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High-protein tzatziki for building muscle. Credits: Claude Pop / Unfold Today.

Since tzatziki isn't traditionally rich in protein, I wondered whether this Greek sauce could still retain its authentic taste if I enhanced it. To do so, I swapped in a base of low-fat Greek yogurt instead of regular yogurt, then added cottage cheese and protein powder to the mix. I had my doubts but this was not first rodeo with creating high-protein recipes. After the first dip, I knew we got it right. Creamy and garlicky with a touch of fresh dill!

From now on, anyone looking to build muscle or simply boost their daily protein intake can actually diet better with tzatziki. That's not something sauces usually do. On top of it all, this recipe packs a whopping 52 grams of protein, more than any version we've ever laid our eyes on.

Let's make it!

Equipment

To make this high-protein tzatziki sauce, you'll need the following kitchen tools:

• Grater
• Mesh sieve or stringer bag
• Paper towels
• 2 Bowls
• Whisk
• Blender (optional)
• Fridge

Ingredients

For this protein tzatziki recipe, you'll need the next ingredients:

• 10.5 oz (300 g) low-fat Greek yogurt
• 1.5 oz (40 g) low-fat cottage cheese
• 1 scoop (0.9 oz or 25 g) whey protein powder
• 1 cup (3.5 oz or 100 g) cucumber
• 2 cloves (0.7 oz or 6 g) garlic
• 1 ⅓ tbsp (20 g) extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp (0.5 fl oz or 15 ml) raw lemon juice
• ½ cup (5 g) fresh dill sprigs
• ½ tsp (3 g) table salt

Role of each ingredient

Low-fat Greek yogurt forms the creamy base of this tzatziki because it's got more protein than the regular sheep or goat yogurt traditionally used in tzatziki.

Low-fat cottage cheese — which makes for a quick and tasty low-calorie, high-protein breakfast with toast — and whey protein powder boost the protein content of our Greek sauce to record-breaking levels.

Lemon juice replaces the traditional vinegar used in tzatziki, adding a welcome dose of vitamin C.

The rest of the ingredients — cucumber, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, fresh dill and salt — are all classic in tzatziki dips.

Instructions

Here are the step-by-step instructions for making our high-protein tzatziki recipe.

1. Grate and squeeze the cucumber

Place a mesh sieve over a bowl and grate the cucumber into it. Then, squeeze out the excess liquid by hand or press it with a kitchen towel. Without this step, your tzatziki will turn out much thinner because cucumbers release a lot of water.

2. Mix cottage cheese with protein powder

Blend the cottage cheese and whey protein powder in a blender for a smooth texture (if you don’t mind a little extra cleanup), or simply stir them together in a bowl with a spoon.

3. Whisk everything together

In a large bowl, whisk the Greek yogurt with the previous mix of cottage cheese and protein powder until fully combined. Stir in garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, dill, and salt. Finally, fold in the grated cucumber.

4. Chill and serve

Cover the high-protein tzatziki sauce and refrigerate until ready to serve. You're now ready to enjoy its creamy texture and signature garlicky taste accompanied by notes of fresh dill and cucumber.

Nutrition facts

Vitamins: A, C, E, B2, B6, B9, B12.

Minerals: calcium, phosphorus, selenium, zinc, potassium, sodium, copper, and manganese.

Other nutrients: flavonoids.

Benefits

Our high-protein tzatziki sauce can bring many health benefits. Here are some of them:

• Build or preserve muscle mass: because the recipe is high in protein and the sauce can be easily used to boost other dishes;
• Strengthen bones and joints: because the recipe contains compounds commonly used to improve bone health, like calcium, copper, manganese and vitamin C;
• Save time: since the whole recipe takes about 5 minutes to make.

Recipe summary

To follow our high-protein tzatziki recipe in a compressed format, use the summary below.

High-Protein Tzatziki Sauce (Over 50 g Protein Recipe)

Claude Pop, CPT, NC, CSCS

Certified nutritionist Claude Pop turns the classic tzatziki into a high-protein variant unlike any we’ve seen, packing 52 g of protein without sacrificing the authentic Greek taste we all love.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 5 minutes mins

Course Sauce

Cuisine Mediterranean

Servings 17

Calories 31 kcal

Equipment

• 1 grater
• 1 mesh sieve (or stringer bag)
• 1 kitchen towel (paper)
• 2 Bowls
• 1 Whisk
• 1 Blender (optional)
• 1 fridge

Ingredients

  

• 10.5 oz low-fat Greek yogurt (300 g)
• 1.5 oz low-fat cottage cheese (40 g)
• 1 scoop whey protein powder (0.9 oz or 25 g)
• 1 cup cucumber (3.5 oz or 100 g)
• 2 cloves garlic (0.7 oz or 6 g)
• 1 ⅓ tbsp extra virgin olive oil (20 g)
• 1 tbsp raw lemon juice (0.5 fl oz or 15 ml)
• ½ cup fresh dill sprigs (5 g)
• ½ tsp table salt (3 g)

Instructions

 

• Place a mesh sieve over a bowl and grate the 1 cup cucumber into it. Then, squeeze out the excess liquid by hand or press it with a kitchen towel. Without this step, your tzatziki will turn out much thinner because cucumbers release a lot of water.
  1 cup cucumber
  
• Blend the 1.5 oz low-fat cottage cheese and 1 scoop whey protein powder in a blender for a smooth texture (if you don’t mind a little extra cleanup), or simply stir them together in a bowl with a spoon.
  1.5 oz low-fat cottage cheese, 1 scoop whey protein powder
  
• In a large bowl, whisk the 10.5 oz low-fat Greek yogurt with the previous mix of cottage cheese and protein powder until fully combined. Stir in 2 cloves garlic, 1 ⅓ tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 1 tbsp raw lemon juice, ½ cup fresh dill sprigs, and ½ tsp table salt. Finally, fold in the grated cucumber.
  2 cloves garlic, 1 ⅓ tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 1 tbsp raw lemon juice, ½ cup fresh dill sprigs, ½ tsp table salt, 10.5 oz low-fat Greek yogurt
  
• Cover the high-protein tzatziki sauce and refrigerate until ready to serve. You're now ready to enjoy its creamy texture and signature garlicky taste accompanied by notes of fresh dill and cucumber.
  

Notes

Our high-protein tzatziki sauce can bring many health benefits. Here are some of them:

• Build or preserve muscle mass: because the recipe is high in protein and the sauce can be easily used to boost other dishes;
• Strengthen bones and joints: because the recipe contains compounds commonly used to improve bone health, like calcium, copper, manganese and vitamin C;
• Save time: since the whole recipe takes about 5 minutes to make.

 

Here are the full nutrition facts for one serving:

• Serving size: 30 ml (2 tbsp)
• Calories: 31
• Proteins: 3 g
• Carbohydrates: 1.7 g
• Fiber: 0 g
• Added sugars: 0 g
• Fats: 1.5 g
• Saturated fats: 0.4 g
• Unsaturated fats: 1.1 g

Keyword Greek, healthy, high-protein, muscle-building, quick, tzatziki