Cool & Creamy Keto Tzatziki Sauce

I almost always have a batch of this in the fridge. Keto tzatziki sauce works as a dip, a dressing, a marinade, and a sauce, so one batch covers a lot of ground through the week.

I make mine with plain Greek yogurt and grated cucumber, and the one step people tend to skip is draining the cucumber properly. Skip that step and the whole batch turns watery within a day.

If you are a garlic fan, do not be shy with it here. An extra clove turns this from a mild dip into something with real bite.

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Chef Jenn’s Take on Tzatziki Sauce

Watery tzatziki is almost always a cucumber problem, not a yogurt problem. Cucumber holds a lot of water, and if it goes into the bowl straight off the grater, that water ends up in the finished sauce within a day.

I grate the cucumber, salt it, and let it sit in a strainer for 30 to 45 minutes before doing anything else. Then I squeeze out whatever liquid is left by hand before it goes in with the yogurt. That extra half hour is the difference between a sauce that stays thick for a week and one that separates by the next morning.

If you are using non-fat or low-fat Greek yogurt, stir in a tablespoon or two of olive oil to bring the fat content back up. Full-fat yogurt does not need it, but leaner yogurt can taste thin without that addition. This keeps well enough that I make a big batch and use it on whatever I am serving that week.

What You’ll Love About Tzatziki Sauce

• Only five ingredients, and most of the time involved is just letting the cucumber drain
• Works as a dip, a dressing, a marinade, or a sauce, so one batch does a lot of jobs.
• Stays good in the fridge for about a week, so it’s worth making a big batch.

Ingredients

• Greek yogurt – Plain, with no sugar added. Full fat gives the richest result.
• Cucumber – English cucumbers work best, since you can eat the peel and the seeds are small.
• Salt – Used both to draw water out of the cucumber and to season the finished sauce.
• Garlic – Fresh, minced. Add extra if you like a stronger bite.
• Dill – Fresh gives the most flavor. Dried works in a pinch, use about a third of the amount.
• Lemon juice – Fresh squeezed. A small amount goes a long way.

How to Make Tzatziki Sauce

Scroll down for the full recipe card with exact measurements and printable instructions.

Grate the cucumber with a cheese grater until you have about 2 cups. Toss it with salt and set it in a strainer to drain for 30 to 45 minutes.

Once drained, squeeze the cucumber by hand to remove as much remaining liquid as possible. This step matters more than any other for keeping the sauce thick.

Mince the garlic and chop the fresh dill while the cucumber drains.

Mix the squeezed cucumber with the Greek yogurt, garlic, dill, and lemon juice. Season with a touch of extra salt and pepper to taste.

Serve right away, or chill for at least 30 minutes for the flavors to come together further.

Make It A Meal

This is the sauce I reach for with Lemon Oregano Chicken Kabobs or Kefta Beef Kabobs more than anything else. It’s built for grilled meat, and both of those hold up well against the cool, tangy flavor.

It also works well spooned over Greek Meatballs, or served alongside Grilled Veggies as a dip for the table.

Storage

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. No reheating needed, this is meant to be served cold. It is not a good candidate for freezing, since the yogurt and cucumber texture breaks down once thawed.

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5 from 10 votes

Tzatziki

Cool, creamy, savory and ketoized, this Tzatziki sauce goes great on grilled meats, veggies, fish and more!

Course Appetizer, Appetizers, Sauces / Spices / Dressings

Cuisine Mediterranean

Keyword cucumber dill dip, Greek yogurt dip, keto Greek sauce, keto tzatziki sauce, low-carb tzatziki

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Additional Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 8 servings

Calories 51kcal

Author Chef Jenn

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going to sleep

Ingredients

• 2 cups Greek yogurt
• 2 cups cucumber shredded
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 clove garlic chopped finely
• 2 tablespoons dill fresh or 2 tsp dried
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Instructions

• Shred enough cucumber with a cheese grater, to make 2 cups. Set into a strainer, and mix with 1 tsp of salt. Set aside to drain for about 30-45 minutes. Squeeze most of the water out before mixing with the other ingredients.
• Squeeze the excess liquid from the cucumber, and mix it with the yogurt, garlic, dill, and lemon juice. Season with a touch of salt and pepper, and serve!

Nutrition

Serving: 1/4 cup | Calories: 51kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 8g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 416mg | Sugar: 3g | Net Carbohydrates: 4g

A Note on Nutritional Information

Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed. Erythritol carbs (sugar substitutes) are not included in the carbohydrate counts as they have been shown not to impact blood sugar, and they have zero calories and zero carbs. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.

Want even more keto goodness? Check out these keto soups and chowders, keto grilled veggies, and for breakfast, keto egg bites. Wash it all down with a keto cocktail!