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    Home » Recipes » Appetizers, Dips, Sauces

    Cacik

    Published Oct 31, 2019, modified Mar 23, 2022 by Nicole Shroff / This site uses cookies. See the privacy policy linked in my footer. This site generates income via ads/ 4 Comments /

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    Pin image cacik in blue bowl and text overlay

    A popular Turkish yogurt dip with cucumbers and garlic, delicious as an appetiser or turned into a soup and takes just 10 minutes to prepare.

    Cacik in a blue bowl

    Cacik (pronounced ‘jah-jik’), is a popular savoury side dish from Turkey, made with yogurt, cucumbers, garlic and mint.

    Served chilled cacik makes a thoroughly refreshing and cooling side dish for a hot summers day.

    The cucumbers and mint give freshness while the base is garlic-y, rich and creamy with a slight sourness from the thick strained yogurt.

    As a side dish, Cacik is usually served as part of the meze (appetizers), but it is worth keeping it topped up as it works well with many main courses such as grilled meats and vegetables.

    On a visit to the Turkish restaurant Antepliler, we were shown how Cacik can be used as a dip, wrapped in Lahmacun with salad and chunks of meat, or mixed with purslane to form a base layer under tiny meatballs.

    Although normally served as a meze or side dish, it is often blended with a little extra cold water to make a refreshing cold soup.

    Cacik is easy to make and a wonderful accompaniment to most barbecued and grilled meats. I usually serve Cacik with these delicious Kuru Köfte Meatballs.

    Jump to:
    • The yogurt
    • Which cucumbers
    • Variations
    • For cacik soup
    • Make ahead
    • Your questions answered
    • 📋 Recipe

    The yogurt

    Use a thick strained Turkish yogurt (süzme yogurt) or Greek yogurt for that rich creaminess. Then add a tiny bit of water and beat to a smooth consistency.

    For a more dense Cacik (such as the Iranian Mast O Khiar) skip the water, and for a runny dip (like a Raita) use a normal plain yogurt with its whey.

    Which cucumbers

    We like to use small baby cucumbers (also known as Persian cucumbers, measuring approximately 5 inches in length), as they have a better flavour, are slightly sweeter with tender skins and contain and less water than regular cucumbers.

    If you cannot find baby cucumbers, half a regular English cucumber will work too in which case you can probably skip the tablespoon of water in the recipe.

    Wash the cucumbers before chopping, there is no need to peel the skins. Only grate them if you are making cacik soup as grating releases more water.

    Although cucumbers are available throughout the year, they are most delicious during their peak season which runs from May through to August. Check out my post on the benefits of eating seasonally.

    Variations

    You can use other fresh herbs such as parsley or dill.

    Cacik is made using cucumbers but you could add sliced scallions, and there are similar versions using spinach, chard or purslane.

    Whatever you choose should complement the flavours of the dish you are serving it with.

    For cacik soup

    This quick and cooling summer soup requires no cooking making it ideal for those hot sultry days when it’s too hot cook in the kitchen.

    1. Simply follow the recipe below to prepare cacik, then stir in some icy cold water (approximately 120 ml or ½ cup).
    2. Pour in a little water at a time to achieve your desired soupy consistency. Then taste for seasoning, adding a little more salt if required.

    Make ahead

    The combination of fresh produce, salt and dairy means that the Cacik won’t keep for longer than a day so it is best to prepare it the same day.

    Ideally make it a couple of hours before serving then cover and chill till ready to serve, this will enable the flavours to come together nicely.

    Your questions answered

    What is the difference between cacik and tzatziki?

    Cacik is actually the same as Greek tzatziki, both having only slight regional differences in the herbs or spices used and their consistency.

    Check out my other recipes for Dips & Sauces.

    • Indian Green Chutney
    • Cucumber and Onion Raita
    • Best Easy Guacamole Recipe
    • Easy Pinto Beans
    • Best Easy Guacamole Recipe
    • Easy Pinto Beans
    • Cucumber and Onion Raita
    • Indian Green Chutney

    ⭐️ Are you making this Cacik recipe? I’d love to know how it turned out in the comments! And please give it a star rating below!

    Instagram – I love seeing your creations, so post a picture, tag @endofthefork or hashtag #endofthefork

    ⚜

    📋 Recipe

    Cacik in a blue bowl
    Print

    Cacik Turkish Yogurt Dip

    A popular Turkish side dish made with yogurt, cucumbers and garlic, delicious as an appetiser or side dish and takes just 10 minutes to prepare.
    Course Appetizer, Dip, Side, Soup
    Cuisine Turkish
    Keyword Cacik, Turkish dip, Yogurt and cucumber dip, yogurt soup
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Total Time 10 minutes
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories 82.32kcal
    Author Nicole Shroff

    Ingredients

    • 560 grams yogurt (2 cups) strained, Turkish or Greek
    • 1 tablespoon water
    • 3 cloves garlic
    • 2 baby* cucumbers or ½ a regular English cucumber
    • salt to taste
    • 5 leaves fresh mint chopped
    • olive oil to drizzle
    US Customary – Metric

    Instructions

    • In a medium bowl, beat the yogurt and water till creamy and smooth.
      560 grams yogurt, 1 tablespoon water
    • Chop the cucumbers into small pieces and mince the garlic, then add to the yogurt. Add salt and mix well.
      3 cloves garlic, 2 baby* cucumbers, salt
    • Stir in the chopped mint and drizzle with olive oil. Cover and chill till required.
      5 leaves fresh mint, olive oil

    Notes

    This dish is best made on the day. Prepare it a few hours in advance and keep chilled till ready to serve.
    We prefer to use small baby cucumbers (also known as Persian cucumbers), for this as they have a nicer flavour are slightly sweet and are less watery than regular cucumbers. However, if they are not available half a regular English cucumber work well too, in which case you may not need to add the tablespoon of water in the recipe.
    Chop the cucumbers into small pieces, only grate them to make cacik soup as grating releases more water.
    Storing leftovers – store in a sealed container and chill for up to 48 hours. During this time the cucumbers will release some water so stir well before serving.

    To make cacik soup

    This recipe makes cacik soup for two people.
    After preparing the cacik, mix with around 120 ml (½ cup) cold water to achieve the desired consistency. Serve chilled.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 82.32kcal | Carbohydrates: 7.48g | Protein: 4.58g | Fat: 4.03g | Saturated Fat: 2.58g | Cholesterol: 15.93mg | Sodium: 57.5mg | Potassium: 240.06mg | Fiber: 0.14g | Sugar: 6.2g | Vitamin A: 150.68IU | Vitamin C: 2.1mg | Calcium: 156.78mg | Iron: 0.14mg
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Margi

      September 17, 2020 at 11:30 pm

      5 stars
      I loved this recipe it brought me right back to when I first tried this dip, it was wonderful prepared just as you had it, no tweeks required 😉 Thank you for sharing this, I will be making it as a cold soup next time with some garlic croutons

      Reply
      • Nicole Shroff

        September 18, 2020 at 12:34 am

        I’m so pleased to hear that you liked it! The soup with garlic croutons sounds delicious!

        Reply
        • Margi

          September 18, 2020 at 6:07 pm

          5 stars
          Thanks again for sharing Nicole 🌻🌾

        • Margi

          September 27, 2020 at 9:38 pm

          Thank YOU, you’re an excellent 5🌟 chef your food is proof

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