When I think of Greek cuisine, the first thing that comes to mind is tzatziki. Ever since reading a pop singer’s cookbook that featured the recipe, I just couldn’t get enough of this dip. While classic tzatziki always has a place in my heart (and stomach), it doesn’t always have to be traditional. What if you could just make tzatziki out of zucchini? And thus came my zucchini tzatziki recipe!
Fresh & Delicious: Zucchini Tzatziki
Too much zucchini in the garden? That’s how it is for some in the summer, if you’re lucky. I, too, recently received a batch from a friend’s garden as she had too much zucchini to know what to do with! But then of course, came my question: What do I do with it? Okay, stuffed zucchini are safe, and a zucchini pan with rice and feta is a must-have at least once during the season. And the rest? I decided to combing my love for tzatziki and summer squash. After all, what works with cucumbers must also work with summer squash. Both vegetables are closely related, and such a dip is the perfect treat for the picnics, light lunches, and BBQs alike.
The basic recipe for zucchini tzatziki is similar to that of classic tzatziki, except that you grate zucchini in lieu of cucumber. But, let’s start from the beginning. Begin by making sure you have all the necessary ingredients on hand: Greek yogurt, a clove of garlic, olive oil, an organic lemon, salt, black pepper, and a zucchini, of course.
Grate the zucchini, sprinkle some salt over it, and let it drain in a colander for 15 minutes. In the meantime, mix the yogurt with a pressed garlic clove and the lemon zest. Once enough time has passed, squeeze the juice out of the grated zucchini and stir it into the yogurt with olive oil and black pepper. Season the dip once more to taste and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving.
What you serve your zucchini tzatziki with is up to you. I like to eat it with grilled chicked, baked potatoes, or plain old flatbread. But that, of course, is all a matter of taste!
While you’re at it, add even more variety with our dips. Try our ricotta dip with roasted strawberries, red lentil dip, and/or lib el kousa (zucchini and garlic dip) for your dining pleasure. Enjoy!
Zucchini-Tzatziki
Ingredients
- 1 medium zucchini about 9 oz
- 1 cup Greek yogurt 10% fat
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 organic lemon zest
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Wash the zucchini, trim the ends. Grate it into fine shreds, and sprinkle with some salt.
- Let the zucchini shreds drain in a colander for 15 minutes. Then, using your hands, thoroughly squeeze out any excessive water.
- Place the yogurt in a bowl. Finely grate the zest of the lemon and add it to the yogurt.
- Peel the garlic clove and press it directly into the yogurt.
- Stir the squeezed zucchini, olive oil, and some freshly ground pepper into the yogurt mixture.
- Season the zucchini tzatziki to taste with lemon zest, salt, and lemon juice.
- Chill the dip for at least 30 minutes before serving.