Traditional Tzatziki Sauce

Time to revisit Tzatziki!  I did a video for a similar recipe around 8 years ago.  At the time I was in a multi channel network that allowed me the opportunity to collaborate with a chef that had won an episode and eventually a season of the Food Network show Chopped.  Her video is no longer a thing.  My video is old so here we are.  Today I am sharing my quick delicious tzatziki sauce that is the perfect accompaniment to any gyro or souvlaki platter.  This Mediterranian staple is great on a sandwich or as a dip with fresh or baked pita or as an addition to a delicious Mezze platter.  This is quick to make, delicious to eat and a wonderful refreshing dish to have in the fridge to pair with grilled meats or fish.  This is the perfect way to use up some of that garden bounty and I know you are going to love it!

If you have a favorite Greek or Mediterranean place then you know Tzatziki is the wonderful, creamy, tangy sauce that you love to dollop on each bite of your beef and lamb gyro or chicken souvlaki.  I love it, everyone loves it!  It can stand on it's own or as part of a delicius appetizer platter.  It's so simple to make and you probably have what you need on hand already, especially if you garden!

This starts with cucumbers.  I am using an English or hothouse cuke but usually prefer to use the smaller Persian version which does not need any seeding.  You can use any type of cucumber here, however if you are using a traditional garden variety cucumber or a Kirby or pickling cucumber with a tough skin, you may want to peel as well as remove the seeds from the inner part only using the thicker, fleshy part of the vegetable.  I chose to grate my cucumbers after I seeded them which I did by running a tablespoon down the middle of the cucumber that had been cut in half, removing the watery seedy part.  This will help to keep the tzatziki nice and creamy and not get water logged.

This is a simple dump and stir recipe.  I am using half plain Greek yogurt and half sour cream but you can choose to use all yogurt or all sour cream if you like. I have added some green onion, chopped garlic, dill paste, the juice and zest of one lemon and some salt, pepper and Greek style seasoning.  I have made my own in the past, but am currently out so I gave the Cavender's Greek seasoning a try and boy is this stuff delicious!  I bought mine on Amazon and you can find it here:  https://amzn.to/2WvhATA

If you want to make your own Greek seasoning here is my video:  https://bit.ly/3l8iaRw

I am using dill paste from the produce section because I could not find any fresh dill in my area.  Probably because it is canning season and people are making pickles.  So this paste was a great option.  If you want to use fresh dill from your garden then I would suggest 1/4 cup of fresh picked dill that has been chopped fine.

All the ingredients get stirred together in a bowl until well incorporated and then it's time to enjoy!  I served mine like you might see in a restaurant for a Tzatziki tray for an appetizer.  Whole wheat pita wedges and this creamy dip will quickly disappear, but don't think this is only good as a dip.  This is great as a dip for pita and veggies or as an accompaniment to sandwiches or next to it's best friend the Gyro.  I also think this would be lovely draped over a freshly grilled chicken breast, pork chop or piece of cedar plank salmon.  Or you can do what Rick did when he ran out of pita at lunch and eat it with a spoon.  No judgement here!

This will keep in your fridge for up to ten days but probably will not last that long and you will find yourself replenishing the bowl sooner than you think!

I hope you give this traditional Tzaziki a try sometime soon and I hope you love it!  I have another recipe that adds a spicy twist to this one if you want to see it, let me know!

Happy eating!

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1 Cup good quality mayonnaise
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper

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Hi!  I'm Noreen, wife, mother of two amazing, almost grown, daughters, content creator, cook, baker and sister in Christ. Welcome to my Kitchen!   I hope you stick around, enjoy the recipes and share them with those you love!

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