Garlic Yogurt Sauce

Craving more easy dips and sauces? Try my cottage cheese dip, sun dried tomato pesto, salmon dip, and eggplant dip next. Need a simple sauce recipe to instantly elevate protein, veggies, or tortilla chips? Look no further! My yogurt garlic sauce uses a handful of simple ingredients and takes seconds to make. The result is a tangy, fresh-tasting sauce that could make cardboard palatable. Okay, maybe that’s a bit much, but still…

Why I love this recipe

Simple. No fancy kitchen gear, no niche ingredients, nada. All you need is a bowl and kitchen staples. Perfect texture. It’s silky smooth with a subtle crunch from the chopped gherkins. Quick. Make it in seconds and have it on hand whenever you need it. Versatile. Use it as a dip, salad dressing, over gyro meat, or on lamb burgers. There are NO wrong answers!

Ingredients needed

Dill. Using fresh dill is key in this recipe. Remove any yellow or brown leaves before chopping. Gherkins. AKA pickled baby cucumbers. They have a zing that cuts through the flavor of fresh dill wonderfully. Garlic powder. A must for aroma and flavor. If you want a more intense garlic taste, use freshly minced garlic. Yogurt. I used plain yogurt. For a thicker, creamier sauce, use unsweetened Greek yogurt. Sour cream or mayonnaise. I am a big fan of sour cream and its thick, creamy consistency. If you don’t want extra tanginess, substitute it for mayonnaise. Salt and black pepper. Just a pinch.

How to make garlic yogurt sauce

I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Arman’s recipe tips

Make a silky smooth sauce. I like the sauce’s consistency as is, but if you want it super smooth, blend it in a blender or food processor before serving. Adjust the consistency. Use low-fat yogurt for a thinner, lighter sauce. You can also thin it out by adding a teaspoon of lemon juice or extra virgin olive oil. Finely chop the pickles. So they mix easily into the sauce.

Storage instructions

To store: The remaining sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. Stir it before serving, as there will be some separation. Yogurt-based sauces don’t freeze well. So, I don’t recommend freezing this sauce. As I mentioned, there are no limits to what you can do with this sauce. Here are some ideas:

Drizzle it over protein, like Lamb kebabs, ground chicken burgers, or Turkish eggs Served with veggies, like Grilled sweet potatoes, cauliflower steak, or sautéed broccolini As a dipping sauce for Air fryer french fries, zucchini chips, or air fryer sweet potato fries As a sauce in my spicy chicken sandwiches or healthy burgers

Swap the fresh herbs. Try fresh mint, parsley, or cilantro instead. Spice it up. Crank up the heat and add some smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, or even za’atar spices. Add fresh cucumber. Make a quick tzatziki sauce by swapping the pickles for grated cucumber. Squeeze the moisture out of the cucumber before adding it to the yogurt.