Can You Freeze Tzatziki?

How to Freeze Tzatziki

While you might notice a slight difference in texture when comparing frozen tzatziki to a freshly made dip, it’s not too discernible, particularly if you don’t eat it very often. Below are the steps you need to follow in order to freeze tzatziki safely: 

1. Split into Individual Portions
   If you’ve made a big batch of homemade tzatziki for a special celebration or a family feast and have lots leftover, you should consider splitting it into portion sizes before freezing it. This will make things a lot easier when you come to defrost the dip in the near future. 
2. Transfer to Freezer-Safe Kars
   Portion your tzatziki into freezer-safe jars or ramekins. While you can use bags, jars are better as they won’t split in the freezer. 
3. Double Wrap with Cling Film
   Next, place your tzatziki jars on a layer of cling film and double wrap it. You need to make sure there are no tears or gaps in your wrapping, as freezer burn will cause the tzatziki to lose some of its flavours. 
4. Label and Freeze
   Once your tzatziki jars are well wrapped, write the date you prepared the dip, as well as the use-by date on the wrapping, before placing them flat in the freezer. Remember, you can freeze tzatziki for around three months. 

3 Tips for Freezing Tzatziki

Now you know how to freeze it, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing tzatziki to have the best results:

• Use Full-Fat Greek Yoghurt – If you know in advance that you’re going to freeze your leftover tzatziki, opt for full-fat Greek yoghurt instead of regular yoghurt. The reason for this is that it has much lower water content and will freeze much better. Although it’s not as healthy, it will also make your tzatziki taste wonderful! 
• Grate and Strain the Cucumbers – A cucumber is 96% water, and cutting chunks into your tzatziki will potentially cause you issues during the freezing process. Instead, consider grating and then straining the cucumbers before adding them to the dish. Removing as much water as you can ensure your tzatziki doesn’t go too watery during the freezing process. 
• Stir Well After Defrosting – One common complaint people have when it comes to freezing tzatziki is that it can go a little grainy once it has thawed. While this isn’t ideal, stirring it well and adding a dollop of yoghurt or even cream to the dip once it has defrosted will help your tzatziki regain its consistency. 

How Long Can You Freeze Tzatziki?

You can freeze tzatziki for around three months. 

Homemade tzatziki will be good in the fridge for 3-4 days after you’ve prepared it, so if you think you will use it in that time, you don’t need to freeze it. However, the quicker you can get your tzatziki in the freezer, the tastier it will be once it has thawed. 

You Can Freeze Tzatziki for up to 3 Months

How Do You Defrost Tzatziki?

To defrost tzatziki, remove the serving you require from the freezer the night before you plan to use it, and leave it to thaw in the fridge.

Once the tzatziki has thawed thoroughly, you should stir it well to return it to a smooth consistency if it has split during the freezing process.

If it appears a little watery, consider adding a dollop of full-fat Greek yoghurt or thick cream to the dip before stirring it. This will help to return the tzatziki to its desired texture. 

Can You Refreeze Tzatziki?

While refreezing tzatziki that has thawed in the fridge is perfectly fine from a health perspective, it’s not the best idea. Refreezing tzatziki is likely to make the dip watery and will affect its taste.

It’s for this reason that we advise you to freeze tzatziki in individual portion sizes, so you don’t have to worry about wasting leftovers or freezing it for a second time. If you refreeze tzatziki, you will almost certainly be disappointed with the results.

Does Tzatziki Freeze Well?

Although the texture of tzatziki changes slightly during the freezing process, it’s fair to say that this traditional and delicious Greek dip freezes well.

It’s important that you protect tzatziki from freezer burn and control its moisture content, but otherwise, it’s a nice and simple freezing process. So, if you have some leftover tzatziki from your Greek family feast, don’t hesitate to portion them up and place them in the freezer. 

Related FAQs

If you’ve still got questions about freezing tzatziki or tzatziki in general, then these may help:

What Happens When You Freeze Tzatziki?

As with a lot of dairy and yoghurt based products, you will that it may split a little. But this is the only thing that will change. A good stir should fix most of this. 

Can You Freeze Other Dips?

The method for freezing other dips will remain fairly similar. You need to ensure it is well wrapped and kept airtight. You should also consider the ingredients in the dip and whether those individual dips will normally freeze well or not.