Tzatziki

This low-FODMAP tzatziki uses lactose-free yogurt and garlic-infused oil in place of regular yogurt and garlic cloves, so you get the classic cucumber-and-dill dip without the fructans or lactose.

Prep 15 min

Cook 1 min

Serves 6

Gluten-freeVegetarian

Ingredients

• 2 cups (475 g) plain lactose-free yogurt, thick or Greek-style (or strained regular lactose-free yogurt)
• 1 medium cucumber (about 300 g), grated on the coarse side of a box grater
• 2 tablespoons garlic-infused olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill (or mint, or a mix of both)
• 2 tablespoons chopped scallion (green onion) GREEN tops only, optional, for an onion note
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided, plus more to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

Drain the cucumber

1. Grate the cucumber, then toss it with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt in a colander set over a bowl.
2. Let it sit for 10 minutes so the salt pulls out the water.
3. Transfer the cucumber to a clean kitchen towel or a few layers of paper towel and squeeze firmly until it stops dripping. Removing this liquid keeps the dip from turning watery.

Mix the dip

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the yogurt, garlic-infused oil, lemon juice, dill, and scallion green tops (if using).
2. Fold in the drained cucumber until evenly combined.
3. Season with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and black pepper, then taste and adjust.

Chill and serve

1. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes if you have time; the flavor deepens as it rests.
2. Stir once more before serving with grilled meat, roasted vegetables, or gluten-free flatbread.

Tips & Substitutions

• Get it thick. Use Greek-style lactose-free yogurt, or strain regular lactose-free yogurt through cheesecloth for an hour before mixing.
• Skip the garlic bulb. Garlic-infused oil carries the flavor because the fructans in garlic are water-soluble, not oil-soluble, so they stay behind in the cloves.
• Onion flavor, safely. Only the green tops of scallions are low in fructans; leave out the white bulbs, which are high-FODMAP.
• Herb swap. Dill is traditional, but mint, or a mix of dill and mint, works well. Add the herbs just before serving for the brightest flavor.
• Lemon or vinegar. Lemon juice keeps it fresh, but a splash of white wine vinegar can stand in if that is what you have.
• Portion posture. Check the Monash app for current tested serving sizes. A standard dip portion of lactose-free yogurt and cucumber sits comfortably in the low-FODMAP range.

Why This Works

• Garlic-infused oil, no fructans. Infusing oil with garlic gives you the taste without the fructans that make raw garlic a problem, so the dip reads as garlicky while staying low-FODMAP.
• Lactose-free yogurt. Regular yogurt carries lactose, which is the FODMAP that tends to bother people who are lactose-intolerant. Lactose-free yogurt has the lactose already broken down, so a normal dip serving is well tolerated.
• Cucumber is low FODMAP. Cucumber has no meaningful FODMAP load at typical serving sizes, so it makes up the bulk of the dip without adding to the total.
• Scallion greens only. Swapping onion for the green tops of scallions keeps the savory background note while avoiding the fructans concentrated in onion and scallion bulbs.

Storage

Keep tzatziki in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days. Some liquid may separate as it sits, so give it a stir before serving. Freezing is not recommended, since the yogurt will split and turn grainy once thawed.

Not sure about an ingredient? The FODMAP Foods app rates 1,000+ foods low, moderate, or high FODMAP, with the safe portion for each, so you can cook with confidence.