Yogurt Dip

Three ingredients. Ten minutes. Cool, tangy, and built for the vegetable platter that always shows up underwhelmed at parties. This Yogurt Dip is the closest a home cook gets to homemade tzatziki without buying garlic, and the simplicity is the whole appeal.

Squeeze the shredded cucumber hard before mixing. This is the one step people skip, and it is the difference between a thick, scoopable dip and a watery puddle. Wrap the shreds in cheesecloth or a clean dish towel and twist until liquid stops dripping. You should see roughly a tablespoon of water come out per half-cup of cucumber.

Use full-fat plain yogurt for body. Greek yogurt makes a thicker, more spoon-worthy version; regular yogurt makes a more flowing dip that suits warm pita.

Dried dill weed works fine, but fresh dill (a tablespoon, finely chopped) pushes the flavor in a brighter direction worth the small effort.

Make it an hour ahead. The flavors marry as the dip rests, and the dill bloom carries through the yogurt better than at the moment of mixing.

Pro Tips

• English cucumber gives the cleanest result. Standard cucumbers have more seeds and produce a wetter shred, even after squeezing.
• Salt the shredded cucumber lightly and let it drain in a sieve for ten minutes before squeezing. The salt pulls more water out faster.
• Stir in one small grated garlic clove if you want a true tzatziki feel.
• Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving for the cleanest flavor.

Variations

• Add a tablespoon of fresh chopped mint alongside the dill for a Greek-island lean.
• Stir in a tablespoon of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon for a richer, drizzleable version.
• Swap dill for chopped chives and serve as a chip dip alongside potato chips.