Courgette Tzatziki
This courgette tzatziki is a twist on the classic Greek dip! Rich and creamy, this works fantastically with grilled meat, salads & pittas.
This courgette tzatziki is a twist on the classic Greek dip!
Here, we’re swapping out the cucumbers that you’d normally find in tzatziki with some seasonal courgettes. The sweet yet slightly bitter flavour of courgettes lends itself nicely to this creamy yoghurt sauce which we’re also going to be flavouring with garlic, lemon, mint & oregano.
The key here is to salt the grated courgettes first which draws out the moisture from the veg, enhancing the flavour of the tzatziki & keeping it rich & creamy. Other than that, this tzatziki couldn’t be easier to make! Simply add all the ingredients into a bowl, season with salt & pepper then mix to combine.
If you’re looking for more side dishes & sauces, check out our ever growing collection of sides! There’s a wide range of recipes here, from tahini garlic sauce & pickled red cabbage, to mozzarella dippers & pizza oven garlic bread…
What Is Tzatziki?
Classic tzatziki is a Greek dip, made with yoghurt & cucumber. Tzatziki is commonly flavoured with fresh mint, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil & sometimes oregano (or dill). This stuff’s great with grilled meat, fresh veg & pittas.
How To Make Courgette Tzatziki
The full, printable recipe card for this tzatziki can be found at the bottom of this post! Here’s a quick rundown of the recipe…
Grating & Salting The Courgettes
The first step is to grate the courgettes with a box grater, salt them with table salt then leave them to drain (in a sieve set over a bowl) for at least 30 minutes. This step is super important when making tzatziki so don’t be tempted to skip it!
Once the courgettes have been salted, the liquid that has been released can be thrown away!
Adding Yoghurt & Herbs
Next, we mix the salted courgette with Greek yoghurt, finely chopped mint, grated garlic, olive oil, lemon juice & a small amount of dried mint. Once you’ve mixed these together, give the tzatziki a taste then season with salt & pepper as needed.
To Serve
To serve the tzatziki, I like to spoon it into a bowl then top with a generous drizzle of olive oil.
What To Serve Courgette Tzatziki With
Courgette tzatziki can be served exactly the same way as regular cucumber tzatziki. This creamy yoghurt sauce goes great with grilled meats, homemade pittas, fresh veggies or with salads. I served my courgette tzatziki with my bbq lamb kofta meatballs, pizza oven pittas & courgette couscous salad!
Frequently Asked Questions
Kept in the fridge, courgette tzatziki will keep for up to 3 days.
Greek yoghurt makes the best tzatziki as it has the creamiest flavour & texture.
Salting the grated courgettes first, releases their liquid which keeps our tzatziki thick & creamy. If you don’t salt the courgettes, they can make the tzatziki too thin & the flavour can be diluted as well. The salting step only takes half an hour & I wouldn’t recommend skipping it!
Absolutely! In fact traditional tzatziki is made with cucumber. Simply use a whole (large) cucumber instead of 2 courgettes.
More Side Dishes & Sauces To Try!
- Tahini Garlic Sauce (Kebab Shop Style)
- Sweet Pickled Red Cabbage
- Tangy Apple Slaw
- Asian Slaw With Sesame & Lime Dressing
- Duck Fat Oven Chips
- Triple Cooked Chips
- Cherry Cola Whiskey BBQ Sauce
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Courgette Tzatziki
Equipment
- Box Grater
- Sieve
- Mixing Bowl
- Microplane
- Juicer
Ingredients
- 2 Courgettes
- ½ tsp Table Salt
- 175 g Greek Yoghurt
- 1 tbsp Fresh Mint (Finely Chopped)
- 1 Garlic Clove (Grated)
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- ½ tbsp Lemon Juice
- ¼ tsp Dried Mint
Instructions
- Grate the courgettes using a box grater then transfer into a mixing bowl. Sprinkle over the table salt then mix well, to combine.
- Transfer the salted courgettes into a sieve that's set over a bowl then leave to drain for 30 minutes. Give the courgettes a gentle squeeze after 30 minutes, to release as much liquid as possible.The liquid that comes out of the courgettes can be thrown away!
- Next, tip the courgettes into a mixing bowl & add in the Greek yoghurt, chopped mint, grated garlic, olive oil, lemon juice & dried mint. Stir to combine then season with salt & pepper, to taste.
- To serve, spoon the tzatziki into a bowl & top with a drizzle of olive oil.
