Cacık – Tzatziki – Refreshing Cucumber & Yogurt Dip

I’d take a venture to guess most Americans know this dish by it’s Greek name, tzatziki; however, it’s also eaten quite often in Turkey where it is called cacık.

There are many different iterations of this dish that vary from house-to-house, but this is a super simple version that will take 5 minutes to prepare!

You can scoop this up with bread, drizzle it on meat or a gyro (Greek) aka döner (Turkish) wrap. We also eat it by the spoonful as a side with a variety of dishes. I particularly enjoy cacık with dishes that are acidic and spicy, like kuru fasulye (white beans stewed with tomatoes, onion and pepper).

You can use store-bought yogurt or homemade (see here to learn how to make your own yogurt).

Here’s all you need:

• 1 small cucumber 
• 2 cups plain yogurt
• 2 cloves of garlic
• ~ 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill (you can also use mint, or use both!)
• ~ 1 tbsp olive oil

Add your yogurt into a medium bowl. Finely chop the garlic. Finely chop your herbs. Peel your cucumber and grate it. 

Next add all of the ingredients into the bowl with yogurt and mix. Before serving, drizzle your olive oil on top. Serve right away and enjoy! 

Print Recipe

Cacık - Tzatziki - Refreshing Cucumber & Yogurt Dip

Side Dish, Small Bites – Turkish, Mediterranean

By Janice Yucel – Serves: 4

Prep Time: 5 Minutes – Cooking Time: 0 Minutes – Total Time: 5 Minutes

Ingredients

• 1 small cucumber 
• 2 cups plain yogurt
• 2 cloves of garlic
• ~ 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill (you can also use mint, or use both!)
• ~ 1 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

1

Add your yogurt into a medium bowl.

2

Finely chop the garlic.

3

Finely chop your herbs.

4

Peel your cucumber and grate it. 

5

Next add all of the ingredients into the bowl with yogurt and mix.

6

Before serving, drizzle your olive oil on top.

7

Serve right away and enjoy!