History of Tzatziki and a Recipe

Greece Travel Secrets tells the history of the classic Greek dish tzatziki, with a recipe for making your own yogurt and cucumber dip.

Tzatziki History

Tzatziki is a popular Greek dish with a rich history. Its origins can be traced back to ancient times. Here's a brief history.

A bowl of tzatziki on a table with the sea in the background

Tzatziki likely originated in the Middle East, and its predecessor was known as rait, a yogurt and cucumber-based sauce. It’s thought that this was discovered by the Persians when they ruled India, and enjoyed an Indian biryani, but found it too hot for their tastes. They preferred eating it with the rait sauce, to cool it down, and eventually the sauce made its way to the Middle East

The sauce was eventually introduced to Greece. The Greeks adapted rait to their own tastes with their own ingredients, and it was renamed tzatziki. It became an integral part of Greek cuisine, known for its cooling and refreshing properties.

What Does Tzatziki Mean?

So how did rait, or raita, become tzatziki? The answer is that when the Turks ruled Greece, they insisted that all Greek dishes be given Turkish names. Rait was similar to a Turkish dish known as cacik, which was pronounced chachik.

In Greek there’s no equivalent of the ‘ch’ sound, so it became ‘tz’ instead. And cacik became tzatzik, which became tzatziki, or sometimes spelled tsatsiki.

How Do You Eat Tzatziki?

tzatziki-with-gyros.jpgTzatziki as an accompaniment to gyros

Tzatziki can be enjoyed as a starter on its own, probably scooped up onto a piece of warm pita bread. It can also be part of a meze, one of several starters. It’s also good as an accompaniment to some dishes, including calamari, gyros and souvlaki.

Our Pick of the Guides to Greece

Rough-Guide-Greece-2022.png

Regional Variations

Like many Greek dishes, you’ll find different versions of tzatziki in different parts of the country. This usually depends on what fresh herbs are available. The traditional recipe calls for dill, but if dill doesn’t grow locally you might find it made instead with oregano, mint, parsley or thyme.

Also, the cucumber may or may not be peeled, and instead of being grated it might be cut up into tiny cubes. Instead of lemon juice, some recipes recommend a wine vinegar.

Tzatziki Recipe

Now, here's a simple recipe to make Tzatziki:

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups Greek yogurt
  • 1 cucumber, grated and drained
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

  1. Grate the cucumber and place it in a clean kitchen towel. Squeeze out excess moisture.
  2. In a bowl, combine the Greek yogurt, grated and drained cucumber, minced garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, and chopped dill. Mix well.
  3. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  4. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour to allow the flavors to meld.
  5. Serve as a dip, sauce, or condiment with pita bread, grilled meats, or as a side dish.

Enjoy your homemade Tzatziki!

For a printable PDF of this tzatziki recipe, click here.

More Food and Drink Stories

  • Greek food and drink is a highlight of any visit and Greece Travel Secrets brings you info about food and drink from all over Greece, from Athens to Zakynthos.

    Greek Food and Drink

    Greek food and drink is a highlight of any visit and Greece Travel Secrets brings you info about food and drink from all over Greece, from Athens to Zakynthos.

  • If you're wondering where to eat in Athens and Piraeus we have a few suggestions including some favorites around the Acropolis, Omonia Square, and Syntagma.

    Where to Eat in Athens and Piraeus

    If you're wondering where to eat in Athens and Piraeus we have a few suggestions including some favorites around the Acropolis, Omonia Square, and Syntagma.

  • Greece Travel Secrets tours the Lyrarakis Winery on Crete and learns about Crete grape varieties such as plyto, dafni, vidiano, vilana, mandilari and kotsifali.

    Touring the Lyrarakis Winery on Crete

    Greece Travel Secrets tours the Lyrarakis Winery on Crete and learns about Crete grape varieties such as plyto, dafni, vidiano, vilana, mandilari and kotsifali.

  • Raki is an alcoholic drink made with distilled grapes and anise, and popular in Greece and other Mediterranean countries, including Greece’s neighbour Turkey.

    What Is Greek Raki?

    Raki is an alcoholic drink made with distilled grapes and anise, and popular in Greece and other Mediterranean countries, including Greece’s neighbour Turkey.

  • Greek alcoholic drinks include distinctly Greek drinks such as ouzo, Metaxa, retsina, raki, tsikoudia and tsipouro, but also Greek wines and Greek beers.

    Greek Alcoholic Drinks

    Greek alcoholic drinks include distinctly Greek drinks such as ouzo, Metaxa, retsina, raki, tsikoudia and tsipouro, but also Greek wines and Greek beers.

  • Athens Food Tours are being introduced by new company The Greek Fork, and will include tours of the Central Market, and the best street food.

    Athens Food Tours

    Athens Food Tours are being introduced by new company The Greek Fork, and will include tours of the Central Market, and the best street food.

  • Studies have shown the Cretan Diet as one of the healthiest in the world, involving lots of fresh fruit, vegetables, fresh fish, and moderate amounts of wine.

    The Cretan Diet

    Studies have shown the Cretan Diet as one of the healthiest in the world, involving lots of fresh fruit, vegetables, fresh fish, and moderate amounts of wine.

  • Corfu’s special cuisine includes dishes like sofrito and pastitsade and the chance to try ginger beer and kumquats.

    Corfu’s Special Cuisine

    Corfu’s special cuisine includes dishes like sofrito and pastitsade and the chance to try ginger beer and kumquats.

  • The Greece Travel Secrets guide to tipping in Greece from two Greece travel experts, including when to tip, what to tip and when not to tip.

    Tipping in Greece

    The Greece Travel Secrets guide to tipping in Greece from two Greece travel experts, including when to tip, what to tip and when not to tip.

  • Corfu olives are an important part of this Greek island's economy, with an estimated 3-4 million trees producing olive oil of exceptional quality.

    Corfu Olives

    Corfu olives are an important part of this Greek island's economy, with an estimated 3-4 million trees producing olive oil of exceptional quality.

  •  

    Moussaka: A Culinary Journey through Greek History, and a Recipe

    Greece Travel Secrets reveals the history of the classic Greek dish, moussaka, as well as providing a recipe for you to make your own.

  • Visiting Santorini wineries is a popular activity on this Greek island in the Cyclades, whose volcanic soil provides a distinctive terroir.

    Santorini Wineries

    Visiting Santorini wineries is a popular activity on this Greek island in the Cyclades, whose volcanic soil provides a distinctive terroir.

  • Greek feta cheese is the most popular cheese in Greece, usually made from sheep’s milk, with a soft texture and salty taste and used to top off a Greek salad.

    Greek Feta Cheese

    Greek feta cheese is the most popular cheese in Greece, usually made from sheep’s milk, with a soft texture and salty taste and used to top off a Greek salad.

  • Greece Travel Secrets visits the Cretan Botano herbs and spices shop near Matala in southern Crete in search of the herb man of Kouses.

    The Herb Man of Kouses

    Greece Travel Secrets visits the Cretan Botano herbs and spices shop near Matala in southern Crete in search of the herb man of Kouses.

  • Athens culinary tours are among the food walking tours offered by an unusual company, Culinary Backstreets.

    Athens Culinary Tours

    Athens culinary tours are among the food walking tours offered by an unusual company, Culinary Backstreets.

  • Athens, an Eater's Guide to the City, is published by Culinary Backstreets, who do walking food tours in Athens and the book recommends the best places to eat.

    Athens Eaters Guide

    Athens, an Eater's Guide to the City, is published by Culinary Backstreets, who do walking food tours in Athens and the book recommends the best places to eat.

  • We visit and tour the Manousakis Winery on Crete with a wine-tasting and a chance to buy their tsikoudia, sea salt, olive oil and other goodies.

    Manousakis Wine Tasting

    We visit and tour the Manousakis Winery on Crete with a wine-tasting and a chance to buy their tsikoudia, sea salt, olive oil and other goodies.

  • What is Metaxa? Metaxa is an amber Greek spirit combining brandy made by distilling wine, sweet wine from Samos and a secret recipe of Mediterranean botanicals.

    What Is Metaxa?

    What is Metaxa? Metaxa is an amber Greek spirit combining brandy made by distilling wine, sweet wine from Samos and a secret recipe of Mediterranean botanicals.

  • Greece Travel Secrets visits Crete and learns about making rakomelo from Jorgos Kourmoulis in Agouseliana.

    Making Rakomelo on Crete

    Greece Travel Secrets visits Crete and learns about making rakomelo from Jorgos Kourmoulis in Agouseliana.

  • Greece Travel Secrets explains the long history of the Greek dish of dolmades, or stuffed vine leaves, which goes back to ancient Greece, and provides a recipe.

    Dolmades

    Greece Travel Secrets explains the long history of the Greek dish of dolmades, or stuffed vine leaves, which goes back to ancient Greece, and provides a recipe.

  • The First Corfu Beer Festival took place in Arillas in North West Corfu and celebrated the beer of Bavaria and of Corfu, in the Ionian islands of Greece.

    Corfu Beer Festival

    The First Corfu Beer Festival took place in Arillas in North West Corfu and celebrated the beer of Bavaria and of Corfu, in the Ionian islands of Greece.

  • The Greece Travel Secrets guide to Greek grape varieties to help you know which wines to choose when dining in restaurants or buying wine in Greece.

    Greek Grape Varieties

    The Greece Travel Secrets guide to Greek grape varieties to help you know which wines to choose when dining in restaurants or buying wine in Greece.

  • Greece Travel Secrets visits the Zacharioudakis Winery near Ancient Gortina in southern Crete, and does a vineyard tour arranged by our guide from Go Crete.

    Zacharioudakis Winery

    Greece Travel Secrets visits the Zacharioudakis Winery near Ancient Gortina in southern Crete, and does a vineyard tour arranged by our guide from Go Crete.

  • How to make Petimezi, the sweet Cretan syrup made from wine must, is explained to Greece Travel Secrets.

    How to Make Petimezi

    How to make Petimezi, the sweet Cretan syrup made from wine must, is explained to Greece Travel Secrets.

Enjoy this page? Please pay it forward. Here's how...

Would you prefer to share this page with others by linking to it?

  1. Click on the HTML link code below.
  2. Copy and paste it, adding a note of your own, into your blog, a Web page, forums, a blog comment, your Facebook account, or anywhere that someone would find this page valuable.

Latest Posts

RSS

  1. 10 Historic Tavernas in Athens and Piraeus

    These places win us over with their authenticity, unpretentious atmosphere, and dishes that, though simple, are crafted with precision and care.

    Read More

  2. Next Stop: Ancient Thessaloniki

    The “open museums” unveiled by the operation of the metro – Guided tours begin in January.

    Read More

  3. Syros: A Culinary Tapestry

    The gastronomic identity of Syros is a blend of romance, nostalgia, and a hint of drama – a rich mosaic of international flavors imbued with urban sophistication.

    Read More

  4. Thessaloniki Metro: A New Era on Track

    Thirty years after the first plans were announced, a new subway system is changing not just how residents get around town but how they experience their city, too.

    Read More

  5. A Day Trip to Mount Parnassos

    Busy schedules don’t always allow for extended getaways, but Mount Parnassos and its enchanting landscapes are perfect for a refreshing day trip.

    Read More

  6. 3 Museums Showcasing Athens’ Industrial Heritage

    Step beyond the well-trodden paths of Athens’ iconic landmarks and explore a different side of the Greek capital by visiting three lesser-known industrial museums.

    Read More

  7. Greece’s November 20 Strike to Disrupt Ferry Services and Public Transport

    A 24-hour nationwide strike is set to disrupt transportation in Athens and travel across Greece on Wednesday, November 20, as public transport and ferry employees join a general strike organized by Gr…

    Read More

  8. Museum of Modern Greek Culture

    A New Cultural Jewel in Plaka

    Read More

  9. Zakynthos: Greek Draft Law Plans Ticket Requirement for Navagio Beach

    Visitors to Navagio Beach (Shipwreck Beach) on the island of Zakynthos will be required to purchase tickets for entrance once it reopens to the public, according to a new draft law proposed by the Gre…

    Read More

  10. Musicians Ex Machina Breathe New Life into Greece’s Mountain Villages

    A band of motorcycle-riding musicians is sending a powerful, melodic message from Greece's remote mountain villages that are at risk of being left deserted.

    Read More