{ "id": 28865, "date": "2026-11-02T15:33:10", "date_gmt": "2026-11-02T07:33:10", "guid": { "rendered": "https:\/\/kefir.link\/zh-tw\/strained-kefir-tzatziki\/" }, "modified": "2026-11-02T15:33:10", "modified_gmt": "2026-11-02T07:33:10", "slug": "strained-kefir-tzatziki", "status": "publish", "type": "post", "link": "https:\/\/kefir.link\/en\/strained-kefir-tzatziki\/", "title": { "rendered": "Strained kefir tzatziki" }, "content": { "rendered": "
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\"\"By Nik<\/strong><\/a>, founder of \u6771\u6b50\u56b4\u9078\uff5ckefir.link and former chef \u00b7 Updated 2 November 2026<\/p>\n

Tzatziki is the cool Greek sauce of yogurt, grated cucumber and garlic that comes to the table with grilled skewers and warm pita. Here milk kefir, strained until it is as thick as Greek yogurt, takes the place of the yogurt and gives the dip a creamy body and a bright, clean tang.<\/p>\n

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Prep time<\/span>10 min<\/strong><\/div>\n
Total time<\/span>1 h 20 min<\/strong><\/div>\n
Makes<\/span>4 servings<\/strong><\/div>\nJump to the recipe \u2193<\/a>\n<\/div>\n
\"Strained<\/figure>\n

A cucumber sauce with a thousand-year family tree<\/h2>\n

The Greek name came from the Turkish cac\u0131k, and an Ottoman cookbook from 1844 already describes cac\u0131k as yogurt with cucumber and garlic. The idea may go back even further, to a tenth-century Baghdad dish of salted yogurt with cucumber, garlic and herbs. In Greece today, a bowl of tzatziki sits among shared small plates with pita, olives and fried eggplant or zucchini, or goes into pita with sliced gyro meat. It is always eaten cold, which is why it is especially loved in summer.<\/p>\n

Thick kefir and dry cucumber keep the dip from weeping<\/h2>\n

Straining lets the whey run through the cloth while the creamy part stays behind. Stop when it looks like Greek yogurt, because a full night of draining turns it into a soft cheese closer to cream cheese. Kefir that has already separated into curds and whey drains faster, so the time ranges from a few hours to overnight.<\/p>\n

The cucumber's water is what usually turns tzatziki thin. Salting the shreds draws it out, and a hard squeeze concentrates the cucumber flavour and leaves the pieces crisper. Grate the garlic to a paste too, because even finely chopped garlic leaves sharp little lumps.<\/p>\n

Dill, mint or oregano at the table<\/h2>\n

Greek cooks do not agree on herbs: some treat dill as optional, some use oregano, and the Cypriot version leans on mint and lemon. In Taiwan, fresh dill is mostly available from autumn to spring. Dried dill works if you use less, about 1\u00bd teaspoons in place of the 1\u00bd tablespoons of fresh dill, and a rest in the fridge softens its stronger aroma. Serve the dip with bread, in sandwiches or beside grilled meat, or fold in grated carrot with hot pepper, or raw beetroot with walnuts.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/trp-tag><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Strained kefir tzatziki<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
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Prep Time <\/span>10 minutes<\/span><\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span><\/div>
Cucumber draining and chilling <\/span>1 hour<\/span><\/span> hour<\/span> 10 minutes<\/span><\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span><\/div>
Total Time <\/span>1 hour<\/span><\/span> hour<\/span> 20 minutes<\/span><\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\t
Servings <\/span>4<\/span> servings<\/span><\/span><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n\t<\/path><\/g><\/g><\/g><\/svg><\/span> Print the recipe<\/a>\n<\/div>\n
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Ingredients<\/h3>