Tzatziki (Greek Cucumber-Yogurt Sauce)

Tempo

20 min (15 + 5 rest)

Picante

Dificuldade

Fácil

Rende

6porções

Ingredientes

2 cup

grated cucumber (from about 1 medium 280g cucumber — no need to peel or seed; grate on the large holes of a box grater)

1½ cup

(350g) plain Greek yogurt (iogurte grego natural, full-fat for richest texture; low-fat works)

2 tbsp

extra-virgin olive oil

2 tbsp

chopped fresh mint and/or dill (mix of both is best; either alone is fine)

1 tbsp

lemon juice

medium garlic clove, pressed or minced very fine

½ tsp

fine sea salt

Modo de preparo

01**Squeeze the cucumber.** Working with one big handful at a time, **lightly squeeze grated cucumber between your palms over the sink** to remove excess moisture. Transfer squeezed cucumber to a serving bowl. Repeat until all cucumber is squeezed.
02**Combine.** Add yogurt + olive oil + chopped herbs + lemon juice + minced garlic + salt to the bowl. Stir to blend.
03**Rest.** Let mixture **rest 5 minutes** for flavors to meld.
04**Taste.** Add additional chopped herbs, lemon juice, or salt if needed.
05**Serve immediately or chill** for later. Improves over the first hour as it sits.

Tzatziki (Greek Cucumber-Yogurt Sauce)

The benchmark Mediterranean sauce — Greek yogurt + grated cucumber + olive oil + herbs + lemon + garlic. Used in shawarma, gyros, kebabs, with grilled vegetables, on flatbreads. 15 minutes by hand, no cooking. Reusable across half the cookbook's wrap and Mediterranean cards.

Heat: 0/5. No chile.

Serving uses

As wrap sauce: for chicken shawarma, gyros, kebabs (frango-coxa_greek-chicken-gyro.md, frango-coxa_chicken-shawarma-yogurt-style.md, frango-coxa_chicken-shawarma-cottage-cheese.md)
As dip: with pita wedges, crudités, grilled vegetables
As condiment: on grilled meats, with rice dishes, with falafel
As salad dressing (thinned with a little water): on a Greek salad
With roasted vegetables: drizzled over roasted eggplant, zucchini, or sweet potato

Notes

Squeezing the cucumber is non-negotiable. Un-squeezed grated cucumber holds a LOT of water — your tzatziki turns into watery yogurt soup within 30 minutes. The squeeze takes 30 seconds; do it.
Yogurt quality matters. Real Greek yogurt (thick, strained — Fage, Chobani, or Brazilian artisan brands like Vigor Greek) gives the right texture. "Greek-style" yogurt that's just regular yogurt with thickeners doesn't work as well.
Don't over-garlic. One clove is enough; garlic intensifies overnight in the fridge.
Fresh herbs only. Dried mint or dill won't give the same character. Fresh dill is hard to find in some Brazilian supermarkets — try CEAGESP, gourmet hortifrutis, or grow it (easy in a pot).
Make ahead. Keeps 4 days in fridge. Stir before each use; some water may separate (drain or stir back in).
Vegan/dairy-free version. Substitute equal amount of cashew sour cream for the yogurt. Thin with a small splash of water if needed.
Variations:
- Add 1 tsp grated lemon zest for brighter flavor
- Add 1 tbsp finely chopped chives
- Add ½ tsp ground cumin for a warmer, earthier version
- Add a dollop of tahini (1 tbsp) for nuttiness
Why not freezer-friendly: dairy + cucumber both suffer from freeze-thaw. The sauce takes 15 minutes to make; not worth freezing.
Cross-references:
- frango-coxa_greek-chicken-gyro.md — chicken gyro card explicitly references this card for tzatziki
- grao-de-bico_greek-wrap.md — uses tzatziki as wrap base
- frango-coxa_sheet-pan-shawarma.md — uses garlicky tahini sauce instead, but tzatziki works as alternative