Tzatziki Recipe
The calm to grilled meat’s fire. A bowl of shade in a sun-drenched meal.
There’s a simplicity to tzatziki that almost hides how utterly perfect it is. Sharp where it needs to be, creamy in the best way, fresh as a garden waking up. It doesn’t try to be clever. It just is.
You’ll need:
- Half a cucumber, the firm kind
- 1 fat garlic clove, crushed with a pinch of salt
- A handful of mint leaves, finely chopped
- 1 tsp white wine vinegar or lemon juice (just enough to brighten)
- 250g thick Greek yogurt (the real stuff, strained and full-fat)
- A glug of good olive oil
Method:
Peel the cucumber if the skin’s tough, leave it on if it’s tender and glossy. Grate it coarsely. Then salt it lightly and let it sit in a sieve or colander for 10–15 minutes. Squeeze it after—firmly but without anger. You want it dry enough not to water down the yogurt, but still green and fresh.
In a bowl, stir together the garlic, mint, vinegar (or lemon), and the cucumber. Fold in the yogurt, gently. It should feel thick but yielding. A ribbon of olive oil on top, just before serving, makes it look like something you’d eat in the courtyard of a whitewashed house by the sea.
Let it sit for a bit, if you have time. It only gets better.
Spoon it next to souvlaki, dab it onto warm bread, or eat it standing at the fridge with a carrot. It forgives everything.