Whether you’re hosting a summer barbecue, or looking for a healthy snack, this Greek Cucumber Sauce also known as Tzatziki, is sure to impress and satisfy.
- A Brief History of Tzatziki
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- How To Make Cucumber Sauce
- Greek Cucumber Sauce Recipe
A Brief History of Tzatziki
Tzatziki’s roots can be traced back to ancient Greece and the Ottoman Empire, where similar yogurt-based sauces were popular. The name “tzatziki” itself is derived from the Turkish word “cacık,” which refers to a yogurt and cucumber salad.
Surprisingly, tzatziki is very similar to Indian Cucumber Raita . Both the dishes, have a similar way of making.
Over time, this famed cucumber sauce has evolved and become a staple in Greek cuisine, celebrated for its refreshing qualities, especially during the hot summer months. It serves as an excellent accompaniment to a range of foods, from grilled meats, kebabs, to pita bread.
Recipe Highlights
- vegetarian
- gluten-free
- easy to make
- zero added sugar
- rich in dietary fibre
- does not require cooking
- low-calorie dipping sauce
- does not require special equipment
Ingredients You’ll Need
The magic of tzatziki lies in its simplicity. Each ingredient plays a crucial role in achieving the perfect balance of flavours and textures.
- Greek Yogurt is preferred for its thick and creamy consistency. It provides a subtle sour flavour that is essential to the sauce.
- Fresh cucumbers add a cool, crisp factor to the sauce. They should be grated and then strained to remove excess water, ensuring the sauce remains thick.
- Garlic imparts a pungent kick that complements the yogurt and cucumber.
- A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil brings the tzatziki together.
- Lemon Juice brings a bright, acidic note that enhances all the other flavours. Many tzatziki recipes suggest using red wine vinegar.
- Fresh Dill is the traditional herb used in tzatziki, contributing a slightly sweet and earthy flavour, apart from that I add a handful of mint and parsley.
- Seasoning : I add a tiny bit of za’atar and sumac along with salt and pepper to lift the flavour of the cucumber sauce.
How To Make Cucumber Sauce
Prepare the Cucumber :
- Wash and grate the cucumber using a grater or a food processor.
- Place the grated cucumber in a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. This step is crucial to prevent your tzatziki from becoming watery.
Combine Ingredients :
- In a mixing bowl, combine the strained cucumber with Greek yogurt.
- Add minced garlic cloves, extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, finely chopped herbs, salt, za’tar, sumac, and pepper. Whisk it all together to combine nicely.
Chill :
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.
- Chilling allows the flavours to meld together.
Serving Suggestion
Tzatziki is traditionally served cold. You can garnish this cucumber sauce with a drizzle of olive oil, chopped cucumbers, and finely chopped dill or mint.
Serve it as a dip in a mezze platter or as a sauce for grilled meats, kebabs, skewers, or as a refreshing topping for gyros and sandwiches. Tzatziki tastes delicious as a dressing for salads.
My Tried and True Tips
- Herbs : Experiment with different herbs such as mint, parsley, cilantro, or chives to create your unique version of tzatziki.
- Cucumber: You can use any variety of cucumber but if you will ask me I would say try to use Persian/Spanish/English cucumbers.
- If Greek yogurt is unavailable , you can use regular plain yogurt or thick curd . Strain them through a cheesecloth to achieve a thicker consistency similar to Greek yogurt.
- Acidity : Adjust the amount of lemon juice to your liking. Some recipes also incorporate a splash of white or red wine vinegar for added tanginess.
More Dip Recipes
- Hummus
- Tomato Salsa
- Baba Ganoush
- Spicy Mango Dip
- Creamy Corn Dip
- Roasted Red Pepper Dip
- Thai Sweet Chilli Sauce
Ingredients
- ▢ 2 small size Persian Cucumbers
- ▢ 1 Cup plain Greek yogurt
- ▢ 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ▢ ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ▢ ½ teaspoon sumac or za’tar spice mix
- ▢ ¼ teaspoon crushed black pepper or to taste
- ▢ 4 garlic cloves, minced or crushed
- ▢ 2 sprigs dill, chopped
- ▢ 2 sprigs mint leaves, chopped
- ▢ Handful of parsley, chopped
- ▢ Half a lemon, juice
Instructions
- Wash and grate the cucumber using a grater or a food processor.
- Place the grated cucumber in a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. This step is crucial to prevent your tzatziki from becoming watery.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the strained cucumber with Greek yogurt.
- Add minced garlic cloves, extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, finely chopped herbs, salt, za’tar/sumac, and pepper. Whisk it all together to combine nicely.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour. Chilling allows the flavours to meld together.
- You can garnish this cucumber sauce with a drizzle of olive oil, chopped cucumbers, and finely chopped dill or mint.
- Serve Greek Cucumber Sauce with pita chips.
Recipe Notes:
- You can substitute Greek yogurt with plain yogurt or thick curd. If you are using curd, strain all the excess liquid to get that creamy, thick consistency.
- Adding za’tar or sumac is completely optional. You can substitute them with cumin powder.
Nutrition
We follow a strict NO SPAM Policy
Greek Cucumber Sauce Recipe
Equipment
- Food Processor or Grater
Ingredients
- 2 small size Persian Cucumbers
- 1 Cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon sumac or za’tar spice mix
- ¼ teaspoon crushed black pepper or to taste
- 4 garlic cloves, minced or crushed
- 2 sprigs dill, chopped
- 2 sprigs mint leaves, chopped
- Handful of parsley, chopped
- Half a lemon, juice
Instructions
- Wash and grate the cucumber using a grater or a food processor.
- Place the grated cucumber in a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. This step is crucial to prevent your tzatziki from becoming watery.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the strained cucumber with Greek yogurt.
- Add minced garlic cloves, extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, finely chopped herbs, salt, za’tar/sumac, and pepper. Whisk it all together to combine nicely.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour. Chilling allows the flavours to meld together.
- You can garnish this cucumber sauce with a drizzle of olive oil, chopped cucumbers, and finely chopped dill or mint.
- Serve Greek Cucumber Sauce with pita chips.
Notes
- You can substitute Greek yogurt with plain yogurt or thick curd. If you are using curd, strain all the excess liquid to get that creamy, thick consistency.
- Adding za’tar or sumac is completely optional. You can substitute them with cumin powder.
Nutrition
Broccoli Pesto Pasta is one of the most flavour-packed vegetarian pasta recipes . An easy and healthy dinner your whole family will love!
- All About Pesto
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- How To Make Broccoli Pesto
- FAQs Related to Broccoli Pesto Pasta
- Storage Suggestion
- Broccoli Pesto Pasta
This Broccoli Pesto Pasta is one of my favourite food hacks. Why? Because it’s
- super easy to make
- and loaded with amazing fresh flavour (thanks to the basil and garlic)
- packed full of nutrition from the broccoli!
- easy to transform into a vegan and gluten-free dish
Try my healthy, creamy broccoli soup , stir-fried broccoli , or the air fryer malai broccoli tikka if you love broccoli. It’s pretty amazing too!
What we have here is a time-saving , healthy vegetarian meal ! To me, there’s nothing more satisfying than having an easy, nutritious, filling meal on the table in less than half an hour!
All About Pesto
Pesto, a.k.a. pesto alla Genovese , is a popular Italian sauce in Genoa.
To make basil pesto , traditionally, you crush basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic, salt, and parmesan cheese with a mortar and pestle and then mix the crushed paste with olive oil to create the sauce.
Today, pesto has endless varieties: sun-dried tomato, walnut, vegan , and even avocado ! My new take on pesto is adding one of my favourite super green vegetables: broccoli.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Broccoli adds volume and extra nutrition to this vivid, green sauce.
- Herbs: Basil is the foundation of pesto – it’s where pesto gets most of its flavour, along with the garlic cloves and seasoning.
- Walnuts: The walnuts provide an added crunch and a boost in protein.
- Extra virgin olive oil: The olive oil makes the paste into a sauce and adds fat to make it more filling and tasty.
- Cheese: The cheddar cheese adds a zing to the pesto sauce, and extra parmesan on top completely elevates the flavour.
- Pasta: I use regular spaghetti in this pasta recipe, but feel free to substitute it with gluten-free pasta!
How To Make Broccoli Pesto
- Blanch broccoli in hot water for 5 – 6 minutes. Set aside until it cools down completely.
- Combine all the pesto ingredients in a food processor, and pulse to form a coarse pesto.
Yes! Just skip the cheese altogether, or add vegan cheese.
Yes, much like the vegan option, skip the cheese! You can add 1 tablespoon of nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavour, but it tastes great either way.
To make this Broccoli Pesto Pasta gluten-free, switch the pasta for a gluten-free alternative. We are lucky to have so many varieties today: regular gluten-free, lentil pasta, veggie pasta, and edamame pasta, to name a few!
Storage Suggestion
Fridge: After the pasta has completely cooled, store it in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Freezing: I don’t recommend freezing pasta, but the pesto sauce will freeze well! Store in an airtight freezer container or freezer bag in the freezer for up to 3 months.
However, the colour of the pesto sauce turns grey or deep green after freezing or storing it in the refrigerator for more than 24 hours. Hence, it is best to eat this pasta warm and fresh.
More Pasta Recipes
- Pasta Chips
- Pumpkin Pasta
- Fusilli Pasta Caprese
- Greek Orzo Pasta Salad
- Pasta Soup (Minestrone)
- Basil Pesto Pasta Recipe
- Classic Tomato Sauce Pasta
- Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes
- Stir Fry Pasta With Vegetables
- Whole Wheat White Sauce Pasta
Ingredients
Ingredients For Pesto:
- ▢ 2 Cup broccoli florets
- ▢ ½ Cup fresh basil leaves
- ▢ 6 garlic pods
- ▢ ¼ Cup extra virgin olive oil
- ▢ ¼ Cup walnuts
- ▢ Salt to taste
- ▢ ¼ Cup grated Cheddar Cheese
- ▢ ½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns
Other Ingredients:
- ▢ 400 gram dry spaghetti
- ▢ Salt to taste
- ▢ ½ Cup sun-dried tomato or cherry tomato
Ingredients For Serving:
- ▢ ¼ Cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Prepare Pesto:
- Blanch broccoli in hot water for 5 – 6 minutes. Set aside to cool down completely.
- Combine all the pesto ingredients in a food processor and pulse to form a coarse pesto.
Boil Pasta:
- Boil spaghetti al dente or as per your liking. Reserve ½ Cup boiled pasta water.
- Heat a teaspoon of olive oil in a pan. Add pasta, sun-dried tomato and toss for 10 – 20 seconds. Turn off the heat.
- Add broccoli pesto. Toss pasta gently in the pesto sauce. If the consistency seems too thick add reserved boiled pasta water and get the desired consistency.
- Serve broccoli pesto pasta warm topped with grated cheese and a toasted slice of bread.
Recipe Notes:
- To make this pasta gluten-free, use gluten-free pasta.
- For vegan pasta use 1 tablespoon of nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor, but it tastes great either way.
- I don’t recommend freezing pasta, but the pesto sauce will freeze well! Store in an airtight freezer container or freezer bag in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
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