I love the freshness of cucumbers and I love the zip of garlic. Tzatziki sauce is a brilliant combination of these two ingredients. This recipe is super easy. You can use it as a dipping sauce or as a sandwich topping or even as a salad dressing. In the picture above I enjoyed it with warm herbed naan and a few olives. Molto Mediterranean.
Traditionally, tzatziki sauce is make with dill, but you can use any herbs that you like. I’ve made this same recipes with basil, oregano, mint, and parsley. Experiment with different flavors and see which one you like best.
For the herbed bread, I bought pre-made naan. I brushed it lightly with extra virgin olive oil, sprinkled on some salt and pepper, and shake of a dried Italian herb blend. The one I used consisted of oregano, basil, marjoram, and red pepper flakes.
Warm it in the oven for a few minutes. Cut into pieces and enjoy with tzatziki.
A mix of Mediterranean olives completed the snack.
This is a cool, bright lunch and also makes an interesting healthy snack. Use it as a dip, a condiment or a sandwich spread.
Tzatziki Sauce
Ingredients
- 1/2 English cucumber grated
- 2 cups low-fat plain Greek yogurt
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp dill
- 1/2 tsp salt divided in half
Instructions
- Grate the cucumber, put into a colander, sprinkle on 1/4 teaspoon salt and allow excess water to drain.
- In the meantime, stir together the yogurt, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt in a mixing bowl. It looks like it won’t combine, but keep stirring, the olive oil will eventually disappear into the yogurt.
- Place the cucumber in several paper towels or a tea towel and squeeze out any excess water. You’ll be surprised at how much water comes out.
- Add the cucumber, dill, and remaining salt to the yogurt mixture and stir to combine.
- Refrigerate for an hour before serving.
