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Lebanese0Style Yogurt Sauce
You might think of cucumber yogurt sauce like tzatziki, and you’re mostly right – they are very similar sauces but from different countries. While tzatziki and cucumber yogurt sauce are both made with a base of yogurt and cucumbers, tzatziki is from Greece while cucumber yogurt sauce (also known as laban wa khyar) is from the Middle East.
This creamy cold Lebanese-style cucumber yogurt sauce is great for dipping or drizzling over Kibbeh or Kabobs and grilled meats. It take minutes to make the sauce, and it tastes so fresh thanks to the addition of mint. It’s a must at my house with some meals especially when I make Mujadara.
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
Cucumber Yogurt Sauce Ingredients
- Yogurt: Traditionally, we make this sauce with whole milk plain yogurt but Greek yogurt works as well. If you use Greek yogurt, you’ll need to stir in some water to make the sauce pourable.
- Cucumber: Use Persian cucumbers, which are smaller and slightly sweeter and crisper than English ones and chop them really small. There’s no need to peel the cucumber.
- Garlic: Just one garlic clove goes a long way. Grate it for a more distributed flavor.
- Seasoning: Dried or fresh mint works well here or even both! And don’t skip the salt.
How to Make Cucumber Yogurt Sauce
Cucumber Yogurt Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 1 Persian cucumber small diced
- 1 garlic clove finely grated
- 1 teaspoon dried mint
- ¼ teaspoon salt plus more as needed
Instructions
- In a small bowl, stir the yogurt, cucumber, garlic, mint, and salt.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. If you prefer a more pourable sauce, you can thin it by stirring in ¼ cup of water.
- Serve immediately or transfer to a storage container and store in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
If you try this Cucumber Yogurt Sauce recipe or any other recipe on Feel Good Foodie, please rate the recipe and leave a comment below! It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe.
Recipe Tips
- Chop the cucumbers really small. This way the cucumber blends really well into the yogurt and feels like it’s part of the sauce.
- Make it more tangy by adding lemon juice. It’s not traditional to add lemon to the yogurt sauce the way it is for tzatziki, but still it would complement the flavors of Lebanese dishes with the added acidity.
- Pay attention to the consistency. You’re looking for a consistency that can be drizzled on top of dishes instead of one for dipping. Start with plain whole milk yogurt if you have it, and then you can add a couple tablespoons of water as needed to get that drizzling consistency.
- Allow it to rest before serving. Even just 10-15 minutes can make a different in allowing the flavors to meld well together and letting that garlic mellow out into the sauce.
Serving Ideas
- Baked Kibbeh
- Lamb Meatballs
- Grilled Lamb Kabobs
- Grilled Beef Kafta
- Lentils and rice (mujadara)
- Grilled Chicken Gyro
- Grilled Eggplant
FAQ
This dip is best served chilled, so once made, I like to place it in the fridge for 30 minutes before enjoying. Keep the dip covered and chilled and it will keep well for up to 3 days.
So easy to prepare and great on meats, salad and as a dip! I use lactose free Greek yogurt and add water to get to a thinner consistency. I add fresh mint because that’s what I have from my garden.
Love that!! So happy you love the recipe, Dani! Thanks!!
This recipe looks delicious, and I understand this would normally be made for a larger family. That said, I think the recipe scaler is not good. Reducing the recipe from 12 to 4 servings shows 10.5 7 ounces of yogurt. Last time I checked 32/4=8. What is going on?
Hi Dareins, the scaler looks like it’s working to me! You’re right, 32/4 does equal 8, but to get 4 servings you need to divide the recipe by 3. It would be 8 ounces of yogurt if you reduce the recipe to 3 servings (12/4 = 3). Hope that helps!
Can this be made and frozen for later use?
I don’t recommend it; freezing will drastically change the texture.
Delicious and simple. I couldn’t find Persian so bought English and used a potato ricer to squeeze liquid out. I added extra garlic and a little extra mint. Will be making this again and again!
Yay, so happy you liked it!! Thanks, Jennifer!
Fabulous!!!!
So happy to hear you liked it!
Excellent recipe; very close to the Armenian recipe for jajik a day similar to Greek tzaziki. What is its name in the native tongue?
Thank you so much!!!
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