Grab a delicious little piece of Greece today. However, be weary of who you will be kissing, because you will smell like a stinky rose.
Text And Photos By Pam Kanavos
One of Greece’s most famous dips is Tzatsiki. It is a simple dip that uses only few ingredients: creamy yogurt, crispy cucumbers, and a profound amount of garlic. 
Cool and creamy, this tangy garlic dip is the perfect escort to grilled meats and vegetables. It’s commonly used as a condiment in souvlaki (a.k.a., shis-kabob) or gyro as well as a starter served with warm, toasted, pita bread triangles for dipping.
Preparation for Tzatsiki is easy, but as with all great dishes, it too has a dirty little secret. The secret for success lies in the type of yogurt used. Try to use a yogurt often labeled as “Greek Style.” You could use a regular yogurt but the consistency wouldn’t be right. “Greek Style” is a thick, creamy, tangy yogurt that will keep your dip from running; whereas a regular yogurt will not be as thick, and would require additional time for straining.
So, what are you waiting for? Grab the recipe and bring a little bit of Greece into your day! However, be weary of who you will be kissing, because you will be smelling like a stinky rose.
PrintTzatziki
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 1 1/2 cups 1x
Description
A deliciously smelly greek classic
Ingredients
- 16 ounces Greek Fage yogurt
- 1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and shreded
- Pinch kosher salt
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
Instructions
- Place the shreded cucumber in a tea towel and squeeze to remove the liquid; discard liquid.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the drained yogurt, cucumber, salt, garlic, olive oil, and vinegar.
- Serve as a sauce for souvlaki.
- Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
I prepare mine the same way. Lived in Thessa, Santorini and Crete in the early 1990s, and had learnt to prepare numerous Greek dishes. Though I am Italian & French, I love Meze.
Happy Holidays,
Margaux Cintrano.
Hi Pam, I made your tzatziki again, everyone loves it! You can check how it turned out over at my blog, I put the photo:
http://bite-my-cake.blogspot.com/2011/06/pams-deliciously-greek-tzatziki.html
I made this yesterday to accompany our lunch and tzatziki was great! Didn’t have the time to take a picture, but promise I will next time. I will make it often, thanks for the perfect recipe!
That looks gorgeous. Any food with Greek influence really can’t go wrong!
I love this “sauce”! I tried it in several versions, but this original, with Greek style yogurt is definitely the best for me. Here in Croatia we have a habit of making a version ov tzatziki which uses sour cream instead of yogurt and onions instead of garlic.
Great recipe!