Tzatziki Cucumber Salad

Name: Tzatziki Cucumber Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 1 English cucumber, thinly sliced; 1 small red onion, thinly sliced into half moons; ¾ cup Greek yogurt; 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 1 tsp fresh lemon zest; ½ lemon, juiced; 1 clove of garlic, grated or minced; ¼ cup finely chopped fresh dill; 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley; 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh oregano; ¼ tsp sea salt; ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

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Enjoy the refreshing flavor of this Greek-inspired Tzatziki Cucumber Salad. It's made with sliced cucumber, Greek yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and lots of fresh herbs. This light and delicious salad is the perfect accompaniment to grilled meats, fish, and veggies.

Creamy cucumber salad with red onion garnished with lemon wedges in a bowl with a blue rim.

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Why You'll Love This Salad
Ingredients
Variations and Substitutions
Step-by-Step Instructions
Serving and Storing
FAQs
Similar Salads
📖 Recipe

Why You'll Love This Salad

Just like tzatziki - This salad has all the classic flavors of tzatziki dip but in a salad form. The cucumber is thinly sliced instead of grated with and red onion is added for extra crunch and flavor. If you're looking for classic Tzatziki, check out this Tzatziki Sauce.

Creamy and flavorful - Greek yogurt makes the dressing super creamy and adds a nice tang. Lemon juice and zest add lots of freshness, and garlic and fresh herbs add a ton of flavor. It's super simple but so delicious!

Perfect for the summer - This salad makes the perfect side for the summer. It goes really well with any grilled vegetables, meats, or fish.

Ingredients

Cucumber - Both large English cucumbers and small Persian cucumbers work in this salad. You can peel them or not based on preference. I usually don't if they're organic. If you're using garden cucumber, I recommend peeling it because the skin can be tougher and bitter.
Red onion - Onion adds a nice crunch, flavor, and color to the salad. If you don't like raw onion or want to add even more tang to the salad, you can use Quick Pickled Red Onions instead.
Greek yogurt - I like using plain full-fat Greek yogurt because it's extra thick and keeps the dressing super creamy. You can also use sheep or goat yogurt if you prefer.
Fresh herbs - I use fresh dill, parsley, and oregano. You can use one, two, or all three depending on what you have on hand. Dried herbs can be used in a pinch. Just be sure to add less and add more to taste, dried herbs are much more concentrated in flavor.
Garlic - I highly recommend grating the garlic clove using a microplane into the dressing instead of using a garlic press because the texture is finer and the flavor gets distributed more easily. You can also use roasted garlic if you prefer.
Lemon - The recipe calls for both juice and zest of a lemon so I definitely recommend using fresh lemon juice. It adds tang and freshness to the salad.

Variations and Substitutions

Make it vegan - You can use vegan yogurt instead of classic Greek yogurt to keep this salad dairy-free. Just make sure it's unsweetened.
Add more veggies - This salad is meant to be served as a small side but you can make it into a bigger salad by adding in some tomatoes, bell peppers, or even roasted veggies like zucchini or eggplant.

Step-by-Step Instructions

First, you'll make the dressing. In a small bowl or jar, mix together the Greek yogurt, extra virgin olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, grated garlic, finely chopped dill, parsley, and oregano, sea salt, and pepper.
Whisk everything together and set it aside. You can also do this in a large bowl and just add everything else on top to save dishes.

Tzatziki dressing in a glass bowl before and after whisking.

Thinly slice the cucumber and add it to a mixing bowl with thinly sliced red onion.
Pour the dressing over the cucumber and onion and toss gently to coat everything well.
Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator covered until ready to serve.

Sliced cucumber and red onion in a glass bowl with tzatziki dressing before mixing together.

Serving and Storing

Serving - This salad goes really well with anything grilled like grilled veggies, fish, or meats. I like serving it with spicy dishes because the cool yogurt dressing balances them out really well. It's also a great addition to rice or quinoa bowls along with other veggies and your choice of protein.

Storing - Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. The longer the salad sits, the more water will the cucumber release.

FAQs

Can I make it vegan?

Yes! Just use a dairy-free unsweetened yogurt instead of Greek yogurt.

How do I avoid cucumber watering down the salad?

You can sprinkle sliced cucumber with sea salt and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. This will draw out the water and then you'll just wash it under cold water to remove the salt. I usually skip this step to make everything quicker.

Similar Salads

Greek cuisine is one of my favorites so I love to create and share Greek-inspired dishes all year long but especially in the summer. All the dishes are super simple but so bright and flavorful. Check out the five below or to see even more salads, head over to the Salads category where you'll find the latest ones!

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