Y’all know I lovveee lemon. So naturally when I make Tzatziki it’s going to be full of lemony love and LOTS of dill. This is honestly one of my favourite dips/condiments, it’s so creamy and refreshing. I think it’s delicious on everything. I also like to think it’s healthy because it has cucumber and lemon in it. When you think of it like that you won’t feel as guilty for just smothering everything in it. Tzatziki is NOT just for Greek food!

I didn’t have pita bread when I made this last week, but I was HARSH craving it. I ended up eating it for the next 3 days – which is perfect beccauuuusee *drum roll* this stuff tastes better the next day! Is this the perfect make ahead appetizer or condiment? Umm..heck yeah! I mean it is amazing fresh, but the next day when the lemon and the dill and the garlic have had time to mingle and get cozy – maybe exchange phone numbers and have a movie night – then it tastes reallllyyy fantastic! Whenever I make this for friends and family there is always someone who asks for the recipe. Which I’m always happy to give because this stuff is way better than store bought.

Anyways, so yeah, I ended up eating this on some baguette and I had some cucumber slices (leftover from making this), roasted mushrooms and tomatoes to dip into it. A couple days later when I ran out of bread I just dipped slices of cheese in it (I regret nothing). Like I said, it’s a perfect make ahead dish, so you don’t have to be afraid of letting it sit in the fridge. It’s also wonderful because you can make this to taste. I like a lot of lemon and dill, but you can add less or more if you like! The only thing to keep in mind is that the more lemon juice you add, the runnier your Tzatziki will be.

SQUEEZE YOUR CUCUMBER LIKE YOU’RE MAD AT IT. I’m serious. If you don’t squeeze all the juice out of it, you’re gonna have a bad time. Why are you mad at it? I don’t know, maybe it disappointed you, maybe it gave you the stink eye, maybe it disrespected your mother, just make something up or use it as an opportunity to release some bottled up frustration. I find the easiest way to do it is to fold 3 or 4 paper towels up and squeeze it over the sink. The paper towel will rip a bit, so just make sure the cucumber doesn’t fall out the bottom. Another easy way to do this is to use a clean dishtowel and just throw it in the wash after.

If you want to keep it classic, serve this with Pita Bread (click here for my recipe) You can also make this vegan simply by using your favourite plain vegan yogurt!

Whatever you serve it with, I promise that it will be a HUGE HIT!

Tzatziki

• 500 grams plain Greek yogurt (the small container)
• 3/4 cup grated cucumber (liquid squeezed and drained)
• zest from 1 lemon
• 2-3 tbsp. dill (or to your taste)
• juice from 1/2 lemon -1 lemon (depending how lemony you like it)
• 1-2 cloves garlic (to your taste; tip: instead of chopping your garlic – grate it on your rasp grater/zester)
• 1 tbsp. Olive Oil
• Salt & Pepper to taste

Start by grating and draining your cucumber. To do this, grate your cucumber on a cheese grater onto folded paper towel (3-4 sheets) or a clean dishtowel. Squeeze over sink until there’s barely any liquid being squeezed out.

In a large bowl combine yogurt, drained cucumber, lemon zest, dill, lemon juice, garlic, oil, salt and pepper. Stir well. Leave in fridge overnight, or until you’re ready to serve. Garnish with dill or a drizzle of olive oil.

Note: the seasonings are to taste. The more lemon juice you add in, the runnier your dip will be, start by adding the juice of half the lemon, taste it, and then add more if you want. You can always add more in, but you can’t take it out!

Saluti!