Cucumber Archives - Anna Rissato

Tzatziki – Creamy Yogurt Sauce

Anna — Mon, 17 Jul 2023 22:37:52 +0000

Anna Rissato
Tzatziki – Creamy Yogurt Sauce

This easy tzatziki sauce recipe will brighten up any meal for your summer! Tzatziki is a thick, creamy, rich yogurt sauce with a garlicky bite. It is delicious with falafel, on grilled chicken, in a gyro sandwich. You can also serve it on its own as a dip with warm pita chips and veggies.

WHAT IS TZATZIKI

Tzatziki is an easy and tasty recipe, typical in Greece and popular in neighboring countries. It is a yogurt base dip, paste, or sauce. Tzatziki is usually served as a cold appetizer or side dish. Authentic Greek tzatziki is most often made with sheep or goat yogurt, but my tzatziki recipe calls for whole cow’s milk full-fat Greek yogurt. It’s easier to find and still has the creamy, thick consistency you want in tzatziki sauce.

INGREDIENTS FOR THE TZATZIKI SAUCE RECIPE

This tzatziki yogurt sauce recipe requires a few simple ingredients.

Cucumber – Use a type of cucumber with thin skin and small seeds. That way, you can grate the entire cucumber without having to remove the seeds or skin. Personally, I like to peel the cucumber as I don’t like the bitter taste of cucumber skin!
Plain Greek Yogurt – Greek yogurt is thicker than other types of yogurt and will give you a rich, creamy tzatziki sauce that makes the extra fat worth it.
Lemon Juice – Use freshly squeezed lemon juice. You can substitute for white vinegar if you don’t have a lemon.
Garlic – I love to add garlic to yogurt dips. Use the freshest garlic possible.
Salt + Black Pepper – Season as per the recipe, then taste and adjust to your liking at the end.
Fresh Dill – I love fresh dill. It’s an herb I grew up with. We add it to pretty much everything. If you don’t like the flavor of dill, use an equal amount of mint or parsley, or omit it altogether.

HOW TO MAKE TZATZIKI – YOGURT SAUCE

Start by grating the cucumber. I use the largest holes on the grater to give lots of green bits the final texture of the tzatziki sauce.
Then drain the water from the grated cucumber. This step is essential for creamy tzatziki – if you skip it, the cucumber water will cause the sauce to separate and be very watery.
In a bowl, mix the yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper. Fold in the cucumber and dill. Serve it immediately, or for even the best result, cover it with plastic and let it rest in the fridge for a few hours before serving.

HOW TO MAKE GREEK YOGURT AT HOME TO USE IN TZATZIKI

You can make your own Greek yogurt using plain yogurt. To do this, simply place a few layers of cheesecloth (or a few layers of paper towels) in a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl. Then add the plain yogurt, cover with the ends of the cheesecloth, and place in the fridge. Let strain for at least 1 hour or overnight. Note that the longer you allow the yogurt to strain, the thicker it will become.

TIPS FOR MAKING THE BEST TZATZIKI SAUCE

Make sure the grated cucumber is well drained. If you have time, you can drain it on a cheesecloth or a fine-mesh sieve overnight. If you’re in a hurry, use your hands to squeeze the liquid out of the cucumber.
For best results, combine all ingredients except cucumber and dill. Let it sit overnight in the fridge while the cucumber is draining.
Add the dill just before serving so as not to overwhelm the rest of the flavors.

TZATZIKI YOGURT SAUCE VARIATIONS

Want to change things up and make it your own? Well, a homemade tzatziki sauce recipe can be made in many ways. Here are some ideas you can try:

Herbs: If you’re not a fan of dill, simply omit the herbs altogether or substitute for parsley, thyme, or mint.
No Garlic: Raw garlic can taste too strong for some. Feel free to reduce garlic the amount of garlic or omit it.
Low-fat: You can make tzatziki sauce using low-fat or non-fat yogurt, although the sauce will be less thick and creamy. Make sure to strain the yogurt for a thicker consistency.

HOW TO USE THE TZATZIKI SAUCE

Once you’ve made tzatziki sauce, there are countless ways you can use it. However, I like to use this yogurt dip with a wrap sandwich, grilled vegetables, vegetable sticks, and pita bread chips.

You can use this tzatziki as well with the bellow recipe:

Tzatziki as a Sauce: Simply drizzle over the top of gyros, falafel, zucchini fritters, or grilled meats
Tzatziki as a salad dressing: Dilute with a few tablespoons of water and toss with your favorite greens or try something different and drizzling tzatziki sauce over quinoa salad. Use it as a dressing in cucumber radish salad.

HOW TO STORE TZATZIKI SAUCE

Homemade tzatziki lasts up to 3 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I know that seems like a short time, but I promise tzatziki is so good that you’ll finish it in less than three days. And if one serving is too much, you can always halve the recipe.

I do not recommend freezing tzatziki sauce as it loses its creamy consistency.

Tzatziki – Creamy Yogurt Sauce

Course Appetizer, Sauce, Side Dish

Cuisine Greek

Keyword Sauce For Gyros, Tzatziki Creamy Yogurt Sauce, Yogurt Salad Dressing

Prep Time 10

Total Time 10

Servings cups

Calories 113kcal

Author Anna

Equipment

Grater
Medium bowl
Spatula
Sieve

Ingredients

1 cucumber peeled
1 ½ cups Greek yogurt plain, full-fat
2 tbsp lemon juice freshly squeezed
2 garlic cloves peeled and finely chopped
1 tsp of salt
¼ tsp black pepper
⅓ cup fresh dill or other herbs (optional)

Instructions

Start by grating the cucumber. I use the largest holes on the grater. Transfer to a sieve and strain any juices by pressing it with a spatula. Set it aside.
In a bowl, mix the yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, salt and black pepper.
Using a spatula, fold in the cucumber and dill.
Serve it or cover it with plastic and let it rest in the fridge for a few hours before serving.

Nutrition

The post Tzatziki – Creamy Yogurt Sauce appeared first on Anna Rissato.

Creamy Cucumber Radish Salad

Anna — Fri, 16 Jun 2023 12:38:14 +0000

Anna Rissato
Creamy Cucumber Radish Salad

This creamy and healthy cucumber radish salad is the perfect spring or summer side dish! This salad is made with crispy cucumbers and crunchy radishes, garnished with fresh herbs and homemade yogurt dressing. Serve with baked fish, chicken, or beef and mashed potatoes.

This is my family’s classic summer salad, which is usually made with sour cream. However, I’ve decided to change my family’s recipe, and I swapped the sour cream for yogurt dressing to make it healthier.

INGREDIENTS FOR THIS CREAMY SUMMER SALAD

This cucumber radish salad is easy and quick to make. There are only five ingredients in the salad and five in the dressing!

Cucumber: I prefer English cucumbers because the seeds are smaller and the skin is thin, so I don’t have to peel the cucumbers.
Radish: Crunchy and peppery radishes are a delicious addition to this salad. Radishes are rich in antioxidants and minerals like calcium and potassium.
Herbs: I am using green onion and parsley, but you can swap for dill and red onion.
Dressing: This salad dressing is healthy, creamy, and easy to make!

HOW TO MAKE CUCUMBER RADISH SALAD

This salad has three easy steps to follow:

First, make the salad dressing, which I’ll talk more about in a second.
Then prepare the salad ingredients: slice the cucumbers, radishes, and chop the herbs.
The last step is to mix everything together and serve!

HOW TO MAKE THE YOGURT DRESSING FOR THIS CUCUMBER RADISH SALAD

The yogurt dressing for this cucumber radish salad is really easy to make. Just mix all the ingredients in a bowl, and you have your salad dressing!

HOW TO PREVENT CUCUMBER SALAD FROM BECOMING SOGGY

Many times when yogurt is used in place of sour cream, as we do in this cucumber radish salad, you end up with a soggy salad. At first, the cucumber salad is nice and creamy, but as it settles, it becomes watery.

The good news is that there is an easy fix for this. With just two simple things, you can prevent this from happening, but it requires a bit of preparation ahead of time. With that said, if you don’t mind a bit of watery salad, feel free to skip these steps.

Use the Greek-style yogurt or drain the juices from the plain yogurt. If using plain yogurt, place cheesecloth in a strainer, then add the yogurt and let it drain into a bowl. The longer it sits, the less watery it will be. After a few hours, you will notice that its consistency and texture will be thick and creamy. I usually do this a few hours before making the salad, but you can let it drain overnight in the fridge.

Drain the juices from the cucumber. Place the cucumbers in a colander, sprinkle with a teaspoon of salt, and let the juices drain for about 15-20 minutes. When you’re ready to assemble your cucumber and radish salad, you don’t need to rinse the cucumber. However, I recommend omitting the salt in salad and dressing, you always can add it at the end of preparation if needed.

TIPS FOR THIS HEALTHY SALAD RECIPE

Slice the cucumber as thinly as possible with a knife. I like to slice the cucumber with a knife instead of using a food processor because I prefer cucumbers to be a little bit thicker and crunchy rather than very thin.
Want to change things up? Try making this summer salad with Tzatziki Sauce, Healthy Greek Yogurt Salad Dressing, or Yogurt Tahini Dressing instead of the dressing I used in this recipe, as they are a very healthy option too.

IS THIS CUCUMBER RADISH SALAD HEALTHY

Absolutely, especially with my version made with Greek yogurt sauce. Why? Because by swapping a high-calorie/fatty ingredient like sour cream for yogurt, I managed to make this cucumber salad lower in fat and calories, which makes it much healthier.

CAN I MAKE THE CUCUMBER SALAD IN ADVANCE

Yes, you can. If you follow my tips on getting rid of extra juices, you can make this cucumber salad 3-4 hours before serving. Be sure to cover it with plastic wrap and keep it in the fridge. The time spent in the fridge will allow the flavors to blend and result in a creamier, more delicious cucumber radish salad.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH CUCUMBER RADISH SALAD

You can serve this salad on its own for a refreshing summer snack, but this cucumber radish salad goes well with almost anything. Here are a few delicious options:

Roasted Chicken
Baked Fish
Carne Asada
Roasted Beef
Roasted Pork

Cucumber Radish Salad

Course Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine Polish, Russian

Keyword Creamy Cucumber Salad, Cucumber Salad Recipe, Cucumber Salad With Yogurt Drssing, Summer Salad

Prep Time 15

Total Time 15

Servings Servings

Calories 94kcal

Author Anna

Equipment

Cutting Board
Chef Knife
Small Bowl
Larg Bowl
Colander (opcional)

Ingredients

Yogurt Salad Dressing:

1 cup (200g/7oz) natural Greek yogurt
1 garlic clove minced
1 ½ tbsp lemon juice freshly squeezed
½ tsp of salt
¼ tsp black pepper

Salad:

5 medium cucumbers peeled or unpeeled and sliced
2-3 small radishes thinly sliced
4 stalks of green onion or 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup of fresh parsley chopped or other herbs to your liking (optional)
½ tsp of salt

Instructions

Dressing:

In a small bowl, whisk together 1 cup (200g/7oz) natural Greek yogurt, 1 garlic clove, 1 ½ tbsp lemon juice, ½ tsp of salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper. Set aside.

Salad:

Slice 5 medium cucumbers, and 2-3 small radishes, then chop 4 stalks of green onion and parsley.
(If you prefer, to get rid of some of the juices in the cucumbers, place the sliced cucumbers in a colander (use a bowl to drain the juices) and sprinkle them with 1 teaspoon of salt. Let them rest on the counter for 15 minutes.)
When ready to assemble, remove the cucumbers (no need to rinse) from the colander and place them in a large salad bowl along with the sliced radishes and chopped green onion. Drizzle with the sauce and mix everything together.
Toss in 1 cup of fresh parsley. Taste for seasoning and add more salt if necessary.
Serve and enjoy.

Nutrition

The post Creamy Cucumber Radish Salad appeared first on Anna Rissato.