This homemade garlic yogurt sauce is creamy, tangy, and SO easy to make! Stir it together in minutes to jazz up wraps, roasted vegetables, and more.
This garlic yogurt sauce is the simplest sauce you’ll ever make. In fact, it’s so simple that I wondered if I should even share it. Does a 5-ingredient, 5-minute recipe really deserve its own blog post?
But here’s the thing: I’ve been making this garlic yogurt sauce for years. It’s the perfect “emergency sauce.” When you’re putting together a meal—tacos, wraps, quinoa bowls—and you realize you need something creamy and tangy to drizzle on top, this garlic yogurt sauce is there for you. You always have the ingredients in your pantry. You can make it in minutes (no food processor or blender required!).
So I hope you enjoy this recipe—a creamy sauce that you can stir together in a snap. It’s super simple, and that’s a good thing.
Garlic Yogurt Sauce Recipe Ingredients
You need 5 ingredients to make this recipe:
- Plain Greek yogurt – Full-fat yogurt gives this recipe the best creamy texture and richest flavor. I recommend using it, but feel free to sub nonfat or low-fat Greek plain yogurt if you prefer!
- Extra-virgin olive oil – It thins the yogurt and adds fruity depth of flavor.
- Fresh lemon juice – It makes the sauce bright and tangy.
- Garlic – It adds savory bite.
- And sea salt – To make all the flavors pop!
Add these ingredients to a medium bowl, and stir to combine. I generally add 1 tablespoon water to thin the sauce slightly, but you may need to add more (or none at all) depending on the consistency of your yogurt. Season to taste, and enjoy!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
VARIATIONS
- Add fresh herbs.Stir 2 tablespoons of chopped leafy herbs into this sauce for a refreshing kick. Fresh dill, cilantro, parsley, basil, and mint would all be lovely here.
- Use roasted garlic.For a mellower garlic flavor, swap out the fresh garlic for mashed roasted garlic. Start with 1 clove and add more to taste!
- Give it a stronger garlic flavor by adding 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder.
- Switch the citrus.Use lime juice instead of lemon for a different flavor profile. I love this variation on tacos. If you like, add a little lime zest for a stronger lime flavor.
How to Use Garlic Yogurt Sauce
This garlic yogurt sauce goes well on almost any dish! It pairs especially nicely with Middle Eastern-inspired fare like this falafel or these chickpea shawarma wraps, as it’s reminiscent of many of the yogurt sauces in that cuisine.
Here are a few other ways to use it:
- Drizzle it over a rice bowl or quinoa bowl.
- Use it to dress up grilled vegetable kebabs.
- Serve it as a dipping sauce with air fryer French fries or air fryer cauliflower.
- Dollop it into a baked potato or baked sweet potato.
- Spoon it over roasted veggies like roasted broccoli, roasted cauliflower, or roasted butternut squash. A sprinkle of za’atar or dukkah will take this combo over the top!
Store leftover sauce in an airtight container in the fridge. It keeps well for up to 5 days. I like to make it on the weekend so that I have it on hand to jazz up meals all week!
More Favorite Sauce Recipes
If you love this yogurt garlic sauce, try one of these easy sauce recipes next:
- Tzatziki Sauce
- Homemade Caesar Dressing
- Vegan Ranch Dressing
- Greek Salad Dressing
- Creamy Dill Sauce
- Tartar Sauce
- Tahini Sauce
- Green Goddess Dressing
Garlic Yogurt Sauce
Prep Time: 5 minutes mins
Total Time: 5 minutes mins
Serves 4
This garlic yogurt sauce is creamy, tangy, and so easy to make! We love to drizzle it over roasted vegetables, add it to chickpea shawarma wraps, or use it as a dipping sauce. Find more serving suggestions in the blog post above.
Instructions
In a medium bowl, stir together the yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and salt.
Stir in the water. If the sauce is too thick, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to thin it to your desired consistency. Season to taste.
Store the sauce for up to 5 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
Notes
Yield: about 1¼ cups
FAQs
Preparation. Whisk together the lemon juice, garlic puree, mustard, oregano, salt and pepper in a large bowl until thoroughly combined. Slowly drizzle in the oil, whisking until thoroughly incorporated. Store, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
What is Greek garlic sauce made of? ›
It is a thick sauce/dip that is made by mixing garlic paste with olive oil and a starchy base either potato or bread resulting in a puree that can be grainy or smooth depending on the method of making it.
What is a sauce made from yogurt garlic cucumber and mint or dill called? ›
Tzatziki is a creamy cucumber yogurt dip (or sauce) made from simple ingredients including strained yogurt (or Greek yogurt), cucumbers, garlic, and sometimes fresh herbs such as dill or mint.
What is a substitute for tzatziki sauce? ›
No Cucumber: Although I feel cucumber makes a traditional tzatziki sauce, you can omit it. A great alternative would be this Greek Yogurt Salad Dressing. You can also try to up the flavor profile by making a Yogurt Tahini Sauce or Yogurt Dill Sauce to enhance those Mediterranean flavors.
What happens when you mix lemon and garlic? ›
Multiple useful cardiovascular effects have been discovered including enhancement of fibrinolytic activity, lowering of blood pressure, reduction in cholesterol, and triglyceride. [14] The results showed that combination of garlic and lemon juice significantly reduced serum TC, LDL-C, and blood pressure.
What happens when you add lemon juice to garlic? ›
When you mix lemon juice with crushed garlic, the acidity in the lemon juice helps to express the pungent and flavorful compounds in the garlic. This makes a wonderful addition to many dishes and can be used as a marinade or dressing.
What is garlic tzatziki made of? ›
Tzatziki is a sauce made primarily of salted and strained yogurt, cucumber, garlic, lemon juice, and herbs with origins in southeastern Europe and the Middle East. In Turkey, the same sauce is called Cacik; it's called Tarator in Bulgaria, and similar etymology variations exist in surrounding areas.
What is the most popular sauce in Greece? ›
Tzatziki. Tzatziki is mainly used as a dip, but it's also a famous dipping sauce that accompanies meat dishes, crackers, pita, and other meze dishes. It is also most famously known for its place in gyros. In Greece, restaurants often bring homemade tzatziki to your table with bread as an appetizer.
What does garlic sauce contain? ›
A very simple garlic sauce can be made by adding crushed or minced garlic to strained yogurt, mayonnaise or sour cream. Lemon juice, salt, pepper and herbs such as dill can be used to impart additional flavour.
What's the difference between raita and tzatziki? ›
Raita is made on the base of regular yogurt while tzatziki is made using Greek yogurt. Raita is thinner in consistency, while tzatziki has a dip-like thick texture. A raita will never have olive oil, while tzatziki is flavored with olive oil in certain recipes.
For the uninitiated, tzatziki is a yogurt-based dip that is laced with cucumber, garlic, lemon, and mint (dried or fresh, depending on who's making it). It's cooling and punchy and addictive. You'll most likely find it in a gyro or kebab of some sort, or as part of a meze.
Is tzatziki sauce better than ranch? ›
Tzatziki is a much healthier choice than ranch dressing. It's lower in calories and fats but still offers key nutrients and vitamins.
What is a gyro sauce that isn't tzatziki? ›
* Tahini sauce: This nutty and flavorful sauce is made from tahini (ground sesame seeds), lemon juice, garlic, and olive oil. It complements the savory flavors of gyro meat perfectly. * Cilantro lime sauce: If you love a vibrant and zesty kick, this sauce is perfect.
Is hummus or tzatziki better for you? ›
Health-wise, tzatziki contains only 54 calories per a 45 gram serving; it also comes with only 8 grams of carbohydrates and a negligible amount of sodium. Which to Pick? If you make your determination based on health concerns, then hummus is clearly the less healthy dip, with high sodium being a particular concern.
Is tzatziki healthier than sour cream? ›
Yes, tzatziki is considered a healthier dip than hummus and sour cream. It contains several vitamins, a good amount of protein, and fewer carbohydrates and calories. The fat content of tzatziki is low too, which is not the case with other dips. Thus, you can opt for tzatziki dips over other dips.
What is lemon garlic aioli made of? ›
Garlic aioli is made with just a few pantry-friendly ingredients that create an intensely savory swirl of flavor. Lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper mix with mayonnaise for a pleasantly sharp taste that you're sure to love. What Is Aioli?
What is Chinese lemon sauce made of? ›
To make Lemon Sauce:
In a medium pot, add lemon juice, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and red chili flakes. Heat for 3 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk 1 Tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 Tablespoons of water to form a paste. Add to lemon sauce and whisk together.
What is garlic sauce in Chinese food made of? ›
The sauce is comprised of soy sauce, vinegar, mirin, sugar, sesame oil, garlic, chili, black bean sauce, and vegetable stock. I have this Chinese restaurant right next to work.
What is lemon cream sauce made of? ›
Make lemon-cream sauce:
Add cream and lemon zest. Bring to a boil and cook until slightly thickened, 8 minutes. Add lemon juice and season to taste with salt and pepper.
