We had ordered gyros from a stand in the “plaka" of Athens, an area that lies just beneath the Parthenon. I took my first bite of this warm, soft pita topped with chicken, fresh tomatoes, french fries (who knew?) and of course tzatziki. The flavors were unbelievable— tangy, salty and rich but not overwhelmingly so. From then on, everywhere we went I topped anything I could with this delicious tzatziki. Back then I was popping about 20 Lactaid pills a meal so I could consume my precious dairy products. Little did I know your body could become intolerant to them! It’s safe to say I overdid it on the dairy and was sadly never able to use those Lactaid pills again. Once I returned, I thought I had to leave my great love for tzatziki behind. Thankfully after spending many years thinking back longingly to my delicious Greek discovery, I have created a lactose-free tzatziki recipe that tastes just as rich and fresh as it did in Greece.
Transfer the cucumbers into a strainer and place the bowl on top of the cucumbers to weigh them down. Allow to sit and drain for 30 minutes. Once complete, wring any excess water out of the cucumbers with either a clean kitchen town or paper towel.
Next, put the cucumbers into a food processor with one clove of minced garlic. Pulse gently until the cucumbers are evenly shredded into little pieces. Be careful not to create a paste with the cucumbers, just pulse until they are finely diced. The cucumbers should look as if they were grated with a cheese grater.
My favorite lactose-free yogurt brand is Green Valley Organics, and I never have a problem finding it at Whole Foods. Traditionally Greek yogurt is the base for tzatziki however this yogurt is very thick and tangy, making it the perfect substitute. This is just a suggestion, feel free to use your own favorite brand of plain lactose-free yogurt! If you find that extra tang or texture is needed, you can add a tablespoon of lactose free sour cream to your mixture.
In a medium sized bowl, add two cups of plain lactose-free yogurt. Transfer the cucumber and garlic mix into the bowl along with the dill and lemon juice. I use dry dill because I always have it in my pantry, but fresh dill would be great too! Mix together until all of the ingredients are incorporated evenly.
To finish the tzatziki, drizzle one teaspoon of good olive oil over the top for some added Mediterranean flavor! Salt and pepper to taste and transfer into a container for storing.
Tzatziki can be enjoyed in so many ways! Over the week I made shrimp with couscous and spinach topped with tzatziki, chicken gyros, and I even used it as a dipping sauce for fresh pita and grape tomatoes. It truly is delicious on everything! It’s fresh and rich flavors make it the perfect condiment for summer. Enjoy!
1 whole cucumber (seeded)
1 tsp salt for dehydrating cucumber
1 tsp olive oil
1 clove minced garlic
1/2-1 tsp dill
1/2 lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
Start by peeling and seeding one cucumber. Cut into even cubes or stripes and place into a bowl. Add one teaspoon of salt to the cucumbers to aid in removing some of the excess water. Place the cucumbers into a strainer with a bowl on top for added weight, allow the cucumbers to drain for 30 minutes. Squeeze out any remaining water with a clean kitchen cloth or paper towel. In a medium sized bowl, put two cups of plain lactose-free yogurt in. Transfer cucumber and garlic into the bowl along with the dill and lemon juice. Mix together until all ingredients are incorporated evenly. To finish the tzatziki, drizzle one teaspoon of good olive oil over the top and combine. Add salt and pepper to taste and transfer into a container for storing.
