Yogurt Dill Sauce

About This Dill Sauce with Yogurt

This yogurt sauce is something I grew up eating and in my family it was always, always made with dill. It was one of the first things I learned to make as soon as I was allowed to use a knife to mince and finely chop two of the key ingredients. 

Not only is it very delicious as a sauce drizzled over salmon, chicken, grilled vegetables and more, it is absolutely perfect for dipping fresh veggies like carrots, asparagus, cucumber sticks, snow peas, broccolini, radishes. 

Ingredients for Yogurt Dip

You will need the few simple ingredients listed below, a knife and a cutting board, a bowl and a couple of minutes.

Plain yogurt - creamy, cultured in the cup yogurt works best

Olive oil - use extra virgin olive oil for more robust flavor 

Garlic - whole cloves or if you like a milder flavor - garlic chives

Dill - fresh is best, but if you absolutely cannot find any, use a generous amount of dried dill weed

Salt - kosher salt or sea salt are best.

How to Make Yogurt Dill Sauce  

To make this yogurt dip all you have to do is:

• mince or press the peeled garlic cloves
• finely chop the dill
• in a bowl combine garlic, dill, olive oil, yogurt and salt to taste
• mix them with fork or a spoon

I like to mix together all the ingredients except for the yogurt first. They come together in a vibrant looking concoction with a paste like consistency. Once I add the yogurt they easily blend in.

Storing Yogurt Sauce

Store the dill yogurt sauce in an airtight container and refrigerated. It will keep well for a week. Give it a stir before serving after storing in the refrigerator as some water might separate. 

Culinary Side Notes

A curious fact I want to share is that this exact yogurt dip forms the base of a Bulgarian cold yogurt soup known as tarator. It is ultra refreshing on a hot summer day and so tasty. Every Bulgarian eats tarator. It is a great starter dish or meze.

Another curious fact is that if you add diced cucumber and lemon juice to the dip you will swear it is tzatziki. This is because Bulgarian and Greek cuisines have multiple commonalities. Over the centuries vast parts of Greece were Bulgarian territories, later both countries were under Ottoman rule for many years and then during multiple Balkan wars Bulgarian and Greek lands changed hands frequently. Hence the shared food traditions and culinary heritage of the modern countries. 

TIP: You can substitute dill with mint, parsley, oregano, or thyme for a flavor twist.

To me without dill a yogurt sauce simply doesn't taste right. You go ahead and add whatever herb you want if dill is not your thing. Lucky, unencumbered you:)

Easy Dill Yogurt Sauce Serving Suggestions

We keep a bowl of yogurt sauce in the fridge at all times. My favorite ways to consume it are: 

• Dip veggies - fresh or grilled in it (English cucumber sticks are especially good to that end)
• Dip Lamb & Feta Meatballs in it or Lamb Lollipops
• Serve a dollop of it over or next to thinly sliced roasted eggplant or zucchini or avocado slices
• Dip homemade fries in it
• Use it as a dressing for potato salad
• Serve it with chicken skewers or pork souvlaki
• Serve it alongside Pan Seared Salmon
• Use it as a meat tenderizing marinade (for example tough cuts of lamb smothered in this dip become amazingly tender after a few hours)

Health Benefits of This Yogurt Dill Sauce

I've been making this exact yogurt sauce throughout my entire adult life.

Before I ever realized how beneficial it was for the body, before there was genetic sequencing to study the multitudes of bacteria residing in the human body and make sense of how essential probiotics and prebiotics are to every aspect of our health. 

• Because it is packed with probiotics (good bacteria rich plain yogurt) and prebiotic (garlic) this dip can perform wonders for your gut micro flora and as a consequence for your overall physical and mental health.
• It can also combat the negative effects of sugar consumption.
• And don't forget the anti-inflammatory properties of extra virgin olive oil.
• A couple of the lactobacillus strains contained in yogurt are associated with weight loss and control. 

You Need to Be Eating (A Lot of) Yogurt Dip If

• You are a craft beer fan like us or frequently enjoy other alcoholic beverages.
• You consume high glycemic index food or beverages on a daily basis.
• You have taken or are taking antibiotics.
• You have eaten a Western diet with a lot of processed foods for most of your life.
• Are trying to loose weight.
• Feel bloated or depressed - the blissful effect of yogurt dip on mental well-being is due to the mind gut connection.