Homemade Greek Tzatziki Recipe with Sour Cream (2024)

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Last Updated on: 22nd April 2023, 06:49 am

Make your own homemade Greek tzatziki with sour cream. It tastes wonderful to put on warm pita bread for a quick snack or dip carrots into. Add it to a Mediterranean dip tray for a make ahead delicious appetizer. It’s a low-carb, gluten-free and vegetarian snack, dip or spread.

Homemade Greek Tzatziki Recipe with Sour Cream (1)

This recipe is great for those who prefer sour cream over yogurt. It’s a delicious treat to make any time of year but, perfect for summer when you have fresh garden cucumbers. Plus, it tastes great on a dip tray with olives and homemade Baba Ganoush (roasted eggplant dip.)

The first time I had tzatziki was when I visited a Greek isle one summer long ago. It was one of my favorite Greek foods.

Disclosure: This post contains Amazon affiliate links which means, if you make a purchase, I’ll receive a small commission but, the price you pay is the same.

You’ll need a cheese grater or box grater to make this recipe because you’ll need to finely shred or grate the cucumber.

Table of Contents

Homemade Greek Tzatziki Recipe with Sour Cream

*The full, printable recipe is in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Ingredients

  • 2 mini cucumbers or 1/4 English cucumber for 1/4 cup grated/finely shredded cucumber
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 tbsp fresh dill weed
  • 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
  • 3 small cloves of garlic or 1 large clove
  • 1/2 tsp lemon juice and 1/2 tsp of lemon zest
  • 1/8 tsp salt and pepper to taste

English Cucumbers

Use a fresh English cucumber for this recipe or mini cucumbers work well too. Leave the skin on but, if you prefer, you can remove it before grating. These types of cucumbers work well because they don’t contain seeds.

Grated Cucumber

First, you’ll grate or finely shred the cucumber using a cheese grater.

Homemade Greek Tzatziki Recipe with Sour Cream (2)

There will be much water or a good bit of cucumber juice in the bowl that you’ll need to remove so your tzatziki sauce is creamy and not watery. If it’s watery, it’ll dilute the flavor so, this is an important step.

Spoon some of the water out when you’re done and then move on to the next step of using a paper towel to squeeze out the rest of the water.

Homemade Greek Tzatziki Recipe with Sour Cream (3)

Paper Towel

Use a paper towel to remove the excess liquid from the grated/finely shredded cucumber.

Homemade Greek Tzatziki Recipe with Sour Cream (4)

Wrap the grated or finely shredded cucumber in a paper towel and wring out the moisture as much as possible. It should not be wet when adding it to the other ingredients.

It will look like the image below when you’re done.

Homemade Greek Tzatziki Recipe with Sour Cream (5)

Fresh herbs

It’s always best to use fresh herbs in all your recipes for the best flavor and quality.

Fresh Dill

For this particular recipe, fresh dill weed is the best to use. If you can’t find fresh dill weed, you may use dried dill weed but, it won’t have as strong of a dill flavor, especially if it’s been in your spice rack for years.

Fresh Lemon Juice

Use fresh lemon juice and zest in this recipe to add a bit of zing to it.

After you’ve drained the grated cucumber, add it a medium sized mixing bowl along with the sour cream, fresh dill, lemon juice and zest.

Garlic Cloves

Use three small garlic cloves (or one large garlic clove) to grate on the cheese grater (but be very careful not to cut your fingers) or use a garlic mincer to mince the garlic, which is safer on your fingers. I use my garlic mincer often. It’s one of my most used kitchen gadgets.

Homemade Greek Tzatziki Recipe with Sour Cream (6)Homemade Greek Tzatziki Recipe with Sour Cream (7)

Then, add the minced garlic to the sour cream mixture.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Use a good quality extra virgin olive oil to put in this recipe. The color should be dark green. The oil will make the tzatziki sauce creamy and add flavor to it as well.

Homemade Greek Tzatziki Recipe with Sour Cream (8)

Then, add the salt and pepper to taste and stir it until it’s well combined.

Homemade Greek Tzatziki Recipe with Sour Cream (9)

Next, cover it or put it in an air tight container and refrigerate it for about 45 minutes so it can absorb the flavors, especially the fresh garlic!

Pita Bread

Pita bread is my first choice for what to dip in tzatziki sauce but, then again being Italian, I’m a big fan of bread!

Homemade Tzatziki Sauce

This homemade tzatziki Sauce would be perfect to use in myAvocado Tzatziki Cucumber Appetizer when you want a healthy appetizer for Mother’s Day Brunch or Game Day.

It’s also a great addition to an Italian antipasto platter because you can dip breadsticks or fresh Italian bread into it too. Plus, it tastes great with kalamata olives or green olives.

Substitutions

  • You may use light sour cream if you desire.
  • Use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream in the same quantity but, drain the yogurt first with a cheesecloth for 15 minutes or so.
  • Although it’s best to use mini cucumbers or an English cucumber, you may use a regular cucumber, but remove the seeds before shredding.
  • Use dried dill if you don’t have access to fresh dill however, fresh dill is better.

You may also like:

  • Avocado Tzatziki Cucumber Appetizer
  • Lebanese Baba Ganoush Eggplant Dip
  • Instant Pot Ricotta Cheese
  • Mediterranean Tomato and Cucumber Salad
  • Mediterranean Orzo Pasta Salad

See more APPETIZERS.

Homemade Greek Tzatziki Recipe with Sour Cream (10)

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5 from 1 vote

Homemade Greek Tzatziki with Sour Cream

Homemade Greek tzatziki with sour cream tastes wonderful to put on pita bread for a quick snack or dip carrots into. Make it as part of a Mediterranean dip tray for a make ahead delicious appetizer. It's gluten-free and vegetarian.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Greek, Mediterranean

Keyword homemade tzatziki with sour cream, tzatziki sauce

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

resting time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Calories 70cal

Author Joanne Schweitzer

Equipment

  • 1 cheese grater

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 3 small cloves garlic, peeled or one large clove
  • 1 tbsp fresh dill
  • 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 lemon for 1/2 tsp of juice and 1/2 tsp of zest
  • 1/4 cup shredded mini cucumber or English cucumber
  • 1/8 tsp salt to taste
  • pepper to taste

Instructions

  • First, rinse the cucumber and fresh dill. Wipe cucumber dry and pat the dill to remove excess water.

  • Then, using a cheese grater, grate the cucumber with the skin on. (If you prefer, you can remove the skin first.)

    Homemade Greek Tzatziki Recipe with Sour Cream (11)

  • Next, wrap the grated cucumber in a paper towel and squeeze out the water as much as you can get out. The shredded cucumber should be nearly dry when you're done. Set aside.

    Homemade Greek Tzatziki Recipe with Sour Cream (12)

  • Then, in a medium sized mixing bowl add the sour cream (1 cup), fresh dill (1 tbsp), olive oil (2 tsp), shredded and drained cucumber, lemon juice (1/2 tsp) and lemon zest (1/2 tsp,) salt (1/8 tsp or to taste) and pepper to taste.

    Homemade Greek Tzatziki Recipe with Sour Cream (13)

  • Then, grate the garlic cloves using the cheese grater or use a garlic mincer and place in the sour cream mixture. Stir until well combined. Refrigerate, covered for about an hour for the flavors to meld.

Notes

Refrigerate to store and consume within five days for maximum freshness.

Nutrition

Calories: 70cal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 46mg | Potassium: 55mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 188IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 0.1mg

Homemade Greek Tzatziki Recipe with Sour Cream (2024)

FAQs

Is tzatziki made from yogurt or sour cream? ›

Tzatziki is a creamy cucumber yogurt dip (or sauce) made from simple ingredients including strained yogurt (or Greek yogurt), cucumbers, garlic, and sometimes fresh herbs such as dill or mint.

Can I use sour cream instead of Greek yogurt? ›

In most cases, plain yogurt or Greek yogurt can be used in place of sour cream—and vice versa. Sour cream will give you a similar texture and tanginess, and swapping sour cream for yogurt is a simple 1-to-1 ratio.

What is a good substitute for tzatziki sauce? ›

A great alternative would be this Greek Yogurt Salad Dressing. You can also try to up the flavor profile by making a Yogurt Tahini Sauce or Yogurt Dill Sauce to enhance those Mediterranean flavors.

Is tzatziki healthier than sour cream? ›

Tzatziki is cool and creamy with a tangy, garlicky flavor. Is tzatziki healthier than sour cream? Of course, this depends on your definition of healthy. However, this tzatziki sauce is higher in protein and lower in fat than sour cream, which makes it a healthier option in my eyes.

Why does my tzatziki taste bitter? ›

Your main ingredient – the cucumber – is often the culprit. To avoid this, make sure that you choose the right variety: English and Persian cucumbers have very little, or no, bitterness. Also sample a slice before grating and avoid using the ends as this is where the bitter compounds will be most concentrated.

What are the main ingredients in tzatziki? ›

What is tzatziki? Tzatziki is a salted yogurt and cucumber dip that's made of strained yogurt, shredded cucumber, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and herbs. Authentic Greek tzatziki is most often made with sheep or goat yogurt, but my tzatziki recipe calls for regular full-fat Greek yogurt.

Which is healthier, sour cream or mayonnaise? ›

Sour cream isn't the healthiest mayonnaise substitute, but it it's definitely lower in calories, and has a really similar feel to it – it can be used in almost every single dish as a mayo substitute. Whether you're making a chicken salad, a tuna or potato salad, a sandwich, homemade ranch, a wrap, etc.

Is sour cream better than Greek yogurt for probiotics? ›

Overall the calcium content is all about the same. Despite the fact that sour cream is a fermented product, probiotics are generally not added back in, so Greek yogurt has the added benefit of probiotics.

What is a substitute for Greek yogurt? ›

Greek Yogurt Is Too Tangy for You

Milder alternatives include cottage cheese, cream cheese, and mayonnaise. The best Greek yogurt substitutes will be creamy, high in protein, and a bit less tangy. They should also be easy to find at your local grocery store.

How do you thicken homemade tzatziki? ›

You can thicken it by placing a piece of cheesecloth over the top of a wide mouthed jar and holding it in place with some rubber bands. Fill the cheesecloth with your sauce, cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. The excess water will drain out and the sauce will be thicker.

What do Greeks call tzatziki? ›

Tzatziki is made of strained yogurt (usually from sheep or goat milk) mixed with cucumbers, garlic, salt, olive oil, red wine vinegar, and dill or mint or parsley. A variation made with purslane (glistrida in Greek) may be called glistrida me yiaourti, meaning 'purslane and yogurt salad', rather than tzatziki.

What do Greeks eat with tzatziki? ›

Greeks usually eat tzatziki with bread, it is also used for the famous souvlaki wrapped in a pita and ofcourse in gyros. Almost all Greeks love dipping bread and Greek fries in tzatziki that is served at every traditional restaurant.

Can I eat tzatziki every day? ›

Its blend of yogurt, cucumber, olive oil, garlic, lemon, and herbs delivers key nutrients, which are proposed to support heart health, gut health, and may even lower diabetes risk. If you add tzatziki to your meals, you can boost everyday dishes while savouring the many potential health benefits tzatziki brings.

How long does homemade tzatziki last? ›

Tzatziki sauce should be kept in a sealed container and stored in the refrigerator when you're not using it. As long as it's stored properly, you can expect homemade tzatziki to last about three to four days. This will depend on how fresh the yogurt was when you made the sauce.

Does tzatziki spike blood sugar? ›

Tzatziki is a diabetes-friendly condiment since it is low-carb and low-sugar. It also contains a good amount of dill. According to studies, this dill can aid in lowering blood sugar levels. Dill, as a herb, possesses properties that can lower blood glucose.

Is yogurt sauce the same as sour cream? ›

While yogurt's tangier taste and thinner texture differentiate it from sour cream, it can still serve as a great substitute in recipes such as dips, dressings, and chilled soup garnishes.

Does tzatziki have dairy in it? ›

Tzatziki is a cucumber and yogurt-based sauce or dip commonly served in Greek cuisine. It's thought to have been inspired by a similar Indian sauce called raita. Our plant-based version is similarly cool and creamy, but made without the dairy!

Is Greek yogurt tzatziki good for you? ›

Tzatziki is not only a tasty, multi-use sauce, it's also a smart food pick. Its blend of yogurt, cucumber, olive oil, garlic, lemon, and herbs delivers key nutrients, which are proposed to support heart health, gut health, and may even lower diabetes risk.

What kind of yogurt for tzatziki reddit? ›

It's this Greek sauce made of Greek yogurt (I like the 0 fat one), minced garlic (as much as you like), grated cucumber, and some olive oil if you like. It's very refreshing and goes amazingly with meat, or with raw vegetables. Plus it's very healthy as Greek yogurt has many proteins and no fats.

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