If you grow cucumbers, it can be easy to end up with more than you need. I guess that’s why pickles were invented, right? I had just a few too many cucumbers, though, so I decided to turn one into cool, creamy tzatziki. If you’ve never had it, it’s a savory Greek cucumber sauce/dip with dill and garlic. And I put mint in mine, to make it even more refreshing.
Now I’m telling my plants to hurry up and grow more cucumbers, so I can make another batch of this tzatziki!
It’s great for dipping pita bread and veggies in, or you can thin it out a bit with some water or lemon juice, and use it as a dressing for a Greek salad. And it’s pretty much perfect as a sauce for falafel, or a gyro if you eat those.
I’ll share the baked falafel recipe next week, but for now, enjoy the tzatziki!
Tzatziki Sauce
1 large cucumber, unpeeled, seeded if desired
1 tsp + 1/4 tsp sea salt, divided
2 cups Greek yogurt
3-4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
3 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped
1 Tbsp fresh mint, chopped
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp pepper
Grate the cucumber, and toss with 1 tsp sea salt. Place in a mesh sieve over a bowl, and leave in the refrigerator 3 to 4 hours, or overnight, to drain.
When ready to assemble the sauce, squeeze as much liquid from the cucumber as possible by pressing it with the back of a spoon. Transfer to a large bowl, and stir in the Greek yogurt, garlic, dill, mint, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Taste, and add more salt and pepper if desired.
Place the tzatziki in the refrigerator for a few hours to chill and allow the flavors to blend.
