium grater. Lightly salt and leave for 8-10 minutes so that the cucumber releases its juice.

Place the grated cucumber in a colander and let the resulting liquid drain so that the finished sauce is not liquid, or squeeze out the juice with your hands.


To the squeezed cucumber add greek yogurt. It can be bought at any supermarket. It differs from Russian yogurt in its velvety structure and dense consistency. During the preparation process, it is filtered from the whey, achieving the desired thickness. Greek yogurt is very healthy, it is obtained by bacterial fermentation of natural goat or sheep milk. It contains many vitamins, microelements, high protein and calcium content.

If you don't have Greek in your refrigerator, but do have classic unflavored yogurt, pour it into a colander lined with cheesecloth. Fold the gauze into 3-4 layers and leave for a couple of hours until all the whey is gone.

Mix yogurt with cucumber.

Thick Greek yogurt can be replaced with village fat sour cream, Armenian matsoni, ayran, yogurt or kefir.

Garlic peel off the husks. Grate on a fine grater or pass through a garlic press. Adjust the amount of garlic to your taste. Add to yogurt mixture. Pour in lemon juice. Stir.


Wash and dry the dill sprigs. Do not use dense stems. Chop finely and add to the rest of the ingredients. Pour olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Mix well and taste. If necessary, adjust at your discretion.


Tzatziki is ready. Place in a container with a lid and put it in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. Afterwards, serve with cold cuts, grilled meat, fish, French fries, hash browns, fried zucchini, eggplant or a slice of bread. Greeks often enjoy a glass of cool ouzo, raki, or tsipouro with the sauce. The serving method can be different - in bowls, a gravy boat, or placed on unfolded lettuce leaves or Chinese cabbage.

It’s a pity, but the sauce is not prepared for future use; it is not preserved. In the refrigerator, the treat can be stored in a sealed container for no more than 2-3 days.

On a note

• There are a lot of recipes for Greek tzatziki sauce made from yogurt, and they all have the right to exist. For example, instead of dill, some housewives put parsley, basil, mint, or both at the same time. Lemon juice is often replaced with wine vinegar, and in addition to cucumbers, olives, sweet peppers, and white cheese (brynza) made from goat or sheep milk are added.
• There is a modification of tzatziki, where pickles are used instead of fresh ones.
• Compared to mayonnaise, tzatziki is considered a low-calorie sauce.