What we, here in the U.S. of A., call Cucumber Yogurt Sauce is known as Cacik in Turkey or Tzatziki in Greece. I’m sure it’s known by other names and/or variations all over the Middle East, Southeastern Europe, and West Asia. Hey, I am no linguist – I’m just a cook that loves food!

Tzatziki or Cacik, cucumber yogurt sauce

But even as just a cook, I do think cucumber yogurt sauce, no matter what it’s called, is a little magical. It’s a dip, a spread, a soup, a dressing, a salad, a condiment and it’s an appetizer. There are a zillion uses. More on that, below.

About Cucumber Yogurt Sauce:

Cacik/Tzicki is supremely delish, inexpensive, infinitely customizable, and uses ingredients that (for the most part) are readily available. It’s healthy and good for you, too. Eat more of it!

At its most basic, the sauce is yogurt and cucumber. Just about everything else can be varied depending on tradition, personal taste as well as how and where it’s being served, and what it’s being served with.

According to Wikipedia. for what it’s worth, since I have seen bloggers claiming the herbs are usually added in the US and not necessarily in other areas:

• The Greek version (Tzazki) has the requisite yogurt and cucumber, is redolent of olive oil garlic, salt, and sometimes lemon juice, and has either dill, mint, or parsley.
• The Turkish version has olive oil, garlic, salt, mint, and vinegar, while lemon juice and sumac are optional, but might have dill, thyme, Aleppo pepper, and paprika to taste.
• And then there are many variations from many places, regions, and food cultures.

Tzatziki is a worthwhile item to have in your repertoire of recipes and I feel it’s never wrong to take inspiration and make recipes how we like and with what we have available to us.

Greek Yogurt Marinated Shish Kebabs

Serving Cucumber Yogurt Sauce:

We’re all probably familiar with Cucumber Yogurt Sauce as a spread for Gyros, the dip served with Falafel or maybe served with grilled kabobs like in the pic above. It’s fabulous with all kinds of meat, chicken, pork, lamb, or beef, and goes well with many fish recipes, too. Drizzled on fish tacos? Yum!

Try it as a sauce for wraps or a topping for a burger. And so many veggies are always good dipped in Cucumber Yogurt Sauce. And it makes a marvelous dip for flatbread or pita chips, too, like these homemade ones.

On this site, I’ve served this sauce as an appetizer as shown here with the veggies, and also with my Yogurt Marinated Shish Kebabs, Falafel, and Instant Pot Gyros. I don’t want to forget this dish of Spicy Beef & Feta Skewers, either.

Throughout the Mediterranean, Tzatziki or Cacik is often served with Mezze (small dishes of food served as a starter) or a Mezze Platter. Simply Delicious has a beautiful example. They don’t always have to include multiple complex dishes, though.

Tzatziki or Cacik, cucumber yogurt sauce

Making the Sauce:

There’s really nothing at all to whipping up a batch of Cucumber Yogurt Sauce. Making your sauce in its basic form is super simple. Just combine the ingredients.

There are a few things to know if you’d like to make sure the sauce is nice and thick (if that’s the texture you’re looking for.)

• First of all, use a good, thick yogurt, what we call in the US “Greek” style yogurt, although yogurts in the style of other countries are becoming more readily available.
• If the yogurt is the texture of our standard American yogurt, put it in a paper towel or napkin-lined strainer over a bowl, place it in the fridge, and strain the whey out until it reaches your desired texture.

The cucumbers are generally peeled for this sauce. They can be “English” cucumbers, the long, thin nearly seedless cucumbers, or the standard Persian cucumbers. You might know those as Kirbys.

• If using the English style, there’s no need to remove the few seeds.
• If using the standard, the seeds are typically removed. Cut in half the long way and run a spoon across the area where the seeds are, scooping them out.

Then finely dice or grate the remaining cucumber. Strain the cucumber in a strainer or better yet, place it in a clean towel and wring out any excess moisture before combining it with the yogurt.

If using garlic, make sure it is finely minced. Adding it to the cucumber and stirring to distribute it before adding the cucumber to the yogurt seems to work better than adding the garlic directly to the yogurt.

Saving Money on Cucumber Yogurt Sauce:

Yogurt: The biggest saving is to make your own. There are many ways to make yogurt, but I love my daughter’s method – see Simply the Best Yogurt, ever. Alternatively, look for it at your buyer’s club or discount store like Aldi or Lidl.

Cucumbers: Cucumbers go on sale now and then and generally keep pretty well for a week or two, especially if they are waxed. Pick up extra when you see the sales and use them more frequently. Cucumbers will last longer in the fridge if they don’t sit in condensation. If they’re in a drawer, ensure they’re not sitting in the grooves. Move them so they’re at right angles and they’ll last a little longer. Other steps to take to extend the life of cucumbers:

• Wrap the cucumbers individually in a paper towel, place them in a ziploc bag, and store them in the fridge, preferably where they can be seen. They should last for a little over two weeks.
• If you’re like me and don’t usually use paper towels, place the cucumbers in a ziploc bag with a spoon. They’ll last nearly as long.
• If the cucumbers will be used shortly, place them in the fridge in the original bag from the store. Once cool, turn the bag inside out and place the cucumber back in; this keeps them from sitting in condensation. They should last for a week or so.

Tzatziki or Cacik, cucumber yogurt sauce

Cucumber Yogurt Sauce (Cacik or Tzatziki)

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Cacik or Tzatziki, the famous cool, creamy cucumber yogurt sauce has so many uses, a spread, a dip, or a sauce.

• Author: mollie kirby
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 10 minutes
• Yield: 3/4 cup 1x

Ingredients

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• 1/2 cucumber, peeled and grated or finely chopped
• 4 ounces Greek yogurt
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh mint or dill, optional
• salt to taste
• olive oil (optional)

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Instructions

Remove as much moisture from the cucumber as possible by straining or better yet, wringing the moisture out in a clean towel.

In a small mixing bowl, combine cucumbers and garlic. (Don’t add any cucumber juices to the bowl.)  Add salt to taste. Mix in yogurt – best when refrigerated for an hour. Transfer to serving bowl. Garnish with mint or dill and drizzle olive oil on top.

Refrigerate if time allows, for one hour before serving.

Store in the fridge for three to four days. Discard if any sour notes are detected.

Notes:

Vary with parsley, lemon or a dash of red wine vinegar.

If you don’t have Greek yogurt, strain plain yogurt in a cloth or paper towel-lined strainer eight hours or overnight.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 1/2 tablespoons
• Calories: 25
• Sugar: 2,7g
• Sodium: 22g
• Fat: .5g
• Carbohydrates: 2g
• Fiber: ,5g
• Protein: 2g