Tzatziki, sauce, pickle or ferment from Greece: what it is and how it is eaten

Tzatziki is a cold dip or sauce made from strained yogurt blended with cucumber, garlic, olive oil, vinegar or lemon juice, and herbs such as dill or mint. It is a staple in Greek cuisine and appears across Southeastern Europe and West Asia, often served as a meze, side dish, or sauce for grilled meats and sandwiches.

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Made from strained yogurt, cucumber, garlic, olive oil, and herbs
Served cold as a dip, side dish, or sauce
Common in Greek, Turkish, Balkan, and Middle Eastern cuisines
Variations include tarator, cacık, and talattouri
Often eaten with pita, grilled meats, or as a meze

What is Tzatziki?

Tzatziki is a creamy, cold dip or sauce made by mixing strained yogurt with grated or chopped cucumber, garlic, olive oil, vinegar or lemon juice, and fresh herbs like dill, mint, or parsley. The yogurt gives it a thick, smooth texture, while the cucumber adds crunch and freshness. Garlic brings a sharp, pungent note, and the herbs provide a fragrant aroma. Tzatziki is pale white with flecks of green from the herbs and cucumber. It is served chilled and is refreshing, especially in warm weather.

Where does Tzatziki come from?

Tzatziki has roots in the yogurt traditions of Central Asia, brought westward by Turkic migrations. Yogurt-based cold dishes spread through Anatolia, the Balkans, and the Middle East. Early forms appear in 10th-century Arabic cookbooks as yogurt salads called jājaq. The Ottoman Empire popularized yogurt and garlic condiments, with tarator and cacık as notable examples. Over time, regional versions developed, with the Greek tzatziki becoming widely known. The name comes from the Turkish cacık, itself related to words for herbs in Persian and Kurdish.

How is Tzatziki made?

To make tzatziki, strained yogurt—often from sheep or goat milk—is combined with grated or finely chopped cucumber and minced garlic. Olive oil and a splash of red wine vinegar or lemon juice are added for richness and acidity. Fresh herbs such as dill, mint, or parsley are mixed in, and the dip is seasoned with salt. The mixture is stirred until smooth and left to chill before serving. Some versions may include other herbs or a touch of thyme, and the consistency can be adjusted by the amount of yogurt or added liquid.

Turkish cacık, made with yoghurt and cucumber.. Photo: Rainer Zenz, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Tarator - Bulgarian cold soup in its Bulgarian version.. Photo: Ikonact, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

How and when is Tzatziki eaten?

Tzatziki is served cold, often as a meze (appetizer) with pita bread, olives, or fried vegetables like eggplant and zucchini. It is also used as a sauce for grilled meats, especially gyros and souvlaki, and can accompany sandwiches or other main dishes. In the Balkans and Turkey, similar dishes may be eaten as a soup or salad, especially in summer. Tzatziki is a common part of everyday meals and is valued for its cooling effect in hot weather.

Kinds of Tzatziki

Across the region, tzatziki takes on different names and forms. In Turkey, cacık may be thinned with water and include various vegetables and herbs. Balkan tarator is often served as a cold soup with walnuts and dill. In Cyprus, talattouri features more mint and lemon juice. Albania and Bulgaria have their own versions, sometimes with a soup-like consistency. Greek tzatziki is usually thick and rich, while other places may adjust herbs or add nuts for extra flavor.

What Tzatziki means

Tzatziki is a staple of Greek cuisine and meze culture, often found at gatherings and shared meals. It is also part of the food traditions in Turkey, the Balkans, and the Middle East, with each region adapting the dish to local tastes. In Iraq, a similar dip called jajeek is served with arak, an anise-flavored spirit. Tzatziki and its relatives are especially popular in summer, valued for their cooling, refreshing qualities.

Questions people ask about Tzatziki

What is tzatziki made of?

Tzatziki is made from strained yogurt mixed with cucumber, garlic, olive oil, vinegar or lemon juice, and herbs such as dill, mint, or parsley.

Where does tzatziki come from?

Tzatziki is most closely associated with Greece, but it has origins in Central Asian yogurt culture and is found throughout Southeastern Europe and West Asia.

How is tzatziki usually served?

It is served cold as a dip with bread or vegetables, as a side dish, or as a sauce for grilled meats and sandwiches like gyros and souvlaki.

Are there different versions of tzatziki?

Yes, similar dishes exist across the Balkans, Turkey, Cyprus, and the Middle East, with variations in herbs, consistency, and added ingredients like walnuts or lemon juice.

Is tzatziki vegetarian?

Yes, tzatziki is vegetarian as it is made from yogurt, vegetables, and herbs, with no meat or fish.

Good reading and sources

Celery and Walnut (or Hazelnut) TzatzikiThe New York Times, Recipe

Where this page comes from

The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Tzatziki", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Thali rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.

It may contain mistakes, and it is not dietary or allergy advice: recipes differ from cook to cook. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.

Tzatziki