This Garlic Yogurt Sauce is so awesome! Creamy, tangy, thick but drizzly, it is made using only 5 ingredients. Terrific as a dip for chips or vegetable sticks, a sauce for grilled protein, veggies or wraps!
This creamy garlic yogurt sauce is surprisingly easy to make. It’s fresh and bright, with a rich creaminess from mayonnaise, and pairs with almost anything—chicken, meat, veggies, fries, tacos, or chips.
I like to serve with grilled chicken thighs or even gluten free zucchini fritters. The possibilities are endless. It’s like a versatile, flavorful "emergency sauce" you can use anytime!
This yogurt dipping sauce transforms any veggie into something irresistible in just 30 seconds—how easy is that?! Try it with air fryer carrot fries or drizzle it over your homemade tacos.
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Reasons to love it
- This goes with seriously everything: It is quick, tangy, and packed with a subtle garlic kick and fresh cilantro—an all-around winner!
- 5 ingredients and 30 seconds: Five basic ingredients transforms into something too easy and seriously good.
- Adaptable: Adjust the water to achieve the perfect consistency—from thick enough to spread on a wrap to just right for drizzling over your favorite grilled meat. Not a fan of cilantro? Try mint or dill instead.
Ingredients you'll need
Scroll down to the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and amounts.
- Yogurt - I like to use plain greek yogurt for the deeply rich and creamy texture but you can use regular thick yogurt and skip the water.
- Garlic - Just a little bit, as the flavor of raw garlic in this is actually quite harsh! It does soften and meld with other flavors upon refrigeration for a few hours.
- Lemon - Freshly squeezed to enhance the flavor and brighten the yogurt sauce. I don't recommend subbing with lime juice because it might add some bitterness.
- Cilantro - Finely minced for color. texture and flavor. Don't care for cilantro? Use minced mint or dill instead.
- Mayonnaise - For subtle sweet flavor and bring home the thick creamy amazingness. Don't skip it!
Type of yogurt to use
I prefer using Greek yogurt for the garlic yogurt sauce recipe because it provides a thick, creamy consistency that regular yogurt can't match. You can use plain yogurt, but be sure to reduce the water in the recipe.
I also recommend avoiding non-fat yogurt, as it’s thinner and lacks flavor. If that's all you have, low-fat yogurt works as a good alternative.
Yogurt Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup plain greek yogurt
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 to 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
- ¼ cup cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 to 4 tablespoons water
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
Instructions
- Add all ingredients into a bowl and stir until well combined (adjust water based on desired thickness).Tip: Use a microplane to grate your garlic or use a garlic press.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information, based on third-party calculations, should be seen as estimates, not guarantees, as various factors like product types, brands, processing methods, and more can alter the nutritional content in recipes.
Substitution & Variations
- Like some heat? Stir finely minced jalapeños or grind it along with the yogurt, as did for the cashew mint chutney.
- Although we like the wonderful thickness from Greek style yogurt, you can use regular yogurt (the thickest you can find) but skip diluting with water.
- Use minced mint instead of cilantro.
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How to make garlic yogurt sauce?
You can find full printable recipe below, but here is a quick overview of the procedure along with step-by-step photos.
- Add plain greek yogurt and mayonnaise into a bowl.
- Use a microplane to grate a whole garlic clove or use a garlic press
Tip: Grate and not chop! Biting into a chunk of raw garlic is not quite a pleasant experience. You can also mash to make a paste using the side of a knife, but remember to use slightly less because a paste is more intense than using a microplane or press.
3. Add fresh lemon juice, salt and water.
4. Wash and chop fresh cilantro very fine and stir along with remaining ingredients, until smooth and creamy.
How to use the yogurt sauce?
This terrific garlic yogurt sauce pairs well with almost everything when you want to temper old flavors or brighten up any veggie. Sometimes I like to top it with roasted air fryer chickpeas for a wonderful crunch and texture contrast.
Enjoy as dipping sauce for fresh vegetables like cucumber, grape tomatoes, celery sticks, thick cut potato chips or homemade pita chips.
Hello grilling season! This versatile garlic yogurt dip tones down the heat, adds some zing or brighten up your air fryer tandoori chicken, air fryer Mexican shrimp, meat or veggies. It is the ideal sauce for instant pot chicken shawarma. Your possibilities are endless!
Is it sauce or dip?
It can be anything: sauce, dip, just skip the water and you've got an amazing spread, you name it. It's compatible with almost everything from tacos recipes, salads, burrito bowls, grilled chicken, steak or a dipping sauce for your veggies.
More creamy sauce recipes:
- Garlic parmesan sauce is lusciously creamy, full of flavor, and thick yet drizzly.
- Cilantro lime sauce is incredibly addictive! Creamy, spicy, zesty, garlicky, and full of bold flavor, it adds the perfect kick to any Mexican dish. Delicious on tacos, chicken, or just about anything!
- Bang bang sauce is sweet, spicy, easy, and creamy, it’s the perfect complement to shrimp, chicken, and vegetables. You'll want to drizzle it on everything!
- This avocado crema is creamy, spicy, tangy and flavorful.
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