Turkish · Lunch · Dinner · Snack
Cacık (Turkish Yogurt and Cucumber Dip)
Cacık
A cool, garlicky yogurt dip packed with crisp cucumber and fragrant dried mint, finished with a thread of olive oil. It is light enough to eat by the spoonful beside grilled meats, rice or fresh vegetables.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- No cooking
- Total
- 15 min
- Serves
- 4
Calories come from: Carbs 47% · Fat 26% · Protein 27%
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Ingredients
For 4 servings- 2 cups490 gPlain low-fat yogurt
- 2 medium400 gCucumbers
- 2 cloves6 gGarlic
- 2 tspDried mint
- 1/2 tspSalt
- 1/4 cup60 gCold water
- 1 tsp5 gExtra virgin olive oil
- 1 small handful5 gFresh mint leaves (optional)
- 1/4 tspRed pepper flakes (pul biber) (optional)
Steps
- 1
Wash the cucumbers and trim the ends; peel them in stripes if the skin is thick.
- 2
Grate the cucumbers coarsely or chop them very finely.
- 3
Toss the cucumber with a pinch of the salt and leave it in a sieve for 5 minutes.
- 4
Gently squeeze out some of the cucumber liquid so the dip is not watery.
- 5
Crush the garlic to a paste with a little of the remaining salt.
- 6
In a bowl, whisk the yogurt with the garlic paste until smooth.
- 7
Stir in the cold water a little at a time until the dip is creamy and spoonable; add a little extra water if you prefer it thinner, as a drink-like side.
- 8
Fold in the cucumber and most of the dried mint, rubbing the mint between your fingers to release its aroma.
- 9
Taste and add the rest of the salt if needed.
- 10
Spoon into a serving bowl, drizzle with the olive oil, and sprinkle with the remaining dried mint.
- 11
Scatter over the fresh mint leaves and red pepper flakes if using.
- 12
Serve straight away, or cover and refrigerate until needed; eat within 2 days.
Swaps, storage and make-ahead
Swaps
- For a dairy-free and vegan version, use an unsweetened plain soy or coconut yogurt instead of the low-fat yogurt.
- For a thicker, richer dip, use plain Greek yogurt and add a little more cold water to loosen it.
- If you can't find dried mint, stir in a small handful of finely chopped fresh mint or a little fresh dill instead.
- If you don't have pul biber, use a small pinch of sweet paprika or regular red pepper flakes, or leave it out.
Storage
Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container within 2 hours and eat within 2 days, stirring before serving as the cucumber releases liquid. It is best eaten fresh and should not be frozen, as the yogurt separates and the cucumber turns limp.
Make ahead
You can mix the yogurt with the garlic paste and keep it covered in the fridge for up to a day, then fold in freshly grated, squeezed cucumber and mint just before serving. Add the olive oil, fresh mint and pepper flakes at the last minute.
Nutrition values are for the recipe as written.
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Allergens and nutrition
Contains: Milk
Check the labels of packaged ingredients for allergens and suitability for your diet.
Full nutrition
| Per serving (241 g) | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 105 kcal | 44 kcal |
| Protein | 7.2 g | 3 g |
| Carbohydrates | 12.9 g | 5.4 g |
| of which sugars | 10.3 g | 4.3 g |
| Fiber | 0.6 g | 0.2 g |
| Fat | 3.2 g | 1.3 g |
| of which saturated | 1.4 g | 0.6 g |
| Sodium | 380 mg | 158 mg |
Nutrition is calculated from USDA FoodData Central data and may differ from what you cook.
