Toasted Pitas with Tzatziki Sauce

If you are serving a Greek or Mediterranean inspired meal, Toasted Pitas with Tzatziki Sauce need to be at the party. I like to serve these toasty pitas warm from the oven to scoop up this light and healthy sauce and the other goodies on our plates.

Tzatziki is the traditional sauce served on gyros but it’s super versatile and can be served alongside a variety of main dishes. By itself it’s a light and healthy summer appetizer and a great alternative to all the typical cheesy, mayonnaise laden (yummy) dips that tempt us. The pitas are ridiculously easy to make and are excellent served with an assortment of sauces and spreads. Grab a few toasted pitas and some hummus from your fridge for a healthy, low guilt, late night snack.

Let’s start with the sauce.

It’s best to use English cucumbers, also known as hothouse cucumbers, when making tzatziki. They are milder and have less seeds than other varieties. You’ll find the complete list of ingredients on the printable recipe at the end of this post.

Peel and shred about 1 cup of cucumber.

Get rid of the excess liquid from the shredded cucumber by squeezing it in your hands. You can enclose it in a paper towel to do this but I usually don’t bother and just grab hold of the bundle of it and squeeze away.

Then it’s just a matter of combining all of the ingredients – shredded cucumber, non-fat Greek yogurt, light (or regular) sour cream, minced garlic, dill, fresh lemon juice, and a little salt and pepper.

Combine the mixture well and refrigerate for at least an hour for the flavors to blend.

Now, on to the pitas.

This time I went with onion flavored pitas but any flavor works great, even plain.

Brush both sides of three pita rounds with olive oil and sprinkle with a touch of sea salt.

Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to slice the pitas into quarters.

Place the pitas on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for about 6 minutes. This will result in a warm, toasty, but still slightly pliable pita when served warm. If you’d like a crispier pita, flip them over after the initial baking time and let them go another several minutes. They will crisp even further as they cool. If you don’t plan to eat them right away, store the completely cooled pitas in a zippered plastic storage bag or other airtight container.

Grab the tzatziki from the fridge and you’re ready to serve.

Toasted Pitas

Servings: 6

Ingredients:

• 3 rounds of pita bread, plain or any flavor desired
• Olive oil
• Sea salt

Directions:

For slightly crisp but still pliable pitas:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly brush both sides of pita rounds with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt. Cut each round in quarters. Place on an ungreased, rimmed baking sheet and bake for 6 minutes. Remove from oven. Serve while still slightly warm.

For crisp pitas:

Follow as above but after baking for 6 minutes, flip pita triangles over and bake for an additional 3 or 4 minutes. Pitas will be become even crispier as they cool. When completely cool, store in an airtight container or zippered plastic storage bag.

Serve with tzatziki sauce, hummus, or a variety of other dips and spreads.

 

Tzatziki Sauce

Servings: 6 to 8

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups non-fat plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup light sour cream
• 1 cup peeled, shredded hothouse (English) cucumber (squeeze to remove excess liquid)
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon dill
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 1 lemon, juiced

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a medium bowl and stir well to combine. Chill for at least one hour or more before serving to allow flavors to blend.

Serve with warm toasted pitas or as a condiment along side any Mediterranean style meal.