Tzatziki

Allergens at a glance

• UsuallyMilkStrained yoghurt (cow's, sheep's or goat's) is the base.
• OftenGlutenServed with bread or pita; the dip itself is wheat-free.
• SometimesSulphitesWine vinegar in many recipes can contain sulphites.

Usually in the standard recipe. Often in many versions. Sometimes in some kitchens, or a cross-contact risk.

Diets

• Vegetarian, not vegan: yoghurt is the main ingredient. Some places now offer plant-based versions.
• Usually wheat-free in itself; ask for vegetables instead of bread if you're coeliac (celiac).
• Raw garlic is strong and plentiful, worth knowing if garlic disagrees with you.

Recipes change from kitchen to kitchen. If you have an allergy, confirm every ingredient with the restaurant before you order.

What is tzatziki?

Tzatziki is a cool, garlicky dip of thick strained yoghurt and grated cucumber, loosened with olive oil and sharpened with vinegar or lemon. It's on almost every Greek table: as a starter with bread, inside a souvlaki or gyros pita, and next to grilled meat, fried courgette or fish. Thick and spoonable is the Greek ideal, not runny.

What's in it

The base is strained yoghurt, traditionally full-fat and often sheep's or a cow and sheep mix. Cucumber is grated, salted and squeezed dry so it doesn't water the dip down. Then come garlic (a lot of it), olive oil, salt and a little red or white wine vinegar or lemon juice. Dill is common, mint less so.

Nearby versions:

• Cacık (Turkey): thinner, sometimes served almost like a cold soup, with dried mint and often water.
• Tarator (Bulgaria): a cold yoghurt and cucumber soup, sometimes with walnuts.
• Raita (India): a different yoghurt side with its own spices.

Allergens and diets

Milk is the one fixed allergen. Sheep's and goat's yoghurt are still milk, and most people with a cow's milk allergy react to them too, so treat any tzatziki as dairy. A few restaurants now make a plant-based version, but it's uncommon and you should ask what it's made from.

Gluten only arrives with the bread, so a plate of vegetables or grilled meat solves that. Sulphites can come from wine vinegar; if you're sensitive, ask whether the kitchen used vinegar or lemon.

Nuts aren't part of Greek tzatziki. They do turn up in some Balkan cousins like tarator, so if you're travelling beyond Greece, ask again.

On the menu

Look for τζατζίκι (tzatzíki) under ορεκτικά (orektiká) or αλοιφές (aloifés, spreads) on taverna menus. It's ordered as a shared starter and is cheap. It also appears automatically in pitas: if you don't want it, say χωρίς τζατζίκι (chorís tzatzíki, without tzatziki).

Last checked 1 November 2026. Spotted something wrong? Email support@inventum.com.au.