When I was younger, my family took a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Greece. To this day, it remains of my favorite places, particularly Santorini. I remember being dazzled by the hillside dotted with pure white houses and churches with bright blue roofs. Most of all, I remember the food. When I close my eyes, I can still taste the gyros…
My entire family LOVES Mediterranean food, which was honestly one of the motivators for our trip to Greece so many years ago. One of my favorite Greek dishes is Tzatziki, a creamy cucumber yogurt sauce. It is beautifully tangy and so refreshing. It goes perfectly with rich cuts of meat, like lamb, because the tang really cuts through the fat and brightens the whole dish up.
When I first tried this AIP and dairy-free version, I was instantly transported back to one of the side street cafes in Athens.
There are a few tips to making this sauce beautifully delicious!
Tip #1: Combine all ingredients except for the dill and cucumber several hours before serving or overnight. This allows the flavors to really combine and meld together.
Tip #2: Drain the grated cucumber before adding it to the sauce. It’s easiest to drain it overnight in a sieve while you let the yogurt base combine. However you can also squeeze the cucumber with a cheesecloth or blot dry with paper towels.
Favorite Brands of Yogurt
You can always use homemade yogurt, but here are a few of my favorite AIP or Paleo-Friendly yogurts.
- CoCo Yo – Plain Unsweetened, AIP-Friendly
- CoYo – Natural, AIP Friendly
- Anitas – Plain, AIP Friendly (regional brand)
- Kite Hill – Greek Style, Plain Unsweetened – Paleo Friendly
AIP Tzatziki Sauce (AIP/ Paleo/ Dairy-Free)
Cook Time: 15 minutes + draining time
Serves: 6 – 8
Ingredients
1.5 cups of full-fat, plain, unsweetened dairy-free yogurt
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 TBS olive oil
1 TBS apple cider vinegar
½ tsp salt
1 TBS minced fresh dill
½ of a cucumber, peeled
Directions
Grate the cucumber and set aside to drain in a sieve overnight. To speed up the process you can squeeze the water out using a cheesecloth or blot dry with paper towels. Combine all of the ingredients, except for the cucumber and dill, and set aside for several hours or overnight. 30 minutes to an hour before serving, add the drained cucumber and fresh dill to the yogurt base and stir to combine. Serve chilled!
