Zucchini Tzatziki

By Sheela Prakash

Updated July 22, 2026

  • Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Spencer Richards.
Media 1 of 1
Ready In
20 min
Rating
5(63)
Comments
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In this spin on cool and creamy Greek tzatziki sauce, zucchini takes the place of cucumbers to help make use of summer’s usual glut and lend mellow sweetness. Like cucumbers, zucchini contains a lot of water, so you’ll want to drain and squeeze it dry after grating it for the smoothest, thickest results. Basil lends extra seasonal flair, though more traditional dill or mint, or other fresh herbs like oregano, parsley, cilantro or even fennel fronds can be used instead or in combination. Serve it with grilled chicken or salmon, on burgers, or as a dip for pita chips or crudités.

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Ingredients

Yield:About 2 ½ cups

  • 1 medium zucchini (about 8 ounces)

  • Salt and black pepper

  • 2 cups plain whole-milk Greek yogurt

  • ¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves

  • 1 medium lemon, zested and juiced (about 1 tablespoon zest and 3 tablespoons juice) 

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

  • 1 garlic clove, grated or minced

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (2 servings)

9 grams carbs; 19 milligrams cholesterol; 204 calories; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 15 grams fat; 1 gram fiber; 538 milligrams sodium; 12 grams protein; 7 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Grate the zucchini on the large holes of a box grater. Place in a colander, sprinkle lightly with salt and toss with your hands; set colander in sink to drain for 10 minutes. Transfer the zucchini to a clean, cotton dish towel or cheesecloth and wrap tightly, then squeeze a few times over the sink to remove excess water.

  2. Step 2

    In a large bowl, combine the zucchini, yogurt, basil, lemon zest and juice, olive oil and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. The tzatziki can be made a few hours ahead and will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Drizzle with more olive oil before serving.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
63 user ratings
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Comments

ZT

After grating the zucchini, I leave it in the colander, and put it in the fridge. No need to squeeze as the fridge dries it out. Good for zucchini fritters and other recipes that call for grated zucchini.

Sigi R.

This is a great summer dish! I’d only ever had tzatziki with cucumber before, but the version with zucchini works surprisingly well. Since the Greek yogurt is already tart enough, half the amount of lemon juice listed is plenty. Otherwise, you’ll overpower the delicate flavor of the zucchini. In addition to the basil leaves, I added finely chopped mint leaves and dill.

A. Cook

Absolutely delicious. No notes. Make as written.

Susan from Luxembourg

This was wonderful. A great way to use up summer zucchini and a nice switch from traditional tzatziki. Two things. Do not underestimate the amount of liquid in zucchini. Also the mixture improves if it rests a bit before serving. I refrigerated for half an hour before serving and it was much tastier than when first made.

Steve

I made it for a Turkish friend. She said she and her mom were eating it with spoons. Thought the amount of lemon was just right. If the raw garlic taste is too much, you could cook it slowly in the olive oil. I think it would actually be better with more zucchini.

David Morris

It’s not tzatziki without cucumber. The unique flavor of fresh cukes is what makes tzatziki tzatziki. Use whatever you want, but it ain’t tzatziki.

M.P.Cohen,MD

@David Morris in his cookbook Zaytinya Jose Andres suggests subbing other vegetables for cucumbers in Tzatziki , such as asparagus or spring peas. It’s all yum!

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