Thick and Creamy Restaurant-Style Tzatziki Dip
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
2 hrs
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Total Time
2 hrs
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Servings
8 servings
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Calories
21 kcal
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Course
Appetizer
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Cuisine
Mediterranean
Thick and Creamy Restaurant-Style Tzatziki Dip
Description
Thick and Creamy Restaurant-Style Tzatziki Dip relies on straining full-fat yogurt to remove excess moisture, yielding a rich, creamy base. Grated English cucumber, pressed to remove water, provides texture and freshness without thinning the dip. Garlic powder imparts mild garlic flavor, while salt balances taste.
This mixture can be enhanced with additional fresh garlic, chopped herbs such as parsley, dill, or mint, lemon juice or zest for acidity, and olive oil for richness. The dip pairs well with crisp vegetables like carrot sticks, bell pepper strips, celery, or cucumber slices, as well as with pita bread or chips.
Straining the yogurt for several hours in cheesecloth or a fine mesh ensures thickness that mimics restaurant style. Preparation tools include a grater or food processor and strainer setup.
The recipe yields about one heaping cup of dip and can be adjusted with extras to suit taste and accompany a range of dippers.
Ingredients
- 1 cup yogurt I used Noosa - YUM!, full-fat
- ¼ cucumber English variety, cup packed, freshly grated, skin on
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- salt a pinch
TASTY EXTRAS
- garlic mashed into a paste and salted, fresh
- parsley fresh, minced, or dill, or mint
- lemon juice fresh, or zest
- olive oil
DELISH DIPPERS
- cucumber bell pepper sliced
- carrot
- bell pepper
- celery
- pita bread
- Pita chips
Instructions
- Grab an English cucumber (the skin on these is extra tasty and the seeds are minimal) and, using a box grater or food processor, shred the cucumber until you have about 1/4 cup packed in your measuring cup.
- Press out the extra moisture with a paper towel and feel free to grab a knife and chop the shreds into smaller pieces to help it blend seamlessly into your yogurt.
- Next mix the 'gurt and the cuke with your salt and garlic powder and get ready to thicken!
- To make impossibly-thick yogurt all you have to do is strain it! My favorite method is pretty no-fuss, no-muss and involves topping a large bowl [or a pot!] with a mesh strainer and several layers of cheesecloth. Typically the cheesecloth comes in a giant roll so just fold it over itself a bunch of times, slap it in the sieve, and pour in your yogurt.
- To make it air-tight and keep things fresh, wrap the top of the bowl with plastic wrap and place in your refrigerator for a few hours.
- Though it will begin to thicken within 2-3 hours I will typically leave mine in overnight to achieve cream-cheeseesque consistency. Pretend that's a word.
- Once it's ready re-season to taste if needed and garnish however you'd like! I grabbed a little parsley from the garden to green it up a bit!
- If you're adding any of the extras I listed above, you can add the fresh herbs and garlic at any time, but if you're using lemon juice and/or olive oil, I would add the olive oil at the very end, drizzled over the final product and add the lemon juice before straining so it doesn't dilute the dip. You can also serve the dip up with lemon wedges on the side as an edible garnish or add a little zest to the top of the dip along with a sprinkling of fresh or dried herbs. Customize to your heart's content! I make it with whatever is on hand in my kitchen/pantry that day so it's a little different each time; however, I will forever be straining my own full-fat yogurt to make it from here on out. It's just so flipping rich and tasty and lacks the dry mouthfeel that plain low-fat and fat-free yogurts have.
- This was a ridiculously long recipe description for a ridiculously simple dip, but hopefully now you're armed with all the info you need to make a rockin' tzatziki dip!
Notes
- Strain yogurt in cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer for several hours in the refrigerator for best thickness.
- Fresh garlic can be used instead of garlic powder if preferred; mash and salt it to intensify flavor.
- Add fresh herbs like parsley, dill, or mint and a squeeze of lemon juice or zest to customize taste.
- Serve with fresh vegetables, pita bread, or pita chips as dippers.
- This recipe makes about one heaping cup of dip.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 8servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 21 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 21kcal | 1% |
| Carbohydrates | 2g | 1% |
| Protein | 1g | 2% |
| Fat | 1g | 2% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Cholesterol | 4mg | 1% |
| Sodium | 14mg | 1% |
| Potassium | 61mg | 1% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 2g | 4% |
| Vitamin A | 40IU | 1% |
| Vitamin C | 1mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 39mg | 4% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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