Turkish Cacık – Cool Yogurt, Cucumber and Mint Dip

About This Recipe

Cacık is Turkey's version of tzatziki, though its thinner consistency and distinctive use of dried mint alongside fresh herbs gives it a slightly different character. It is an essential component of any Turkish meze spread, served alongside grilled meats, stuffed vegetables, börek, and flatbread. In summer it is often diluted further with ice-cold water and served as a chilled soup. The key to excellent cacık is proper preparation of the cucumber: grating it and squeezing out the excess water prevents the yogurt from becoming watery and diluted. Full-fat thick yogurt is essential — Turkish strained yogurt (süzme yoğurt) is ideal, though Greek yogurt is a good substitute. The garlic should be subtle rather than aggressive, and the dried mint gives a depth that fresh mint alone cannot provide. Cacık comes together in five minutes and improves with half an hour in the fridge for the flavours to meld. It is the perfect quick accompaniment to almost anything grilled, or serve it as part of a meze table with olives, stuffed peppers, and warm pide.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 500 gthick full-fat yogurt
• 1cucumber(grated)
• 2 clovesgarlic(minced to a paste with salt)
• 2 tbspfresh dill(chopped)
• 2 tbspfresh mint(chopped)
• 1 tspdried mint
• 2 tbspextra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tspsalt

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the cucumber

   Grate cucumber on the coarse side of a box grater. Place in a clean cloth and squeeze firmly to remove as much water as possible.

   Removing the water is the key step — skip it and your cacık will be watery within minutes.

2. 2

   Mix

   Combine yogurt, squeezed cucumber, garlic paste, fresh dill, fresh and dried mint, and olive oil. Season generously with salt.

3. 3

   Chill

   Refrigerate at least 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.

4. 4

   Serve

   Drizzle with extra olive oil. Garnish with a sprig of dill and a sprinkle of dried mint.

Variations

• •

  Add a drizzle of chilli oil on top for a spicy version.

• •

  Include finely chopped walnuts for a cacık-haydari hybrid.

Storage

Keeps 2 days in the fridge. Stir before serving as yogurt separates slightly.

Frequently Asked Questions