Cool, creamy tzatziki sauce is a delicious sauce made with yogurt, cucumbers and dill that is perfect for introducing little ones to big flavors! Pair it with Mediterranean dishes for a family dinner that baby can enjoy, too.
This post has been written and medically reviewed by Kaleigh McMordie, MCN, RDN (Registered Dietitian Nutritionist).
Baby Friendly Tzatziki Sauce
If you've never had tzatziki sauce, you're in for a treat! The traditionally Greek sauce, (pronounced zzah-zzee-kee, where the -zz is like that in 'pizza'), is made from thick, Greek style plain yogurt, cucumbers, lemon juice, garlic and fresh dill. It's usually served as a condiment on foods such as a gyro or souvlaki, but can also be used as a dip for warm pita bread and veggies - yum!
One of the things I love about tzatziki is that it doesn't need any modifications for be baby friendly! All of the ingredients are appropriate for baby led weaning or babies in the chunky puree stage. It's one more component of a family dinner that you know is safe for baby without having to think about it! In fact, my Mediterranean beef Kofta + tzatziki sauce has been a family friendly go-to dinner for years.
But you can totally use leftover tzatziki as a nutritious, flavorful spread to top toast fingers or plain pancakes for baby led weaning, too. Getting baby used to interesting, bold flavors from an early age is ideal and exciting for baby!
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Ingredients
- Plain Greek yogurt - You want a super thick, plain yogurt. I like whole milk Greek yogurt, but any thick strained yogurt, such as skyr or labneh will work too.
- Cucumber - Grated fresh cucumber gives tzatziki it's signature 'coolness'. Squeezing out the excess liquid is key for avoiding a runny sauce.
- Fresh dill - Using fresh is a must! Dried dill just doesn't give the sauce the same pop of flavor.
- Garlic - Finely minced fresh garlic gives the sauce another layer of flavor. If you don't have fresh garlic, you can use the tiniest pinch of garlic powder, or just leave it out.
- Lemon juice - Freshly squeezed lemon juice adds brightness that ties it all together.
Helpful Equipment
- Coarse grater (I love the Microplane brand!)
- Paper towels or a clean dish towel
- Sharp knife
Step By Step Instructions
For the full printable recipe, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Grate the cucumber onto a clean dish towel or paper towel. Squeeze out as much liquid as you can.
- Add the grated cucumber to a bowl with the yogurt, dill, garlic and lemon juice. Stir to combine. Refrigerate, covered, until you're ready to serve.
Top Tzatziki Tips
- I like to make tzatziki sauce a few hours ahead of time to give the flavors time to meld. It can be made up to a day in advance and stored covered in the refrigerator. Just stir again before serving.
- For sauce that's thick and creamy - not watery - use a super thick strained yogurt, such as Greek yogurt or skyr (I like whole milk yogurt best) and make sure to squeeze out as much water from the grated cucumber as possible.
Make It Allergy Friendly!
Tzatziki sauce is mostly allergy friendly except for the yogurt. To make it dairy-free, swap in your favorite non-dairy yogurt. I like a thick, unflavored coconut yogurt, such as Cocojune (as long as you can tolerate coconut). Unfortunately, non-dairy yogurts are usually not very thick so your sauce will be a little thinner.
How To Serve Tzatziki To Babies 6 Months and Up
Tzatziki is a nutritious, multipurpose powerhouse for babies and toddlers! My favorite ways to offer it for little ones 6 months and up using a baby led weaning approach include:
- Stirred into a cooked soft grain, such as quinoa or brown rice, to make a scoopable mixture.
- Spread onto lightly toasted bread or pita 'fingers'.
- As a dip or spread for soft roasted veggies, meatballs, grilled chicken, or fish.
Try tzatziki sauce with these baby-friendly Mediterranean recipes!
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Baby Friendly Tzatziki Sauce
Cool, creamy tzatziki sauce is a delicious sauce made with yogurt, cucumbers and dill that is perfect for introducing little ones to big flavors! Pair it with Mediterranean dishes for a family dinner that baby can enjoy, too.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: about 1 ¼ cups 1x
- Category: sauce
- Method: no cook
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Gluten-Free, Tree Nut-Free, Vegetarian
Ingredients
- ¼ medium cucumber
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced or grated
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
- Juice from ½ lemon
Instructions
- Using a coarse grater, grate the cucumber onto a layer of paper towels or a clean dish towel. Squeeze out as much of the liquid as you can.
- Add the cucumber to a bowl with the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
- Refrigerate tzatziki sauce, covered, until ready to serve.
Notes
- I like to make tzatziki sauce a few hours ahead of time to give the flavors time to meld. It can be made up to a day in advance and stored covered in the refrigerator. Just stir again before serving.
- For sauce that's thick and creamy - not watery - use a super thick strained yogurt, such as Greek yogurt or skyr (I like whole milk yogurt best) and make sure to squeeze out as much water from the grated cucumber as possible.
- To make it dairy-free, swap in your favorite non-dairy yogurt. I like a thick, unflavored coconut yogurt, such as Cocojune (as long as you can tolerate coconut). Unfortunately, non-dairy yogurts are usually not very thick so your sauce will be a little thinner.
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