Lemon Dill Yogurt Sauce

Fan of recipes using lemon and dill? Then this 5-minute lemon dill yogurt sauce is a must-try! It has a Greek yogurt base, which makes it super creamy. Plus, it has tons of flavour from garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice and dill. This lemony yogurt dill sauce has so many delicious uses, you’ll be making it on repeat!

I don’t know about you, but I love a good homemade sauce. And I would even venture to say that most of my meals involve some sort of sauce (or dip), albeit not always homemade.

I’ve been making this lemon dill yogurt sauce for quite some time. Even though it’s simple, it’s packed with lots of flavour. It has a lot of the similar flavours that you would find in tzatziki, which is probably one of the reasons why I love it so much.

It’s actually quite versatile, too. It can be used as a sauce, dip or dressing on so many things. You’ll want to have a batch on hand at all times it’s that yummy.

Ingredients

• Plain Greek yogurt: I’ve made this yogurt sauce with Greek yogurt, ranging anywhere from 2% milk fat all the way to 11% milk fat. My absolute favourite is the latter because it’s super rich and creamy. Use whatever you prefer, I just don’t recommend nonfat Greek yogurt for this recipe.
• Garlic: Fresh garlic all the way over dried garlic! Fresh garlic will give the sauce a nice pungent garlic flavour. I’m a garlic lover, so I always use two cloves, but you do you.
• Lemon zest: Adds a pop of colour and flavour to the sauce. Remember, zest your lemon before juicing (it’s much easier that way). If you don’t have a lemon zester, just use the small holes on a box grater.
• Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice really brightens the sauce.
• Seasoning, which includes dried dill, black pepper and salt. I, more often than not, use dried dill because I pretty much always have it on hand. Plus, sometimes fresh dill is not always available. Dried herbs are typically more potent than their fresh counterparts, so if you are using fresh dill use a little more (about 3 times the amount of dried). So, for example, since the recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of dried dill, then you’ll want to use about 3 teaspoons (or 1 tablespoon) of freshly chopped dill (plus a little extra if you really want more dill flavour).

How To Make Lemon Dill Yogurt Sauce

You simply place all your yogurt sauce ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk until everything is nicely combined. That’s it!

How To Use It

There are so many delicious ways to use this lemon dill yogurt sauce. You can drizzle, dunk or spread it over some many things. Here are some of my favourite things to serve it with:

• Crudités, like carrots, bell peppers, radishes, broccoli, cauliflower
• Roasted veggies
• Green salad
• Falafel
• Lamb meatballs, lamb roast or lamb burger
• Sausage
• Grilled chicken
• Fish burger (instead of tartar sauce for a twist)
• Baked or pan-fried fish, particularly salmon, cod or halibut
• Spinach quesadillas
• Tortilla chips, pita bread or naan
• As a sauce on a wrap

Storage

If not enjoying the lemon dill yogurt sauce right away, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator and use within 3 to 4 days. When ready to enjoy, give it another stir to make sure everything is nicely combined (sometimes the lemon separates after sitting).

Tips

• As mentioned above, I don’t recommend using a nonfat Greek yogurt in this recipe. Use a plain Greek yogurt with anywhere from 2% milk fat to 11% milk fat. It adds a lushness that you just don’t get with the nonfat yogurt.
• The recipe calls for 1 to 2 cloves of garlic. Depending on how large your cloves are (and your preference for garlic), it’s best to start with one clove, taste the sauce and go from there. If you want to add more, go for it. Remember, it’s always easier to add than to take away.
• Speaking of garlic, finely chop it. Use either a garlic press or, again, the small holes on your box grater to really mince it.
• You’ll find both lemon zest and lemon juice in this yogurt dip. If you like, you can omit the lemon zest. If you want more lemon flavour, you can add a little more lemon juice to taste. Again, just remember, it’s easier to add than take away, so add a little at a time until it’s reached the lemony flavour you enjoy.
• Want to add more lushness to this sauce? Drizzle over (or mix in) a tablespoon or two of olive oil (even better if you have lemon flavoured olive oil).
• Though I’ve often enjoyed this lemon dill yogurt sauce as soon as it’s made, I think that it’s even better the next day after the flavours have had a chance to get to know each other. If you have the time, make the sauce, place into an airtight container and refrigerate to enjoy the next day. When ready to enjoy, give it another stir to make sure everything is nicely combined.

If you make this lemon dill yogurt sauce recipe, be sure to leave a comment below!