Easy Tzatziki Recipe for One with Pepino and Dill Seeds

This easy tzatziki recipe is made for one person, in a campervan, with nothing more than a hand-held grater and a spoon. It is thick, garlicky and cool, with grated pepino, a little olive oil and – because I had no fresh dill – a pinch of dill seeds. No cooking, no electricity, and ready after an hour in the fridge.

I made it in Florie for a no-cook Greek mezedes dinner: a block of Lidl feta, olives from my neighbour Antonio, a jar of gigantes from the fridge, and buckwheat sourdough in place of pita. Every plate of mezedes needs a cool, creamy dip to balance the salty feta and the olives, and this Greek tzatziki recipe does it with five ingredients.

Why This Easy Tzatziki Recipe Works

A good tzatziki recipe comes down to three things: thick yoghurt, a cucumber with the water squeezed out, and garlic that disappears into the mix instead of biting back. Get those right and the rest is a drizzle of oil and a little patience.

Here the cucumber is a pepino, the ordinary Spanish cucumber – the same one I use in my Horiatiki and my quick pickled pepinos. Peeled, grated and squeezed dry, it adds a fresh crunch without turning the yoghurt watery.

Making Tzatziki in a Campervan

Van cooking means a small kit and no spare power, so this suits it well. All I use is a hand-held grater for the pepino, the back of a knife for the garlic, and one bowl. The garlic gets crushed with the flat of the knife, chopped finely, then pressed into a paste, so there are no raw chunks in the finished bowl.

No Fresh Dill? Use Dill Seeds

Most tzatziki uses fresh dill or mint, and I had neither in the van. I did have dill seeds, so I crushed a quarter of a teaspoon lightly and stirred them in. They taste a little sharper and more caraway-like than the fresh herb, but they work very well here. If you have fresh dill, chop a spoonful and use it instead.

Easy Tzatziki Recipe for One

Makes one generous portion – plenty for a mezedes plate, with a little left over for tomorrow.

Ingredients

• 120 g thick strained yoghurt (Greek-style)
• ½ medium pepino, peeled and grated
• 1 small clove of garlic, crushed to a paste
• ¼ tsp dill seeds, lightly crushed
• 1 tbsp olive oil, plus a little to finish
• A squeeze of lemon
• 1–2 pinches of salt
• Black pepper

Method

1. Grate and squeeze the pepino: Peel the pepino, grate half of it on the hand-held grater, then squeeze out the excess moisture with your hands. Be firm – this is what keeps the tzatziki thick.
2. Make the garlic paste: Crush the garlic clove with the back of a knife, chop it finely, then press it with the flat of the blade until it forms a paste.
3. Mix: Spoon the yoghurt into a small bowl. Stir in the squeezed pepino, the garlic paste, the crushed dill seeds and the olive oil.
4. Season: Add a squeeze of lemon, a pinch or two of salt and a grind of black pepper. Taste and adjust.
5. Rest: Cover and chill in the fridge for an hour, so the garlic mellows and the dill seeds soften into the yoghurt.
6. Serve: Spoon into a small bowl, finish with a little drizzle of olive oil and one more grind of black pepper.

Troubleshooting

• Too runny? The pepino was not squeezed dry enough, or the yoghurt was not thick. Use strained, Greek-style yoghurt and squeeze the grated pepino hard.
• Too garlicky? Use less garlic next time, or leave the tzatziki to rest a little longer. Raw garlic mellows as it sits.
• Flat taste? It almost always needs a pinch more salt or a little more lemon.

What to Serve with Tzatziki

On a mezedes plate, it goes beside feta, olives, beans and bread – I used buckwheat sourdough instead of pita. Any left over makes a good sauce for a wrap the next day, or a cool spoonful with griddled chicken.

FAQ

Can I use dill seeds instead of fresh dill in tzatziki?
Yes. Crush them lightly and use about a quarter of a teaspoon for 120 g of yoghurt. The flavour is sharper than fresh dill, but it works.

Do I have to squeeze the cucumber?
Yes. Grated pepino holds a lot of water, and squeezing it out is what keeps this easy tzatziki recipe thick instead of runny.

Can I make tzatziki ahead?
It needs an hour in the fridge anyway. I keep any leftovers in the fridge and use them the next day.

If this tzatziki rescued your dinner, you can buy me a coffee ☕ – it helps keep the site going.

Footnote

This easy tzatziki recipe is part of my Greek Recipes, Campervan Cooking and Veggie & Vegan Recipes collections.
Find more recipes and food adventures here.
Wonky photos, proper food, genuine adventures – The Flexible Chef