Greek · Authentic-ish Greek
Tzatziki
76 kcal a serving, against 166 for the traditional version. That is 90 kcal off, or 54%, with 9g of protein. Serves 6. 25 minutes.
What the traditional version is
A thick, luxurious dip made from full-fat Greek yoghurt, grated cucumber, raw garlic and fresh dill. The cucumber is salted and squeezed dry so it doesn't water down the mix. A heavy pour of olive oil is folded through the yoghurt, and even more is pooled on top before serving.
What changed, and what each change costs
500g of full-fat Greek yoghurt for 0% fat Greek yoghurt
Full-fat yoghurt is thick, heavy and loaded with fat. Dropping down to a 0% version strips out almost all of that fat while keeping the total volume exactly the same. It leaves you with a massive bowl of dip built almost entirely out of protein.
What it costs you. You lose the luxurious, mouth-coating texture that makes proper tzatziki so good. Fat-free yoghurt can feel a bit chalky on the palate, and it carries the sharp tang of the garlic much more aggressively than the fatty version.
50g of olive oil down to 10g
A traditional taverna cook will fold a massive slug of olive oil right into the yoghurt and pour another puddle over the top. I drop the oil inside the dip entirely. You just save a tiny 10g drizzle for the very end.
What it costs you. Olive oil binds the harsh garlic and acidic lemon together into a rounded flavour. Without it, the dip eats much sharper. So: a very direct, punchy condiment. A rich sauce anymore was never on the table once the fat came out.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 166 | 76 |
| Protein | 8g | 9g |
| Fat | 12.6g | 2.1g |
| Saturated fat | 3.2g | 0.4g |
| Carbohydrate | 6g | 5.7g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 4.8g | 11.9g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Greek prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. milk.
The method is in the book
This trades the rich, oily luxury of a holiday taverna dip for a sharp, protein-heavy bowl you can eat by the spoonful. The 0% yoghurt and raw garlic mean it bites back harder than the original. But if you serve it alongside grilled chicken or scooped up with toasted flatbread, you'll barely miss the missing fat. It does exactly the job you want it to do.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Greek, along with 56 more. Buy the paperback