Easy Tzatziki Recipe

I love making tzatziki, especially for our taco dinners, a welcomed fresh addition to the rest of the meal.

This recipe is not an authentic greek version, but it is super easy to make and tasty, that I promise you! I prefer a greek yogurt for this recipe as it is thicker in consistency, but full fat yogurt works too. I tend not to buy 0% or reduced fat yogurt. It’s actually healthier to eat full fat over reduced fat yogurts.

I don’t usually follow a recipe making tzatziki, but I created this to give an idea roughly how much to use. If you want more olive oil, more herbs, up to you!

EXPIRED YOGURT

As much as I love having yogurt, often times I find that we do not finish it in time and we end up tossing spoiled yogurt. It wasn’t until I realized that yogurt, after a few days of it’s best before date , can still be consumed.

SMELL TEST

If I noticed that the yogurt has been expired for a couple days, I perform the smell test. If it still smells the way it did when I first bought it, it’s good. If it smells like it’s starting to go rancid, I toss. Don’t be alarmed with the liquid formed at the top, that is whey separating from the yogurt. Stir it in, as it has a good amount of protein and calcium.

OTHER INGREDIENTS

Cucumbers: I usually roughly chop my cucumbers, but you can grate them for a thinner texture (this may result in more water in your tzatziki. I suggest to wring out the excess water or add salt and let it drain out the water from the cucumbers).

Herbs: Mint and dill are my go to. Roll the mint leaves into a cylinder shape and slice them for a seamless chop. Cilantro or basil would be a nice addition as well.

Lemon Juice: You don’t need a lot, I usually slice 1/3 and give it a good squeeze. You can also add lime juice as well.