I’m not sure I’ve ever discussed on this blog that I don’t like melon, and I mean anything melon. No watermelon, no canteloupe, and especially no honeydew. Even that Midori stuff gives me the heebie jeebies. I have no explanation for it and what makes it even more weird is that I ate watermelon and canteloupe as a kid. No clue what happened. Cucumbers also fall into this category. They are very melony, if you will. I want to like them, they look so good and fresh. What I’ve discovered about cucumbers is I may not like them by themselves or in huge chunks, but I will totally devour them sliced very thin on a sandwich (like this chicken salad or this Mediterranean sandwich) or diced very small in this Tzatziki Sauce! I had four cucumbers that I needed to use and a big tub of hummus that was about to expire. So you see how my mind went to homemade tzatziki sauce.
So, how’s it taste?
I wasn’t expecting much. I’d had tzatziki sauce many times before and liked it, but it’s just sauce, right? Wrong! Holy mother of freshness did this homemade version blow my mind. You probably already have all the ingredients on hand, which recipes like that make me do a happy dance. It’s fresh, tangy, and just a bit of bite from the garlic. You can grate your garlic if you prefer, but I liked it in this sauce minced. I diced the cucumber very fine, and it was perfect for a dipping sauce. And dip I did!
I polished off this entire batch in two separate stints of me standing in the kitchen, hovered over the bowl, shoveling it in on pita wedges as fast as I could. I have no shame. Eight servings, schmeight servings. You know what else is really freakin’ delicious? Take your pita wedge, first dip it in hummus, then dip that in the tzatziki! You can thank me later.
PrintTzatziki Sauce
by Liz DellaCroce of The Lemon Bowl
makes 8 (1/2 cup) servings
per serving: 42 calories, 0.1g fat, 4.1g carbs, 0.2g fiber, 6.3g protein
Ingredients:
2 cups plain, nonfat Greek yogurt
2 cups cucumber, very small dice
1/2 cup fresh dill, minced (or 2 tbsp. dried)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
Directions:
1. Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl until well combined. Taste for seasoning and add more of any ingredient to adjust to your liking. (I added a tad more salt to mine.)
2. Serve immediately with pita wedges or store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
I love a good tzatziki sauce!! And I totally agree with you on the melon thing – ESP honeydew melon. What a waste of a melon. I’ve finally started coming around on cantaloupe – mostly because I love it dried, it actually tastes like something when it’s dried – like Swedish Fish. No joke.
Ooo, dried canteloupe?! I’ve never heard of it. I’ll have to find some and see if I like it.
I love tzatiki sauce! it’s one of those weirdly addictive sauces that disappears far more quickly than you’d expect. And unlike you and Megan, I love everything in the melon family – I’ll take your cantaloupes, watermelons, cucumbers, + honeydews any day of the week. =)
Good to know when I buy way too many cucumbers, which happens a lot since I’m trying to force myself to like them on their own. :/
Why is honeydew even on this Earth? It’s so random city.
But I love tzatziki sauce! Looks delish!
Ha ha, I would say that for any melon. Although I do love the scent in body spray, lol! Remember cucumber melon from Bath & Body Works?
Leah, why have I never made tzatziki sauce? I love it and I love your recipe. You know I have a funny thing too. I can’t eat mint or smell it, but I did as a kid. I also can’t stand peanut butter half the time, the smell kills me, but then once in a while I love it. I wonder what that chemistry is all about? But then I didn’t eat liver or cabbage as a kid and now I do.
This was my first time making it. So good! I loooove mint and PB for that matter. So funny with individual tastes.
I *just* made homemade tzatiki sauce this week for the first time ever!! I did it in the food processor though, and mine was on the runnier side. I think simply adjusting the yogurt is what makes the sauce thicker vs thinner. Although doing the cucumbers in the food processor releases a lot of their water too, so that’s a factor as well. I think I’ll try your version next!!
I love tzatiki, I can get it in my local stores ready made. I use it for chicken salad, in place of mayo, it is DElish, and weight watcher friendly.
I saw that Fage makes it, but I haven’t tried it yet. So funny you mention chicken salad. I mixed a bit of tzatziki with chicken and hummus and it would be awesome as chicken salad. May have to put that on the blog soon!
Just found your blog and LOVE it. So many yummy ideas. I just started my blog and would love anyone to stop by and check it out, thanks!
I totally resonate with this. I’m not a big fan of any melons and I think cucumbers are the only veggie that I don’t like. So funny! I love this sauce!
So glad I’m not alone in my melon dislike, lol! I made this sauce again last night…and pigged out again. Oops!
I LOVE tzatziki sauce and yours looks perfect, Leah! I’ve read in some recipes that you should drain the cucumbers, but I don’t bother… I love the flavor! So yummy on grilled chicken and veggies. Thanks for sharing.
I didn’t think to put it over grilled chicken! Good idea! I just stir it if there’s liquid in it, too much trouble to drain cukes, lol!
I can do watermelon…but I don’t like the others either! I am very curious about this tzatziki sauce though. I always enjoy it at Mediterranean restaurants, but I’ve never made my own. Thank you for sharing this with me.
You should try it! It’s my new addiction. 😉
Love the looks of this sauce! Very glad I found your blog. I’m here to stay! xo
Yum! I love all the cucumbers in this!