Homemade Cucumber Raita Sauce or Dip Recipe - Budget Bytes (2024)

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$1.20 recipe / $0.20 serving

by Beth - Budget Bytes

published

5 from 1 vote

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I had an email from a reader (sorry, can’t find the email to fetch your name!) a while back requesting that I try to make a raita similar to the one she had at Trader Joe’s. Unfortunately, I’ve never had raita and there isn’t a Trader Joe’s near by where I could get some to try. I looked into the recipe anyway and was intrigued. Raita kind of looks like the Indian version of tzatziki… and I LOVE tzatziki.

So, if you’re unfamiliar, both are a yogurt based sauce used for dipping, putting on flat breads, or whatever else you’d like. They’re creamy, cooling, and tangy. I looked up some recipes for raita and found that there are a million different versions out there. Some with cucumber, some with ginger, some with green onions, some simply with yogurt and a couple of spices . I liked the idea of having both cucumber and ginger to make it extra “cool” on the palate, so I went with that. You can definitely experiment with this and make it your own.

Full fat, strained (or Greek) yogurt is best for this recipe because it makes a nice thick, rich sauce. I happened to have some non-fat regular (not Greek) yogurt in my fridge so I used it instead of buying more. It was still delicious, although much thinner. It was still flavorful and went great with my Tandoori Chicken Bites. I also like the idea of adding a pinch of cayenne to juxtapose the cool cucumber and ginger… I might go add some now :)

Cucumber Raita

Homemade Cucumber Raita Sauce or Dip Recipe - Budget Bytes (2)

cucumber raita

5 from 1 vote

Cucumber raita is a quick, flavorful, and fresh sauce to cool spicy entrees or side dishes.

Author: Beth - Budget Bytes

Homemade Cucumber Raita Sauce or Dip Recipe - Budget Bytes (3)

Homemade Cucumber Raita Sauce or Dip Recipe - Budget Bytes (4) Servings 6

Prep 15 minutes mins

Total 15 minutes mins

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Ingredients

  • 1 cup plain yogurt ($0.54)
  • 1/2 medium cucumber ($0.30)
  • 1/2 inch fresh ginger ($0.09)
  • 1/4 tsp coriander ($0.02)
  • 1/4 tsp cumin ($0.02)
  • 1/4 tsp salt ($0.02)
  • handful fresh cilantro or mint ($0.21)

Instructions

  • Peel the cucmber and slice in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Grate the cucumber on a large cheese grater and place into a colander. Add a pinch of salt and allow it to sit while you prepare the rest of the sauce.

  • In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, salt, cumin, and coriander. Stir to combine. Roughly chop the cilantro and add to the bowl. Peel the ginger and grate it (using a fine cheese grater) into the bowl.

  • After the cucumber has been sitting for at least ten minutes, press it into the sides of the colander to extract as much moisture as possible. Add it to the sauce and stir to combine. Serve the sauce immediately or refrigerate to allow the flavors to combine. Adjust salt as needed.

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Notes

This sauce should keep in the refrigerator for approximately 5 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1ServingCalories: 29.23kcalCarbohydrates: 2.7gProtein: 1.58gFat: 1.4gSodium: 118.13mgFiber: 0.2g

Read our full nutrition disclaimer here.

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Step By Step Photos

Homemade Cucumber Raita Sauce or Dip Recipe - Budget Bytes (7)
Begin with the cucumber. Peel the half that you’ll be using, slice it in half lengthwise, and then scrape out the seeds with a spoon.

Homemade Cucumber Raita Sauce or Dip Recipe - Budget Bytes (8)
Grate the cucumber into a colander using a cheese grater. Add a pinch of salt and allow it to sit. The salt will help draw out the juices so that they don’t make your sauce watery.

Homemade Cucumber Raita Sauce or Dip Recipe - Budget Bytes (9)
Place the yogurt in a bowl and add the cumin, coriander, and salt. Peel the ginger and grate it into the bowl as well. Stir to combine

Homemade Cucumber Raita Sauce or Dip Recipe - Budget Bytes (10)
Take a handful of cilantro (or mint) leaves and roughly chop them.

Homemade Cucumber Raita Sauce or Dip Recipe - Budget Bytes (11)
After the cucumber has been sitting in the colander for about ten minutes, press it against the sides to extract as much water as possible. Add it to the yogurt sauce along with the chopped cilantro. Stir to combine.

Homemade Cucumber Raita Sauce or Dip Recipe - Budget Bytes (12)
Taste the sauce and add more salt if desired. I didn’t want a lot of salt in this sauce because I liked it’s light, fresh flavor. You can eat the sauce as is or refrigerate it to allow the flavors to mingle. Isn’t it pretty?

Homemade Cucumber Raita Sauce or Dip Recipe - Budget Bytes (13)
I served this as a dipping sauce for the tandoori chicken bites, but I also ended up making flatbread sandwiches with the naan, raita, tandoori chicken, leftover fresh cilantro, and a little chili garlic sauce. They were TO DIE FOR. Like little Indian tacos or shwarma wraps!

Homemade Cucumber Raita Sauce or Dip Recipe - Budget Bytes (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between tzatziki and cucumber raita? ›

What's the Difference Between Raita and Tzatziki? Raita is made on the base of regular yogurt while tzatziki is made using Greek yogurt. Raita is thinner in consistency, while tzatziki has a dip-like thick texture. A raita will never have olive oil, while tzatziki is flavored with olive oil in certain recipes.

What dip is made of cucumber? ›

Tzatziki is a refreshing and good-for-you yogurt and cucumber dip. Serve it with pita, grilled meats, gyros, or just eat it with a spoon!

How do you thicken cucumber raita? ›

How do you thicken raita? You can either use Greek yogurt, which will give you a thicker consistency, or strain the yogurt before using, in a muslin cloth so that the excess water gets drained out.

Can I substitute tzatziki for raita? ›

Raita is a side dish from India while tzatziki is a Greek sauce. Both are eaten as dips or as an accompaniment to a main dish. Their consistencies are different. Raita is made with plain yogurt and tzatziki is made with thicker Greek yogurt.

What is the English name for raita? ›

Raita is also sometimes simply called dahi, or "sourmilk", after its main ingredient, particularly in South African Indian cuisine.

What's the difference between raita and tzatziki sauce? ›

What is the differences between Raita and Tzatziki? Raita is a side dish from India made with plain yogurt. It has a thinner consistency than tzatziki. Tzatziki is a Greek sauce made from Greek yogurt.

What do Indians eat raita with? ›

Raita is the savory yogurt condiment that's served alongside everything—from Pakistani lamb biryani to Bengali shami kebabs and South Indian okra stir-fry. The tangy yogurt side offers a refreshing contrast and cooling reprieve from all the heavily spiced dishes.

What do you eat with raita dip? ›

Raita can also be deployed beyond Indian cuisine. You can eat it by itself as a savory yogurt snack; you can use it as a marinade for chicken; you can serve it as a side or topping to any hearty dish in need of a light accompaniment—lamb chops, fried things, stuffed breads, roasted vegetables.

What can you put on cucumbers to make them taste good? ›

Add a zesty dressing:

Whip up a quick dressing by combining plain yoghurt, lemon juice, minced garlic, and a pinch of dill or parsley. Toss the sliced cucumbers in the dressing just before serving. The creamy and zesty flavours will transform the cucumbers into a delectable side dish or a topping for sandwiches.

What flavor compliments cucumber? ›

Herbs: Cucumbers pair well with fresh herbs such as mint, dill, basil, and cilantro. Dairy: Cucumbers pair well with dairy products such as yogurt, sour cream, and cream cheese. Vinegar: Cucumbers pair well with vinegars such as rice vinegar, balsamic vinegar, and white wine vinegar.

What is cucumber raita made of? ›

Cucumber Raita also known as Indian Cucumber Yogurt Sauce is a simple side dish made by mixing grated or chopped cucumbers with thick yogurt/Greek yogurt, salt and ground cumin. Sometimes ground black pepper, coriander leaves and mint leaves are also used.

Is cucumber raita healthy? ›

Cucumber Raita

This 'cooling veggie' has a detoxifying and cleansing effect on the overall health. Its hydrating properties can provide with a lot of health benefits, including weight loss. It has zero fat and low calories.

How long does raita keep in the fridge? ›

Serve right away or store in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.

Does tzatziki taste like cucumber? ›

Some might think of this dip as something similar to sour cream, but if you're wondering what tzatziki tastes like, it is slightly tangy, garlicky, and cool due to the use of cucumber and fresh herbs.

Is tzatziki good with Indian food? ›

This tzatziki sauce is not only an essential ingredient for Greek gyros but it also makes a great dip that can be served with pitas or crudités as a starter. What is this? For that matter, it's quite similar to an Indian raita so go ahead and serve it with tandoori chicken tikka or lamb tikka.

How is raita meant to be eaten? ›

Raita can be served as a dip or a side dish. In the latter case, it is easiest to view it as a salad. In India, people snack on raita between courses to cool the mouth, or they mix it first with rice before eating it with a curry.

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