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If there was a definitive ranking of the best condiments, there would be some definite shoo-ins for the top spots. Ketchup? Sure, it’s used as a catch-all for everything from burgers to eggs, but it’s not original, novel, or exciting in any way. Mayonnaise might also be up there, seeing as it appears atop sandwiches, in sauces, and more — though there are folks out there who vehemently hate the creamy condiment. May we propose an unlikely competitor worthy of the crown? Tzatziki.
Tzatziki moonlights as a dip, but there’s no reason why it shouldn’t be considered a condiment, too. Though its name sounds very similar to tahini, it’s nowhere near the same thing. Tzatziki is made with a Greek yogurt base and is seasoned with an array of add-ins, including garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, dill, and grated cucumber (tahini, for reference, is a sesame paste). Tzatziki has the perfect balance of fresh and indulgent, rich and restrained, making it a great topping for Mediterranean fare like gyros, falafel, and Greek-themed grain bowls. But that’s far from the only place where tzatziki can have an impact.
We compiled a comprehensive list of the ways that this condiment/dip can be used in unexpected ways to elevate dishes and ingredients. If there’s one thing for certain, it’s that this condiment has much more going for it than boring ol’ ketchup, and is more than worthy of a place in your cooking routine.
1. Make it into a Greek-inspired coleslaw
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Coleslaw is a notoriously divisive condiment. Not everyone likes the contrast of the crunchy cabbage, carrots, and other assorted veggies and the often-mayo-based dressing. However, so much of the finger-pointing is done at the cabbage, not the mayo. If you switch up the dressing and make a tzatziki-covered coleslaw instead of a mayo one, you may change your tune about this popular side dish.
Tzatziki has the same mouthfeel as mayo, but lacks the eggy aftertaste that turns many people off to the condiment. Its flavor is fresher and less oily, which will make for a delectably light bite. Tzatziki also offers a subtle herbal note from the dill, as well as a subtle crunch from the tiny pieces of cucumber inside it. It won’t distract too much from the textures of your coleslaw ingredients, and that unmistakable dilly flavor will help uplift the bite.
You can substitute the same amount of tzatziki for mayo in your creamy coleslaw recipe, or give it a Greek spin by channeling other Mediterranean flavors. For an extra salty flavor and soft bite, consider crumbling up a brick of feta into your coleslaw or adding a sprinkle of crunchy toasted sesame seeds on top. You could also up the ante on the herbs by adding in more chopped dill, or even a handful of mint or parsley. The Greek-inspired slaw is a great topping for pita wraps or gyros, or you can use it to top your lamb or chicken burger for the perfect crunchy contrast.
2. Swap it for mayo in your chicken salad
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Chicken salad is an extremely underappreciated deli salad. Not only can you make it with canned chicken or even leftover rotisserie chicken, but you can also add practically any ingredient to it and still have it taste great. Curry powder for a spicy twist? Excellent. Chopped grapes and pecans for crunch? The more the merrier. In that same vein, you can try adding tzatziki to your chicken salad to give it a Mediterranean-inspired twist.
The creamy Greek yogurt-based spread is a great substitute for mayonnaise, as it will add a rich decadence to your chicken salad and help bind it together without imparting an eggy flavor. The cucumbers in the spread will add a subtle crunch and complement common chicken salad additions like celery and apples, while the dill will help hide the tinny flavor of canned chicken or elevate the flavor of your salad altogether. Like the coleslaw, you can go all-out Mediterranean by adding a sprinkle of feta to your chicken salad, or opting for sun-dried tomatoes (for sweetness and umami) or sliced Kalamata olives for saltiness.
This hearty, tzatziki-infused salad would be a great food to take to a picnic and can be enjoyed over a bed of greens, on a bun, or in a wrap. It’s incredibly versatile and an easy way to take a classic deli salad recipe and transform it into something totally novel, yet still familiar.
3. Use it as a topping for your burgers
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There are few things we love more than a thick, juicy burger straight off the grill. Condiments, including ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise, are standard adornments for every type of burger, from classic beef to chicken, turkey, veggie, and bean-based patties. But no one ever said that you had to stick to these classic burger accoutrements. In fact, condiments and spreads from around the world, including tzatziki, can elevate your burger in ways you never thought possible.
Tzatziki’s cooling flavors and bright pop of acidity are the perfect contrast to a burger’s char. Besides the creamy base, the chunks of cucumber will also add a fresh element to your bite, which will draw attention to other crunchy toppings, like onions and lettuce. Its predominant flavor components are garlic and herbs (mostly dill), both of which go well with most types of burgers. If you’re looking to go with a Mediterranean flair, you may want to try pairing a lamb-based patty with a thick coating of tzatziki, feta crumbles, and pickled red onion. You can also create better synergy between the patty and the toppings by adding Italian herbs, like parsley and oregano, garlic (bonus points if it’s roasted), and small diced red onion pieces. The sandwich would be an excellent pairing for crispy seasoned Greek-style fries or a simple side salad.
4. Turn it into a creamy salad dressing
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Tzatziki has all the makings of a good salad dressing. It’s bright and acidic, thanks to ingredients like garlic and lemon juice, and it has enough of a creamy texture to coat every individual piece of lettuce or green well. While you may have to thin the spread out with a bit of oil and lemon juice, it still makes for an excellent topping for a variety of salads. We recommend giving it a taste before adding in extra liquid, as you don’t want to make it too acidic or too oily if you don’t have to.
One instance where we really like using it in particular is as a substitute for Caesar dressing. It has a similar degree of creaminess, and so long as you opt for a hard cheese made with vegetable-based rennet to sprinkle on it, this entire salad can be vegetarian and anchovy-free. Will it lack the same savory and umami flavor of anchovies? Of course, but it will still replace that creamy mouthfeel, while the cucumbers will work to add a subtle and complementary crunch to the salad. Tzatziki would also be a great pairing for grilled romaine, as the fresh flavor of the yogurt would mesh well with the charred bits on the salad. It would also add a creamy contrast to fresh juicy heirloom tomatoes, or Greek-forward elements like crumbled feta, Kalamata or black olives, and sun-dried tomatoes.
5. Dollop it into your mashed potatoes
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You may be familiar with the common additions to mashed potatoes: a pat of butter, roasted garlic, a sprinkle of chives, or maybe even some bacon. But, how about tzatziki?
Tzatziki is an excellent addition to mashed potatoes for two reasons. For one, the Greek yogurt base will amplify the creaminess of the bite in the same way that sour cream would. However, it’s not as heavy and overwhelmingly creamy as sour cream or crème fraîche. The herbal component is also worthy of note, seeing as mashed potatoes tend to taste very one-note — that single note being gluey, rich, dense, or some combination of the three. The dill flavor isn’t oppressive or overwhelming, though it is present enough to draw attention to the spuds and complement any dish that you serve them with. From grilled chicken to fancy, straight-out-of-the-steakhouse New York strip, there are endless ways to serve your tzatziki-infused mashed potatoes. It’s particularly tasty paired with any proteins in the Mediterranean domain, including grilled lamb chops, seasoned chicken, and falafel.
The key to adding tzatziki to your mashed potatoes is to add it after the potatoes are finished cooking. Since the base is made of yogurt, heating it up too much can cause it to split and can make its texture off-putting. Start small, taste, and add more as needed.
6. Use it as a marinade for meat
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When you think of “marinade,” your mind might go right to a store-bought sauce or, if your household is like ours, plain Italian dressing. While oil-based marinades do infuse proteins with flavor and, in some cases, can help tenderize them, they don’t hold a candle to a far better marinade option: tzatziki.
A tzatziki marinade may sound a little out of left field, but when you consider that yogurt is often used as a marinade for some meats (including some of the toughest cuts of steak), it might seem a little less odd. The acids in it help denature the proteins, helping to soften them. This allows the flavorful elements of the yogurt, like the lemon juice and the dill, to permeate the cut and infuse it with flavor. This simple marinade can be used for chicken, lamb kebabs, and more. You’ll just want to be very intentional about how long you leave the marinade on; if you’re using a more fragile protein, letting it sit in the acidic sauce for too long can cause it to turn mushy.
You don’t even have to use a tzatziki marinade just for Greek- or Mediterranean-adjacent dishes, either. For example, you can use it to marinate your cuts for chicken korma, which is already very aromatic, thanks to ingredients like garam masala, ginger, cumin, and garlic. The dill in the tzatziki will add the perfect amount of complementary herbal flavor, though it will not eclipse any of the warming spices in your marinade or sauce.
7. Drizzle some on a Greek-inspired pizza
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There are so many sauces worth adding to pizza that aren’t tomato-based. The next time you want to introduce novel flavors and textures to your pie, consider reaching for a container of tzatziki. Not only is this Greek yogurt sauce fresh — in a way that most sauces and pizza toppings are not — but the use of herbs like dill and aromatics like garlic can juxtapose your pizza toppings well and offer a novel bite.
Are we recommending that you cook the tzatziki directly on your pizza? No, not at all. Instead, you’ll want to dollop on the sauce after your pie has finished baking so you won’t have to worry about it separating in the oven. You could also serve the tzatziki as a side and dip your pizza into it. This would ensure you get a better balance of sauce and pizza in every bite.
Plain cheese pizza, which (as much as we hate to say it) doesn’t have a lot going on, could really benefit from some tzatziki, as the dill will cut through the fatty richness of the cheese. You could also — as you could probably expect — take a page from the Greek pizza playbook and use it as a topping for a lamb- or ground beef-topped pie. Veggie pizza lovers won’t have to miss out either; thinly-sliced red onions, spinach, feta, and olives all make great topping pairings for this one-of-a-kind sauce.
8. Top your bagels with it
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Don’t worry, we’re not trying to pry your beloved cream cheese out of your hands. Instead, we’re just posing a more flavorful alternative: tzatziki. While it’s not nearly as firm as cream cheese, tzatziki does boast a flavor that can work with an abundance of bagels, including plain, everything, sesame, and onion. It could also be an excellent saucy addition to an open-faced breakfast sandwich, especially one that’s topped with fresh lox, red onions, capers, and dill. The flavors will all work with the garlicky and herbal profile of the tzatziki, and its creaminess will act as the perfect foil to a crunchy, toasted bagel.
Another way to enjoy tzatziki and bagels together is to chop up your bagels into small pieces and bake them into croutons or bagel chips. They make a far more scoopable and tasty vehicle than pita chips or potato chips. Plus, you can add your favorite seasoning to the bagel chunks to put your own spin on things. A simple medley of garlic and onion powder, salt, and pepper would turn the leftover bagels into a versatile and tasty accompaniment to your cooling and refreshing tzatziki.
9. Serve it with fish
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When you see tzatziki appear with proteins, it often involves lamb, chicken, or possibly falafel. But, fish is a protein that’s just as worthy of pairing with tzatziki as any red meat or poultry. Tzatziki’s flavor is very refreshing, bright, and balancing, meaning it can cut through the briny and salty richness of the fish. Salmon, in particular, pairs very well with tzatziki, as it plays off the garlicky, dilly, and lemony flavors well. You can serve a scoop of the yogurt sauce with your grilled or baked salmon, or tuck it into a rice or grain bowl with the fish and some roasted veggies. Other types of fish in the salmonid family, like trout and whitefish, can also pair really well with tzatziki. Try serving up a slice of toast with canned smoked trout and a drizzle of tzatziki for a simple yet sophisticated breakfast.
Milder, flaky fish like tilapia, halibut, and haddock could also be excellent matches for this punchy condiment. Or, if you like to experiment with flavors, opt for a grilled mahi-mahi, swordfish, or tuna steaks paired with a side of tzatziki for dipping. The coolness of the spread contrasts well with the bold flavors of these ocean fish.
10. Use it as a dipping sauce for fried food
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Leave your ketchup at the door, because tzatziki is in the house! While it’s not as ubiquitous as ketchup — and is not nearly as popular — tzatziki is still a dipping sauce worth considering for all your fried favorites. It’s a great pairing for basic, starchy fries, which usually lack any sort of herbal or grounding element. The tzatziki will not only offer a cooling sensation and help diffuse some of that overwhelming saltiness, but it will also cut through the carbiness with ease. Not only can you pair it with basic fast food or homemade fries, but also with seasoned fry recipes.
French fries aren’t the only dippable item worth pairing with tzatziki. Onion rings, which have the perfect contrast of a sweet, slightly crunchy onion interior and crispy fried coating, are a great vehicle for this garlic-forward condiment. The cucumber in the tzatziki offers a compelling crunchiness and will uplift the bite in a unique way. You could also dip your mozzarella sticks into the sauce in lieu of classic marinara for a cooling contrast. If you’re making your own mozz sticks at home, try adding a sprinkle of dried parsley to the breading to highlight the herbiness of the tzatziki. Fried chicken? Fish sandwiches? Check and check – tzatziki also makes a great substitute for tartar sauce on any occasion where you don’t want to get overwhelmed by sinus-obliterating horseradish.