This tzatziki recipe is a delightful, garden-fresh Greek dip that I love to serve with crunchy vegetables like endive and lemon asparagus. Made with Greek yogurt, cucumber, lemon, garlic, dill and a little drizzle of olive oil, it’s a perfect companion to so many main courses, appetizers and side dishes!
Tzatziki, also called cacık, or tarator, is a dip or sauce found in Greek and Middle Eastern dishes that sometimes includes dill, sometimes mint, sometimes parsley and thyme, but always yogurt, oil, cucumber, garlic and lemon.
I served this beautiful, fresh side dish like a salad at my most recent Mediterranean diner party. I made a nice big bowl of Tuscan gnocchi and spicy lamb meat balls with fresh oregano. I love that this dip is perfect for both vegetables and meat dishes. It cut the spiciness of my lamb meat balls deliciously and made a perfect “dressing” for my veggies.
Ingredient Notes
Greek yogurt – Make sure to use only Greek yogurt.
Endive – I was lucky to find pretty purple endive but you can use white/yellow. Just be sure you’re using endive and not radicchio, which can be confused with endive.
Dill – You can either use just dill or a mix of dill and mint.
Cucumber – You’ll only require half a cucumber for this recipe.
How to Make This Recipe Step By Step
To Sauté Asparagus
1. Slice the woody ends off of 1 bunch of asparagus and sauté with 1 tbsp. olive oil for 3 minutes. Flip and sauté for another 3 minutes, or until you see a nice sear down one side. If they can’t all lay flat without overlapping, do 2 batches.
2. Squeeze about 1 tsp. lemon juice over asparagus, quickly toss and remove from heat. Place in a container with a lid and refrigerate while you prepare other ingredients.
To Make Tzatziki
1. Grate ½ cucumber (about ½ cup) using the large holes of a cheese grater. You don’t have to peel it first.
2. Use cheese cloth (or a nut bag, like I used) to squeeze out as much cucumber juice as you can and set aside.
3. Pull 1 tbsp. dill fronds from stems.
4. Very finely mince 1 garlic clove.
5. Add minced garlic, dill fronds, squeezed cucumber shreds, ½ cup Greek yogurt, 1 tbsp. olive oil, 1 tsp. lemon juice and ¼ tsp. sea salt to a mixing bowl. Give it a nice stir until thoroughly mixed.
6. Slice 4 endive in quarters, remove cooled asparagus, assemble on a plate and serve with fresh tzatziki.
Common Questions
Tzatziki will last about 4 days before it starts to go sour.
Yes. It won’t have exactly the same consistency and obviously won’t taste as fresh once frozen and thawed, but if you’re using it in sandwiches or in pita bread with other veggies and meat, it will be perfectly fine. In other words, not as nice as when all on its own with fresh vegetables, but fine when combined with bread and other textures and flavors.
It’s somewhat bitter, slightly sweet, earthy, crisp and clean like lettuce, but with more discernible flavor. It has a satisfying layered crunchiness when sliced to hold it all together at the base.
• lamb meatballs
• spiced chicken
• falafel
• pita chips
• crudités
• steamed artichokes
• gyros
• grilled Mediterranean-spiced kabobs
• souvlaki
• burgers with onion and tomato
• cold pasta salads
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A Little More Recipe Inspiration
Tzatziki with Lemon Asparagus and Endive
Equipment
- cheese grater
- cheese cloth or nut bag
- sharp knife and cutting board
- mixing bowl and spoon
- sauté pan
- spatula
Ingredients
For the Tzatziki
- ½ cucumber grated – about ½ cup
- 1 tbsp. fresh dill fronds
- 1 garlic clove finely minced
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
- ¼ tsp. sea salt
For the Lemon Asparagus and Endive
- 1 bunch asparagus
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
- 4 endive
- salt & pepper just a sprinkle
Instructions
To Make Lemon Asparagus
- Slice the woody ends off of 1 bunch of asparagus and sauté with 1 tbsp. olive oil for 3 minutes. Flip and sauté for another 3 minutes, or until you see a nice sear down one side. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. If they can’t all lay flat without overlapping, do 2 batches.
- Squeeze about 1 tsp. lemon juice over asparagus, quickly toss and remove from heat. Place in a container with a lid and refrigerate while you prepare other ingredients.
To Make Tzatziki
- Grate ½ cucumber (about ½ cup) using the large holes of a cheese grater. You don’t have to peel it first. Use cheese cloth (or a nut bag) to squeeze out as much cucumber juice as you can and set aside.
- Pull 1 tbsp. dill fronds from stems and very finely mince 1 garlic clove.
- Add minced garlic, dill fronds, squeezed cucumber shreds, ½ cup Greek yogurt, 1 tbsp. olive oil, 1 tsp. lemon juice and ¼ tsp. sea salt to a mixing bowl. Give it a nice stir until thoroughly mixed.
- Slice 4 endive in quarters, remove cooled asparagus, assemble on a plate and serve with fresh tzatziki.
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