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READY IN 6 hr

Tzatziki Sauce II

Read Reviews (133)

"This is a Greek yogurt sauce made with cucumbers and fresh mint. It's perfect for gyros, dipping raw vegetables, etc. Combine chopped onion with the mixture if desired. Low-fat or nonfat yogurt may be used." — 0316BJD

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Original recipe makes 3 cups Change Servings

2 cups plain yogurt
2 cloves crushed garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
1 large cucumber - peeled, seeded and shredded

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Directions

Use a cheese cloth to strain the yogurt over a bowl for 3 to 4 hours, until most of the water has drained.
Press excess liquid out of the shredded cucumber. In a medium bowl, stir together the cucumber and strained yogurt. Mix in the garlic, salt, pepper and mint. Chill the mixture for 1 to 2 hours.

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PREP 6 hrs
READY IN 6 hrs

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Reviews More Reviews

Most Helpful Positive Review

Jul 09, 2007

This was excellent. I made some very small changes. First, I used reduced fat yogurt. In a mini processor, I added half the amount of salt and pepper, 10 lemon drops, 2 large garlic cloves, 2 good shakes of dill weed spice, a dash of olive oil, and a full package of the fresh mint from the produce section. After chopping, I had a little less than 1/4 cup of mixture to mix in w/the yogurt and cucumber. Instead of cheese cloth, I used coffee filters and that worked great. Separating the liquid is an essential step!

—Jillian724

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Most Helpful Critical Review

Jul 08, 2011

Has potential, but this is way too minty for my crowd's taste.

—Em

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203 Ratings

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Feb 02, 2004

I have always thought I made a great gyros sauce, but after I made this recipe, I threw mine away. I don't know if it's the mint because no one else had it in the other recipes or the yogurt. This is the best gyros sauce I have ever tasted, including restaurants. I have made it so many times I have the recipe in my head. Thanks

—SANDY WITEK

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Jul 14, 2004

Wonderful and very authentic (I have been to Greece, and frequent Greek restaurants where I live). I served this on pita bread with Souvlaki from this site. I would highly recommend using the cheese cloth to drain the yogurt, as well as using a strainer for the cucumber to press out the liquid; otherwise, the sauce will be runny. Thanks for the recipe!

—KRANEY

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Aug 03, 2009

This recipe is fantastic and even easier if you use Greek yogurt and a food processor! I put the Greek yogurt in the processor along with the salt, pepper, crushed garlic, and 1/2 cup whole mint leaves (loosely packed). Then, I pulsed it for a bit to coarsely chop the mint and garlic. After that, I threw in the diced up cucumber and pulsed some more. The immediate results were DELICIOUS and I'm sure it will be even better after a night in the fridge.

—amy-amanda

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Oct 24, 2004

Excellent! I didn't have cheese cloth so strained with a paper coffee filter. Subbed 1/2 tsp dried mint for fresh. Every one loved it with the Pork Souvlaki recipe from this site.

—JULIATHEENA

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Jun 22, 2009

This had really great flavor, and the best combination of ingredients of the tzatziki recipes on this site. However, the prep time could be seriously reduced if one used real Greek yogurt (like Oikos) that is already thick and does not require straining. I found this to be most difficult in my technologically challenged kitchen lacking cheesecloth or even the basic coffee filter. Needless to say, mine turned out a bit runny :P Used the food processor to chop and mix everything up. Served with falafel, lettuce, and tomato on a pita. The consistency didn't ruin anything, but will save myself the trouble and just use Greek yogurt next time.

—branchan

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Aug 23, 2006

I added half of a fresh squeezed lemon and a pinch of sugar. This is a wonderful recipe. Also I skinned and chopped my english cucumber and left it in a strainer with a little salt sprinkled on it. This way my cucumbers "sweat" out there juices rather than having a runny dip.and you dont need to spend precious time cleaning out the seeds.

—Nicole

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Nutrition

Calories
15 kcal
< 1%

Carbohydrates
1.8 g
< 1%

Cholesterol
1 mg
< 1%

Fat
0.3 g
< 1%

Fiber
0.1 g
< 1%

Protein
1.2 g
2%

Sodium
63 mg
3%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutritional Information

Tzatziki Sauce II

Serving Size: 1/24 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 24
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 15
Calories from Fat: 3

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 0.3g < 1 %
Saturated Fat 0.2g 1 %
Cholesterol 1mg < 1 %
Sodium 63mg 3 %
Potassium 67mg 2 %
Total Carbohydrates 1.8g < 1 %
Dietary Fiber 0.1g < 1 %
Protein 1.2g 2 %
** Sugars 1.4g
Vitamin A < 1 %
Vitamin C 1 %
Calcium 5 %
Iron < 1 %
** Thiamin 1 %
Niacin 1 %
** Vitamin B6 1 %
** Magnesium 2 %
Folate 2 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.