Cypriot Yogurt and Mint Dip Recipe (Talattouri)

Talattouri is the Cypriot cousin of tzatziki, and while the two look almost identical, the difference is real and it is all in the herb: talattouri is built on mint, both dried and fresh, where mainland tzatziki leans on dill, and that single change gives it a cooler, sharper character.

As with tzatziki, everything depends on getting the water out of the cucumber, since grated cucumber holds a surprising amount of liquid, and skipping the squeeze leaves you with a thin, watery dip instead of a thick one that sits up on the spoon.

It is the natural partner to everything off the Cyprus grill, halloumi, sheftalia and souvla, and it doubles happily as a cooling dip for bread and raw vegetables in the summer heat.

Key preparation steps

Grate the cucumber and squeeze out the water.
Mix with thick strained yogurt and garlic.
Season heavily with mint, both dried and fresh.
Chill before serving.

The cucumber

Grate the cucumber coarsely, salt it lightly and leave it for a few minutes, then squeeze out as much water as you can with your hands or in a clean cloth. This step is the difference between a thick, spoonable dip and a watery one, so do not skip it.

Mixing

Stir the squeezed cucumber into thick, strained yogurt with crushed garlic, olive oil and a little vinegar, then season generously with mint, using dried mint for depth and fresh mint for lift. The mint is what makes it talattouri rather than tzatziki, so be confident with it.

Resting

Chill it for at least half an hour before serving. A short rest lets the garlic and mint spread evenly through the yogurt so no single spoonful is sharp with raw garlic while another tastes of nothing.

What matters in this dish

Squeeze the cucumber hard

Grated cucumber holds a lot of water. Wringing it out well is what keeps the dip thick and stops it going watery in the bowl.

Use both dried and fresh mint

Dried mint gives the deep, rounded flavour that defines talattouri, while fresh mint adds brightness on top. Together they are what set it apart from tzatziki.

Start the garlic gently

Two cloves is a good base. You can always add more, but too much raw garlic quickly takes over a fresh, minty dip.

Questions people ask about Talattouri

What is the difference between talattouri and tzatziki?

They are very close, both yogurt and cucumber dips. The defining difference is the herb: talattouri is built on mint, while mainland Greek tzatziki is usually made with dill. That gives talattouri a cooler, sharper character.

What yogurt should you use for talattouri?

A thick, strained yogurt, the kind thick enough to stand a spoon in. A thin, runny yogurt will make a loose dip no matter how well you squeeze the cucumber.

What do you serve talattouri with?

It is the classic partner to Cypriot grilled foods like halloumi, sheftalia and souvla, and it also works as a cooling dip for bread, pitta and raw vegetables in summer.

Cypriot Yogurt and Mint Dip (Talattouri)