Tzatziki

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Contributed by: BMC Teaching Kitchen

Tzatziki

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Tzatziki is the phonetic spelling of a Greek word, which in turn stems from a Turkish word. Like the word, the yogurt-based dish hails from many countries including Greece, Turkey, Balkan countries (Bulgaria and Albania), Iraq, Iran, Cyprus and others. It may go by a different name in each country, with slightly different preparation methods. It may even be served as a dip, or a cold soup.

This version is meant to be a dip, sauce, or dressing. The key ingredients are strained yogurt, known commonly in the United States as Greek Yogurt, and cucumbers. You may use herbs such as dill, parsley and/or mint to suit your taste buds and complement whatever you are serving it with. Try this instead of ranch on a pita pocket salad or as a dipping sauce, along with hummus, and muhammara for pita bread and raw vegetables.

Serves:
3 servings
Total Time:
20 minutes
Prep Time:
10 minutes
Cook Time:
0 minutes

Ingredients


Cucumber - ½ English cucumber OR 1 pickling cucumber OR 2 Persian cucumbers Garlic - 2 cloves OR ¼ teaspoon garlic powder Salt - ½ teaspoon table salt OR 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt Yogurt - 1 cup plain, Greek yogurt Lemon - ½ juiced Herbs - ¼ cup chopped, fresh dill or parsley OR 1 Tablespoon dried dill or parsley (optional) Olive_Oil - 1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (optional) Pepper - to taste (optional)

Instructions

Step 1
Wash the cucumber but do not peel. Grate the cucumber and garlic, using a cheese grater. Alternatively, finely chop the cucumber and mince the garlic with a knife.
Step 2
Place the grated cucumber in a bowl with ¼ teaspoon table salt (½ teaspoon kosher salt) and set aside for at least 10 minutes.
Step 3
Meanwhile, combine the yogurt, garlic, remaining salt, juice of ½ lemon,herbs and extra-virgin olive oil in a bowl and mix well.
Step 4
Using your hands or a fine mesh seive, squeeze the moisture out of the cucumbers and discard the liquid. Add the cucumbers to the yogurt mixture, and combine. Top off with pepper (optional).

Notes

Having some fat in this sauce is essential for the flavor and texture of traditional Tzatziki. If using fat-free yogurt, you should definitely add oil. Traditionally, it would be an extra virgin olive oil. Canola, avocado, or vegetable oil are fine substitutes.

If using 1% or higher fat yogurt, extra-virgin olive oil is still recommended, for its flavor. Extra virgin and virgin olive are processed minimally, and so they retain nutrients called polyphenols that give the oil a distinct flavor. Regular olive oil that does not say 'virgin' has lost most of these polyphenols and distinct flavor.

If you are following a low-fat or low-calorie diet and choose to use fat-free yogurt and no additional oil, of course you may do so. Expect a flavorful but less creamy version of tzatziki.

Nutrition Information

Calories:
108 Calories
Fat:
6
Saturated Fat:
2
Carbohydrates:
Net Carb: 5
Dietary Fiber:
1
Protein:
9
Sodium:
420

Dietary Restrictions

Vegetarian